Guide dog charity is ‘forced’ to cancel its summer fete after ‘selfish’ travellers invaded their training centre
- Caravans arrived at the site in Atherton, Greater Manchester, over a week ago
- They pitched up in a field that was set to be hosting a fundraiser for the charity
- Guide Dogs charity says by time travellers left it was too late to reorganise event
A guide dog charity claims it was forced to cancel its summer fundraising fete after a group of travellers pitched up at one of its training centres.
Caravans arrived at the Guide Dogs site on May 24, leading charity officials to cancel their annual fundraiser in Atherton, Greater Manchester, four days later.
Pictures showed three caravans, a car and another vehicle on private land belonging the Guide Dogs charity.
Though the travellers left the private land yesterday, a spokeswoman for the charity said it is too late to reorganize the fair in time for Sunday as volunteers clean up the site.
Pictured: Travellers at the site in Atherton, Greater Manchester, where a charity claims their presence forced them to cancel the annual fundraiser
The dog training centre (pictured) hosts the annual fundraiser to help train guide dogs for blind and partially sighted people
Furious locals have blamed the travellers for the cancellation, calling them ‘selfish’, ‘thoughtless’ and ‘rude’.
Janette Murphy said: ‘This is devastating for a charity that hosts such a fantastic day to raise much needed funds.
‘Those of you that know me will understand how important Guide Dogs is. Can we not get together as a community to get this event back on track somehow, even if it has to be relocated and /or rescheduled.’
Resident Debby Meadows posted: ‘Disgusting. A lot of hard work as gone into the fun day to raise very much-needed funds.’
Sharron Hardman wrote ‘a great deal of work and planning would have gone into this event which would have brought in much-needed income’, adding: ‘Charities like Guide Dogs cannot afford to lose much-needed income.’
The charity says it now faces a clean-up operation at the site and cannot reorganise the event in time
It costs £35,000 to fully train just one canine and each year their expenditures total £49million, the charity said.
A Guide Dogs spokesman said in a statement last week: ‘We can confirm that illegal trespassers are currently residing on Guide Dogs land at our Atherton Training Centre.
‘We have contacted the relevant authorities and are now taking the necessary legal action.
‘We are also doing everything we can to safeguard our members of staff, volunteers and of course our dogs during this time.
‘Due to the unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Summer Fete.
‘We would like to thank everyone so much for your hard work and dedication and if feasible, we hope to be able to run the event later in the year.’