Merseyside Police Begin Guide Journey
Merseyside Police staff have taken the first step in helping a
blind or partially sighted person become mobile and independent by
raising the £5000 needed for training a guide dog puppy.
What's more they will be able to choose a name for
their puppy, receive regular reports about its progress during its
first year with its puppy walker and even get to meet it before it
heads off to Guide Dog Training School.
Sergeant Michael Burton from St Anne St Police Station
says: 'We were looking for a practical way to help a charity that
all our staff could get behind. When we heard about Guide Dog's
Name a Puppy initiative we just had to take part. We have basically
eaten our way to the £5,000 by installing a staff tuck shop in the
station to help raise funds!'
'It's exciting to know that we are doing something
that will change someone's life. We are fascinated to look behind
the scenes at how much work goes into creating one of these
fantastic dogs, that everyone knows and loves and can not wait to
hear news of the birth of our sponsored puppy.'
Those who decide to Name a Puppy follow its progress
by receiving:
· A puppy birth certificate;
· Personalised updates on its puppy training;
· Photos at the start and end of training; and
· The chance to meet their puppy.
Emma Cook, District Fundraiser from Guide Dogs, says:
'Naming a Puppy is a really special thing to do and we are
absolutley delighted that the staff at St Anne Street Custody Suite
chose to concentrate their fundraising efforts on that.
'It costs almost £50,000 to support a Guide Dog
partnership from the birth of the pup to its retirement aged about
10. We don't receive any Government funding for this service
so without the generosity of pubblic donations, we wouldn't be able
to support the 4'600 Guide Dogs partnerships in the UK.'
Guide Dogs promises to supply every guide dog owner
with a dog for as long as they need one. Some people may need six
or seven dogs in their lifetime.
If you would like to find out how you could Name a
Puppy call the Guide Dogs Liverpool Mobility Team on 0118 9838749
or email nameapuppy@guidedogs.org.uk.