Maxol has announced Guide Dogs NI as its newly appointed charity partner in Northern Ireland, following the conclusion this year of its six-year partnership with mental health charity, Aware, which raised more than £600,000.

In selecting the charity, CEO of the Maxol Group, Brian Donaldson, explained that it wasn’t until he met and spoke to a guide dog owner that he fully appreciated the life-changing impact these highly trained and intuitive dogs can have, giving a person not only confidence but independence too, playing a vital role in transforming their day-to-day lives and enabling them to feel safe and take part more in their communities.

Over the course of the two-year partnership, Maxol - Northern Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer - aims to support the charity by increasing the awareness and impact of Guide Dogs NI’s work. The family-owned company has also committed to funding the training of at least six assistance dogs across the island of Ireland. In total, it costs approximately £50,000 to breed, train, and care for each of these special dogs over the course of their working lives.

Donaldson said: “With so many charities in need of urgent funding, selecting just one to which we will commit our resources is hugely challenging. But when we looked not only at the work of Guide Dogs NI but the positive and tangible impact the charity can have on so many people’s lives - children, adults, and their families - we saw a really compelling case. This is an organisation with a strong and widespread community presence, much like our own business, and together with our local retailers we are looking forward to getting behind their work and ensuring Maxol makes a difference.”

Maxol will leverage its retailer network of more than 240 Maxol service stations across the island of Ireland and also hopes to garner the support of communities around the country to raise much-needed funds to help transform a person’s life.

Kyla McVicar, business development manager, Guide Dogs NI, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Maxol for this very unique collaboration. Guide Dogs NI offer a range of services for adults and children affected by a vision impairment, and their families. It costs over £50,000 to support a guide dog from birth to retirement, from vet bills and training costs to food and transport. This commitment by Maxol will transform the lives of those living with a vision impairment in Northern Ireland and we are extremely excited by the opportunities in the two years ahead.”

The partnership will work across the island of Ireland and Maxol and its retailers are planning for a host of exciting fundraising and retail initiatives. The company has committed to supporting Guide Dogs NI and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind in Ireland with direct funding that will ensure more people will be matched with trained dogs over the coming months and years.