Surrey Dog Companies Bring Local Businesses Together for Noah's Ark and NSARDA

Local companies have offered their services and products as in-kind donations to help support double charity event.

Dog care company, Barking Mad Purley, and natural pet food company, Oscar Pet Food Coulsdon, partnered this Summer to host a double charity family event.

The Big Summer Charity Dog Walk, which takes place at The Wattenden Arms, Kenley at 10.30am on Sunday 20 August, was proudly announced earlier this month as a one-hour casual family dog walk, with 25% discounts on Sunday Roasts and major raffle.

13 local companies have offered their services for free, with this year’s top prizes being Quad Biking for a party of under 8’s at Traq Motor Racing, amongst wine tasting, a farm shop hamper, family farm ticket and an Elmis facial.

The event charges £5 per adult, and free to under 15’s, which is split evenly between two charities: Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice and National Search and Rescue Dogs Association (NSARDA).

Noah’s Ark provides holistic care for children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, and their families. Noah’s Ark explains that they achieve this through a programme of family activities; family link workers who offer practical and emotional support; home support volunteers; and specialist carers and nurses.

Paula, one of Noah’s Arks specialist carers explains: ‘we focus on enabling not limiting – the children we care for are often told they cannot do things that, with our help, they are capable of’.

The hospice needs around £2 million a year to keep their day to day services running; with only 6% of funding coming from statutory sources they rely heavily on voluntary donations.

Noah’s Arks fundraising team comment: ‘Community events such as The Big Summer Charity Dog Walk, are vital in enabling Noah’s Ark to continue expanding our services and support an increased number of children and families’.

The second charity, NSARDA, is a voluntary based charity which provides critical support in a variety of emergency settings. The charity train scent and water dogs to find and rescue lost mountaineers, drowned victims and closer to home emergencies such as missing children or individuals suffering from forms of Dementia.

The Big Summer Charity Dog Walk is open people of all ages and walking abilities who can ‘just turn up’. There is plenty of free parking at the pub where attendees are welcomed with goody bags, treats for dogs and friendly staff who are on hand until the event finishes at 3pm.

Event details: The Wattenden Arms, Kenley, CR8 5EU | 10.30am – 3pm | Sunday 20 August 2017

Article supplied by Danielle Morgan