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

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

The British Women’s Club based in Germany has donated £5,000 to Dogs for the Disabled to sponsor one of the charity’s puppies.

Made up of British, Commonwealth and German ladies living and working in Düsseldorf, the club decided to support Dogs for the Disabled after learning about the difference it makes to the lives of people with disabilities.

Linda Longsden, Former Chair of The British Women’s Club comments: “Having learnt about the charity’s work and discovering that it doesn’t receive government funding, it gives me great pleasure to know that the money we’ve donated is going to make a real difference; enabling the training of an assistance dog that will go on to transform someone’s life. Following the donation we were very pleased to be asked to choose the name of the puppy, and we decided on Dusty.”

Linda explains the fundraising efforts of the Dusseldorf based club: “We sold Christmas cards and over the course of the year we held a number of events including a British themed breakfast with all the usual foods you’d expect to have for breakfast in the UK: black pudding, sausages and crumpets and so on.”

“We also ran raffles with British bought foods that are like gold dust over here as prizes. Amongst other things perhaps the most enjoyable was our viewing of the Royal wedding where members made a donation to watch it dressed like they were attending the big day!” 

Dogs for the Disabled currently supports over 260 partnerships across the UK, each one costing £18,000 throughout its lifetime. Find out how the charity transforms lives.

Wendy Morrell from Broadstone in Dorset has been chosen by Lloyds TSB to be part of the Olympic Torch Relay, and as ever Dogs for the Disabled assistance dog Udo will be by her side.

Wendy and Udo, a Golden Retriever, will be the second Dogs for the Disabled partnership to carry the Olympic torch on Friday 13 July between Portland and Bournemouth in the torch relay preceding the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In her twenties Wendy was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) – a chronic pain condition that affects the growth of bone and cartilage in any area of the body.

Despite this, Wendy was not deterred from leading a full and active life. As well as teaching, Wendy learned to fly and to compete at national level in archery. In 1989 when training with the national archery squad with a view to compete at the Barcelona Paralympic Games, Wendy was hit accidently on the head by a discus, resulting in a brain injury.

Wendy explains; “Following 11 months rehabilitation I remember thinking, what now? My ability to concentrate was diminished, my short-term memory affected and epilepsy triggered as a result of the injury.”

But thanks to Dogs for the Disabled Wendy has gone on to live a full and independent life. Before qualifying with Udo on Valentine’s Day in 2011 she was partnered with Caesar, her first Dogs for the Disabled assistance dog, a partnership that was sadly to be short lived as Caesar died tragically of cancer. “Both Caesar and now Udo have made a massive difference to my life and thanks to Dogs for the Disabled assistance dogs I have been able to live a full and independent life, something I never imagined I’d regain when I sustained my injury.”

Wendy was fortunate enough to carry the torch in the build up to the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and is very excited to do it again for London 2012. “I’m honoured to carry the torch for a second time and to represent Dogs for the Disabled assistance dog owners. Just as Caesar passed on the responsibility of helping me regain my confidence and independence to Udo, I will pass on the Olympic torch, helping to complete its journey to London. It gives me tremendous pride to be involved in what should be a great event.”

In addition to being involved in the torch relays, Wendy has advised LOCOG (the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games) since 2007 on disability related issues, in particular access. Both Wendy and Udo travel across the world to speak at conferences and help improve the lives of people with disabilities and impairments.

Jack Smith and assistance dog Ghana, a chocolate Labrador, accompanied by Andy, Jack’s father will carry the Olympic Torch in Ironbridge on May 30 2012 as part of the Torch Relay preceding the start of this Summer’s London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A serious road traffic accident in 2004 caused a serious head injury which left Jack needing to use a wheelchair to get around and with no form of recognised speech.

However, despite this Jack is more active than most fifteen year olds, listing football, skiing, water skiing and basketball as just some of his hobbies. “Jack is very excited to be part of the Torch Relay” said Andy, “and having Ghana with us will make it extra special for us both.”

Read Jack & Ghana’s story

Dogs for the Disabled will showcase its fun dog training challenge Wag n Train at Crufts this March, supported by Fish4Dogs.

Wag n Train applies the same methods used by Dogs for the Disabled to train highly skilled assistance dogs. Based on encouragement and reward, the charity’s training approach is tried, tested and gets great results. With Wag n Train anyone can teach their pet dog clever tricks to impress their friends and family!

Visitors to the Charity’s stand number 22 in Hall 3 at Crufts from 8 to 11 March will be able to see Dogs for the Disabled assistance dogs and their owners demonstrating Wag n Train tricks including emptying the washing machine, fetching a tissue, and taking a bow.

