Fundraising Director wins lifetime award
06 July 2010
The Royal British Legion's Director of
National Events and Fundraising, Russell Thompson
OBE, has been awarded a Lifetime Contribution Award by the
Institute of Fundraising.
The prestigious award was presented at last night's sparkling awards ceremony as part of the Institute of Fundraising's annual National Convention.
Russell joined the Legion in 1997 and is also Managing Director of The Royal British Legion Trading Company Limited and Chairman of the National Memorial Arboretum Enterprises Company in Staffordshire. In 2007, he also took over the management of the Legion's national events which include the Festival of Remembrance and the Cenotaph Parade.
Russell has previously worked with Oxfam and The Red Cross. During this period he lectured frequently on fundraising in Africa and Eastern Europe and travelled extensively in Africa, India, the Caribbean and the Far East visiting many projects dealing with Emergency Aid and Development.
Russell was awarded the OBE in 2007's New Year's Honours List for services to ex-Service men and women.
Chris Simpkins, The Royal British Legion's Director General said, "This is a truly deserved recognition for Russell, both for what he has achieved in his 13 years at the Legion and also the work he did previously with Oxfam and the Red Cross. The Poppy Appeal has flourished under Russell's guidance to be viewed as one of the country's most well supported and respected fundraising campaigns."
