The Cinnamon Trust is a National Charity for the elderly, the terminally ill and their pets. The Cinnamon Trust has a network of 18,000 volunteers "hold hands" with owners to provide vital loving care for their pets. They keep them together - for example, walking a dog every day for a housebound owner, fostering pets when owners need hospital care, fetching the cat food, or even clean out the bird cage etc.

When staying at home is no longer an option they have a Pet Friendly Care Home Register lists care homes and retirement housing happy to accept residents with pets, and providing previous arrangements have been made with them they will take on life time care of a bereaved pet.

8 years ago I took on a short term foster dog from them - a lurcher called Koona. The idea was that she would stay with me for 6 weeks whilst her owner was having treatment for cancer, however, after 6 months the owner realised that she would not be able to look after Koona so she became a lifetime foster with me. During that time the Cinnamon Trust always found an alternative foster carer for Koona to cover holidays so she didn't have to go into kennels and covered all her vet bills. Last October Koona became very ill and needed several vet appointments over the course of a week. Unfortunately the vets were unable to save her and she died in her sleep - the Cinnamon Trust were brilliant following her death - they made all the arrangements with the crematorium and paid for it all and contacted the vets to advise them.

I feel like I need to give something back to the trust so I am planning a 9 mile sponsored dog walk (in fancy dress) to raise funds and awareness of the Cinnamon Trust. The walk will take place on Good Friday - 15 April 2022. I will be starting at around 10.00am and I will walk between the Norbreck Castle (in Blackpool) to the Sandcastle and back again. I will be handing out leaflets and fundraising merchandise en route.

If you are around and see me please pop over to say hello, you can even walk with me for some of it if you wish - I will have my 2 dogs with me - Skye - a standard poodle, and Ebony - a little crossbreed with brain damage who will be in a pushchair.