Latest news from Loughborough University
12 February 2009 - PR 09/16
University students break Poppy Appeal fundraising record
The university fundraising record for the most money collected in a
single day for The Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal has been
broken by a group of students from Loughborough University.
The 123 students, who were collecting money in the London Metropolitan
area during the 2008 Poppy Appeal, managed to bring in £25,982.06
– smashing the previous record set by Nottingham University of around
£17,000.
The students began their amazing feat at 6am and finished at 7pm on Friday
31 October, 2008.
They targeted 38 Tube stations in Zone 1 including Bond Street, Liverpool
Street and Bank stations.
The student Poppy Appeal collectors were collecting approximately £2,000
an hour thanks to their hard work and the generosity of members of the
public.
Elvira Soria, Regional Fundraiser for the Metropolitan Area, said: “This
is an amazing achievement and I must sincerely thank the students from
Loughborough University for their sterling fundraising efforts.
“To raise such a significant amount for the Poppy Appeal in just
one day is truly remarkable.”
The student who raised the most money for the Poppy Appeal was Laura Hutchison,
18, from Rugby, who collected £1200.75.
Ms Hutchison, said: “It was really good fun collecting money for
The Royal British Legion especially as so many young people serving in
the Armed Forces are in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan.
“All of us are very proud at the amount of money we have raised
and we all hope we will be able to support the 2009 Poppy Appeal as well.”
During their stay in London, the students slept in sleeping bags in the
City of London School for Boys based in Blackfriars.
Ms Hutchison added: “It was quite challenging to sleep in a school’s
sports hall but we were well looked after and very keen to go out and
support the Poppy Appeal.
“Service men and women in trouble spots around the world are from
my generation so it’s only right we show our support by raising
funds for the Legion.”
UK universities have been helping to raise money for the Legion’s
Poppy Appeal for almost a decade.
The previous university Poppy Appeal fundraising record set by Nottingham
University had remained un-broken for two years.
–ENDS–
For all media enquiries contact:
Jo Lumani
Senior PR Officer
Loughborough University
T: 01509 228697
E: J.P.Lumani@lboro.ac.uk
Notes for editors:
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research, strong links with industry and unrivalled sporting achievement.
It was awarded the coveted Sunday Times University of the Year 2008-09 title, and is consistently ranked in the top fifteen of UK universities in national newspaper league tables. In the 2008 National Student Survey, Loughborough was voted one of the top five universities in the UK, with 22 out of 30 of its subject areas being ranked in the top ten for overall satisfaction. It was named winner of the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Times Higher award for the UK’s Best Student Experience and winner of the 2007 award for Outstanding Support for Overseas Students. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, the University has been awarded six Queen's Anniversary Prizes – an achievement bettered by no other institution.
It is a member of the esteemed 1994 Group – a set of internationally recognised, research-intensive universities – and has a reputation for the relevance of its work. Its degree programmes are highly regarded by professional institutions and businesses, and its graduates are consistently targeted by the UK’s top recruiters.
Loughborough is also the UK’s premier university for sport. It has perhaps the best integrated sports development environment in the world and is home to some of the country’s leading coaches, sports scientists and support staff. It also has the country’s largest concentration of world-class training facilities across a wide range of sports.