Haskins Roundstone donates cash from wishing well to West Sussex charity Canine Partners

The independent family business chose the West Sussex assistance dog provider as its charity of the year and Roundstone general manager Nick Joad was delighted to present a cheque for £2,557 to foster co-ordinator Ewen Macdonald and community engagement officer Gemma Tupper.

Gaynor Jordan-Davis, head of fundraising at Canine Partners, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Haskins Garden Centre and its customers for their support. As a charity, we rely on voluntary donations. The kindness and generosity that the Haskins team and their customers have shown will help more people with disabilities to receive the support, companionship, and confidence that a canine partner can provide, enabling them to live their life to the full.

“The donation will allow us to source a puppy and start them on their training journey to become an incredible assistance dog that will enable the gift of greater independence and quality of life to their future, disabled partner.”

Haskins Roundstone chose Canine Partners because its assistance dogs can be life changing, providing psychological and social benefits to their partners, including increased independence, confidence, social interaction and self-esteem.

Mel Howick, customer service leader, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Canine Partners and through the generosity of our customers, we have raised enough over the years to fund and sponsor a puppy assistance dog called Bloom, who is now partnered with a local resident and is much loved and doing a wonderful job.

“It is important to us that Haskins is an inclusive place for all people of all abilities. To help to ensure this, the centre’s floor plan has been designed with customers and their support dogs in mind to accommodate Canine Partners’ work.”

Haskins Roundstone has chosen to continue its support for Canine Partners throughout 2022 and has various fundraising ideas in the pipeline to help the garden centre sponsor a new puppy assistance dog in the coming year.

Also in the news: Paramedic wants his CU On The Ward hospital initiative with Angmering-based charity Cancer United to go national

See also: Littlehampton woman plunges into National Hug a Plumber Day to raise awareness of women working in the male-dominated industry