Walk for Wag at Derwent 2024… a great success!
Thank you to the 130 walkers and 98 dogs of all shapes and sizes who walked for Wag at Derwent Waterside on 14th September. What a brilliant day! Walkers came from all across our North East region to give older people special Wag friends at some of the hardest times in their lives. There are…
Older people in need across our region! Can you help?
September 2024 and here are just a sample of some very special people in need of Wag friends.
Volunteer profile: Suzanne with gorgeous Gracie
Meet Visiting Wag Team Suzanne and Gracie, whose story highlights the incredible healing power of giving back.
Older people in need across our region! Can you help?
July 2024 and here are just a sample of some very special people in need of Wag friends.
Wedding bells and waggy tails: the Andrews family’s gift to Wag
Wag volunteer Paul Andrews has been visiting with his lovely Belle for over six months now. Initially at a care home, and more recently, they’ve started visiting an elderly gentleman who lives alone. We were absolutely honoured when Paul told us that he and his fiancée Chris had decided to ask for donations to Wag…
Volunteer profile: Elle Smit
Elle is a graphic designer from Newcastle upon Tyne who recently qualified as a volunteer with her gorgeous dog, Willow, in March of this year.
Older people in need across our region! Can you help?
June 2024 and here are just a sample of some very special people in need of Wag friends.
Wag’s first fizzy afternoon tea a big success!
Courtesy of the amazing Apartment Group, we held our first ever fundraising afternoon tea, Fizzy Friday, on the 22nd of March. It was such a great event, with 120 people supporting us on the day, enjoying a lovely tea, winning some fantastic prizes in our Super Raffle, meeting beautiful Friendship Dog Holly and hearing lots…
Older people in need across our region! Can you help?
March 2024 and here are just a sample of some very special people in need of Wag friends.
Volunteer profile: Mike Robson with fabulous Fable
Meet Mike and Fable, a dynamic volunteer duo with a heartwarming journey. Fable, a Belgian Shepherd Tervuren with a penchant for M&S doggie sausages, has become a cherished companion to many through Wag & Company, and Mike says that volunteering has brought a lot of meaning into both their lives. In Mike’s own words, here’s…
Wag & Company awarded vital National Lottery funding to help change more lives across the North East
We’re delighted to have been awarded £20,000 in National Lottery funding to support our work befriending older dog lovers in their own homes, in care, and in hospitals across the North East of England. This funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, which distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes, will be…
Older people in need across our region! Can you help?
January 2024 and here are just a sample of some very special people in need of Wag friends.
Older people in need in Newcastle upon Tyne! Can you help?
January 2024 and here are just a sample of some very special people in need of Wag friends.
Visiting Wag Team Ellie and Toby visit Miss Shirley S in Redcar
Miss S has lived alone for 40 years after her Mum passed away. She has a chronic health condition which is challenging and means she can’t get out independently, and she spends a great deal of time in bed or in a chair alone. She is a huge dog lover; the family always had dogs, but…
Visiting Wag Team Helen and Jasper visit Mrs Gladys D near Consett
Mrs D is in her 90s, amazingly, and she lives alone after her beloved husband passed away a few years ago. She has some health issues which affect her ability to go out, she’s lost a number of friends recently and whilst she’s a huge dog lover (they always had dogs in their family), she can’t…
Visiting Wag Team Steph and Alfie visit Mrs Josephine P in Middlesbrough
Mrs P was referred to us by Adult Social Care in 2022 after her health deteriorated and she couldn’t get out and about like she used to. She was spending too much time on her own as a result, and her blood pressure was problematic, which they felt could be helped by stroking a dog again.…
Visiting Wag Team Carolyn and Pippa visit Mrs Carole C in North Shields
Mrs C lives on her own after losing her husband over ten years ago. She has had lots of challenging health issues in the last year or so, including many hospital stays and visits, which have been difficult to manage, and they have really left their mark. She’s very close to her daughter and lives close…
Gareth and Lola visit Mr Bill S in Darlington
Bill was first referred to us in 2020 when he lived alone in his own home. Having lost his wife and then his much-loved dog, he was spending a lot of time on his own, and he was really keen to have a dog in his life again. When asked what his dog breed preference…
Natasha and Reiver visit Mrs Sylvia W in Newcastle
Mrs Sylvia W has lived on her own in Newcastle since losing her husband. She was referred to us, having become exceptionally lonely and anxious since the pandemic and unable to attend activities in the community, which makes her feel really isolated. Sylvia and her late husband had dogs all their lives, but now having…
Visiting Wag Team Carolyn and Pippa visit Mr & Mrs T in North Tyneside
Mr & Mrs T live in North Tyneside, and Neil was referred to us by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) in February this year. For health reasons, he’s become unable to access the community himself now as he always used to, and they can no longer have a dog of their…
Visiting Wag Team Helen and Toby visit Mrs Joan G in North Tyneside
Toby has a new, special friend in Mrs Joan G, who lives in her own home in North Tyneside. Joan always had black Labradors, but she sadly can’t have one of her own anymore, and she misses them dreadfully. She currently sponsors a guide dog to enable her to still feel close to them. Joan…
Visiting Wag Team Janet and Islay visit Mrs Sandra C in Stockton on Tees
Lovely Friendship Dog Islay has made a very special friend in Mrs Sandra C, who lives in her own home in Stockton on Tees. Sandra always had dogs, but she can’t have one of her own anymore, and she misses them dreadfully, telling everyone how much she enjoyed the company of dogs and what joy…
Visiting Wag Team Brooke and Rocky visit Mrs Vera S near Sunderland
Mrs Vera S has always had dogs. She’s had all breeds of dog: a Chihuahua, a Dachshund and a Boxer, to name just a few. Vera is a widow and lives alone, and due to her sight problems, it’s no longer possible to have a dog of her own. She said she greatly misses their…
Visiting Wag Team Louise and Bronte visit Mrs Sylvia A in Durham
Mrs Sylvia A was referred to Wag when her son, Chris, contacted us to ask about visits for his Mum. Mrs A had always had dogs, but due to health problems, she’s unable to manage a dog of her own any more. She has lived alone since her husband sadly passed away two years ago,…
Visiting Wag Team Carol, David and Poppy Twiby visit Mr & Mrs M in Middlesbrough
Carol and David joined Wag in early 2018 with Friendship Dog Harvey, closely followed by Friendship Dog Oakley. Throughout their time volunteering with Wag, they’ve visited three care homes, and Carol also visited a lady in her own home who became a very special friend. When Carol and David sadly lost their Harvey and then…
Visiting Wag Team Cheryl and Alfie visit Mr B in Whitley Bay
Mr B has recently moved into Eastbourne House Care Home in Whitley Bay. His daughter Jan is very supportive and involved in his care, but over time, both his mobility and memory have gotten worse, and she’s not been able to fully support him at home. Mr B has had dogs all his life and…
Visiting Wag Team Karen and Seren visit Miss R in Durham
Miss R is 90 now, and she’s always lived alone but never without the company of a dog. She’s had many different dogs over the years: Poodles, Terriers, Staffies, and Jack Russells, and when she lost her last dog less than a year ago, she felt she could no longer manage a dog of her…
Visiting Wag Team Jane and Andra visit Mr and Mrs G in Redcar
Mr G grew up on a farm and had dogs all his life. He and his wife have rescued and cared for many dogs over the years, often nursing them back to health. When they lost their last dog, they decided that they were unable to properly care for another dog of their own, which…