National Armed Forces Day: celebrating thousands of pounds raised by pizza lovers

For two months, from November 2018 to early January 2019 – Papa John’s customers were rounding up their pizza purchase in support of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, the national charity of the British Army. In just two months your small digital donations added up to over £9,000 in support of the charity’s vital work.

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, were founded in 1944 and provide a lifetime of support to soldiers, veterans and their immediate families when they are in need. The overall scale, breadth and range of their support is vast, from working with young families facing bereavement, to supporting wounded soldiers with limited mobility, funding education and training for service leavers, or helping veterans’ and their families with urgent housing needs – and your donations online with Papa John’s have made a direct impact for beneficiaries like Joseph.

Joseph’s story

During World War Two, Joseph served as a Trooper with the 15th (Scottish) Reconnaissance Regiment, seeing frontline action during the Battle of Normandy. Now aged 94, Joseph lives in his own home in the outskirts of Glasgow and struggles with limited mobility. In 2017, he reached out to The Soldier’s Charity for help.

After many years of Joseph struggling to climb the steps outside of his house and having nowhere nearby to park his mobility scooter or his car, he has a new lease of life. Thanks to the ABF Soldiers Charity, Joseph received a grant to fund renovations for an accessible driveway which means he is now able to park both his mobility scooter and his car right outside of his house. This has allowed Joseph to continue living independently without having to struggle and enjoy his freedom.

“It’s made a big, big difference. It’s made me feel a lot better, and has made me able to be more independent.”

Joseph Connor

How your digital Pennies help
In the last year, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity helped 70,000 people in 68 countries across the globe, as well as funding numerous other charities and organisations to support the Army family at large. This National Armed Forces Day, we are celebrating the pizza lovers across the UK who have donated a few extra pence when buying a pizza (or two) online with Papa John’s.

Thanks to your micro-donations, a few pence at a time, soldiers, veterans and their families who are supported by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity have had help when they need it most. To put that into perspective it takes just three days worth of donations made through Papa John’s to help a veteran with limited mobility and fund a mobility scooter just like the one Joseph uses. Proof that pennies really do count.