There But Not There, the campaign behind the ghostly figures of WW1 ‘Tommies’ that sprung up all over the UK, has raised over £1.2 million for armed forces and mental health charities in just five days…
The groundswell of public support peaked on day two, when the first fundraising figures released to the campaign’s organisers, revealed that over 34,000 people had helped raise over £1 million for armed forces and mental health charities in the first 24 hours of the campaign.
The campaign has captured the imagination of people all over the United Kingdom. But Henny Cochrane, Remembered’s Director of Fundraising and Communications, revealed the charity had taken orders for Tommies from as far away as South Africa.
Cochrane said: “We have been inundated by enquiries. At one point on Wednesday the website crashed and our payment system went down, crippled by the sheer weight of people wanting to get their hands on a Tommy.
She continued: “The support of the great British public has been overwhelming, but this is just the beginning. We need to raise £15 million and we want to do that by Armistice Day this November. Please visit the website and order yours today!”
The money raised from the sale of the commemorative Tommy figures, which are made by military veterans, will be distributed evenly between The Royal Foundation: Heads Together, Walking With The Wounded, Combat Stress, Help for Heroes: Hidden Wounds, The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation and Project Equinox: Housing Veterans.
There But Not There Patron, Lord Dannatt said: “The poppies at the Tower of London captured the start of the national WWI commemoration – There But Not There will be the abiding concluding image.”
Novelist and There But Not There Ambassador Sebastian Faulks said: “One hundred years ago this country offered its best young men to the war. Many never returned. This nationwide campaign will honour those men at a local level – in the villages and towns from which they came.”
For more information relating to There But Not There or to see how you could get involved in holding your own installation, visit: www.therebutnotthere.org.uk
