Cinnamon Trust: helping elderly & terminally ill people with their pets
At New Cross Learning's management committee meeting today, I met Rosie. She is a beautifully loving dog who has gone through bereavement. Her owner - who was in her 80s - died and Rosie was helped by the Cinnamon Trust. Now, I had not heard of this charity before, yet they do some amazing work. Here is what they do: The Trust’s primary objective is to respect and preserve the treasured relationship between owners and their pets. To this end it works in partnership with owners to overcome any difficulties that might arise. A national network of over 15,000 community service volunteers has been established to provide practical help when any aspect of day to day care poses a problem - for example, walking the dog for a housebound owner. A national fostering service is provided for pets whose owners face a spell in hospital - volunteers take pets into their own homes and supply love and care in abundance until owner and pet can be reunited. The Cinnamon Trust also provides long term care for pets whose owners have died or moved to residential accommodation which will not accept pets. Arrangements are made between owners and the Trust well in advance, so owners do have peace of mind in the knowledge that their beloved companion will have a safe and happy future. Emergency cards are available on request. When a pet is in the Trust’s care either short term or long term because the owner is in care, the owner is kept in touch with visits, if possible, or regular photos and letters. Rosie has been taken in by one of New Cross Learning's committee members. Such a lovely act of kindness. If anyone in Lewisham needs the help of the Cinnamon Trust, then please visit their website: http://www.cinnamon.org.uk/home.php. If you would like to donate to help the charity with its work, like I just did via their secure giving page, then click HERE. As for Rosie, her new friend took her to Peckham Park, where her owner used to take her regularly before her death. That is after quite a few biscuits.
