KIND-HEARTED veterans and serving soldiers have raised hundreds of pounds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Members of the Darlington branch of the Royal Signals Association have spent the past year fundraising for the charity through a number of events and functions.

Their efforts raised £600 for the charity, which was presented to Carol Dresser, manager of the BHF store in Northgate, Darlington, today (Thursday, March 26).

“We are hugely grateful because without public donations we wouldn’t be here,” she said.

Every year the association fundraises for a chosen charity, and since 2008 members have raised £4,300 for Help for Heroes, the Great North Air Ambulance Service, Macmillan Cancer Support, Star and Garter Homes, Butterwick Children’s Hospice and British Heart Foundation.

This year the association is supporting the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

Ray Jeffery, honorary secretary of the Darlington Branch Royal Signals Association, said: “We are extremely grateful to our members and guests who attended our functions and donated money.”