Education Work

James Pugh and his wife Tricia have been volunteering for The Blue Cross in Tiverton since April 2007. “When my wife and I moved to Devon from Hampshire, we saw an advert asking for Blue Cross volunteer education speakers. We had driven past the adoption centre in Tiverton many times, but did not know that the charity also ran talks at schools to teach children about responsible pet ownership,” says James.

As well as being education speakers, James coordinates the Tiverton volunteer fundraising group, and he and Tricia also help at the centre in Tiverton itself. Their tasks range from socializing pets to organising and running many local fundraising events, including street collections, open days and sponsored walks.

James says their enjoyment of volunteering comes from the interaction with people: “It’s especially rewarding when people come to talk to you with a dog that they have adopted from a Blue Cross centre. We don’t have any pets of our own, so we really value the time that we spend at the centre. It’s probably the best thing my wife and I have done since we retired.”