Please name our guide dog pup

12:57pm Wednesday 11th June 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

WORCESTER News readers are being given the unique chance to name a guide dog puppy thanks to a donation from the Round Table.

The sponsorship of £5,000 will be spent on a male puppy from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association's breeding centre near Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

It should ideally be a two-syllable name that you would be quite happy standing in the middle of a field with your eyes closed shouting at the top of your voice.

Steve Muxworthy

Nick Close, member of the Worcester Round Table, said: "Because the people of Worcester have helped us raise this money, we are hoping they will come up with a really good name for the dog.

"It is a great cause. Having generated the money from the events, we are always looking for good causes to donate to.

"This is the first time we have donated money to this scheme but we think people will enjoy trying to think up names for the dog."

Money has been raised through the group's hard work at various events held throughout the year, which includes the popular firework display and selling hot chestnuts at Worcester's annual Victorian Christmas Fair.

The fully trained dog will be a life-changing addition to a partially-sighted or blind person, according to Peter Tait, 77, of Park View Terrace, Barbourne, Worcester.

He was left unable to see by a bout of measles when just five years old and has recently received a new dog - a German Shepherd called Robbie.

Mr Tait said: "A guide dog can give you back your mobility. Without it I couldn't go for walks and I couldn't go to the shops.

"Guide dogs have been my main form of independence and having one will give any blind person their independence back."

Steve Muxworthy, regional corporate fund-raiser for the charity, said they were glad to receive the money, which would contribute to the cost of training the guide dog puppy.

"The name that is chosen will stay with the puppy for the rest of its life. It's a really exciting opportunity for someone to name one of our dogs," he said.

"It should ideally be a two-syllable name that you would be quite happy standing in the middle of a field with your eyes closed shouting at the top of your voice.

"When you are blind you are not sure if your dog is 200 yards away or three feet away. When you call them back you have to be able to shout the name out."

• To enter the competition, fill out the form on page 12 of today's Worcester news and send it in to us. The closing date for entries is Monday.