A former pupil of Harris Academy in Dundee is to run the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money for the training of dogs for disabled people. Gill Webb, who now lives in Malmesbury, Wiltshire is being sponsored to run the marathon to raise funds for Canine Partners, a small charity which aims to transform the lives of people with disabilities.
The charity provides highly trained assistance dogs to help disabled people lead more independent lives. The dogs have a remarkable range of skills. Not only can they offer typically canine assistance, such as fetching items, the can unload a washing machine, pick cans off a shelf and, amazingly, retrieve money from a cash machine.
They are specially selected as puppies, then trained to the highest standards. By the end of their training, which lasts in full for about two years, the dogs will be able to respond to around 100 commands.
Gill has already done charity work for an English cerebral palsy charity. The Edinburgh Marathon takes place on June 13.
Taken from "The Courier", June 10, 2004