MILLION POUND FUNDRAISER VISITS DOGS TRUST GLASGOW
12 March 2010
‘Shaking Paws Around the World’ campaign makes first stop in Scotland
Dogs Trust Glasgow was yesterday the first Scottish dog charity to be visited by a million pound charity fundraiser on an international ‘paw shaking’ tour of rescue centres across the world.
Over the last 36 years Willie Nugent, 61, from Northern Ireland has raised over £1m for charity in his spare time by undertaking some wacky challenges including
- crawling 16 miles on his hands and knees
- walking 81 miles backwards in 24 hours
- and pushing a pea with his nose for 3 miles!
Despite approaching retirement age Willie is still going strong with his fundraising and he attributes his good health and fundraising success to owning his two dogs, Whiskey and Lady:
“The secret of my years of good health and always being fit to complete my fundraising events is my dogs. Every day of my life they have taken me for three walks a day, seven days a week, in sunshine, rain and snow.
People thank many things for their good health, I thank my canine friends. Without them I would never have been able to raise so much money for charity.”
Keen to raise money for dogs less fortunate than his, Willie launched the ‘Shaking Paws Around the World’ campaign in 2007. Paying for all trips out of his own pocket, he travels all over the world visiting dog rescue centres to ‘shake paws’ with a canine ambassador from each country, raising money for local charities and highlighting the health benefits of dog ownership.
In the last three years Willie has visited shelters in Russia, Greece, Romania, Ireland, England, America, Israel, Romania, Barbados and Spain. Today was his first ever stop in Scotland.
Sandra Downie, Dogs Trust Glasgow centre manager, adds:
“We were delighted to welcome Willie to the rehoming centre and honoured he chose Dogs Trust as his first Scottish charity stop off! He has raised an incredible amount of money over the years and it’s wonderful that at the same time he is highlighting the health benefits of owning a dog.”
Dogs Trust is the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, with two rehoming centres in Scotland. Across its network of 17 rehoming centres across the country it cares for 16,000 dogs a year.
For more information on the charity click on www.dogstrust.org.uk or call 020 7837 0006.
ENDS
Notes to editors
For more information or photos please contact
Krystyna McGrath Press Officer
0207 833 7616 krystyna.mcgrath@dogstrust.org.uk
Dogs Trust Glasgow
315 Hamilton Road
Uddingston
Glasgow
G71 7SL
0141 773 5130