Guide Dogs to benefit from Network event

NETWORK Ireland has chosen the Irish Guide Dogs as its charity partner for its conference and annual awards which are taking place in West Cork later this month.  

More than 250 delegates will be attending the event on September 27th in Rosscarbery’s Celtic Ross Hotel. 

The conference, which will be hosted by Sonya Lennon, is one of the biggest of its kind in Ireland for professional women. 

The organisation, headed up by director of the Celtic Ross, Helen Wycherley,  is aiming to raise €5,000 for the charity. Helen said: ‘When I was 18 I was a puppy walker for the Irish Guide Dogs. Which meant my family and I undertook to raise Ellie, from when she was seven weeks old until she was nearly 15 months

‘She had an amazing impact on our family and I remember her fondly always.’

Tim O’Mahony, general manager, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, added: ‘Many thanks to Network Ireland for sponsoring a year’s training for one of our pups who hopefully will go on to become a Guide or Assistance Dog. 

‘It costs over €5m annually to run our organisation and we rely on 85% of our funding through sponsorship and fundraising to continue to deliver vital services throughout Ireland. Support like this enables us to change the lives of those who are vision impaired and families of children with autism.’