Donation from J Tomlinson helps fund animal assisted therapy/intervention session

A £200 donation by building services company J Tomlinson has funded an animal assisted therapy/intervention session for a group of young children and their parents affected by domestic abuse.

The session was run by HugglePets in the Community - a not-for-profit organisation, which offers a range of activities and therapy sessions, incorporating animals.

Based in Wolverhampton, the community interest group was launched earlier this year to motivate, inspire and empower people to look after their own mental health by engaging in animal-related health therapies.

J Tomlinson funded the session for the children and their parents, who are living in a Wolverhampton refuge centre, as part of the company’s annual employee sponsorship programme.

Each year the Nottingham-based firm, which has a West Midlands office in Canwell, invites its employees to submit sponsorship proposals on behalf of causes that are close to their hearts. It chooses a number of good causes to support each year including charities, community interest groups and sports clubs.

Hannah Dixon, Community Projects Manager, at HugglePets in the Community said: “We are extremely pleased and thankful that Rachel Toor, Assistant Site Manager, for J Tomlinson nominated us for sponsorship. The Animal Assisted Therapy/Intervention sessions play a key role in helping young children and families access support for their mental health and wellbeing to rebuild their lives, without the support of businesses like J Tomlinson, these young children and parents would not be able to fund these sessions to access the vital support they need’.

A spokesman at J Tomlinson said: “We are delighted that J Tomlinson has been able to support this valuable animal assisted therapy/intervention session for youngsters and their parents who are going through challenging times. Animal-related health therapies are proven to be effective and we hope our sponsorship of the HugglePets in the Community session brings positive benefits to those who were involved.

“The J Tomlinson annual employee sponsorship programme is designed to support good causes and this scheme in Wolverhampton has been a very rewarding project to be involved in.”