Football legend backs campaign for more puppy training volunteers in Leeds

In a new tongue-in-cheek video for the charity, Pearce – known for his passion, grit and iconic penalty moments during his time at high-profile football clubs – urges people to join the Best Club Ever by volunteering to train a hearing dog and transform the life of someone who is deaf or has hearing loss.

The charity is urgently looking for more volunteers in and around Leeds and Otley to help train their life-changing hearing dogs and its campaign, supported by Stuart, aims to highlight the benefits of becoming a puppy training volunteer.

As well as training dogs that will help deaf people to rebuild confidence, connection and companionship, volunteers for the charity also make new friends, learn new skills and feel a real sense of community with other people doing the same thing.

No previous experience with dog training is necessary and all costs are covered by the charity.

Rachel Coates has been a volunteer puppy trainer since 2017.

She said: "It was my love of dogs that first motivated me to become a volunteer puppy trainer, and the fact that I wanted to give something back after my husband was given the all-clear following Stage 3 cancer.

"What has kept me involved is not only the wonderful dogs themselves, but also the fantastic community of volunteers and the friendships I’ve made.

"Volunteering has had a very positive impact on my wellbeing. It’s given me the opportunity to do something meaningful for others while keeping active and helping me connect with people in my local area.

“Hearing about the confidence, independence and companionship a hearing dog provides really brings home the life-changing impact these dogs can have. If you love dogs and are looking for a rewarding way to give back, I would wholeheartedly recommend becoming a puppy trainer."

Stuart Pearce added: “I’ve been part of some brilliant teams in my time, but this is a club that really changes lives. The volunteers at Hearing Dogs are incredible, and it’s been a joy to help shine a light on the work they do.”

David Robson, a spokesman for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, said: “We are so grateful to volunteers like Rachel for giving up their time to train our pups, and to Stuart for lending his support to our new campaign.

“Our volunteer puppy trainers take a puppy into their home from eight weeks old, and with the full support of a local dog training instructor, get them started on their training and socialisation journey so that the pup can one day be matched with the deaf person whose life they will change.

“Our dogs are trained to alert deaf people to important sounds such as smoke alarms, intruder alarms, alarm clocks, doorbells and even the sounds of a baby’s cry – all sounds that could otherwise be missed.

"They provide lots of love and companionship too, which is just as important as many people who are deaf or have hearing loss can feel isolated and cut off from their friends, families and communities because of their invisible disability.

“We, along with Stuart, would encourage anyone in and around Leeds and Otley who loves dogs, has enough time every day to dedicate to caring for a pup, and wants to make a real difference to someone else’s life, to visit our website and find out more about volunteering.”

More information on joining the ‘Best Club Ever’ by becoming a volunteer dog trainer can be found at www.hearingdogs.org.uk/volunteer-puppies.

Stuart recently collaborated with Hearing Dogs for a short video to promote volunteering for the charity. It can be viewed at http://youtu.be/M-N5Hf6fZew.