WELLINGTON Methodist Church is set to hold its last major fundraising party for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Coffee and cake will be on offer along with stalls selling cake, jams and nick-nacks on Saturday, July 8, at the church from 10am. It is hoped one or two of the charity’s dogs will be there.

The charity trains dogs to respond to sounds and danger signals such as the doorbell and alarms.

The dogs alert a deaf person to a sound by touching them with their paw or their nose and then leading the owner to the source of the sound.

In the case of danger, such as smoke alarm, dogs are taught to lie down so their owner is aware of the hazard.

Hearing dog training takes up to 18 months, including a year living with a volunteer puppy specialist, followed by specialist ‘soundwork’ training at one of the charity’s centres.

Every hearing dog is specially matched to a deaf person so that the dog’s skill and personality complement the lifestyle and needs of its new owner.

Hearing dogs are easily recognisable in their smart burgundy jackets and the uniform helps to bring visibility to their owner’s deafness, which otherwise is a largely invisible disability.