A TEAM of determined students have raised more than £700 for injured soldiers after taking part in a wide range of sponsored events.

Youngsters from Redbridge College held a music festival, washed cars and got busy in the kitchen to generate funds for Help for Heroes, which provides support for wounded veterans.

The fortnight of fundraising culminated in a four-hour music and dance festival held on Remembrance Day at the college, in Ilford.

A number of professional performers took part in the event, joined by amateurs from the student body - watched by an audience including several soldiers in full military uniform.

Student John Casey helped organise the event.

He said: "Organising this event forms part of our coursework and I have been surprised and delighted at how hard the team worked and how quickly we pulled together this event as we only started on the course nine weeks ago."

Major Ian Weatherley, whose daughter Susan helped organise the event, said: "I work in the London District Regional Training Centre, and I'm responsible for training new recruits before they go out to fight in conflicts, so it’s very important to me to see the care, support and rehabilitation that is available for those who do get injured.

"I’ve seen singers, a saxophonist and beat boxers so far – a really diverse range of music styles and performances.

"I’m so proud of my daughter for the part she has played in organising this event.

"It always shocks me to hear her sing – where did that amazing voice come from?"

Susan, 16, said: "My dad could be called to fight at any moment, so it’s important for me to know that if he were to come back injured, there’d be support to help him recover.

"It was an amazing feeling to not only organise the event, but to pull it off so well. It started out as a minor event, with only three or four bands playing, but over the last month has grown and grown until we ended up with 15 acts, bigger than any of us ever dreamed."