The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA), the trade association representing the £7 billion UK Metal Recycling sector, has donated £20,000 to the Royal British Legion from the proceeds of a charity raffle and additional donations, thanks to the support of its generous membership.

A time-honoured tradition of the Association, each year the standing President selects a charity that will receive a donation from monies raised from raffles and auctions held at BMRA events throughout the year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the BMRA held its first face to face event in two years, the Annual Dinner at the Royal Lancaster in London on 19 November 2021.

Susie Burrage, President of the BMRA said: “Our members are always incredibly generous with their donations, be it the donation of prizes or raffle entry. Last year they didn’t disappoint. I selected the Royal British Legion as 2021 was its centenary year. My maternal Grandfather, John Glover, a veteran of D-Day WW2, instilled in me from an early age to never forget those who have actively served to protect our country and to always wear a poppy with pride.

“We were delighted that some members gave additional donations, even giving their photography competition prizes to the chosen charity instead.”

Lucy Acred, Community Fundraiser Cambridgeshire & Huntingdon, Royal British Legion said: “We are overwhelmed with such a wonderfully kind donation from British Metals Recycling Association. Due to their generosity we can continue to provide support and care to the Armed Forces, veterans and their families in so many ways, such as information and advice on care and independent living, physical and mental wellbeing, and financial and employment support. We can continue to ensure that the Armed Forces Community can access the support they need.  Thank you so much to everyone at British Metals Recycling Association for their fundraising efforts throughout the year, their wonderful donation and their support to the Armed Forces Community.”

Ms Acred added: “We really need volunteers throughout Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon for the Poppy Appeal 2022, if you can gift some time to help with the collections in the supermarkets, can help deliver or collect poppies and collecting tins we would love to hear from you, there are so many ways in which you can help.”

The Royal British Legion, the country’s largest Armed Forces charity, with 180,000 members, 110,000 volunteers and a network of partners and charities; helping to give support wherever and whenever it’s needed. www.britishlegion.org.uk. To get involved in the Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon area contact Lucy Acred 07768 307398 or via email [email protected].

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Notes to editors

The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) represents the £7.5 billion metals recycling sector, which comprises an estimated 2,000 businesses and employs over 15,000 people. The industry trades and processes over 10 million tonnes of ferrous and non-ferrous metals every year, including: steel, aluminium and copper. On average, we export eight million tonnes every year: or 80% of all scrap arisings in the UK.

Scrap metals are secondary raw materials whose use reduces the demand for precious natural resources needed to make new metal compounds – such as iron ore in steelmaking; nickel in stainless steel; or alumina and bauxite in aluminium smelting.

For example, every tonne of recycled steel saves:

• 1.5 tonnes of iron ore
• 0.5 tonnes of coal
• 70% of the energy
• 40% of the water
• 75% of CO2 emissions

The figures for aluminium and copper are even more impressive. The recycling of copper requires up to 85% less energy than primary production. Around the world, this saves 40 million tonnes of CO2. Recycling aluminium uses 95% less energy than producing aluminium from raw materials and saves 97% of greenhouse gas emissions produced in the primary production process.

www.recyclemetals.org