A leading North East leisure operator has chosen to support regional charity Wag & Company by becoming a Corporate Friend of Wag - and the boss, Duncan Fisher, a volunteer.
The Apartment Group’s donation of £5,000 is just the beginning of a relationship with Wag and enables 12 volunteers to visit older people in the region for over a year making 372 visits to people in their own homes on a 1:1 basis or 3,348 friends visits in care or hospitals.
Leisure group founder Duncan Fisher is a huge dog lover and can’t wait to get started visiting with his Hungarian Vizsla Rudy in whatever spare time he has – visiting a care home for Wag in Alnwick, Northumberland.
Duncan Fisher said: “I believe that what Wag is offering is an exceptional and very much under-valued service. I hope that by joining the team Wag’s reach will continue to spread.”
Wag & Company was set up seven years ago to tackle loneliness and isolation among older and vulnerable dog lovers in the North East; the only visiting dog charity to visit people in their own homes.
The charity has a network of hundreds of volunteers who visit older dog lovers in their homes as well as in care homes and medical establishments.
The award-winning Apartment Group operates a string of bars, pubs, clubs, boutique hotels and wedding venues including Newton Hall, Le Petit Chateau, Runa Farm and Whitworth Hall & Deer Park.
Diane Morton, founder and CEO of Wag & Company, said: “We’re so grateful to The Apartment Group for providing such important financial support and especially, of course, Duncan and Rudy for their personal commitment. With help like theirs we can continue to meet the huge and growing demand for Wag friends across our region.
“Our regional army of volunteers make such a positive impact to older people often isolated, bereaved and vulnerable in our local communities. Regular visits and lots of cuddles with a special dog as well as a chat and a cuddle with a fellow dog lover make a genuine difference to people’s lives.
“We never charge so that no-one misses out, which means we rely on support from individuals, companies and care organisations as part of our Friends of Wag supporters scheme to chip in to help us make this important difference all across the North East, long into the future.”