A LEADING North East housebuilder has developed a paw-fect partnership to brighten the lives of the elderly, bereaved, vulnerable and socially isolated.
Twice a year, Miller Homes North East hands out grants of up to £2k to good causes, groups, charities and organisations across the region, through its Community Fund.
And one of the latest beneficiaries is North East based Wag and Company – which arranges for dog owners and their four-legged friends to befriend and regularly visit those living alone at home or in care, hospitals or hospices free of charge.
Wag and Company is the only befriending charity in the North East which arranges for dogs and their owners to befriend elderly dog lovers, often bereaved or who are lonely or in failing health.
And the money they have been awarded will help them recruit, match, assess, equip, insure and continuously support each volunteer Wag Team and their placements over a 12-month period.
“This very welcome grant will enable 126 visits over the 12 months to older people otherwise alone at home, desperately missing the friends they’ve lost; two legged and four legged,” said Wag and Company’s chief operating officer Charlotte Pearson.
“Thank you so much to everyone at Miller Homes for making this happen in our community.”
Miller Homes introduced its regional Community Fund in 2022 to help grassroots projects linked to education, wellbeing, the environment and sport across the North East.
Although applications for the first round of 2025 funding are now closed, the second round will open later this year.
Trudy Alexander, Community Funding Ambassador at Miller Homes North East, said awarding the money to Wag and Company was “a very easy decision to make.
“We absolutely love what they do and how much it benefits those who receive their visits.
“Loneliness is a major social problem – particularly amongst the elderly– and the joy that these dogs and their owners bring is absolutely worth its weight in gold.”
The Community Fund is just one of a number of community-based initiatives run by Miller Homes North East.
More information about it and the company’s housing developments across the region can be found at www.millerhomes.co.uk