Ayr College students raise cash in aid of Help for Heroes

Nov 18 2011 by Jennifer Buchanan, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

DIG deep and mark the 10 years our troops have been in Afghanistan.

That’s the message this week from a caring group of students who are putting their best feet forward in a bid to raise cash for charity.

For the NC business and administration class from Ayr College are doing a sponsored walk in aid of Help for Heroes.

The 19 students will walk 10 miles – one mile for every year British troops have been in Afghanistan.

One of the students, Gail Bickerton, explained: “We decided to raise money for Help for Heroes because they do such an important job.

“I know boys who have been helped by them and they deserve every penny they can get.”

The students will set off from Ayr College at 10.30am on Tuesday, November 29. They will then walk down Ayr High Street, out past Tam’s Brig through Prestwick until they reach the airport, where they will turn and walk back again.

Gail said: “We’ll have buckets with us the whole way and we’re hoping there will be a good response.”

Every class at Ayr College does some form of charity or community work as part of their curriculum.

But the administration class have gone above and beyond, as it’s not just the sponsored walk that will help the forces charity.

For the class have also bagged a tour round Ibrox stadium for six people which they will be auctioning off.

Gail added: “We wrote to Rangers, Celtic, Ayr United and Kilmarnock to ask if they would mind donating any prizes.

“Rangers is the only one we’ve heard back from so far but I’m hopeful we’ll be able to get at least one more club to help.

“We’ll hold the auction after the walk at some point, probably once we hear back from another football club.

“But we’ll advertise when and where it will be held nearer the time.”