An Open Garden event in June helped to raise £2,500 to support the UK’s largest assistance dog organisation, Guide Dogs.

The event in Beer, hosted by Gill and Jim Carthy, was hailed as a great success, with the open garden format attracting people from the local area and further afield.

For a small entrance fee, visitors could wander around and enjoy stalls, raffles and refreshments, with all proceeds going to Guide Dogs.

They also had the opportunity to meet three potential future guide dogs that are awaiting training.

Krissie Isaac, Community Fundraising Relationship Manager at Guide Dogs Southwest said: “A huge thank you to the Honiton, Seaton, and Sidmouth volunteers that attended on the day and a special thanks to Gill and Jim for hosting the wonderful event.

“Days such as this allow Guide Dogs to continue to thrive as a charity and be able to fund our life-changing service for people living with sight loss.”

By raising just under £2,000 on the day, with further donations bringing up the total to £2,500, the organisers reached the threshold entitling them to ‘name a Guide Dog puppy’ – so Gill and Jim have chosen the name Maddie, after their granddaughter.

The £2,500 raised will enable Maddie the puppy to receive some beginner training, support her with food and equipment, and kickstart her career as a guide dog.

Gill Carthy, organiser of the fundraising event, expressed gratitude to all the helpers, donors and visitors who contributed to its success.

She said: “We wanted to show our appreciation for Guide Dogs and everything they do, and we thought what better way than to dedicate to the charity all funds from our Open Garden event? Being able to name a potential future guide dog after our granddaughter is a lovely thought, and we are looking forward to hearing updates about Maddie’s journey.”

The Guide Dogs charity recently celebrated its 90-year anniversary, and continued support from the public is essential as it is almost entirely funded by donations.

Every day 250 people start to lose their sight in the UK and even the smallest donations can help someone start their road to being able to live a more fulfilled life again.

To learn more about how to get involved in fundraising or volunteering at Guide Dogs, visit: Guide Dogs | How You Can Help.