Thursday 26th October 2006
(ref:
wlct 107)
A group of young women from Hindley are rowing for victims of domestic violence.
The girls will take to the water on Wednesday (October 25th) to raise money for Paws for Kids, the North West charity designed to support women, children and their pets when they are trying to escape from a life of violence and abuse to a better and caring future.
Wigan Mayor Cllr Eunice Smethurst will set the group off on a canoeing paddle from Scotsmans Flash in Poolstock to Abram.
The Mayor signed up to support the event after group member Beth Pugh, 13, told her about the fundraiser while she was being Wigan Mayor for the day – a privilege she enjoyed recently after winning a Local Democracy Week competition.
The girls group decided to do a canoeing fundraiser after successfully completing an accredited kayaking course through the Wigan Council Youth Service earlier this year.
The young women wanted to raise money for animals and children so youth worker Lisa Middlehurst suggested Paws for Kids.
Group member, Lauren Topping, 13, said:
“We did some research into the charity and I was shocked to learn how pets can get caught up in domestic violence.
“Animals are sometimes beaten to hurt children and abusers often threaten to take pets away as a form of punishment. It is really sad. We hope our sponsored kayak will raise awareness about Paws for Kids and a lot of money for the cause.”
Since deciding to raise money for Paws for Kids, the Hindley girls have designed their own paw print T-shirts to wear during the kayak – they’ve even had one made up for Mayor Smethurst.
Paws for Kids Project Manager Carole Marsden said:
“We are absolutely delighted about the time and effort these young women are taking to raise money for Paws for Kids. It is great to see them doing something for people and animals less fortunate than themselves.”
