Brand-new social dog walking club launching in Haslam Park this weekend

The initiative will also fundraise for Blue Cross, a charity dedicated to rehoming dogs without owners, with collection buckets where people can donate at every walk.

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Danny Silk, Founder and Pack Leader of Walkie Dogs, said: “This project is the first of its kind on this scale and one that I hope will not only bring dog lovers together, but offer a supportive space which benefits local communities in lots of different ways, and we’re really excited to bring this to Preston.

“The physical and mental wellbeing of our members and their pets is our utmost priority. As well as providing a fun experience each week our walks are run by volunteers, and through driving volunteer sign ups we’re aiming to support young people through initiatives that get them off the street and help them gain valuable work experience.

“We’re working closely with local communities across our 74 locations to ensure we create a genuinely positive space, offering events that members can look forward to every week. I can’t wait to welcome everyone to the first walks and watch the project I’m so passionate about finally come to fruition.”

For more information, including how to volunteer, visit the Walkie Dogs website.

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This story was made possible by you, our readers, and a host of organisations in the city, through our Crowdfund Lancashire appeal, which unlocked support from the Lancashire Culture and Sport Fund provided by Lancashire County Council. You can see all our coverage and, if you know of an arts project or event in the city we should be covering, you can submit it for our event listings and/or send details to contactus@blogpreston.co.uk for us to cover it as a story on the Blog.