Thornden School Pupils Raise £7,500 To Support Canine Partners

Pupils from Thornden School in Chandler’s Ford have raised an impressive £7,500 for Canine Partners – an organisation that trains dogs to assist people with disabilities.

The amount raised has enabled the Charity to purchase golden retriever Heskey and put him through the early stages of his training to become a canine partner and change the life of a person with disabilities.

Thornden school students raise money to support Canine Partners.

Thornden School previously raised money for Canine Partners, which has a puppy training satellite in Southampton, five years ago. However, the 2013 Year 7’s excelled themselves with a sponsored track event that 280 students took part in by walking, running, crawling and other methods of movement. Further cake sales took the amount raised up to £6342.32 with the Year 8’s pushing the figure to £7,500 thanks to their activities.

Head of Year 8 Mrs Welch at Thornden School comments, “We are so delighted to have raised enough to pay for Heskey and put him through training, I am proud of their efforts. The pupils had a competition to name him and he has already been in to pay us a visit with his puppy parent Ali Bailey, which was wonderful. Our efforts have also raised awareness of Canine Partners throughout the school and taught the pupils how to behave around a working dog. We are looking forward to following Heskey’s training as he learns valuable tasks such as picking up dropped items, opening doors and much more.”

By Mrs Welch, Head of Year 8, Thornden School in Chandler’s Ford

For further information on how you can help Canine Partners by taking on a challenge, fundraising, volunteering and much more please contact 08456 580 480 or visit Canine Partners.