Valentine's Day run marks the need for year-round fundraising
12 February 2010
Over 500 Serving and ex-Service personnel will be following their hearts this Valentine's Day in two simultaneous half marathons, taking place in London's Hyde Park and Weston-super-Mare, both supporting the Poppy Appeal. An additional one planned for Helmand Province, Afghanistan had to be postponed due to operational commitments!
Sergeant Innes Boyd, of the Royal Engineers Nottingham, was to lead 100 runners in the 'Hesco' Half Marathon at Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. "The Legion supports our serving and ex-Service families throughout the year, so in terms of fundraising, we want to do the same back. The Poppy Appeal doesn't stop after November and our run gives us the chance to wear our poppies with pride now."
London Poppy Day organiser Ben Hancock will lead a team of ex-Service runners to complete a half-marathon in Hyde Park and runners in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, will be tackling the 'Tough Ten', a 10-mile multi-terrain course as part of their training for their March For Honour pilgrimage to Wootton Bassett in November.
The Valentine's Day donations come on the back of yesterday's announcement, that the Legion will provide £20 million to the operating costs of four new 'Personnel Recovery Centres'.
The new recovery centres will provide first class care to our injured Service personnel and the Legion will be at the heart of making this happen; providing all the necessary welfare support to help our brave boys and girls get back on their feet after injury.
Yesterday's announcement also comes in the same week that the Government accepted the long-standing Legion led campaign to make improvements to the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.
"Initiatives and campaigns like those announced this week are only made possible by the generous donations of people like the Valentine's Day fun-runners," said Chris Simpkins, Director General of the Legion. "Just as the Legion's support is needed now more than ever, so is the support from the public, and not just in November."
Visit our fundraising pages to find out how you can do your bit for our injured service personnel.
