Volunteer of the Month - January 2025 - Debbie Matthews

Posted by Victoria Leedham

To say volunteer Debbie Matthews, from Middlewich in Cheshire, is an allrounder is an understatement; she’s in fact an allrounder extraordinaire!

Dog trainer, IT expert, event organiser and home baker… Debbie is unshowy yet accomplished at everything, and we rejoice the day she approached Hearing Dogs for Deaf People about volunteering, after seeing one of our recruitment adverts on Facebook back in September 2021.

Her application read like a dream:

I am now retired and looking for a way in which I can help the community. Volunteering is something that I have wanted to do for some time now. Being a Volunteer Dog Trainer would enable me to help others become more empowered and independent. This I would find extremely rewarding. The role would also allow me to satiate my love of dogs.

I have grown up around dogs and have had my own. Albeit some time ago, I undertook obedience training with my German Shepherd and am familiar with the patience that is needed. I now have the time to dedicate to such a rewarding and fulfilling role.

Three and a half years later and Debbie is a much admired, mainstay of our Cheshire Hub. She has also more than achieved her goal of changing lives for the better through her involvement with Hearing Dogs. Thanks to her relaxed and patient tutelage of Poppy, a blue roan Cocker Spaniel, one of our partnership applicants, Jaiden, received their Companion Dog just before the end of last year.

“We have had a wonderful Christmas with Poppy!” recounted Jaiden’s mum. “Everybody adores her, and she is already part of the family. Jaidy loves observing her at home, and out and about, she makes him very happy!

Thank you again for matching us with Poppy. She is perfect in every way; we love her so much and can’t imagine life without her!"

To make this magic happen, Debbie put in eighteen months of dedicated training; transforming Poppy from a puppy who was wilful and struggled to concentrate, to a young dog that is sound work trained and attentive, even when off lead.

Transformations like this don’t happen by chance. It takes the commitment of volunteers, like Debbie, to guide our young puppies into adolescence and beyond, with clear instruction, day-in-day-out consistency, and an unwavering focus on the outcome to be achieved.

Of course there’s lots of fun along the way too! Assistant Area Manager, Ruth Plant, recalls: “Debbie and Poppy were gold medallists in our Olympics-themed training class last summer! Poppy didn’t move a muscle and aced her ‘wait’ whilst Debbie threw a dog toy into a cardboard box. It was all light-hearted, however the truth is it was simultaneously an extremely impressive training moment!”

“Debbie is a wonderful asset to our team in Cheshire” confirms Area Manager, Hayley Simpson. “She did some brilliant off-lead training with Poppy and must have spent hours each day helping her to realise her full potential and become an amazing Companion Dog for Jaiden.

She is easy to get along with, never complains, nor has an issue managing challenging behaviours, which means she’s sought after for holiday cover and popular amongst her peers too.”

Fellow volunteer, Sandra Milivojev, says: “I first met Debbie when she temporarily looked after my pup, Iggy, who was quite a character. Before going on holiday, I supplied a comprehensive ‘handover form’ which she kindly digested, and followed to the letter, with her usual easy-going nature and sense of humour.

Recently, we teamed up to organise a drop-in coffee morning for volunteers in our regional Hub. It was a great success, largely down to Debbie’s delicious homemade sausage rolls! Her positive attitude is infectious, and she is a wonderful member of the volunteering family.”

It’s doubtful if anything is more appreciated than home-baked sausage rolls, however having an IT whizz in our volunteer midst might be a close second! Debbie is always quick to reply to messages or accept calendar invites, making life easy for our Training and Healthcare Teams. She also volunteers her time as an IT Buddy, offering understanding and proficient support on Teams, accessing the Pawtal, and other computer-related queries.

James Jones, Canine Healthcare Consultant, concludes: “Debbie is a great Volunteer Dog Trainer who is really good at keeping me up to date with any dog she’s looking after. She’s talented, multi-skilled, and happy to fit in - the dream package basically!”

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About the author

Victoria Leedham

Hello, I'm Victoria and Head of Volunteering for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Hearing Link. It’s my privilege to celebrate and share stories about our wonderful volunteer family.

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