Charity News

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A team of fifteen adventurous vets, nurses and support staff from Companion Care Vets have raised a staggering £40,000 for Dogs for the Disabled after cycling a gruelling 958 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats.

The team completed the challenge on 12 May and although all a bit sore and incredibly tired, pride and relief are the overriding emotions.

They set off from Lands End on 1 May winding their way through beautiful Cornish roads. Just twelve days and over 900 miles later they passed through the high sand-dunes of Dunnet Bay which signified the end of an epic journey which saw the team cycle between 60 and 100 miles a day.

The team would like to thank each and every person who has so generously sponsored them and supported them along the way.

Peter Gorbing, Dogs for the Disabled Chief Executive said: “We are extremely grateful for the fundraising efforts of all the Companion Care staff involved. It costs over £19,000 to train, create and support a Dogs for the Disabled partnership throughout its lifetime. The funds raised will truly transform the life of people living with disability; providing them with confidence and independence that will open doors to fresh opportunities.”

Visit the Companion Care Vets Facebook page to find out more about their journey.  

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Dogs for the Disabled would like to say a huge thanks to its Warwickshire Supporter Group and everyone that attended its Easter Treasure Hunt on Saturday 7 April 2012 at Wellesbourne Hall. The event raised over £700 which will help the charity with its vital life-changing work.

Based in the beautiful grounds of Wellesbourne Hall, in Wellesbourne the Treasure Hunt attracted hundreds of visitors. As well as hunting for treasure, children and adults were able to meet Dogs for the Disabled assistance dogs and their owners to gain an understanding of how the charity’s work has impacted on their lives. 

Sarah Essex, Chair of the Group comments: “The event was a huge success; families had lots of fun meeting the assistance dogs and hunting for treasure. Thanks to everyone’s generosity we raised £739 which will help the charity train an assistance dog and transform the life of a child or adult living with physical disabilities or a family with a child with autism.”

Dogs for the Disabled is a life-changing charity creating exceptional partnerships between people living with physical disabilities and children with autism, and specially trained assistance dogs who offer freedom and independence to people facing  a lifetime of challenge.

Dogs for the Disabled currently supports over 260 partnerships across the UK, each one costing over £18,000 throughout its lifetime and the charity relies entirely on voluntary donations to carry out its vital work.

For more information about the charity and how you can get involved, please call 01295 252600 or email info@dogsforthedisabled.org

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Dogs for the Disabled is holding the first set of its ground breaking PAWS workshops in Northern Ireland this June in County Antrim, and is urging parents of children with autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) from across the region to come along and find out more.

Over a series of three one-day workshops, the PAWS service (Parents Autism Workshops and Support) explores the benefits that a pet dog can bring to families with a child with autism, and gives parents an opportunity to network with other parents in similar situations.

Any parent will know that bed-time tantrums, refusal to eat the meals you’ve lovingly prepared, toilet training troubles and teeth cleaning tears, all feature in family life from time to time. However, if your child has autism their condition can mean that these sorts of challenges can take on an altogether more serious and demanding perspective.  In extreme cases it can be exhausting, demoralising and impact hugely on your relationships and other children in the family.

Through practical demonstrations, discussions, and hands on learning, the workshops provide information on choosing the right dog, welfare and care, training techniques, and explores ways a dog can help families with a child with autism.

Over 200 families from England, Wales and Scotland have benefitted from PAWS since its inception in 2010 and the charity is now offering this service to families in Northern Ireland.  

Suzanne Walker, mother of eleven year old Josh who has Aspergers Syndrome, attended a previous set of PAWS workshops says; “The PAWS workshops have had a massive positive impact on Josh and my whole family. I recommend PAWS as a great solution to managing the challenges brought to any family as a result of their child’s autism spectrum condition.”

“The team at Dogs for the Disabled were amazing; giving advice specific to individual families’ needs. It used to be very difficult calling Josh down to get ready for school but now, because Miri our pet Jack Russell needs feeding and sorting out in the morning, he’ll be down in a flash. Miri has helped Josh’s social and emotional development greatly and it is all thanks to PAWS.”  

Katie Bristow-Wade, PAWS Project Team Leader, further explains the benefits of PAWS: “With the right support, ordinary pet dogs have the potential to transform the lives of families affected by autism.  PAWS workshops identify ways a pet dog can be trained to ease the strain of bringing up a child with autism.”

The workshops will take place on Tuesday 12, Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 June, from 10 am to 3 pm at Dogs Trust Rehomming Centre, 60 Teeshan Road, Ballymena, County Antrim. BT43 5PN.

Parents wishing to take part in PAWS must be able to attend all three workshops. Click here to find out more and register, call the PAWS team on 01295 759 836 or email PAWS@dogsforthedisabled.org

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