A Pembrokeshire social enterprise which trains disabled and disadvantaged people to become volunteer dog walkers, home boarders and dog day carers, has won a £10,000 grant in the annual Aviva Broker Community Fund competition.

SPPOT (Supporting People and Pets through Opportunities and Training) was set up in 2013 by Kerri Bee who is a qualified dog behaviourist with 10 years’ experience working with vulnerable adults.

Once trained the volunteers provide dog-minding services primarily to people who are housebound due to physical disability, incapacity or old age.

SPPOT was nominated for the grant scheme, which enables insurance brokers to support good causes in their communities, by Thomas Carroll Pembrokeshire, the Welsh insurance broking to health and safety and independent financial advice consultancy based in Haverfordwest.

Al Rees, a commercial account executive with the firm, led the project. Al, who is also a driving force behind the Dog Friendly Pembrokeshire scheme, encouraged work colleagues as well as friends, supporters and family to vote for SPPOT’s entry in the competition. The entry eventually gained over 4,000 votes from the public.

Manorbier resident Al, whose own scheme encourages businesses to display stickers showing that they are dog friendly, discovered SPPOT via Facebook.

Al said: “I began corresponding with Kerri via social media and was keen to help SPPOT because they are doing a fantastic job in training disabled and disadvantaged people to in turn help vulnerable adults and their dogs.

“Given the relative lack of job opportunities in Pembrokeshire, people with disabilities and long term illnesses are even further away from the job market. Last year Thomas Carroll successfully nominated the Welsh charity, Follow Your Dreams, for an Aviva award, which gave me the idea to help SPPOT generate funds for its invaluable work. I am so pleased that we succeeded.”

Kerri Bee, founder of SPPOT, a community interest company which is run solely by volunteers, said: “We cannot thank Al Rees and the Thomas Carroll team enough for championing our cause, and of course Aviva for this wonderful contribution to our work.

“The £10,000 grant will be used to train 10 volunteer dog walkers, enabling 60 dogs a week to be walked, bringing in sufficient funds to train 14 more volunteer dog walkers next year and so the pattern for sustainability will be established.

“It will enable us to support many more vulnerable dog owners across Pembrokeshire to maintain good ownership of their beloved dog, thus reducing strain on health and social care services and animal rescue services.”

John Moore MBE, chairman of Thomas Carroll Group plc, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to assist the tremendous work of SPPOT through our successful nomination in the Aviva scheme. Our business culture includes a social responsibility and it is important to support our local community by working with charities, sports, businesses and the arts across Pembrokeshire. I congratulate everyone involved in this important local initiative.”