Speaker evening at the Full Moon

Hilary started supporting the charity in 1982 and since then, has trained over 50 guide dogs and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds through street collections, coffee mornings and other fundraising events. 

Hilary was voted Westbury’s 2013 Person of the Year for her work with the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity. She trains the puppies from the age of seven weeks to 14 months – house training, teaching obedience, taking them to shops, on buses and trains, and socialising them with other dogs and people. Hilary ensures the puppies are ready for their full training before they are paired with their blind/partially sighted partner. 

“It’s great to see the impact that a guide dog can make to someone with sight loss,” added Hilary. “When you hear a comment like ‘I can’t believe what my life is like now and what a difference it makes, all the hard work is worthwhile. 

“I will have to start slowing down soon, but I’m still very keen to give talks to local groups about the Guide Dogs for the Blind.