HELP for Heroes heaped thanks on big-hearted Brits last night for donating £30MILLION in just two years.
The charity founded to aid wounded troops passed the landmark amount as it celebrated its second anniversary today - despite the bitter economic recession.
Campaigners for The Sun-backed cause described it as "the best birthday present ever" for Our Boys.
The amazing total has broken all records for fund-raising by a start-up charity.
Patron ... Jeremy Clarkson
Help for Heroes chief executive Bryn Parry said: "When we started we had no idea just how much generosity and support we would encounter.
"The money is helping extraordinary young men and women wounded in the service of our country. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped - and please keep it coming."
The charity was started by ex-Army officer Bryn and wife Emma on October 1, 2007.
It won the immediate backing of the Forces' favourite paper, thanks to our columnist and TV star Jeremy Clarkson becoming a founding patron.
Supportive ... Prince William meets injured Marine Mark Ormrod
The charity now has 136 county coordinators from Inverness to the Channel Islands.
In its first two years more than 10,500 fundraising EVENTS have taken place.
More than 1.4 million people have paid to wear Help for Heroes tri-coloured WRISTBANDS.
An average of £40,000 has come in every day - and £23.5million has already been spent onPROJECTS.
The charity received a major boost from The Sun with the launch last March of our nationwide advertising campaign entitled What Will You Do?
And it is now more than halfway towards its target of building a network of recovery and rehabilitation centres.
The first of up to seven centres, named Mark Wright House after a fallen Para hero, opened in Edinburgh in August.
Meanwhile fund-raising efforts are still in full swing.
One major drive is a National Golf Club Challenge, which is expected to raise £1million. The competition - dubbed Golf for Heroes - will see up to 50,000 players representing 3,000 clubs take part.
Jump to it ... granny June McIndoe, 78, skydives for £1,300
Teams will play on their own courses next July 24-25, with the six who score the best rounds going into a grand final at famed Ryder Cup course The Belfry next October 11-12.
The winners will bag a luxury golfing holiday at the posh Taba Heights Golf Resort in Egypt.
Backing ... soccer's John Terry visits troops
Top British pro Ian Poulter said: "I am so proud golfers and clubs are giving their support."
England soccer legend and keen golfer Gary Lineker added: "This is all about bringing the golfing community together to show our support to our inspirational wounded heroes."
Rehab ... Headley Court pool
In other fund-raising, super-gran June McIndoe made £1,300 skydiving from 12,000ft - at 78.
June, whose 25-year-old grandson Stuart is a Royal Marine, had her jump cancelled three times because of bad weather.
But her determination to do it was reinforced when she had a spell in Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, where post-mortems are carried out on soldiers killed in action. She said: "What I did was nothing to the sacrifices these boys are making."
Aid ... Para Stuart Pearson at Headley
Many injured Forces heroes have been treated at Headley Court military rehab centre in Surrey including Marine Ben McBean, who was hailed "my hero" by soldier Prince Harry.
Yesterday five injured heroes who have been helped by Headley Court took part in a 10km run to raise cash for it.
Hero ... Prince Harry and Marine Ben McBean
They included Senior Aircraftsman Craig Richardson, 23, who lost his lower right leg in a bomb blast serving with the RAF Regiment in Afghanistan.
Also running was Iraq war veteran Bernie Bambury, 33, a captain in 4 Rifles who lost a leg in a sports accident in Switzerland.
TO enter your club for the golf competition, visit www.nationalgolfclubchallenge.org.uk
Support our wounded troops by clicking here
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/2662784/Help-for-Heroes-raises-huge-total-in-second-year.html
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