WEBBS customers have been invited to help find the pawfect name for a new guide dog puppy.
In the last 12 months visitors at the Wychbold garden centre, on the Worcester Road, have raised more than £5,000 for Guide Dogs and have now been offered the opportunity to name another young pooch and sponsor them for the first year of his or her life.
Residents fancying a go have been asked to submit their ideas by dropping them off to the store.
This is the second time Webbs customers have had the chance to name a pup in aid of the charity – two years ago more than 500 people entered a similar competition and chose the name Webster.
Webbs’ chairman Ed Webb said customers would be able to meet the pup at the centre and follow his or her progress with their regular ‘pupdates’.
He added Webster had been to visit them several times and they followed his progress with pride.
“It’s fantastic our efforts and the generosity of our staff and customers will significantly improve the quality of life of a blind or partially sighted person for a second time and we can now become part of their life-changing story.” he said.
“We are all looking forward to welcoming the new puppy as soon as it’s old enough to be out and about.”
Ali Waterer, from the Guide Dogs charity, said naming a puppy was a fantastic way for people and organisations to make a difference to the lives of people who were blind or partially sighted.
She added around 180,000 people across the country with eyesight problems rarely left home alone and without the help of fund-raising schemes such as this the charity would not be able to help the number of people they did.
Ali said last year 810 new guide dog partnerships were created allowing them to help more people than ever before.
She added: “It’s only through support such as this from Webbs we’re able to maintain our lifelong commitment to blind and partially sighted people in the community as the guide dog service relies purely on voluntary income which is why we are so grateful for the efforts companies such as Webb’s put in to support us.”
The puppy will be cared for by a volunteer walker who will bring the pooch for visits to the Wychbold store.
Future guide dog puppies. (s)
