AN ANIMAL-loving former district council chairman and Kenilworth mayor has been honoured for her dedication to Guide Dogs after volunteering for for 50 years.
Felicity Bunker, who lives in Kenilworth, was chairman of Warwick District Council and twice mayor of her home town.
She started volunteering for the sight loss charity in 1975 as a puppy walker, known today as a puppy raiser.
Volunteer puppy raisers for Guide Dogs provide puppies with vital foundations for their future role, teaching them basic commands and helping them get used to different environments.
Each pup is looked after by their puppy raiser for just over a year, before they then move to a Guide Dogs’ centre to start their formal training.
Felicity said: “There were two main reasons I signed up to volunteer for Guide Dogs. My Gran had Glaucoma and was blind, so I was always interested in sight loss, even as a child.
“Secondly, I love all animals full stop, so the thought of volunteering with dogs was very appealing.
“At the time we had young children, and I was at home not working, so I had the time to sign up as a puppy walker, or puppy raiser as they are now known.
“Our first puppy was called Andy. I remember taking a bone from a local butcher to give to him when we went to see him training at the Exeter Training Centre.”
Felicity’s family looked after seven guide dog puppies in total, with five puppies qualifying as working guide dogs.
She continued: “It’s been great doing it. We’ve had some successes, and we’ve had some failures with our pups.
“One of our puppies, Ulla, was featured on a Guide Dogs’ television advert. He qualified as a working guide dog and I’m still in touch with his guide dog owner – I hear from her every Christmas.
“Another one of our pups, Polo, was the cheekiest – I knew straight away that he wasn’t cut out to be a guide dog.
“People would often ask how could you give them back – and I would say you part with them because you know they’re not your dog and they are going on to do a wonderful job.
“You’re still sad though – my husband used to bring me up a hot toddy the night before a pup was due to leave.”
After Felicity and her family moved to Kenilworth, she resumed working and had to stop puppy walking.
She was asked to become an honorary member of Kenilworth Guide Dogs fundraising group, and soon signed up as their treasurer, a role which she still does today.
Felicity was presented with a long service award marking her 50 years of volunteering for the charity.
