Mazda Staff Give Former Royal Marines A Day To Smile About

DARTFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – Aug 2, 2011: Mazda employees based at the company’s UK head office in Dartford, Kent, hosted local war veterans on Friday (29 July) as part of a Dress Down Day to fundraise for one of the RAF Typhoon Display Team’s chosen charities The Not Forgotten Association.

Forty enthusiastic Mazda employees ‘dug deep’ and raised over £200 from sales of homemade cakes and RAF Typhoon Team merchandise, while spending time talking to former Royal Marines.

Attending the Dress Down Day were three local war veterans from Kent and East London; Giles Price, Jim Ellard and Gordon Choules. Rosie Thompson, Events Director for The Not Forgotten Association explained their Service backgrounds: “Giles was a 19 year old Royal Marine in Iraq in 1991 when he sustained massive internal injuries. Giles is now professional photographer.

“Jim Ellard and Gordon Choules both served in the Suez crisis and despite suffering from ill health, they regularly attend our events. Jim is a keen supporter and encourages others to help fundraise too. In fact, three pubs in Kent are actively fundraising as a result of Jim’s enthusiasm.”

Mazda, as official vehicle sponsor of the RAF Typhoon Display Team for 2011, is hosting a number of exclusive ”fun and young at heart” days out and activities with The Not Forgotten Association conduring the air show season this summer to help the charity’s aim to provide wounded and ex-service personnel with disabilities with activities that bring genuine happiness.

Rosie Thompson, commented: “Each of the veterans that have met the Mazda team so far have been truly touched by their enthusiasm to help bring genuine happiness on the events. Already we are seeing some friendships flourish through the Mazda activities and that is something that money can’t buy for these injured ex-servicemen and women.”

Colonel Piers Storie-Pugh NFA’s Chief Executive added: “We are enormously grateful to Mazda and the RAF Typhoon Display Team for offering our beneficiaries the opportunity to attend events and activities they would not have been able to experience otherwise. Memories from these days often sustain our veterans through trying times in their lives and make them feel truly ‘Not Forgotten’.”

Jeremy Thomson, Managing Director for Mazda UK added: "The Mazda team had a wonderful time engaging with the three former Royal Marines at our Dress Down Day and hopefully we – and our dealer partners - will continue to put a smile on the faces of more veterans as the year progresses."

In 2010, the RAF Typhoon Display Team raised over £12,000 for its chosen charities. In 2011, the Team is fundraising for The Not Forgotten Association, Make-A-Wish® Foundation and the Forces Children Trust.