AMPS is now officially sponsoring the charity Hearing Dogs For Deaf People. As a result of the ballot taken at this year’s AGM, we have chosen this small charity for our first endeavours to raise money. The object of the charity is to train donated and rescued dogs to act as ears for the profoundly deaf, particularly those who live alone. The dogs are trained to react to everyday sounds such as telephones, door bells and alarms and bring them to the deaf person’s attention.

Our aim is to raise £3000 over the next three years to sponsor a kennel at their new headquarters, Grange Farm (The AMPS doghouse?). As well as making contributions from AMPS funds, rather cute doggy collecting boxes are now appearing at our venues. Members and friends attending these events are encouraged to lighten their pockets of loose change. We want members to take an active part in this project.

In our researches, we discovered that the Charity sells good quality sweatshirts with “Ears Are Us!” on the front and the charity name on the back. These could bring a smile on the set or in the theatre and raise awareness of this effort. We can organise more collecting boxes if you think your establishment would support us. The Charity also offers raffle tickets with regular substantial prizes. If any of these ideas appeal to you, please contact our hardworking Membership Secretary, Patrick Heigham, who seems to have been "collared" for the role of Organiser for this effort. If you would like more information, look at their website

www.hearing-dogs.co.uk

  We will be publishing regular reports in the Newsletter. 

SANDY MACRAE