Public Services students at Nelson and Colne College Sixth Form have organised a charity event to raise funds for Race2Recovery, the charity which helps to rehabilitate injured British servicemen and women by supporting them on their journey to the Dakar Rally.

Nelson and Colne College Sixth Form has an outstanding Public Services department and completion of the course is recognised as being a highly successful route into employment in the services, or to university and training. During the course, students learn about all aspects of life in the services, including the Armed Forces and the Police, Ambulance and Fire Services. A job in any of these sectors is high pressured and physically demanding and therefore, they require people who are both determined, hard working and dedicated.  Students take part in theory lessons encompassing command and control, criminal justice, government and politics and land navigation and also a number of physical activities ranging from Ghyll climbing and orienteering, to circuit training and residential trips with the Army and Navy. Each year, students progress into the Services and onto degree courses such as Police and Criminal Investigation.

As part of their course, the College’s Public Services students have to choose a charity and organise and run an event. In previous years they have walked the Yorkshire Three Peak Challenge in a day, completed 24 hours worth of sport, walked the equivalent of 3557 miles – the distance it would be from College to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan and climbed the equivalent of base camp to the summit of Everest – using our own Pendle Hill! This year, the students opted for a Shoot and Scoot event, where participants ran an organised track and completed an archery task.

Curriculum Leader for Public Services, Neil Morville said, “Once more, we have been humbled by the dedication, tenacity and determination of our students. They have planned and executed a fantastic event and raised a fantastic sum of money for a very worthwhile cause. Many of these students have ambitions of joining the forces, including the Army or RAF and therefore, it was a cause close to many of their hearts. If their commitment and willpower today is anything to go by, I have no doubt that many of them will go on to be very valuable candidates – not only in the armed forces, but for the Police, Fire and other public services.”