Island Roads staff have chosen Ability Dogs 4 Young People, as their charity for the year.

Ability Dogs 4 Young People is an Island charity that trains and provides assistance dogs for local people aged under 30 who have physical or mental disabilities.

As well as helping with practical tasks including picking up items, opening doors, helping dress and undress, crossing the road, trained Ability Dogs help increase disabled young people’s well-being, confidence and self-esteem, enabling them to go on to further education or gain employment without needing full-time carers.

There are currently 19 trained dogs providing invaluable assistance across the Island and a further 12 puppies in training. But with 30 people on the waiting list for the special canine companion and training alone costing £5,000 a year for each dog, Ability Dogs 4 Young People relies heavily on public donations. They were therefore delighted when Island Roads employees chose the project as their charity of the year for 2018 after a staff vote.

“Along with the support we get from our fantastic volunteers we are very dependent on the generosity of local businesses and individuals to help us provide our service,” said founder Carol Court.

“We are thrilled that Island Roads staff have chosen to support us in the year ahead. We are an Island charity serving Island residents and so all our fundraising comes from the Island. These donations are invaluable to us – without them we simply would not be able to do what we do.”

Ability Dogs 4 Young People volunteers visited Island Roads’ HQ at Dodnor recently to talk to staff about their work and to introduce some of the working dogs as well as puppies who are undergoing training.

Luke Corbet who co-ordinates staff charity work at Island Roads said: “It was really great to see the dogs in action and the visit has made us all the more determined to raise as much money as possible.”

You can find out more about Ability Dogs 4 Young People at www.abilitydogs4yp.org.uk