There will be wagging tails and wet noses in abundance at Lyme Park, Disley, on April 28, when hundreds of walkers and their dogs gather to raise money for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, which trains clever dogs to alert deaf people to life-saving and important sounds
The event, supported by Specsavers Audiologists, is one of 13 events taking place at picturesque locations across the UK as part of the Great British Dog Walk.
There will be a choice of two routes – either 8km or 4km – with activities along the way, and games to enjoy before and afterwards. Tickets are £12 in advance or £15 on the day, and while sponsorship will help Hearing Dogs train more life-changing dogs, it is not essential.
By taking part, walkers will be helping people such as Christine Wright from Stockport. Christine began losing her hearing in her late teens and is now unable to hear without hearing aids. She was matched with hearing dog Jessie in 2017.
'I applied for a hearing dog when I realised my hearing had deteriorated so much that it was threatening my safety – I couldn’t hear smoke, carbon monoxide and burglar alarms at all, even with my hearing aids in,' she says. 'Having Jessie has been wonderful. She not only tells me when the smoke alarm is going off, but she also makes my daily life easier by telling me when someone is at the door, waking me up for work, and letting me know when my dinner is ready.
'More than that though, is the joy and contentment she brings me. She seems to sense if I’m upset or sad and leans into me for a cuddle. She looks at me with such love in her eyes, and I hope she can see how much that is reciprocated in mine.'
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has a network of dedicated volunteer puppy trainers who care for and train hearing dog puppies in their own homes.
Margaret and Robert Ashworth from Bramhall began volunteering in 2018. 'We much wanted a dog of our own, but at our age, it wasn’t really practical,' says Robert. 'So far, we’ve successfully trained two working hearing dogs, Marvin and Ron, and our third dog, Jango, should qualify very soon. Our fourth puppy, Dougie, joined us last November when he was eight weeks old.
'Dougie is a very loveable, affectionate little chap. We’re in touch with the deaf partners of our first two hearing dogs, and it’s rewarding to see the love, time and energy we put into the pups is helping to change their lives.
Donna Ireland from Stockport became a volunteer puppy trainer in 2023. Her first puppy, Feather, came to live with her last November. 'Feather is sweet, smart, sassy and very loving. She has a cheeky side, but she’s quick to learn and has already mastered the sit, down and stand commands. If you have time and patience, love dogs and want to make a difference, then being a volunteer puppy trainer is the role for you. The charity will support you every step of the way.'
Ken and Margaret Ness, from Sandbach, have trained six black labrador puppies since they began volunteering in 2015, all of whom have successfully been matched with their deaf partners. 'We currently have a cocker spaniel, Briar, who is due to join her deaf partner shortly, and eight-week-old Meadow,' says Ken.
'Meadow is a bundle of fun. She is curious, fearless and learns very quickly. She is now starting to explore the world around her and is already showing the attributes that will help her become a good hearing dog.
'Training the puppies has allowed us to have a dog in our lives again and provided us with a shared interest in our retirement. We thoroughly enjoy watching them learn new skills.
'We’ve met so many fantastic people working with Hearing Dogs – it’s like being part of a huge family. We also have the satisfaction of knowing we are part of an exceptional organisation which brings happiness, confidence and independence to deaf people.'
To find out more about how you can become a volunteer puppy trainer or get involved in the charity, visit hearingdogs.org.uk or email: volunteer@hearingdogs.org.uk
To sign up to the Great British Dog Walk at Lyme Park visit greatbritishdogwalk.org.
