A HAMPSHIRE charity which aids emergency services looking for missing people, has received a £880 grant from Test Valley Borough Council to go towards new equipment.

Hampshire Search and Rescue Dogs will be able to buy new helmets and search harnesses through the Councillor Community Grant, which will ensure the team can work safely in a variety of environments including near water and at night.

The voluntary organisation provides nationally qualified search dog teams to support the emergency services when looking for vulnerable missing people in Hampshire.

Kev Saunders, Hampshire Search and Rescue Dogs Operations Officer, said: “We are thrilled to receive this grant from Test Valley Borough Council. It allows us to buy essential equipment for our new volunteers and our search dogs. Our team is entirely funded by donations, which enables us to continue our lifesaving work.

“Without these, we’d be unable to train and equip these amazing dogs and people, or to provide such a vital voluntary service to the police.”

The team are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

North Baddesley ward councillor, Celia Dowden, said: “We are delighted to help Hampshire Search and Rescue Dogs by contributing towards much-needed new equipment, to further support their vital work in the community.”

Test Valley Borough Council’s Councillor Community Grant scheme aims to fund community-led initiatives.

Local councillors allocate funds to projects that they identify as meeting a need in the community, based on feedback and ideas from residents.