The Roe Park Resort, Limavady has announced Assistance Dogs NI will be its Charity of the Year for 2018, and is set to raise £5,000 in funds throughout the year to support the organisation.
The charity train and provide dogs for children with autism and people with wheelchair mobility disabilities. The Roe Park has set a £5,000 fundraising target, as this is how much it takes to train one dog. The resort has made a strong start to its fundraising efforts, having recently raised £700 through a staff raffle.
The Roe Park Resort has further plans to create an autism-friendly room, which will have additional safety features and include a sensory play-area. The room will also feature special lighting, a sensory textured bean bag and chair plus dine-in room facilities. As part of the charity partnership, staff at the resort have already undergone training with Assistance Dogs NI to learn how to communicate more effectively with those with autism.
Sinead McNicholl, Brand and Marketing Manager for the Roe Park Resort said:
“We wanted to partner with a local charity that was family orientated, and we know autism affects many families, so we thought Assistance Dogs would be the perfect way to reach out and help. We were touched by the stories of local families who have used Assistance Dogs NI, and knew it was the right fit for us. We plan to host sponsored walks and raffles amongst other fundraising activities throughout the year to hit our £5,000 target.”