Our team of Dogs Trust Education Officers offer FREE workshops covering a variety of themes, particularly responsible dog ownership and important aspects of safety around dogs, to schools across London, South Wales, Northern Ireland, North East and North West England, Leeds and Glasgow. Workshops can be tailor-made to suit your curriculum requirements.
To book a workshop, choose a location from our map to find full contact details for the Education Officer nearest to you, or use the links below to email them directly.
Angela Madigan – Education Officer for the North West
I started working for Dogs Trust in 1999, initially working hands on with the dogs at the Merseyside Rehoming Centre, which gave me first hand experience of life at a rehoming centre. I am qualified in Animal Care and I’m qualified as a Teaching Assistant, so working as an Education Officer is a fantastic way to combine both my skills.
Animal welfare is always at the forefront of my mind. Helping spread the message of responsible dog ownership is a great way of sharing that. Dogs are my passion; owning them means you have to passionate about them! I am regularly assisted in workshops by my loveable Pug, Sebastian.
Email Angela
Louise Close – Education Officer for the North East
I am passionate about dog welfare and thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to deliver workshops on responsible dog ownership and safety around dogs to schools in the North East region. I also offer school tours around the Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres in Darlington and Leeds. I speak to over 10,000 children and visit over 100 schools in a year!
As a qualified teacher I understand the need for sessions to be informative yet fun and be appealing to all learning styles, and if requested my own Dogs Trust dog accompanies me for a more ‘hands on’ approach! I offer a programme of workshops enabling more than one visit, encompassing different topics and themes which work well with animal projects and pet weeks!
Email Louise
Lorraine Hare – Education Officer for Glasgow
I joined Dogs Trust in August 2006 having taught road safety in Scottish schools for many years. I love working at Dogs Trust Glasgow as I can combine my love of working with children and my passion for dogs!
My interactive and informative workshops are full of activities that are great fun for pupils of all ages and abilities. My workshops link to the Curriculum for Excellence and can be tailored to meet the needs of individual schools or classes. Many schools incorporate my visits into their Enterprise, Health Promoting, Citizenship and Eco Schools work too. The exciting, enthusiastic workshops ensure that children grasp the key responsible dog ownership messages, understand the importance of dog welfare and learn how to stay safe around dogs – and have lots of fun too!
My loveable Labrador Donny loves visiting schools too and is always a fantastic assistant! We love visiting new schools and hope to meet you during one of our fun workshops very soon!
Email Lorraine
Natalie Dexter - Education Officer for East London
I began working for Dogs Trust when Harefield Rehoming Centre opened in March 2006. You may have even spotted me negotiating my way around London in my trademark yellow ‘dogmobile'. In addition to the free workshops, schools and youth groups are encouraged to visit the ‘Education Barn’ at the Rehoming Centre to find out how Dogs Trust cares and rehomes stray and abandoned dogs.
I have now moved to our London Head Office while Jo (below) has taken my place at Harefield, and continue visiting schools in East London to carry out workshops.
I have three small black Patterdale Terriers who are regulars to the schools. The children love meeting the dogs, and the dogs love meeting them. All of my dogs are behaviour tested and I always make sure that children are aware of how to stay safe around a dog before meeting any one of my special four legged assistants!
Email Natalie
Jo Morris – Education Officer for West London
Since the opening of Dogs Trust West London Rehoming Centre back in March 2006, we have rehomed an astonishing number of stray and abandoned dogs. I'm new to Dogs Trust, taking after Natalie Dexter who has moved to headquarters in central London and covers East London (see above). As always though, our free, fun and informative educational workshops have been really popular in junior schools and youth groups in and around London. Also, we've had plenty of groups come and visit the Rehoming Centre too for a behind the scenes tour!
Email Jo
Lynne Jones – Education Officer for Wales
I am a qualified Teacher with a PGCE in Primary Education from the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC). Working for Dogs Trust gives me the opportunity to combine my passion for dogs with a career in Primary Education. My workshops are always fun, interactive and informative, and are supported by curriculum linked classroom resources, which help the children remember positive canine messages.
I am the proud owner of Bonnie, who is excellent with children and a great ambassador for rehoming a dog from Dogs Trust.
I am delighted to be combining working for the UK's largest dog welfare charity with educating children in South Wales about responsible dog ownership. Bilingual workshops are available on request.
Email Lynne
Cathy Clyde – Education Officer for Northern Ireland
Prior to taking up my post with Dogs Trust I was an English teacher, so I have successfully combined my teaching skills with my love of all things canine. All my free time is spent with my 'family' of rescue dogs who enjoy training classes and agility games. George, a rescued Bichon, has even performed at Discover Dogs and accompanies me on my school visits, where he always is the star of the show!
Email Cathy
Donna Sayce – Education Officer for Leeds
Prior to becoming the Leeds Education Officer I worked at Dogs Trust for five years starting out as a canine carer and progressing through to Re-homer.
I am passionate about dogs and have always enjoyed working with children. This role is a perfect way of combining the two by educating them about responsible dog ownership. My classroom assistants are Dennis and Maisy, two Jack Russell Terriers, both rescue dogs themselves. Taking real life dogs to the classroom helps demonstrate safety around dogs and how to keep dogs happy and healthy, the children also get the opportunity to safely interact with the dogs and teach them a few tricks!
Email Donna
Scott Spencer – Education Officer for the Midlands
Hi, I’m Scott, the first Education Officer covering the Midlands area, based at Dogs Trust’s largest rehoming centre, Kenilworth. I am a qualified primary school teacher and am very excited to be able to offer school’s free, fun and interactive workshops teaching about responsible dog ownership and dog welfare. All my workshops are curriculum linked and can be tailored to suit your school’s particular requirements.
Helping me with my workshops is my furry assistant Otis, my rescued Staffordshire Bull Terrier who loves children and helping them learn. I also offer tours and workshops in the centre so you can see how our centre works and can meet some more four legged friends!
Email Scott