I recently visited the military charity ‘Hounds for Heroes‘ near Petersfield. The charity does excellent work training and providing dogs to partner wounded ex-servicemen and women and improving the quality of their lives.

In the picture is the Founder Allen Parton and the two stars of the show! There’s also the Training Manager at the Step by Step charity, some of the residents from the accommodation they provide for disadvantaged young people currently not in any form of education, training or work.

Step by Step is a charity I’m also delighted to support and have been working with several young people in one-to-one and group workshops on making sound career choices and improving their employability skills by enhancing CVs, covering letters and interviewing skills.

Wherever possible the objective is to enhance their independence by helping them find placements for work experience, as well as part-time or full-time jobs and routes back into education or training. Although it’s only about three or four hours a week it’s been rewarding to see some of the young people go on and reach their goals.

The young people who came along for the open morning were taken aback by the skills of the dogs and the demonstration of how they’re trained as well as with Allen’s very moving and highly motivational story of his life. From being badly injured whilst serving in the military through to setting up the charity as it is today, all with the aid of a dog called Endel which he credits with saving his life, and of which a book has been published and a film is also in the offing!

In fact, I recommend anyone to pay a visit to one of their open mornings as it is a brilliantly run charity providing a life changing service for many.