Great start to the summer for local Guide Dogs branch

Great start to the summer for local Guide Dogs branch

May was a fantastic start to summer for the Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Guide Dogs who fundraised for Guide Dog Day for two days in Millfield Shopping Centre, Balbriggan and a wonderful sum of €1,689.90 was raised.

Tom O’Neill and his guide dog Qeb also joined a sponsored walk with Buíon Peadar agus Pòh Brigins (St Peter & St Paul’s Brigins) Juniors of Girl Guides where €270 was raised. We were lucky enough to also get a donation from two fantastic young children, Alannah (aged 11) and Erin (aged 8) who saved €450 over a year with the help of their family and gave it to Tom for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, we want to say a big thank you to Alannah and Erin and also to everyone who supported us over Guide Dog Day and the people that continue to do so.

The Branch also attended the sunny Balbriggan Summerfest during the bank holiday weekend in June where Tom O’Neill and his Guide Dog Qeb were set up to meet our lovely supporters and €536.52 was raised, a big thank you to our volunteers and all who came along to support us. On the day there were raffle tickets for €5 to win a holiday and these can still be purchased by contacting us on the below contact details. You could be jetting off on a holiday worth €5,000, but remember you have to be in it to win it! All money that is raised by the Branch, goes to headquarters in Cork and allows them to train assistance Guide Dogs to help blind people and a children with Autism. At the start of the year there were five Guide Dog partnerships and five Assistance Dog partnerships that graduated and as of March 2024 there are 110 pups being puppy raised.

If you are involved in an event in the area through summer and would allow our branch to put a stand in we would be very grateful for another chance to raise some additional funds! If so, please contact us via the following: Balbriggan/North County Dublin Branch of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Phone/text: 085 7663107, Email: guidedogsbalbriggan@gmail.com or find us on Facebook: Balbriggan Branch of Guide Dogs.