A group of students from Nelson and Colne College have raised nearly £800 for a homeless charity by hosting a curry night.
Their evening, which included a DJ, magician, band and raffle, raised £785 for Emmaus, in Burnley, and was attended by more than 100 people.
On Thursday, the students were given the opportunity to go on a tour of the centre, talk to a resident about his experiences, and see first-hand where the money will be going. Following the visit they expressed their gratitude at the invitation and commented on how friendly and welcoming the Emmaus community had been.
College Principal Amanda Melton said: “I am immensely impressed that students have recognised how fortunate they are, and how by using their skills they can make a difference to people who are less fortunate than themselves. This has been a fantastic opportunity for them to see exactly how the money is being spent and how the centre runs.”
Emmaus Burnley covers the whole of Pennine Lancashire including Burnley, Rossendale, Hyndburn, Pendle, Blackburn with Darwen and the Ribble Valley.
Health and Social Care lecturer Jacqueline Ashton said: “The students have worked incredibly hard to ensure the evening was a success.
“As a team they planned and promoted the event and raised awareness with local businesses to donate raffle prizes. When visiting Emmaus House the students were enthusiastic about extending the awareness for this charity by incorporating the research module they will study next year. They have embraced the need for community support and working together to raise awareness.
“It has been a pleasure to see how they have developed both in a personal and professional capacity. Their maturity and having a non-judgemental approach has been evident when communicating and supporting people who are less fortunate than themselves.
“We have big plans for Health and Social Care next year with the NHS Cadets programme and new facilities with a lot of our students going on to pursue careers in nursing and social work. As part of these plans we want to be actively involved in community projects and continue to support excellent causes.”
Assistant community leader for Emmaus Wes Chaudhry said: “What the students have done has been fantastic and more than we expected. The money will be put to very very good use, and we look forward to continuing working with Nelson and Colne College.”
