Marks & Spencer Hedge End, store charity of the year

We are honoured to have been voted as store community charity of the year by staff @marksandspencer #HedgeEnd

This marks the launch of our Welfare Unit Project. The welfare unit is a vehicle designed to deliver the ultimate welfare for our search and rescue dogs and our volunteers when at a missing person search. It is the first of its kind in the UK search and rescue community and we are excited that we kick off our big £50,000 fundraising target with the M&S community. 

Staff will be fundraising for us in store over the next 10 months. If you’re local and visiting look out for our donation collection boxes at the tills. 

We will share the dates we will be at the store. There will be an opportunity for supporters to meet the dogs. Our amazing operational and non operational volunteers will be on hand to answer all your questions about how we train, how to get involved as well as how and why we deliver our life saving service to our community.  

More about the Welfare Unit

A vehicle designed to deliver the ultimate welfare for our search and rescue dogs and our volunteers when at a missing person search. The unique vehicle will allow our dogs and humans to warm up/cool down, refuel and rest meaning that they can dedicate more on location hours to searching than ever before. More hours available to search for a vulnerable missing person can increase the chance of survival of a missing person. 

A number of modifications to the vehicle will be powered by renewable energy. The adaptations will include state of the art cleaning facilities. The welfare unit will also be used when the team visits schools and local cadet groups as part of sharing the information about the volunteer work in the community. 

The Welfare Unit is the first of its kind in the UK search and rescue community and we are excited that Hampshire Search & Rescue Dogs is due to deliver this fantastic, vital and unique piece of equipment.

Thank you wonderful M&S staff for choosing us!

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