Guardsman Andrew Pearce is a member of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards. They deployed to Sangin two months ago for a six-month operational tour.
Having attended a ten-week Pashto course before deploying means he is involved in conversations with the Afghans on all their patrols. He also stops to have a chat with the local shopkeepers.
The town of Sangin has in the past been the scene of some fierce fighting, but now there is a thriving bazaar, where spices, material, food, watches and hardware are all for sale, as well as ranks of shiny, new motorcycles.
The bazaar now has a tarmac road running through it, and concrete drainage ditches ensure that rainwater is quickly channelled away. Further ditches have been dug at the northern end of the bazaar which will be ready for completion in the future.
Solar-powered street lights on the Avenue of Hope in the governance area of the town provide an improvement in security at night without reliance on mains electricity.
Many Afghans continue to be surprised when British soldiers speak Pashto to them, and a few short conversations in Pashto go a long way to securing their confidence.
Guardsman Pearce said:
"The bazaar has got much busier over the last two months. Many more people are coming to the shops and the Afghan National Police are getting better."
Speaking about his job, mentoring the Afghan Police, he said:
"The Afghans are friendly, and the best bit of my job is definitely training the police as it is rewarding to see their skills improve."
The Police Mentoring Team, of which Guardsman Peace is a part, have trained the Sangin-based Afghan National Police in patrolling skills, security and first aid.