Hartlepool students are top dogs after raising £1,800 for charity

Students at a Hartlepool school are top dogs after raising almost £2,000 for a worthy charity.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Sep 2018, 14:34 BST
Updated 24th Sep 2018, 14:37 BST
From left, Bettina Yambao, Neil Griffiths, Matthew Burns, Hayley the dog, Val Cook, Abbiemay Wilkinson, Will Kiernan, Jospeh Asensio and Caitlin Chapman.From left, Bettina Yambao, Neil Griffiths, Matthew Burns, Hayley the dog, Val Cook, Abbiemay Wilkinson, Will Kiernan, Jospeh Asensio and Caitlin Chapman.
From left, Bettina Yambao, Neil Griffiths, Matthew Burns, Hayley the dog, Val Cook, Abbiemay Wilkinson, Will Kiernan, Jospeh Asensio and Caitlin Chapman.

Pupils at English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College in the town have now raised over £1,800 for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

The charity was chosen to be supported by students of St Anne Line House in the previous school year.

Neil Griffiths with his dog Hayley.Neil Griffiths with his dog Hayley.
Neil Griffiths with his dog Hayley.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Events took place such as a coffee morning, throwing wet sponges at teachers, a football tournament, bake sales and various other activities.

Neil Griffiths, a first time Guide Dog owner, arrived at school with his furry companion Hayley to meet the House Captains of the previous and current school year and some Year 9 representatives.

Hayley, a three-year-old Golden Labrador cross, has been a working companion to Neil for just over a year.

They were also accompanied by Val Cook, treasurer of the Teesside branch of Guide Dogs for the Blind to collect a cheque for £1,849 surpassing the students’ target of £1,500.

Hayley the dog.Hayley the dog.
Hayley the dog.

Val was overjoyed at the effort shown.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “Thanks for choosing us as your charity to support, we really appreciate it.

“To set a large fundraising target and to then beat it by over £300 is a great achievement.

“The school can now choose to name a puppy and sponsor three puppies through the graduation scheme and watch their development as they grow and learn to be fully trained Guide Dogs.”

Rebecca Corcoran and Glenn McLintock were House Leaders for St Anne Line House over the previous year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rebecca said: “The students have been a credit to themselves and the school.

“They’ve worked really hard to smash the target we set and they all should be extremely proud.

“We’ve decided to name our puppy ‘Anne’ after our house martyr.”

Related topics:Hartlepool