They can also find out how to sign up and take the Wag n Train challenge with their dog, gaining access to the charity’s expert training resources including videos, photos, and step by step instructions. Find out more at www.wagn-train.co.uk

Fish4Dogs is very proud to support Dogs for the Disabled’s work and urge dog owners to sign up and take the Wag n Train challenge. The Worcestershire based dog food manufacturer is supporting the charity by providing a gift for all those that sign up to take the Wag n Train challenge at Crufts and is also donating £1 from the sale of every goody bag of food samples sold on their stands at the show. 

Graham Smith, CEO of Fish4Dogs comments; “We are delighted to support Dogs for the Disabled. It is a great charity that is doing amazing things for people with physical disabilities and children with autism.”

Dogs for the Disabled has attended Crufts for over ten years and since 1988 the charity has created over 575 life-changing partnerships between specially trained assistance dogs and people living with physical disability and families with a  child with autism, providing freedom and independence to those facing  a lifetime of challenges.

Teresa Atkins, mother of Jacob who has autism explains the benefits that Dogs for the Disabled’s assistance Dog Tom has brought her family. “Jacob was quite afraid of dogs and didn’t want to explore the idea of working with an Assistance Dog.” The charity offered to work with Jacob to help him overcome his anxiety and showed Jacob how to train Tom to rollover and wave which had a tremendous positive impact.

Teresa continues: “Jacob realised that Tom was lots of fun and it’s amazing, we can now walk to school and enjoy trips to the shops, which used to be very stressful for Jacob. He’s now more confident and able to overcome his anxieties better.”

Dogs for the Disabled currently supports over 260 partnerships across the UK, each one costing £18,000 to create and support throughout its lifetime. The charity relies entirely on voluntary donations to carry out its work and there are hundreds more lives Dogs for the Disabled could transform with your help.

To take the Wag n Train challenge visit www.wagn-train.co.uk. To find out more about the charity’s work visit: www.dogsforthedisabled.org or call 01295 252600. 

Hilton in the Community Foundation is delighted to have supported Dogs for the Disabled as the principal beneficiary from last year’s Foundation Ball at the London Hilton on Park Lane.  The black-tie event, in its 11^th year, raised £302,134. This magnificent sum was made possible thanks to the support of headline sponsor Shiva Hotels.

The amazing amount raised on the night was split between Dogs for the Disabled and the Hilton in the Community Foundation.

Sam and assistance dog Josie attended the cheque presentation this week, along with Peter Gorbing, Dogs for the Disabled’s Chief Executive.  

The event back in November included a champagne reception, four-course gourmet dinner and first-class entertainment, including a live performance from the cast of new West-end show Rock of Ages and a special live auction run by actor Christopher Biggins, Patron of Hilton in the Community Foundation.

After the live auction, which raised £34,100, Ball guests were invited to make a ‘Puppy Pledge’, giving £500 to sponsor a puppy to be trained as a future assistance dog for a person with disabilities. 73 generous individuals crowded onto the dance floor and pledged their support, raising an additional £36,500 for Dogs for the Disabled and helping ensure future generations of assistance dog partnerships.

Peter Gorbing, CEO of Dogs for the Disabled, which is based in Banbury and serves children, young people and adults with disabilities across the UK, said: “We were thrilled to be chosen as the principal beneficiary of the Hilton Ball and have been overwhelmed by the support and generosity shown by all that attended the event. As a charity that relies entirely on donations, this amazing sum will help us continue our work creating life-transforming partnerships.”

Dame Maureen Thomas, Hilton in the Community Foundation Trustee and Chair of the Ball committee, said: “We are delighted that the event was such a huge success. This is always an important night in the Hilton in the Community Foundation calendar and we are extremely grateful to all who support the event.”

The Ball has been a key event on the fundraising calendar since it was first introduced in 2001 raising more than £2.5 million for disadvantaged children since its inception.

Dogs for the Disabled has secured places in the British Gas Great North Swim on 23 and 24 June 2012  and is looking for willing participants to be part of the official charity team.

If you are a keen swimmer or just want to get in shape, then you can take part and raise money to help transform the lives of people with physical disabilities and families with children with autism.

Dogs for the Disabled is a pioneering charity with over twenty years experience of creating life-changing partnerships. The charity trains assistance dogs for children and adults with physical disabilities, and families with a child with autism, to help them with everyday tasks that most of us take for granted.

Whether you are a trained athlete or someone with a New Year’s resolution to get fit, by raising sponsorship money for Dogs for the Disabled and completing the beautiful one mile course at Lake Windermere in the Lake District, you will not only be the envy of all your friends and achieve a personal goal, but you’ll make a huge difference in the process.

The charity has trained over 575 assistance dogs to date, however there are hundreds more people that Dogs for the Disabled could help. It costs £18,000 to train one of our amazing assistance dogs, and create and support each partnership throughout its lifetime. To do this the charity relies entirely on voluntary donations.

If you would like to swim on the official Dogs for the Disabled team then a registration fee of £30 and £175 in sponsorship money is required. Alternatively if you have a place already and you’d like to swim for the charity and raise as much as you can, then please complete an application form. 

