THE coffers of a charity set up by a Gulf War veteran are £6,000 better off – thanks to support from Centerprise International.

Rafi Razzak, chairman of the IT systems provider based on the Hampshire International Business Park, in Chineham, this week presented a cheque for £5,000 to former Royal Navy petty officer Allen Parton for his Hounds for Heroes charity.

This was followed by an additional cheque for £1,000 from Mr Razzak, who was moved by Mr Parton’s story of why he set up the Petersfield charity that trains dogs to helped injured service-men and women deal with daily tasks.

Mr Parton, accompanied by a golden retriever and a labrador, Rookie and EJ – short for Endal Junior – told Centerprise staff how a labrador called Endal helped him recover from a serious head injury he suffered from a tragic operational incident, in the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm.

It  left him paralysed and suffering from amnesia and severe depression.

Mr Parton set up the charity in memory of Endal following his “wonder dog’s” death in 2009.

“Endal saved my life – he brought me back to my wife and children,” said Mr Parton, who went on to say there are around 900,000 former servicemen and women who could benefit from dogs trained by Hounds for Heroes.

Mr Parton warned: “When those guns go quiet on the battlefield, the battles then with disability, trauma and bereavement are just beginning for so many.”

During his presentation at Centerprise, Mr Parton announced that the latest recruit is to be named Sergeant, much to the relief of Mr Razzak who had heard rumours that he was to be called Rafi!

Mr Razzak said: “I’m really proud that so many employees have supported Hounds for Heroes. Allen has an amazing story.”