Posted: 17/12/21
Fundraising duo praised for dedication
Uniformed Protective Services (UPS) students at West Nottinghamshire College have been praised by principal Andrew Cropley for their “extraordinary achievements” in a national fundraising initiative.
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Kiril (left) and Josh (right) with principal Andrew Cropley
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Andrew joined the UPS team to applaud Kiril and Josh's efforts
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Josh and Kiril were supported by tutor Wayne Hall at the Tesco store in Hucknall
Following the curriculum’s parade of Remembrance on 11 November, two UPS students Kiril Voitiukevicius and Josh Morgan continued their thoughtfulness and honouring veterans and members of the Armed Forces working alongside the Royal British Legion (RBL) for two weeks of fundraising.
Kiril, from Hucknall, and Josh, from Kirkby-in-Ashfield, contributed to raising over £17,000 for the RBL poppy appeal, spending their evenings and weekends over a two-week period at Hucknall’s Tesco store.
In store they joined members of the RBL selling poppies and other Remembrance Day memorabilia at the charity stall.
Josh, 18, is currently applying for the Royal Air Force and as soon as his course finishes he’s looking forward to enlisting and studying to be a pilot.
He said: “The fundraising was something that we wanted to do and for the first two weeks in November we were at the Tesco store, with the card machines and collection tins helping the other members to sell the 2021 pin badges, the RBL 100 year celebration ones and the VE Day 75th anniversary badges. There was also plenty of items for children too like snap bands, pencils and rulers.”
Kiril, also 18, attends A Squadron (Sherwood Rangers) Army Reserves, saying this is thanks to the “amazing motivation” from his tutor Wayne Hall. He intends to join the Army as a ‘regular’ and after a few years would like to work in other roles within the Army.
He added: “We enjoyed getting involved in this fundraising and helping to contribute to the money raised. It was nice to be recognised for our efforts by our principal.”
College principal and chief executive Andrew Cropley met with Josh, Kiril and their classmates at their military foot drill lesson and presented the duo with certificates of achievement.
Andrew said: “This really is an extraordinary achievement from Josh and Kiril to help raise £17,000 through their own endeavours for such a noble cause. As a former member of the forces, the poppy appeal is really close to my heart.
“For a whole college to raise £17,000 would be quite some achievement, so for two young men working off their own motivation and in their own time is quite simply extraordinary. I am so proud and you should be so proud of yourselves too and I wanted to congratulate you whole-heartedly and personally by presenting you with these certificates.”
