Royal British Legion to launch own phone card

The Royal British Legion is launching a branded phone card which will offer discounts on calls, while raising cash for the charity.

The Poppy Card, named after the Legion’s famous logo, will be produced by Telcom and will be available through retailers from the end of October.

A percentage of the profits (a minimum of 7.5 per cent) will benefit the Legion and the man behind the card, Mike Vernon-Powell, plans to enlist other charities in the near future.

By entering a PIN number, customers can save up to 75 per cent on international calls and 66 per cent on national calls from any type of phone.

The cards will be sold through a variety of outlets, including supermarkets, newsagents, garages and post offices. They will be advertised through point-of-sale material, such as window stickers and posters.

Vernon-Powell, the former controller of fundraising at the Legion, left the charity last month to set up cause-related marketing consultancy Vernon Enterprises (MW August 28).

The Poppy Card comes only two months after the Legion announced plans to launch a branded CD range and whisky (MW July 3), the first of which will also be available later this year.