SERC Uniformed Protective Services

03/06/2026

Thanks to Royal Air Force who recently visited to carry out team leadership tasks with first year students. The students participated in command tasks and learnt about communication skills.

02/06/2026

Thanks to The Army in Northern Ireland for having us today at Palace Barracks for the inter college Uniformed Protective Services Games. Congratulations to our end of year winners of the RAF Cup and Royal Navy Shield, Charlotte Sittlington and Oliver Martin.

24/05/2026

Well done to the first years who competed at Bangor by the Sea Sea Bangor Cup Rowing Race on Saturday and Sunday at Bangor harbour. 2 teams competed over the weekend against other particpants from Full Circle, Ballyholme Beach Football Club, Bangor Sea Cadets, Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College and HMS Hibernia.

On Saturday a team consisting of Joao Fisher, Timothy Gouk, Cody Adair and Finlay Stothers took to the water.
On sunday Oliver Martin, Joao Fisher, Casia Galea and Irwin Pryce participated.

18/05/2026

Thanks to 1st years who volunteered at Balmoral Show on Friday for Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. The students carried out bucket collections and helped out at an interactive play area for children. This was at the Northstone Materials stand, who are a proud supporter of the charity. 🐸

15/04/2026

Thanks to Volunteer Now for visiting today to talk with the students and oversee some mobile volunteering. The first years met with Volunteering Support Officer, Jamie Greer who spoke about the work of Volunteer Now. The students then completed an activity, preparing post bags for Oxfam which will be distributed to households who request a donation pack. They managed to pack an impressive total of 600 of these. Jamie then presented Impact Award Certificates to the first years who have completed an extensive amount of volunteering over the past year.

10/03/2026

SERC Uniformed Protective Services Students Take Over Bangor and Raise over £1500 For Cancer Focus NI.

Throughout the first week of March, Btec L3 Uniformed Protective Services students helped fundraise for Cancer Focus Northern Ireland as part of the charity’s “Bangor Teal Takeover”. The charity chose Bangor as a location to focus fundraising efforts in the first week of spring with local businesses carrying out collections throughout the city.

With extensive experience in fundraising for Cancer Focus, the Uniformed Protective Services students wanted to get involved when they heard about the initiative. Last May, five students from the current second year class completed Belfast City Marathon in a relay team, raising an impressive £918 for the charity. Later that month three current second year students volunteered for Cancer Focus at Balmoral Show. In September, six first year students gave up their Saturday to carry out bucket collections and hand out water to runners at the Bangor 10K. More recently, seven 1st year students carried out bucket collections throughout Belfast City Centre on the Friday before Christmas as part of the annual “Big Christmas Bucket Collection.” Two students also carried out several a bucket collections on Saturdays with their tutor.

With the Bangor takeover underway, on Wednesday 4th March, sixteen first year students carried out a bucket collection throughout Asda, Main Street from 11am until 4pm. The high viz clad students worked in teams, talking to customers about the work of the charity whilst raising vital funds. The total raised by the students on that day was an incredible £847.33.

On Friday 6th March, fourteen students from both first and second year completed a Spinathon at the Cancer Focus store, Main Street. The students, accompanied by their tutor and a fellow student from their course dressed as Genevieve the Goat (the charity mascot) kept 2 spin bikes rotating simultaneously from 9am until 3.30pm. This exhausting feat was performed under a gazebo in front of the store with loud music and supporters creating a great vibe throughout the city centre. Each student completed an exhausting 45 minute cycle, with the total raised by students on the day reaching £655.84.

Casia Galea, 1st year UPS student said, “Cancer Focus is such an important cause and being able to help support their work has been enjoyable. I’ve made a difference to peoples’ lives while developing skills and trying new things.”

Irwin Pryce, L3 UPS Lecturer said “having introduced the students to volunteering for the charity and guiding them through activities, I’m extremely proud of them and am delighted to see them having fun whilst making a positive difference. I’m also very grateful to the local community of Bangor who have donated over £1500 to the students over two days.”

The grand total for the students’ efforts on both the Wednesday and Friday was £1503.17. This will go a long way in helping the charity to continue supporting those affected by cancer in Northern Ireland.

25/02/2026

Thanks to Gillian for visiting today to speak with students about her fascinating career working in Disaster Victim Recovery. The students learnt about the work involved following disasters such as Lockerbie air disaster and Thailand Tsunami among many others.

18/02/2026

SERC’s Full-Time Open Evening will take place on Thursday 5 March, 4pm-7pm.

Don't miss out – plan your visit today!

➡️ https://ow.ly/eEJ750YgA0Y

📚✨ 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴! ✨📚

Join us on 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 from 𝟰𝗽𝗺 - 𝟳𝗽𝗺 at our Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn and Newtownards campuses!

Come explore our state-of-the-art facilities, chat with industry-experienced tutors, get advice from careers experts and find the perfect course for YOU.

We offer an exciting range of Full-Time courses including:

A-Levels 📚 | Animal Care 🐾 | Art & Design 🎨 | Beauty 💄 | Business 💼 | Computing 💻 | Construction 🛠️ | Culinary Arts 👨‍🍳 | Early Years 👶 | Engineering ⚙️ | Film & TV 🎥 | Hairdressing 💇‍♀️ | Health & Social Care 🩺 | Music 🎸 | Performing Arts 🎭 | Science 🔬 | Sport ⚽ | Travel & Tourism ✈️ …and loads more!

Don't miss out – plan your visit today! 👇

➡️ https://ow.ly/eEJ750YgA0Y

16/01/2026

Thanks to Police Ards & North Down for coming to talk with our 1st year students today. The officers delivered a presentation to the students and answered questions on the current recruitment campaign which is open now until 4th February. Apply online at https://www.joinpsni.co.uk/

19/12/2025

Thanks to our 1st years who spent the day doing collections throughout Belfast City centre for Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. The students raised valuable funds on the busiest shopping day of the year as part of the Big Christmas Bucket Collection. 🎄