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Fundraiser of the month
February 2010
Jill Domeney
As a child I ran a lot with my little mongrel Rusty, when I wasn’t being taken on long walks with my father. At senior school, sport didn’t include long distance running, but I did enjoy my netball.
However this activity ground to a halt when I left the council to raise my family; ‘sport’ was confined to some cycling or running around the local streets. In 1986 I got the running ‘bug’ and did a national fun run with my daughter.
Public athletic events for charity were becoming popular around this time.
I entered the 1992 London Marathon for St John’s Ambulance, and was very proud when I finished! I was not trying to be a ‘wannabe athlete’, it was just exercise to stay fit and to help good causes.
Having retired in 2000 I moved to Bucks 2 years later, I had seen a road sign which said ‘Hearing Dogs’ and was intrigued, I phoned up and was invited to join as a volunteer. It was a whole new world’ lovely restored old buildings, enthusiastic dogs and friendly staff greeted me at The Grange.
In 2003 I lined up in Hyde Park for the ‘Flora Light ladies Challenge’ in my burgundy t-shirt and later finished to be welcomed by the fund-raising team and several hearing dogs in training at the stand.
I was back in the groove. So in 2004 I completed the Bupa great North Run in Newcastle for Hearing Dogs, again met at the end by Hannah from fundraising. I competed in the 2005 & 2007 Women’s 5km challenge, but in 2008 was shocked to be diagnosed with osteo-arthritis in both knees, I was advised that I should no longer do long distance running. I began to strengthen my upper leg muscles with walking and cycling, but I knew I would soon be ‘hanging up my trainers for good’ so I decided to take on the Women’s 5k challenge one last time in 2009. I ran under the finish gantry in 43 minutes and set off once again to the hearing dogs stand at Hyde Park, where I met fellow runners and had our photos taken (attached). Finally we received our special hearing dogs medals from Hannah and Ruth.
As fund-raisers know, doing the activity is often the easy bit – collecting sponsor money takes a bit longer! However I was determined with the generosity of my sponsors that I was going to raise enough to support a ‘New Beginning’ – which enables Hearing Dogs to acquire a puppy and place it with one of our volunteer socialisers.
While I have been at The Grange I’ve been busy walking dogs – both big and small, I keep the restaurant garden and receptions terracotta pots tidy which I enjoy, although the farmhouse garden’s rockery has proved to be a challenge! In 2007 I achieved the ‘volunteer dog walker of the year’ and was given a plaque to commemorate this.
Now I have recently turned 70 I look back on the last 6 years as a very happy time and I hope to continue my dog walking and other tasks at the Grange, surrounded by so many friends.
So – no running – what do I do now?
When you’re over the hill, you pick up speed – and I do have a couple of working bikes in the shed….