Our first event this year is the annual Sponsored Walk. Except this time, the staff have decided to do a walking challenge of 550 miles between them during the month of March. This is the distance from our Blackford Avenue office to John O’Groats and back. The challenge will be called ‘Stepping into March: Building a Healthier Community.’ This is to raise funds to purchase and maintain a defibrillator machine and cabinet to be fitted outside the Society’s office at Blackford Avenue.

After taking part in a First Aid course last year, it came to our attention that the survival rate of someone experiencing cardiac arrest can be as high as 90% if a defibrillator is used within the first minute of collapse. Without a machine or CPR, the survival rate can be around 6 percent. But with easy to use step by step instructions, defibrillators are an effective device that help to save lives. The Society believes this will be a huge benefit to the local community, as there are only a few public defibrillators in Edinburgh’s outer areas. Of course we hope it will never have to be used but our hearts can be unpredictable. The office is at a very busy junction used by people of all ages going to Blackford Hill, the University, Cameron Toll, Princes Street, Morningside and many other destinations. To promote a healthy heart and well-being, the Society’s three staff members will aim to walk around 6 miles every day in March, finishing the challenge on Tuesday 31st with a walk at Arthur’s Seat. Staff will post their journeys on the Society’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dogaidsociety and will keep the website up to date with a mileage count so you can check on our progress throughout March.

We encourage you to share your own walks with us and any photographs you wish to share, with or without dogs! The aim is to get out and get moving. We can then share all our adventures together through Facebook and our website to encourage more people to step out and march for a healthy heart.

If you would like to sponsor that staff for their challenge please either send cash or a cheque payable to Dog Aid Society of Scotland to 60 Blackford Avenue, Edinburgh, EH9 3ER or alternatively you can call the office on 0300 365 2500 to donate by card.

Any size of donation will go towards the purchase of a lifesaving defibrillator for our community!