Wioletta and Cookie deserve a round of ‘a-paws’ for charity walk

A DOG is a man’s best friend certainly does not apply to Wioletta Guzy and her beloved dog Cookie and between them they recently raised £670 for a charity very close to her heart.

Wioletta and Australian Labradoodle Cookie walked 100 kilometres during March as part of Dementia UK’s Walking Challenge.

Wioletta, who averaged two walks each day with Cookie including a mammoth 10k trek on one occasion, chose to take on the challenge because she works, as Housekeeper, at Brockington House care home in Hafod Road, Hereford.

The home, which was recently named as one of the top luxury care homes in the UK, provides a range of care, including for people living with dementia.

Wioletta says: “My mum died of cancer so I did initially think about raising money for a cancer charity but there are so many of these and dementia deserves to get just as much attention.

“Plus, having worked at Brockington House for the last 12 months, I have seen how important homes like this are for people living with dementia, so in the end it was an easy decision to make.”

Wioletta set herself an initial target of £150 but she smashed that thanks to the generosity of her friends, family, and colleagues at Brockington House.

“I had some incredible donations from staff at Brockington House and to raise so much is really overwhelming,” she says.

“I was told by the management to ensure I made time for things like this when I started at the home, and this is one of the many reasons why I love the place.

“I am surrounded by lovely people and only wished I had come here to work sooner!”

Shann Thomas, Home Director at Brockington House, said: “Wioletta has quickly become a popular member of the team since she started working at the home and we are all very proud of what she, and Cookie, have achieved.”

Wioletta says Cookie and her have been inseparable since she came to live with the family – she is married with two sons – in Hereford as a puppy almost three years ago.

“She’s always at my side and doesn’t like it when my husband takes her out for walk and I am not there,” she jokes.

“She is just like a daughter to me.”