Coles is donating 50c from the sale of bakery goods to the Bravery Trust ahead of Anzac Day

Ipswich shoppers can help veterans doing it tough when they buy the groceries this weekend

Chairman of Bravery Trust Lieutenant Colonel Garth Callender and Coles bakery manager Andie King.

Ipswich residents can contribute to a charity helping embattled veterans when they buy the groceries this weekend.

Coles supermarkets across Ipswich are donating 50 cents from the sale of every packet of its own brand of bakery cookies and biscuits until Anzac Day.

The funds will go to veterans’ support agency Bravery Trust.

Customers can also choose to make a donation at the checkout, with funds also helping the charity pay medical fees, obtain food vouchers, cover power bills and education costs for Australian servicepeople.

Data from Bravery Trust shows COVID-19 has created significant challenges for veterans and their families, with the organisation receiving 10,000 calls for assistance since the start of the pandemic, and a 20 per cent surge in requests for assistance since pandemic financial support ended last month.

Coles Group CEO Steven Cain said Coles was passionate about supporting the Bravery Trust, with a number of the supermarket giant’s staff having links to the Defence Force.

Coles has helped raise $5.2 million for the charity since 2014.

“As a longstanding Australian business, we sincerely appreciate the service of current and former members of the Australian Defence Force and together with our customers, we want to remember and support service men and women who are facing hardship as a result of injuries or illness from their service,” he said.

Bravery Trust CEO Belinda Wilson welcomed the ongoing support.

“It has been a very challenging 12 months for many of our veterans who have been impacted by the pandemic, bushfires and recent floods,” Ms Wilson said.

“We work with the entire family to ensure that they are receiving appropriate and targeted support from all sources, including government assistance. Through personalised financial counselling we can work with families to help them with their long-term budgeting and financial security.”

Originally published as Coles is donating 50c from the sale of bakery goods to the Bravery Trust ahead of Anzac Day