A profoundly deaf man and his hearing dog have finished a three-month journey, completing all ten of the Great British Dog Walk events in aid of national charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
Richard Carr, aged 49 from Cheshire, has been profoundly deaf since birth. In 2013, Richard was partnered with his hearing dog Cameron, who alerts him to important sounds such as the doorbell, alarm clock, and fire alarm.
Starting the challenge in Scotland back in March, Richard completed all ten walks with his faithful black Labrador by his side every step of the way. The duo trekked all over the UK, visiting ten beautiful National Trust sites and meeting a host of celebrity supporters along the way.
The final walk was held on Sunday, and the pair have raised over £2,500 for the charity that changed Richard’s life.
Richard said:
“Before I had Cameron, life was tough. Being deaf always makes people less confident in life as there are so many pitfalls and challenges in your path, but Cameron has removed those barriers.
“Having a hearing dog has changed my life, and Cameron brings confidence, contentment and fulfilment to my life. We’ve loved every minute of the Great British Dog Walk, and hope that the funds raised will help change the lives of more deaf people like me.”
The Great British Dog Walk saw over 1,900 walkers and their four-legged friends take part. The charity, which receives no government funding, hopes the three-month campaign will raise over £25,000.
To find out more about Hearing Dogs for Deaf people, click here.
David
July 3, 2015
Congratulations Richard and Cameron. You two have made a personal difference!!
mike
July 4, 2015
Well done Richard…I bet Cameron enjoyed this more than you did! 🙂
Richard
July 6, 2015
Hi All
It was a fantastic challenge for a deaf/disabled man and his Partnership dog to do. We covered over 5000 miles in driving to cover all the 10 walks and Cameron did approx 100 K in all. This kind of walk/drive requires super human/doggy effort which i knew we could both do to raise awareness for Disabled people and of course Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.
I wonder what my next challenge will be next year as we have taken the rest of the year off to recover and recharge our batteries. A short version of the Great British dog walk and maybe Morecombe Bay sands. Thanks for all the support of staff and public