Fun in the sun raises funds for four-legged heroes

Fun in the sun raises funds for four-legged heroes

A CHARITY that trains dogs to transform the lives of deaf people was the inspiration behind a family fun day organised by VetPartners.

VetPartners raised £400 from their event on Sunday as part of a year of fundraising for their chosen charity of 2019, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

The York-based company owns 120 of the UK’s most trusted and respected veterinary practices, with 5,000 employees working across more than 450 sites, including its headquarters at Spitfire House in Clifton Moor.

Nearly 100 employees attended as members of VetPartners’ central support team joined forces with vets, nurses and receptionists from their Yorkshire practices for a family fun day at the Mercure York Fairfield Manor Hotel in York.

They organised a dog show for team members to bring along their own pets, a bake-off competition, sports day games, including a sack race and egg and spoon race for children and adults, as well as a hog roast.

The sale of tickets for the event raised £300, while entry fees and donations on the day helped VetPartners top the fundraising total to £400.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People trains dogs to alert deaf people to important and life-saving sounds, such as fire alarms, intruder alarms, oven timers and baby monitors. The charity’s dogs also provide constant emotional support and companionship, which is important as deaf people can often struggle with feelings of isolation and loneliness.

All year, employees from VetPartners’ practices have been running, walking, climbing, baking and even sky diving to raise money for the 2019 chosen charity.

VetPartners CEO Jo Malone said: “Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a very deserving charity that changes people’s lives for the better. Our whole company has really got behind the fundraising, whether hosting cake sales or taking part in sponsored walks.

“We’ve encouraged everyone to get involved, from work experience students to senior vets and the effect of this team building is fantastic, especially on team morale and wellbeing.

“The family fun day in York was a great way for the central support team to all get together and have a fun-packed day, alongside some of our Yorkshire practices.

“The cost to train and support each hearing dog throughout their lifetime is £40,000 and the charity relied on donations. Our employees are helping the charity to train more life-changing hearing dogs.”

The charity currently has around 500 dogs in training and has created nearly 2,500 working hearing dog partnerships, for both children and adults, across the UK.

Dog groomers, Bow Wow Wow, Elanco, CEVA, MSD, Animalcare, Zoetis and Hills all donated prizes.

For media enquiries, please contact Amanda Little, VetPartners Senior PR and Communications Manager, on 07970 198 492 or email amanda.little@vetpartners.co.uk