Coventry Members Have Raised GBP5 Million for The Royal British Legion

COVENTRY, England, May 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives of The Royal British Legion were invited to Coventry Building Society's ( http://www.coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk/homepage.aspx) Annual General Meeting to receive a cheque for over GBP1.7 million. The innovative range of Poppy Savings Accounts ( http://www.coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk/savings-and-investments/home.aspx) was first launched in 2008 and Coventry members have raised a staggering GBP5 million in total.

Over the past four years the Coventry's donation has helped to provide funding for numerous projects including;

- Immediate Needs Grants programme - offers anyone who has been injured during service with the Armed Forces grants to pay for adaptations or aids needed for daily living.

- Poppy Breaks - The Legion have four Poppy Break Centres around the UK for those who are recovering from an illness, bereavement or other life affecting events.

- Poppy Calls - is offered to those who have served in the Armed Forces and their widows or dependents. This scheme is designed to offer help with awkward jobs such as minor repairs, or fitting essential devices such as smoke detectors and care phones. In 2010 the Poppy Calls service helped more than 13,000 people around the UK.

One such person who has benefited from the Immediate Needs Grants programme is Lieutenant Corporal Peter Dunning, aged 26 from Merseyside. Peter lost both his legs in an IED explosion in Helmand Province in Afghanistan in May 2008. During his rehabilitation, The Royal British Legion assisted Peter with adaptations needed for living in his parents' home through the charity's Immediate Needs Grant programme. Peter said "It's great to know the Legion is helping the Afghanistan generation of the Armed Forces and the latest donation of GBP1.8 million from the Coventry Building Society will make all the difference". Following his rehabilitation Peter has become a keen skier. He is now a member of the British Disabled Ski Team and working towards the Winter Paralympic Games in 2014.

The Royal British Legion's Director of National Events and Fundraising Russell Thompson, said: "Coventry Building Society's support over the last 4 years had been tremendous. We are delighted to accept today's donation of GBP1.8 million which will help pay for The Royal British Legion Battle Back Centre, a sports and adventure training facility to rehabilitate seriously injured Service personnel. The Legion has taken care of serving and ex-Service people and their families for 90 years and our welfare support is now more important than ever for the Afghanistan generation of the Armed Forces family. With over 160,000 welfare cases a year, every single donation helps the Legion carry out its invaluable work and stand shoulder to shoulder with all who serve."

David Harding, Chairman of the Coventry said: " We are delighted to have raised GBP5 million thanks to the support of our members over the last 4 years. The excellent work of The Royal British Legion is highly valued by our members and we are very proud to to be supporting The Battle Back Centres and the invaluable work they do".

Please see notes to editors for further details of Peter.

Notes to Editors

Coventry Building Society

- Coventry Building Society ( http://www.coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk/homepage.aspx) is the third largest building society in the UK with assets exceeding GBP22 billion.

Royal British Legion

- Registered charity number : 219279

- Further information about the Royal British Legion can be obtained from visiting http://www.britishlegion.org.uk

Case Studies from The Royal British Legion

Peter Dunning, 26, Merseyside

Former L/Cpl Peter Dunning, 26, was serving in the Armoured Support Group, Royal Marines when he lost both his legs in an IED explosion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in May 2008.

During his rehabilitation, The Royal British Legion assisted Peter with facilities and aids to daily living for his parents' home through the charity's Immediate Needs Grants programme.

"I didn't know The Royal British Legion helped people like me. I thought they were all about the older veterans and didn't realise that it helps those still in Service. It's great to know the Legion is helping the Afghanistan generation of the Armed Forces and the GBP1.8 million donation from Coventry Building Society will make all the difference.

"The support that the Legion has offered me since my accident has been great. They are helping me to live my life as best I can by making my day-to-day living easier."

Following his rehabilitation, Peter took a life changing decision when he agreed to go on skiing trip after which, he was offered a place on the Combined Services Disabled Ski Team.

Since then, Peter's passion for skiing has grown and he is now a member of the British Disabled Ski Team, with his sights set firmly on the Winter Paralympic Games in 2014.

Peter lives in Wallasey, Merseyside and is engaged to fiancee Laura.

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