Volunteer's appeal for more help to raise money for Guide Dogs in the Newark area

A volunteer who helps raise money for Guide Dogs says more people are urgently needed in the Newark area to support the charity.

Gillian Bignell, of Claypole, is chairman of Newark Guide Dogs, and spends much of her time promoting the national charity and raising money for its work.

Gillian, who is sighted, takes her own dogs, Bernie, 3, and Harry, 9, with her when out volunteering for Guide Dogs, and says people are always glad to see them.

Gillian’s volunteering includes giving talks about the charity, making collections in shops, visiting care homes, and running stands at events.

She first became aware of the invaluable work that guide dogs do when she was working in customer services for HMRC and used to visit a blind client at his home.

When he died, Gillian and her husband took on his guide dog, Kenny.

“Kenny came to live with us, and I absolutely adored him,” she said.

Gillian was brought up surrounded by animals when she lived at The Five Bells in Claypole, run by her parents.

“One of my first memories is of a dog called Judy, a black spaniel, when I was three,” she said.

Gillian became chairman of Newark Guide Dogs in 2010, after she retired, and now travels throughout the area promoting the cause and raising money for it.

In one recent year the branch raised £8,000, but Gillian said volunteer numbers had dwindled and fund-raising had suffered.

“We have not been able to do very much at all this year because we haven’t got many people now,” she said.

Gillian is looking for people who are able to help her out.

“Just an hour every so often will make such a difference,” she said. “They could help in the shops, but they wouldn’t be left on their own.”

Gillian said that the public was always very supportive of Guide Dogs, and volunteering for them was a pleasure.

Volunteers do not need to be dog-owners, or know anything about Guide Dogs.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Gillian on 07771 933544.

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