Key facts
Area: East of England
Grant recipient: Headway Ipswich and East Suffolk
Project: Brainy Dogs
Programme: Jubilee People's Millions
Date of award: June 2011
Amount awarded: £60,000
Headway Ipswich and East Suffolk has used its £60,000 award from the Jubilee People’s Millions programme to create a truly unique project. The group’s ‘Brainy Dogs’ initiative has rescue dogs trained by prisoners from Hollesley Bay open prison to be companion dogs for people with an acquired brain injury or neurological condition.
Prisoners learn new skills and increase their self-esteem by making a positive contribution to the local community. Speaking about their involvement in the project, one inmate said: “It’s a dream job for me as I love animals and I like the responsibility. The end result is absolutely brilliant as the dogs are changing people’s lives.”
While being trained, the dogs are housed with volunteer boarders who’d like a dog but can’t due to other commitments. These volunteers bring the dogs to Headway’s centre each day where they spend time being trained in accordance with the Blue Cross Life Skills for Dogs course.
Helen Fairweather, Chief Executive, Headway Ipswich and East Suffolk, said: “Many people experience a personality change after a brain injury and sadly friends often slowly drift away, leaving a gap and a much reduced level of social interaction. The Brainy Dogs project provides trained companion dogs to fill the gap that many people experience after a brain injury.”
Vicki is one of those who have benefited from having a trained companion dog. ‘Rowan gives me a reason to get up in the morning,” she says. “She gives me love and companionship.
“Rowan came from the Blue Cross to be with me and even sleeps on my bed. My wheel chair has been adapted with a bike lead so she can’t jump up and it keeps her safely out of the way of the wheels. Rowan also warns me when a seizure is coming so I can make sure I am in a safe place.”