Chester police officers dish out tins of Christmas cheer

Dec 22 2011 by Laurie Stocks-Moore, Chester Chronicle

POLICE came to the rescue when the Cheshire Dogs Home pleaded for help as stores of tinned dog food fell critically low.

The home reported in their newsletter that they were down to their last 50 tins of wet food.

Moved by their predicament, Sgt Andy Burrage from the Chester Inner Neighbourhood Policing Team set about collecting donations from officers and staff at the Town Hall and Blacon police stations in Chester.

In just over 10 days time, 200 tins have been collected, including a donation from Tesco at Broughton Retail Park offered when Andy went in to buy the food.

Andy said: “At a time of year when finances are stretched as we prepare for Christmas I wasn’t quite sure how much I would raise, I was amazed and very pleased that I was able to drop off 200 tins of food this morning.

“It speaks volumes about the generosity and compassion of the people we work with.”

Assistant home manager Kate Rigby said: “The staff and animals in our care would like to say a very big thank you for the kind donation of tins you have given us.

“It gives us such a boost to know that people such as you are willing to help us make a difference to the lives of our canine companions.”

Andy delivered the tins a week before Christmas ensuring that all the canine residents had a Christmas dinner to look forward to.

Anyone can make a donation to the Cheshire Dogs Home via their website www.dogshome.net.