Get involved in the Great British Dog Walk at Belvoir Castle

This will be the ninth year the Great British Dog Walk has been organised in the grounds of the stately home by national assistance dog charity, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, which trains dogs to alert deaf people to important and life-saving sounds.

It takes place on Sunday April 21 with two walk options over 8km or 3km, making it ideal for dog owners, families, single walkers, organised walking groups and those who simply want to meet lots of dogs and get a bit of exercise for a good cause.

The day will also feature a fun dog show in the morning, have-a-go agility in the afternoon and a fundraising game, plus a ‘guess the weight of a cake’ competition.

It costs around £40,000 to fully train and support a hearing dog for the duration of its life and the charity receives no government funding, so every walker will be helping to transform the life of a deaf person.

One of the beneficiaries is Dawn Swepstone, who was partnered with her hearing dog Digby in 2021 and she now says she can’t imagine life without him.

Dawn said: “I went out socially less and less as I felt isolated when people around me were laughing and joking and I didn’t have a clue what had been said.

“I became very depressed due to my hearing loss, and Digby has made me smile again.”

She added: “At home, Digby’s my ‘super dog’. He tells me when someone’s at the door, he wakes me up in the morning and lets me know when my dinner is ready. Most importantly, he may one day save my life because he tells me when the smoke alarm is going off.”

The dog walk at Belvoir Castle is sponsored by Specsavers Audiologists, helping Hearing Dogs to raise more funds to change the lives of deaf people.

Carina Hummel, the company’s managing director, said: “This is an excellent way for people to have fun, get some exercise, meet like-minded people and perhaps most importantly, meet lots of cute dogs while supporting a good cause.”

Tickets to each event are £12 in advance or £15 on the day.

Click HERE to sign up for the walk.