Deaf Girly and the Great British Dog Walk

Last weekend, I was invited to take part in the Hearing Dogs Great British Dog Walk at Windsor Great Park and it was brilliant fun.

This annual event helps raise money for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and there are 20 walks around the UK – at time of writing there are still 11 walks you can get involved in too, from Exeter to Aberdeen... (although not literally of course).

I was a bit nervous about turning up without a dog, but I needn't have worried. I soon met up with Nicholas Orpin, the Community Fundraising Manager for the South East for Hearing Dogs and had a good chat with him when he wasn't busily walking around with a clipboard organising people and pooches. There were plenty of dogs to say hello too, and I was thrilled to bump into two Twitter pals of mine and their pooches – Sophie and Rusty the Hearing Dog and Anne and Tegan the Hearing Dog.




The donation for both me and FJM was just £24, which for a fun day out and walk in beautiful parkland and the chance to chat to loads of new people and Hearing Dog recipients was an absolute bargain. But what's even better is that for that small donation, you get to see first hand where your money is going. It's going on providing these amazing animals for people who need them. It's going on changing people's lives.

As you know, I am in the Hearing Dog application process at the moment and the knowledge that I will hopefully one day have a dog of my own, is completely grin inducing. But it was also a fantastic opportunity for FJM to meet his very first Hearing Dogs and chat to other recipients and their partners about what it's like to get a Hearing Dog.

Rather excitingly, Rachel Riley from Countdown was also there... spot my stealth shot of her above! I actually got to meet her briefly and chat to her a bit about how much I love the charity she also supports, which was brilliant. She was lovely.

There are two walks coming up this weekend in Suffolk and Glasgow and more the week after in Cheshire, Kent and Cambridgeshire. Check out the full list here and then grab your dog – or borrow one, or simply go without one – and head out to the countryside for a Great British Dog Walk.

It's the most fun day out. I promise.

DG
xx