The Santa Paws event will see me borrow some friends and some lovely friends' lovely dogs for walks, raising money for the very worthy charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People as I go. I am going to walk instead of run - you know me! I am and always will be a long walk girl!

I met my first wonderful Hearing Dog for Deaf People and partner in person at the Crieff Highland Gathering in August, but have been sponsoring Star, a cockapoo Hearing Dog in training, for about a year now. The work of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is vital. Our society is dominated by important messages communicated through sound. Can you imagine what it must be like for society to have expectations for you that you cannot meet? To navigate friendships, your health and wellbeing and future in a world which rarely stops to think about how much is geared towards being able to hear? To be isolated by default?

Some examples of the impact Hearing Dogs for Deaf People makes:

https://youtu.be/-1URSpme79g

(Zach's story - a young boy, deaf since birth)

https://youtu.be/qkCEHGqd6ag

(Anne's story - she lost her hearing after having surgery to remove a brain tumour)

https://youtu.be/Ezem2e7dRKU

(Pip's story - also deaf since birth)

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People receive no government funding so any donation, however large or small, goes towards helping deaf people (re)connect with life.

For a breakdown of how the charity could use your donation, view the photo in my gallery on here. Make a difference today! This should be everyone's world, not just those without disabilities.