Therapets - Barry Williamson and dog

Barry Williamson gave us a talk about the charity Therapets. During the talk his dog, Golden Retriever Willow, was allowed to wander about the room making friends with the members present. The charity is dedicated to increasing independence and quality of life for people with various medical conditions. They provide, train and support specialist assistance dogs to achieve this.
They were established in 1992 and work across England, Scotland and Wales. The service it provides is entirely free of charge to those in need of them.  However the charity relies solely on voluntary donations and receives no government funding.
Therapets now have 1000 members and 1200 dogs. Barry visits several mental health units on a regular basis. Other places to receive visits are Renal Dialysis units. The patients there spend many hours in the units with little to do. A visit from a dog is a welcome distraction. There are 5 dogs working in Edinburgh. It has been calculated that, between them, in the past year, they have visited 11000 people in Edinburgh alone.
They are always on the lookout for more members. The dog must be obedient, friendly and good with children.
At the end of the talk Willow received his ‘wages’ by way of a banana. The vote of thanks was given by Angus MacPhie.