Morris Lubricants, Morris Leisure and GB Lubricants have raised £15,000 for Guide Dogs for the Blind by organising a series of fundraising events and activities.
The companies signed up for one of the Guide Dogs for the Blind’s ‘Learn’ packages, which involves adopting and naming a guide dog puppy and funding its two-year programme of training and development. The name chosen for the companies’ adopted guide dog is Morris.
Sharne Kirkwood, corporate partnerships executive at Guide Dogs for the Blind, thanked the three companies for their “amazing support”.
She said: “Their fundraising will pay for the first two years of training for a guide dog puppy, aptly named Morris. £10,000 will go to support Morris from birth, throughout his first year with his puppy walking family, exploring the world and then going on to train and qualify as a life-changing guide dog in his second year.
“The other £5,000 will support the equipment Morris will need, such as the iconic white harness as well as the matching process and final qualification training with a person who is blind or partially sighted.
“It is an incredible journey for all our guide dogs and our service users. The three companies have helped to change someone’s life.”
Andrew Goddard, Morris Lubricants’ Executive Chairman, added: “It has been a huge team achievement to raise £15,000, which surpassed our target, for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
“We are proud that we have raised enough money to train one guide dog puppy and match him with a person who is blind or partially sighted.
“There are almost two million people in the UK who are living with sight loss, which has a significant impact on their daily lives. Many of these people rarely leave their homes alone, which means they can sometimes lead lonely, isolated lives.
“If the money can help to prevent at least one person from being left out of life, then all our efforts will all have been worthwhile.”
As the fundraising effort for Guide Dogs for the Blind coincided with Morris Lubricants’ 150th birthday, the company and its sister businesses reportedly pulled out all the stops, with raffles, competitions and a charity football match.
Andrew was also sponsored to climb Mount Snowdon blindfolded for the cause, rating it as one of the toughest challenges of his life. He was supported by his family and work colleagues.
