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Gareth Lloyd -
5th March 2020
Gareth Lloyd -
5th March 2020 News
Hundreds turn out for dying guide dog’s final walk along Blackpool seafront
Emily Sergeant
Hundreds of people and their pets gathered on the Blackpool seafront for a terminally-ill guide dog’s final walk.
‘Ginger prince’ Labrador retriever Ian had been working hard guiding his owner, Mark, through the world and providing him with the independence needed to take on each day, and was not long off his retirement and getting to spend the rest of his days in a loving home.
One Ian got to around 10, he was set to hang up his harness and go on to live with his former Puppy Raiser, Gemma Fairhurst, along with her family and her other guide dog pups in training, so that Mark would still get to keep in touch with Ian and Ian would get to pass on his wisdom and teach the youngsters how it’s done.
But sadly, this plan won’t become a reality, as Ian was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Vets told Mark and his wife Kerry around Christmas 2024 that Ian would sadly only have four-eight weeks to live.
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Once Ian’s owners got in touch with Gemma to tell her the devastating news, she knew she had to do something to honour and celebrate him – and ultimately, raise funds for Guide Dogs to name another puppy Ian once he’d passed.
So, Gemma and Mark planned one last special walk for Ian along the Blackpool Promenade – the place he called home.
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“He’s led such a wonderful life and brought happiness to Mark and Kerry, but also to everyone that he’s met,” Gemma explained in her fundraiser.
“For me, he’s changed my life, and in many ways, he’s saved my life. He gave me the strength to carry on and he’s given Mark love and support that cannot be measured… so I’d like to raise the money it takes to name another guide dog, and the most perfect name I can think of is Ian.
“The cost to sponsor and name a guide dog is £5,000, so that’s what I’m trying to raise.”
The ‘big old doggy walk’ took place this past Sunday (9 February) from 2pm, and was open for any and everyone who would like to come along… and come along they did, as more than 200 people and 80 dogs arrived to walk along the seafront.
The walkers all contributed towards the ‘5,000 steps for £5,000’ target, with Ian leading the way at the front and being pushed along in a special troller by Mark and Gemma.
For the last leg of the journey, Ian even got out of his stroller and walked along the Promenade himself, with the walkers creating a guard of honour for him.
Ian’s story touched the heart of so many people across the North West, that Gemma absolutely smashed her target of £5,000, and at the time of writing, has raised more than £7,230 to name another guide dog puppy Ian.
Read more:
- Golden retriever who’s the dad to more than 300 guide dog puppies retires
- Guide Dogs is looking for people in Greater Manchester to ‘foster’ dogs while they’re in training
- Retired Oldham couple who’ve fostered 41 dogs for charity urge others to do the same
Gemma said she’d been ‘overwhelmed’ by the support she’s received, and that people from all over the region turned up – including other guide dog puppies she raised in the past.
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
Featured Image – Sarah Summerton (via Guide Dogs)
News
Sam Fender to play massive outdoor gig at Wythenshawe Park this summer
Emily Sergeant
Sam Fender is set to play a massive outdoor gig at Wythenshawe Park this summer following the release of his next album.
The North Shields singer-songwriter has undeniably made a name for himself since bursting into the mainstream back in 2019 with the success of his debut album, followed by the even more successful release of his second, and so-called ‘coming of age’ record, Seventeen Going Under, in 2021, as well as several memorable festival headline slots and appearances, and arena and stadium shows.
Only recently, Fender blew the roof off Manchester’s newest – and largest – live entertainment venue, Co-op Live, last December, playing to tens of thousands of adoring fans and cementing his place as one of the greatest live acts of the moment.
But now, with his forthcoming third studio album, People Watching, merely days away from release on 21 February, it’s been announced that he’ll headline Wythenshawe Park this summer.
The 30-year-old indie rocker and his band will take to the stage at what is quickly becoming one of Manchester’s most popular outdoor venues in August.
Fender fans will get to sing along to the band’s most well-known hits, from title tracks ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ and ‘Seventeen Going Under’, to everything in between, as well as here the tracks from the upcoming People Watching album – which is being billed as “a collection of colourful stories and observations of everyday characters living their every day, but often extraordinary, lives”.
Sam is currently gearing up for a sold-out tour of Europe in March, ahead of a US tour in the spring, and then a trio of sold-out shows at his boyhood football club’s stadium, Newcastle’s St James’ Park, as well as his biggest headline show to date at the London Stadium.
The boy really is bigger than ever.
Support at Wythenshawe Park will come from acclaimed neo-soul singer, Olivia Dean – with further opening acts to be announced soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
Sam Fender will play Wythenshawe Park on Saturday 16 August 2025, following the likes of Noel Gallagher and Blossoms as the names to have graced the massive outdoor stage so far.
Rather unbelievably, he’s playing just a day after the equally massive Fontaines D.C., who will also be playing one of their biggest shows to date to Wythy locals and the thousands of others set to descend on the venue from all over Greater Manchester.
Keen to get yourself some tickets then? Fans are advised to register or pre-order the album for the opportunity to get their hands on pre-sale tickets, with the registration period for this open now until Monday, 17 February at 10am.
The pre-sale itself starts on Tuesday, 18 February at 11am and concludes the following day on (Wednesday 19 February) at 10am.
All remaining tickets will then go on general sale on Friday 21 February at 10am, the same as the album release date. You can grab tickets HERE.
Read more:
- Sam Fender at Co-op Live, Manchester – one of the world’s greatest live acts | Review
- BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is returning to Greater Manchester next month
- Three iconic Manchester bands nominated to join the legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
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Featured Image – Press photo (supplied)
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