SERC students lend a helping hand to Cancer Focus at Belfast City Half Marathon

Students from Btec Level 3 Extended Diploma in Uniformed Protective Services at SERC recently lent a helping hand to Cancer Focus, the official charity partner at the Mash Direct Belfast City Half Marathon.

The Bangor campus students volunteered as stewards during the busy event on 18th September, providing directions and support for around 6000 fatigued runners. Many of the willing participants were raising valuable funds for Cancer Focus and other local charities.

The group of students performed their roles effectively and helped raise money for Cancer Focus - supporting vital funding which will be invested into continuing the research of immunotherapy in Northern Ireland. This will help identify the ways in which cancer patients with oesophageal and pancreatic cancers can be treated, two cancers which at present have low survival rates.

Irwin Pryce, Uniformed Protective Services Lecturer said, “Having completed a 2-week induction project which developed teamworking and communication skills, the learners were able to further develop these at one of the biggest sporting events in the calendar.”

The students have begun accruing volunteering hours for their Duke of Edinburgh Awards and are working alongside Volunteer Now, piloting the new Be Collective programme and working towards achieving Impact Awards. Having enjoyed their first taste of voluntary work together, they will be continuing throughout the year whilst working alongside other organisations to build their portfolio of skills.

We wish the students good luck with their future volunteering projects.

Find out more about the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Uniformed Protective Services course at SERC.