Your support will make a huge difference to us particularly after a difficult year when our main fundraising events had been cancelled or rescheduled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Whilst our visiting activities were temporarily suspended, all 407 of our Visiting Wag Teams have keeping in touch plans, FaceTiming, telephoning, shopping, sending postcards, cakes, newsletters, phonebooks and cards, all to make sure that their elderly friends knew they were in their thoughts and their hearts and that they'd be back just as soon as they possibly could.

There were many joy filled moments when in March 2020 we started visiting again outside on long leads with inside visiting planned for June subject to our Covid 19 policy.

Loneliness and social isolation are chronic problems in the elderly in the North East.

An estimated 50,000 pensioners in the region are chronically lonely and are 50% more likely to die prematurely than people with good social networks. This means loneliness is as big a mortality risk as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Many are dog lovers and when they ask for a furry friend from Wag & Company, they get the bonus of a very nice two legged one at the same time.

Over 407 amazing Visiting Wag Teams are starting to visit their friends again as the current Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.

There are many people in need and also many lovely stories; the relationship between Friendship Dog Bentley and his friend Mrs Lynn Brennan in Newcastle. Lynn lives alone, she is a widow and she also lost her beloved German Shepherd a few years ago. She misses her loved ones terribly. Lynn struggles with multiple health issues so a regular chat with Gemma and a cuddle with Bentley has become a very important part of her life.

So every penny you raise for Wag & Company ends loneliness for elderly dog lovers, like Lynn, in our communities.

We are so grateful for whatever you can give, whether that's £1, £10 or £100 because it will make sure that we are still here, stronger than ever now that Covid-19 restrictions are easing and our elderly friends need us more now than ever before.

Thank you.