Thousands of pounds were raised across Cornwall for veterans wounded or injured in the line of duty.
In the run-up to Armed Forces Day on June 24, four main Tesco stores across the county partnered with Help for Heroes, helping to collect as much money as possible for the charity's members.
The superstores taking part were St Austell, Callington, Penzance and Helston, with Help for Heroes volunteers turning out at each of them to welcome customers and receive donations.
Trevor Fudger, supporter experience manager at Help for Heroes, said: “We are always immensely grateful to Tesco for allowing us to collect vital funds at its stores across the country, and we thank Tesco colleagues for their warmth and fundraising support.
“There’s a huge amount of gratitude and generosity among the British public for our armed forces community, so this was a great opportunity to raise much-needed cash.
“Times are tough for the veteran community. When a conflict ends, for some the battles don’t stop. We support veterans and their families by giving life-changing support, no matter when or where they served. Help for Heroes is at their side, for as long as it takes.”
The collected funds are now being counted, but it’s anticipated to be thousands of pounds. All funds raised at the Tesco superstores will go towards supporting wounded veterans and their families who’ve been impacted by injury or illness sustained while serving their country in the British Armed Forces.
The collections were ahead of this year’s Armed Forces Day national event being centred in Falmouth, where the town will host to packed programme of events and activities, including a military parade, marching bands, military displays, live music, flying displays and fireworks.
Armed Forces Day takes place in the main streets of Falmouth and around its historic harbour, using car parks and existing public spaces, as well as Pendennis Headland, Pendennis Castle and the seafront.
Richard Gorman, Tesco store director for Cornwall and Devon, said that with Help for Heroes relying on the generosity of the public for the majority of its funding, collections such as those at the Tesco stores are vitally important.
He added: “Cornwall is very proud to be hosting this year’s Armed Forces Day national event, and whenever our stores have held collections for Help for Heroes in the past, our customers have always been incredibly generous.
“By donating any loose change for the collections, shoppers were playing a vital role in helping us to ensure that we deliver our promise of being here for veterans and families, whenever and wherever they need us.
“I hope that as many people as possible in Cornwall will get involved in this weekend’s events and make a difference for those who have been wounded or injured as a result of service.”
The superstores’ fundraising for Help for Heroes is part of the Tesco’s long-standing support of military charities, with the company being a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant.
It employs more former military personnel than any other business in the UK, and Tesco’s founder Sir Jack Cohen established the business with his WWI demob money.
Further information about Falmouth’s Armed Forces Day National Event is available online at https://armedforcesday.cornwall.gov.uk/