Debbie Lane completes 200km to raise money for animal charity
Debbie Lane, Education, Administration & Recruitment Manager at Fostering People’s Dundee office walked an incredible 200km to raise money for the local animal charity, Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).
Debbie Lane
Education, Administration and Recruitment Manager
July 9 2021 - 4 min read
Debbie, a Dundee local has completed a 200km walking challenge last month.
Raising money for an animal charity which has been overlooked during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Debbie Lane, Education, Administration & Recruitment Manager at Fostering People’s Dundee office walked an incredible 200km to raise money for the local animal charity, Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).
After hearing about the ‘100km in May’ initiative on Facebook, Debbie set off every day in the month of May with her two dogs, Molly and Sally, to achieve their 100KM target. After completing 100km in the first two weeks, Debbie then embarked to do another 100km which saw her, and her four-legged friends raise a total of £665.
During the walking challenge, members of the Fostering People team donated and even joined Debbie on a few of the walks to show their moral support. Talking about the fundraising challenge, Debbie said:
“I have such a huge love for all animals and I just know if I had a farm I would bring in rescued animals all the time, which is one of the main reasons why I took part.
“I knew I couldn’t take anymore animals in, so I thought what other ways I could help and that’s where 100KM in May came about. During COVID, I kept seeing animal abuse stories getting worse which just broke my heart.
“So, when I came across SSPCA, I knew they needed as much help as possible, and I just had to do it. Since people couldn’t go out and raise money like before, I knew it was going to be a huge boost financially for them given the situation they were in.”
Cassie Yeaman, Registered Manager for Fostering People, commented: “We are so proud of Debbie representing the Fostering People team to raise money for such an incredible cause that goes above and beyond to protect the vulnerable against cruelty.
“We have seen first-hand the benefits animals have brought to our foster families lives. One of the biggest questions we get is ‘can I foster children if I have a pet’ and the answer is yes. Any pet, including dogs can provide copious amounts of benefits including reduced stress, increase in emotional health, and acts as great to way keep children to stay active while learning how to develop empathy.”
With more than 4,750 children living with foster families in Scotland last year, reports have shown that having a pet including dogs can be a real asset to a fostering home. Many children in care suffer attachment difficulties and having a pet can be a great first step for many young people, helping them to form trusting and loving attachments to their new family.
Every year hundreds of new foster families are needed in Scotland. Fostering People has continuously supported foster parents 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, and 365 days a year for the past 20 years. Rated Outstanding in all areas, Fostering People aspire to replicate their years of support ensuring they provide the best possible care for their foster parents and the children they foster.