THOUSANDS of pounds has been handed to military charities by bosses at Andover’s shopping centre.

A total of £4,200 was divided between ten different groups, following the Chantry Centre’s First World War commemoration charity initiative, TWW1tter.

The public response to the project was so positive that centre chiefs decided to double the funding it allocated to three of the charities, with Help for Heroes receiving £2,000 and the Andover branch of the Royal Air Forces Association picking up £1,000, while Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps was handed £500.

The amounts were handed out to mark the end of a fourmonth fundraising campaign, which also included a schools’ outreach programme and displays in the shopping centre.

Other donations of £100 each were presented to Blind Veterans, BLESMA – The Limbless Veterans, the Royal British Legion, Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Invisible Injuries and The Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

Chantry Centre manager Steve Cotney said: “The public response to our commemoration has surpassed our wildest expectations.

“In response we have doubled the contributions to ensure these excellent causes receive the much needed funds they deserve.”