Woman honours mum by fundraising for assistance dog

A woman has raised thousands of pounds to pay for an assistance dog in memory of her late mother.

Martha Hall, 30, lives with cerebral palsy and wanted to help a family get a dog similar to her beloved assistance Labrador Greg, who her late mother Libbi adored.

Ms Hall, from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, fundraised £5,000 by walking 100 miles (161km) with Greg throughout May and June.

The money has been used to pay for the training of new assistance dog Libbi - who is currently being socialised.

Ms Hall, whose life was changed when she was paired with Greg two years ago, said it was a "big challenge" to complete the challenge as she gets tired quickly.

She was raising money for Dogs for Good, a charity which trains dogs to assist adults and children with disabilities, children with autism and adults with dementia.

The 30-year-old said she was "very emotional" to learn she had reached her fundraising goal on the same day she hit the 100-mile mark.

Ms Hall said her mother, who died on Boxing Day 2023 following a cancer diagnosis, was "so proud to be Greg's granny" and naming an assistance dog after her would be "a fitting legacy".

Labrador Libbi was born on 30 May.

"It was a lot of emotion because I've been working for it for two months and to achieve it was just so massive," Ms Hall said.

"Seeing the photos of her, a lot of tears but happy tears, and excitement as well to watch her journey unfold," she added.

Ms Hall will receive "pupdates" as Libbi is socialised by volunteers, and will get the opportunity to meet her with Greg once she is settled.

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