Bridgend Front Line Support Officer Gaynor Cassidy has given a helping hand to the newly established local branch of charity Guide Dogs for the Blind. She has volunteered for the charity and her colleagues at Bridgend Police Station have raised over £50.
In fact the links with the local police continue with resident and branch Chair Keith Barrett’s guide dog, who’s called Bobby. Gaynor’s fundraising has also got her colleagues involved with the charity and local PCSO Heather Dobbs is very keen on linking some residents from her patch with the services of the Bridgend branch.
FLSO Gaynor Cassidy said “The charity does so much good work to support blind and partially sighted in Bridgend and I wanted to show my support for such a worthy cause. It’s been brilliant working with the charity and we have all become very fond of bobby.”
Chair Keith Barrett said “Bobby is a 7 year old lab-retriever cross and has been my guide dog since he was 15 months old. He’s highly trained, loves his food and very much enjoys his job.”
Keith continues “We have got the Bridgend branch of charity going again and are looking forward to fundraising and increasing volunteers. We did a bucket collection in Bridgend a few weeks back and the support from the Bridgend community was brilliant.”
Guide Dogs for the Blind provide mobility and freedom to blind and partially sighted people. To get involved with the Bridgend branch of Guide Dogs for the Blind please contact Councillor Norah Clarke on 01656 786018 who is herself a guide dog puppy volunteer walker. The Bridgend branch will be meeting monthly at the Cabo Roche Café on Five Bells Road.
For more information on guide dogs please visit http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/services/guide-dogs/ and have a look at the ‘changing lives’ video.