For an application form or more details email events@dogsforthedisabled.org,  call 01295 252 600 or  click here for more information.

Start next year off on the right foot by making a New Year’s resolution that not only benefits you but makes a real difference to the lives of adults and children with physical disabilities and children with autism. Dogs for the Disabled is looking for volunteers to help at their tin shakes in 2012 across Manchester.

If you have spare time between January and April (one or two hours per week) and you’d like to be a valued member of a team, meet people and make new friends, while providing people with physical disabilities with freedom and independence, then this is a great opportunity for you.

Dogs for the Disabled is a pioneering charity with over twenty years experience of creating life-changing partnerships. The charity trains assistance dogs for children and adults with physical disabilities, and families with a child with autism, to help them with everyday tasks that most of us take for granted.

Imagine not being able to take your jacket off after a hard day, or pick your car keys up off the floor, or if your child struggled to deal with things outside of their routine and as a result kept having ‘meltdowns’. For people with physical disabilities and families with children that have autism, these tasks can be very painful, extremely frustrating or impossible.

To date Dogs for the Disabled has trained over 575 assistance dogs to help with practical tasks. However, for many of the charity’s clients, their dogs give them much more than practical help. They provide a reason to go out and a confidence boost that opens doors to fresh opportunities, including friendships, hobbies, education and even careers.

The charity is looking for fundraising volunteers to support the Charity by helping with its tin collections at supermarkets across Manchester.  

Ruth Kippax, the charity’s Fundraiser in the north of England says: “Dogs for the Disabled is a charity that has positively impacted on many lives to date, but we need more volunteers to assist with tin collections to enable us to help the hundreds of people across the UK that face challenges on a daily basis as a result of their disabilities. Being matched with a specifically trained assistance dog would not only give them their independence back, but provide a constant companion too.”

Volunteer for Dogs for the Disabled and start 2012 on the right foot

To find out more visit: www.dogsforthedisabled.org/give-your-time/, call 01924 860699 or email ruth.kippax@dogsforthedisabled.org.

Charity Dogs for the Disabled is looking to define specifically what it is about the behaviour of pet dogs that improves the development of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and pinpoint the traits that trigger desirable behaviour.

Dogs for the Disabled has over twenty years experience of training assistance dogs to help adults and children with physical disabilities and children with autism. Following positive experiences of training autism assistance dogs and the anecdotal evidence available, the charity, in collaboration with the National Autistic Society (NAS) and the University of Lincoln, is investigating exactly what it is about dogs and their behaviour that can bring about amazing changes and helps to improve the social and emotional development of children with autism.

The pioneering PAWS (Parents Autism Workshops and Support) research project, funded by the Big Lottery, was established last year and the charity now needs more families to take part.

Since its inception in June 2010, nearly 200 families across the UK have benefitted from the workshops that are run alongside the research project.  These workshops provide parents of children with ASDs with the opportunity to come together and share experiences, find out more about owning a pet dog, and explore the potential of training it to help them and their child overcome the effects of their condition through focusing on building solid, positive relationships between the pet dog and child.

Miri, a short-haired Jack Russell, has given eleven year old Josh who has Aspergers Syndrome a greater sense of responsibility and a vehicle to relieve stress. His Mum Suzanne comments: “Most people with an ASD find it extremely difficult to cope with sudden changes and things outside their normal routine, and Josh was no different. Miri has had a great impact on Josh and the functioning of my family. Before introducing Miri Josh never used to like getting ready for school, however now that Miri needs feeding and sorting out in the morning Josh is up and eager to get on with the day. Miri is also who he will talk to when stressed.” 

Corri Waitt, PAWS Research Coordinator at Dogs for the Disabled, comments: “It’s very exciting to be involved in a great project that could benefit so many families today and in the future that have children with an ASD. If you are a parent of a child with autism you will understand the challenges and frustrations caused as a result of their condition. At Dogs for the Disabled we believe that pet dogs can help your whole family overcome these challenges and enhance everyday life.

“If you are considering dog ownership, I urge you to think about taking part in the PAWS research project so families with children with ASD can better equip themselves to overcome the challenges of their child’s condition.”

If you have a child aged three to sixteen that has been diagnosed with an ASD and you are considering taking on a pet dog in the next year, or if you already have a pet dog, then the charity would like to hear from you.  

The PAWS research project consists of two stages, but you do not have to take part in both. The first stage includes three telephone interviews, conducted before and after adding a pet dog to your family. This is only applicable to families intending on getting a pet dog in the next year. The second stage involves a home visit to video record the interactions between a child with autism and the pet dog.

If you’re interested in taking part in this ground-breaking research project and helping thousands of families in a similar situation, please click on the PAWS link at www.dogsforthedisabled.org, call the PAWS team on 01295 759836 or email the PAWS team.