Myself and David (Team JC) have decided to raise money again this year for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, but this year we have raised the bar. We have recruited Chris Hirst to help us with our efforts and not only are we running the Great North Run, but myself and David will also be completing the Sunderland 10K and the Blaydon Race! We chose this charity as they hold a special place in our hearts. Our profile picture was taken after last years GNR, the super cute couple (apart from ourselves!!) in the photo are my Grandparents Bill and Olive, and of course there's Charlie, who is one special dog!

8 years ago they were introduced to Charlie, a Hearing Dog. Charlie offered a lifeline to my Grandparents as my Granda is profoundly deaf, the result of many years working at the noisy Swanhunters Shipyard in Wallsend. Charlie has been trained to react to noises in the home, many of which my Granda struggles to hear. Charlie can alert him to everyday things such as the telephone or a knock on the front door. More importantly, Charlie can alert him of dangers. If the fire alarm goes he can let my Granda know within seconds, even if this means bouncing on his bed to wake him up in the night!

My Grandparents love gardening, but as they get older the risk of trips and falls can often be a worry. Charlie is trained to alert my Nana or Granda if either of them do have an accident, meaning help can get to them quickly. This means they can both continue to enjoy the things they love doing. My Granda's confidence has increased massively as he is able to take Charlie out to places dogs aren't usually allowed (shops, cafes, cinemas, churches!) - because Charlie is a Helping Dog, like a Guide Dog for a blind person. Granda can now go out independently from my Nana, and he loves telling everyone he meets about Charlie, as not many people have heard of a Hearing Dog!

Charlie is retiring from active duty but I hope you can see how such a small dog can make such a BIG difference in my Grandparents life. David and Chris' Nana is also profoundly deaf, but they were unaware of the opportunities available through Hearing Dogs so we would like to take this opportunity, with your help, to continue the great work and raise awareness of Hearing Dogs for Deaf People so that more people can have access to this amazing charity.

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