Guide Dogs charity setting up Reigate and Dorking volunteer group (From Redhill And Reigate Life)
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Guide Dogs charity setting up Reigate and Dorking volunteer group
4:43pm Monday 29th October 2012 in Local News
Popular charity Guide Dogs is opening a new awareness and fundraising group covering Reigate and Dorking.
The Guide Dogs For the Blind Association – Guide Dogs – is to hold a new group opening event next week, and is calling for support from local residents.
The group will be made up entirely of volunteers who will go out in the local area to help raise awareness and money for the organization.
Clare Burgess, volunteer development coordinator for Guide Dogs, said: “Volunteering is so rewarding and a great way to make new friends.”
Ms Burgess, who is a volunteer puppy walker for the organization, with her current puppy, Major, said: “We are really excited about our new group being launched in the area and really need local support to make a success of it.
“The Guide Dogs service receives no government funding and is entirely dependent on local groups like this one raising funds to keep the service going to help more blind and partially sighted people get around in the way they choose.”
The charity said that 180,000 blind and partially sighted people never leave home alone, and it is working to change this so that blind and partially sighted people can enjoy the same freedom of movement as everyone else.
The cause said it costs £5 per day to support each working guide dog and the guide dog service receives no government funding and depends entirely on public support.
Guide Dogs has more than 10,000 volunteers who save the charity an estimated £28 million per year by giving it their time.
The new group opening event, with many volunteer roles available, including group organizer, treasurer, trading secretary and collection box coordinators, will be held at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, 2 Falkland Grove, Dorking, next Monday (November 5) from 4pm to 6pm.
For more details call Lorna Copland on 07500 123 775, or email: lorna.copland@guidedogs.org.uk
