Tesco and Help for Heroes launch urgent appeal for volunteers in Plymouth

Tesco is partnering with Help for Heroes to help raise vital funds for veterans wounded or injured in the line of duty - and Plymouth volunteers are needed.

With the Tesco Superstore hosting a collection in Transit Way as part of the first national event of its type this year, Tesco and the charity have launched an urgent appeal for people to volunteer a couple of hours in store to fundraise on 26 and 27 June.

The fundraising initiative across Tesco’s National Collection Weekend coincides with Armed Forces Day on the 26 June. Tesco and Help for Heroes are marking the occasion by encouraging people in Plymouth to show their support to wounded veterans and their families who’ve been impacted by injury or illness sustained while serving their country in the British Armed Forces.

Help for Heroes relies on the generosity of the public for the majority of its funding and saw a loss of approximately 75% to its income from national collections during 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

At the same time, during the first lockdown the charity saw a 33% increase in those coming forward for mental health support compared to the previous year and a 30% increase in referrals to its veterans’ clinical services. It is therefore a vital time for the charity to raise awareness of the urgent support needed for veterans and encourage people to take part in fundraising.

Gary Wills, Store Manager at the Transit Way store, said: “As lockdown restrictions ease, we are pleased to be able to launch the National Collection Weekend and support the incredible work of Help for Heroes. We hope as many people as possible from Plymouth will get involved across the weekend and take this fun opportunity to reconnect with others, while making a difference supporting those who are wounded or injured as a result of service.

"As always, the health and safety of our colleagues, customers and volunteers is our top priority. We will continue to monitor the government guidance on Covid-19 closely and ensure all the necessary guidelines are followed at the time of the collections on 26 and 27 June.”

John Carpenter, Area Fundraising Manager at Help for Heroes for Plymouth, added: "Volunteers have always been at the very heart of Help for Heroes, championing the cause and helping us to raise the vital funds we need to give wounded veterans and their families the support that they need for as long as they need it.

"We are delivering our recovery services in the community, online and over the phone so that we can support more veterans than ever, closer to home. By volunteering at the Tesco National Collection Weekend, you will be playing a vital role in helping us to ensure that we deliver our promise to be here for veterans and families, whenever and wherever they need us."

Tesco and Help for Heroes are asking any willing volunteers with availability on the 26 and 27 June to register at //h4hweb.com/tesco or contact the Help for Heroes Campaigns team on 0300 303 9888 or campaigns@helpforheroes.org.uk.