A local Sunderland army veteran has raised over £1,400 for the Royal British Legion by organising a work based charity fundraiser.
Paul Davis, who served for over 15 years in the Falkands, Gulf and in Northern Ireland held the ‘dress-down’ event at his workplace EDF Energy on Doxford International Business Park to raise money ahead for the charity.
Paul, who began working for EDF Energy over 21 years ago following medical discharge from the army, recognises the need to support the charity, particularly at this time of year. He said: “The time around Remembrance Day reminds us of all the servicemen and women who have sacrificed their lives to fight for their country, not just in the two world wars but also in ongoing conflicts.
“The Royal British Legion is a fantastic charity which supports the armed forces community, past and present. As an ex-army veteran, I’m grateful I’ve never needed its help personally, though every penny raised is fully appreciated by wounded veterans and those currently serving.”
In attendance were two uniformed serving soldiers, Jason Crawley and George Hanks who support the charity in its fundraising activities throughout the North East. The event included on-the-door donations and poppy-selling stalls.
Paul continued: “I wanted to honour their work, so I organised an event to raise money for the charity. I’m thankful that my colleagues at EDF Energy are fully supportive and we all rallied together with the two servicemen for a great cause. We even had a raffle for an Armistice-themed cake which was a real highlight of the day – especially for the winner”
The charity has been supporting servicemen, women and their families since 1921. Its areas of support include counselling and care, living and mobility aids and financial support with loans and grants.