Golden Ball's dog-walking club helps fight loneliness in Longton
Pub-loving pups - and their owners - are putting their best feet forward in an attempt to ease loneliness in their community.
Owners of the Golden Ball pub in Longton, Chris Buckley and Rebekah O’Connell, have set up a dog-walking club to help bring walkers together and make it a sociable activity.
The pub is already noted for being dog-friendly, having won the Dog Friendly Business Award at the Lancashire Tourism Awards.
Now they have taken their love of canines to anew level. amid concerns that locals could be feeling isolation with the impact of the pandemic and its restrictions.
Chris and Rebekah said: “The last 18 months has been a difficult time in everyone’s life.
“With the Covid -19 pandemic, many people are feeling more anxious, and socially isolated finding it difficult to maintain their mental wellbeing.
“Getting outside and walking your dog relieves stress and has a positive impact on people’s well-being.
“Dogs are part of our family, and during these challenging times many of us are turning to our pets to help us.
“Our Dog Walking group is a great way to combat the problems raised during the pandemic by socialising, exploring the beautiful South Ribble countryside and finishing off the day with a spot of lunch.”
The pub even offers treats for hungry pooches who have worked up an appetite on their walks.
Local natural dog treat manufacturer T Forrest provides a selection of natural dog treats for the dogs to enjoy a healthy snack at the bar. Daniel Wallbank from T.Forrest said “Our canine companions have played such a big part in our lives and it’s great to support a great initiative.”
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