John Francis Estate Agency in Cardigan is launched a fundraising campaign for UK military charity, Help for Heroes.

It will join 20 other John Francis branches across south and west Wales in supporting the charity through a number of different fundraising initiatives.

Collection tins are already in all branches, while staff will be organising car-boot sales and cash for old clothes days, as well as selling Help for Heroes wristbands in a bid to raise as much money as possible by the end of September.

Help for Heroes was launched in 2007 to raise money for wounded soldiers and their families. The British charity provides national support and facilities for those who have suffered life-threatening injuries during their service.

The idea to support the charity came from an employee at John Francis, whose brother, Robert Jones, from Ammanford, has just left the armed forces after 27 years of service with the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards.

Milly Danter, who also lives in Ammanford and works as a negotiator at John Francis in Morriston, was encouraged to begin fundraising after hearing her brother’s plans to support the organisation.

Robert will be doing his bit for the charity by taking part in an Ironman triathlon in September. The event taking place in Tenby, West Wales, will see competitors endure a gruelling 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and finish with a marathon 26.2 mile run.

Through Help for Heroes, the money raised will go specifically towards the military critical care unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEH), formerly Selly Oak Hospital.

The facility at QEH provides care for armed forces personnel with over 1,000 beds exclusively for military patients. The QEH is also the new home of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, which is the main receiving unit for those wounded overseas.

Bethan Edmund Harper, director of John Francis, says: “Milly approached us to ask if we’d make a donation towards her brother’s efforts in the Ironman competition, but we thought we’d go one better and get all our offices involved. Help for Heroes is a great charity, so we are happy to get behind the cause.”

John Francis will be fundraising for Help for Heroes until October 2013.