Uplifting stories of how wonderdogs have improved lives were the highlight of an afternoon tea with a difference. Sheffield-based national charity, Support Dogs, which trains autism assistance, disability assistance and epilepsy seizure alert dogs, held its first-ever legacy afternoon tea event, at Whirlow Brook Hall and sponsored by Taylor Emmet solicitors. It was a way of saying thank you to supporters who have chosen to leave a gift in their will to Support Dogs, as well as those who have given in memory of a loved one. Guests heard from three of the charity’s clients, and also met their adorable life-changing support dogs. Among them was Natasha Firth, whose disability assistance support dog Giles has not only enabled Natasha to live independently, but has also empowered her to excel at work.
The 44-year-old chartered human resources professional from Mansfield Woodhouse says she would have given up work and wouldn’t have had the confidence to leave the house, if it wasn’t for the handsome Springer Spaniel. At 18, Natasha had a place at Sandhurst, the prestigious royal military academy, and an Army career lined up. But a spinal injury sustained while on military exercise in the Falklands put a stop to that. Natasha has a degenerative disc disease and has since been under the care of a spinal specialist. Despite having spinal fusion surgery and multiple interventions, her condition continues to worsen, resulting in high levels of pain in her back, neck, legs, hands, shoulders and arms on a daily basis. Giles has been trained by Support Dogs to fetch help if Natasha has a fall, and also helps with tasks including picking items up off the floor, finding Natasha’s phone and opening doors and drawers.
One in three support dogs simply would not exist without donations kindly left in wills. Natasha, who also has hypermobility, fibromyalgia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has no qualms in talking about her will intentions.
She said: “I know first-hand how life-changing Support Dogs’ work is. “Without its support, many people like me would struggle to live independently. Leaving a gift in my will is my way of saying thank you and helping ensure that others can experience the same life-changing support that I have.” She added: “I would say to others considering their legacy, that if you’ve ever seen the difference a support dog can make, you’ll understand why it’s worth supporting. “Even a small gift can help train another dog and transform someone’s life. For me, it’s about giving something back. Support Dogs has given me so much, and leaving a gift is a way to help it keep doing that incredible work.”
To find out more about Support Dogs and leaving a legacy, please visit http://www.supportdogs.org.uk/legacy or call 0114 2617800.