A grand total of £76,000 has been raised by hunts across the UK this year for the forces charity Help for Heroes (H4H).
A cheque was handed over to the charity by the Masters of Foxhounds Association MFHA) at the Cheltenham Countryside Race Day last Friday (14 November).
Hunts pledged their support for the charity at the start of the year by donating the cap from their meets on 23 January.
Fundraising has continued throughout the year, culminating in the donation last week that will help H4H’s £8million campaign to provide a swimming pool and gym for injured soldiers recovering at the Headley Court, the defence medical rehabilitation centre near Dorking, Surrey.
Captain Ian Farquhar, joint-master of the Duke of Beaufort’s hunt handed over the cheque to Brigadier Christopher Parker, the commandant of the Headley Court and Sophie Butler of H4H.
Speaking to H&H, Capt Farquhar said: “Spending a couple of hours last Friday in the company of two young men who have lost limbs is salutary and any money we can raise to help them, and other members of the armed forces like them, in any way is fearfully important.”
Brigadier Parker thanked the MFHA for the “generous donation” saying: “We are very grateful for the continuing public support for such a worthy cause.”
H4H was set up by cartoonist and former soldier Bryn Parry in October 2007. He said: “This is a wonderful contribution and we are very grateful for all the work that has gone into raising the amount.
“The money raised will directly support our servicemen and women with enhanced facilities and services.”
£76,000
Headley Court specialises in the rehabilitation of military patients with complex trauma, brain and spinal injury as well as a wide range of muscular-skeletal conditions.
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/
