Dogs and doughnuts launch new charity appeal

Wake Smith launched its new charity campaign for 2025-26 with a special day of dogs and doughnuts with their staff.

The city firm has chosen Sheffield-headquartered Support Dogs as its nominated charity for the next year and to kick off the initiative, held a meet and greet session with some of the four-legged friends.

Wake Smith staff voted to support the charity, which provides, trains and supports registered assistance dogs to ensure that people affected by autism, epilepsy and physical disability receive vital, life-saving support.

The charity provides autism assistance dogs, bringing safety and reducing stress for autistic children; seizure alert dogs for people with epilepsy, offering a 100 per cent accurate warning prior to a seizure so they can get to a place of safety and take control; and disability assistance dogs for physically disabled people, who can perform tasks tailored to the owners’ needs including opening and closing doors, assisting with dressing and undressing, loading and unloading the washing machine, and raising an alarm in an emergency.

Kate Lax, director at Wake Smith and charitable board member, said: “Employees at the law firm voted for Support Dogs to become its chosen charity for the next year.

“What a wonderful way to kick-start our campaign, by meeting some of the trainers and dogs that are currently learning the skills to become support dogs.

“We look forward to working with the team and helping fundraise to support their vital life-changing services.”

Cordelia Van-Ristell, Corporate Fundraising Executive at Support Dogs, which was established in 1992, said: “We are so delighted and grateful that Wake Smith Solicitors has chosen us as their charity for the next year. Support Dogs currently receives no government funding and relies entirely on voluntary donations, so every pound raised is crucial to our work. Partnerships like this help spread the word about our work.”

Support Dogs is currently the only organisation in the UK to train and provide seizure alert dogs, and the first to train autism assistance dogs. It costs £27,000 to take a dog through a two-year training plan to become a support dog. One in four support dogs come from a rescue centre or as an unwanted pet and they have an eight-year working career.

There are more than 4,000 requests each year from individuals for support dogs. In 2024, Support Dogs purchased land for a new national centre in Sheffield which will allow it to take its support and services to the next level and the £4.2m project is currently underway.

Upcoming events the Wake Smith team is looking to be involved in include running challenges, abseiling, tin collections and the Sheffield 10k, as well as various volunteering opportunities.

Last year’s fundraising campaign at Wake Smith collected more than £6,243 for charity.

The Wake Smith charitable board includes Kate Lax, Lorraine Slack, Aithne Moran, Anna Woodcock, Caitlin Davis, Charlotte Wallage, Lucy Tootil, Laura Saul, Eleanor Storey, Georgia Peters, Hayley Naisbett, Stephanie Chung, Dylan Friend, Laura Bathgate and Sophie Kerry.

To find our more about Support Dogs visit www.supportdogs.org.uk or call 0114 261 7800.