Canine charity chat at NHS meeting

A speaker from a well-known charity will be the guest at this month’s National Health Service Retirement Fellowship meeting in Paisley.

Dale Gormley will talk about Canine Partners, which aims to transform the lives of people with physical disabilities by partnering them with assistance dogs.

The dogs bring greater independence and quality of life to their partners by offering security, companionship, and practical help with everyday household tasks.

They also provide psychological and social benefits including increased confidence, social interaction and self-esteem.

The dogs are trained to meet the needs of individuals with even the most complex physical disabilities, the charity says.

It currently helps adults aged 18 and over, who can be both civilians and former service personnel, who have a physical disability or condition that affects their daily life and limits their independence.

Some of the conditions are multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal injuries and head injuries, stroke, osteoarthritis and scoliosis, arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and many more.

The charity receives no government funding and relies solely on donations from the public and legacies to help it continue its life-transforming work.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 13, in The Wynd Centre, School Wynd, at 1.30pm.