THE FUNDRAISER of a nine-year-old has led him to be the guest of honour at Dogs Trust Cardiff, having overcome gusty conditions to solo sail the over 8km of Coniston Water to raise money for Dogs Trust.
Cowbridge’s keen sailor, nine-year-old Ollie Bulleid, came up with the idea all on his own and successfully sailed his boat, the Salty Dog, the length of Coniston Water in the Lake District last month. Although it may not have been a Blue Bird style Water Speed Record, this tricky challenge saw Ollie overcome strong gusty winds and pilot his boat safely across the lake in over two hours of sailing. A massive feat for someone so young!
To celebrate his remarkable fundraising achievement, Ollie was the guest of honour last week at Dogs Trust Cardiff, where he met some gorgeous fluffy puppies and was given a goody bag to thank him for his efforts.
Ollie’s passion for pups began with Bertie, his grandparents’ Spaniel, and lifelong companion. When Ollie learnt how to sail last year during a summer camp at Cardiff Bay Yacht Club, the challenge to raise money for the charity, which re-homes and supports over 11,000 dogs each year, was one that stood out.
Speaking about the challenge, super fundraiser Ollie, said: “I really enjoyed visiting Dogs Trust and I hope I can rehome a dog in the future. Thank you to everyone for showing me their great work.”
Fundraising for this massive achievement isn’t over yet – so far, Ollie has raised well over £400, which is being split between Dogs Trust and his local school in Cowbridge.
Kim Davies, Manager at Dogs Trust Cardiff, said: “We were really pleased to welcome Ollie to Dogs Trust Cardiff after his wonderful fundraising effort.
“It’s not every day we meet someone who sails across a lake to help our four-legged friends! We’re so grateful for his support and proud to have him as part of the Dogs Trust Cardiff family.”
To donate to Ollie’s wonderful fundraising achievement, visit Ollie’s Sailing Challenge page.
Dogs Trust Cardiff is open to the public five days a week, and you don’t need an appointment to visit, meet dogs looking for homes, get advice or apply to adopt. As every dog is unique, finding the perfect match can take anything from a few weeks to several months. You only need to apply once every three months, and the charity will do all it can to find the right dog for you, however long it takes.
