SEEVIC

Students and staff raised over £2,800 for charity during their annual Charity Week celebrations. The money is to be split between three very worthy causes Help for Heroes, Teenage Cancer Trust and Essex Police Dog Unit, all chosen by the students.

The donation to Essex Police Dog Unit has enabled the College to purchase a puppy that is currently in training to become a working police dog and help make the streets of Essex safer. PC Dave Frost visited the College recently to collect the donation and introduce 13-week-old Monty, the puppy that the money has allowed them to buy.

PC Dave Frost said: ”It’s brilliant that the students raised so much money, especially in the current economic climate. We are really pleased to be featured in among the other national charities. From April – November 2009 the dog unit have arrested 421 suspects for various crimes across the county of Essex. The College’s donation means an extra police dog on our streets fighting this crime.”

Monty will undertake a series of training programmes and tests to ensure that he is ready to police the streets. If successful he may be involved in tracking missing and vulnerable people, apprehending fleeing criminals, locating stolen property and safeguarding the public.

PC Frost added: “We chose Monty as we can see that he has the potential to be a great police dog. He has confidence, stability and drive. He is naturally intuitive and is agile, active and obedient. Coming to the College and meeting different people in a new location is great for him and will show us how he reacts in different situations.”

At the Benfleet Campus fundraising events included a variety show, an eating contest, a twister tournament, a raffle, fancy dress theme days and SEEVIC’s Got Talent – the College’s very own take on the extremely popular show Britain’s Got Talent, plus lots more.

Helen Argent, 17, from Benfleet said: “Charity Week was really fun and we raised lots of money very some great causes. We chose the Essex Police Dog Unit as one of the charities because they help the public everyday and they don’t get enough appreciation. I’m even gladder we chose them now that we have Monty. He’s so cute and I hope he passes all the tests to become a real police dog so he can help victims of crime all around Essex.”

Sophie King, 17, from South Woodham Ferrers said: “The police dogs help so many people and I know that if I was ever in a situation where a police dog was involved for my safety or helping in a crime investigation my mind would be much more at ease. For all the help they give other people it seemed only right to give something back.”

The College plans to follow Monty through his life and get regular updates on how he is getting on. They plan to invite him back from time to time to visit the students and find out what he has been up to.