The volunteer Guide Dogs group in Andover was presented with a generous cheque for £1000 at the Guild Hall thanks to the Andover Golfing Society.
In 2021 the society’s captain, Robin Coupland, selected Guide Dogs as their chosen charity of the year. The funds were raised through the auction of vouchers, kindly supplied by the golf courses visited by the society, as well as through ‘fines’ for specific wayward shots — a charitable reward for playing bad golf!
Andover Golfing Society has been established over 50 years, for the purpose of promoting friendly, competitive golf on a casual basis. Members do not have to belong to any club.
Lee Thresher, community fundraising manager for Guide Dogs in the area, said “We’re really grateful for this generous donation. Thank you to the Society and to our volunteers for their continued support to Guide Dogs. This money will make a real difference for the people we support.”
In Hampshire, there’s more than 53,000 people living with sight loss according to the RNIB. While they are not all registered sight impaired or blind, their vision loss is significant enough to impact their daily lives.
Guide Dogs supports adults and children with sight loss through a range of information and support services, including their iconic guide dogs. The charity relies on the support of volunteers and the public and receives very little government funding.
The Andover Guide Dogs volunteers are an enthusiastic group who are keen to welcome new members and forge links with local business and societies, as they aim to raise £5,000 to name a guide dog puppy. For more information contact andovergd.group@yahoo.com
