Meet the real Judge and Jury of Aylesbury Crown Court

First the Jury, now the Judge - meet Aylesbury Crown Court’s second named guide dog puppy.

Aylesbury Crown Court has received a visit from their second named guide dog puppy, Judge, after raising another £50,000 to support the sight-loss charity.

Judge, along with his puppy raiser Janet Moore, visited HHJ Francis Sheridan and HHJ Catherine Tulk at the courthouse to thank them for the name and for their donation, which will help to support him throughout his entire life.

Earlier this year, the court donated their first £50,000 through Guide Dogs’ Name a Puppy scheme, using diverted funds from forfeited monies under the Misuse of Drugs Act to make charitable contributions. Using this diverted money, they have now donated over £100,000 to Guide Dogs to support future guide dog partnerships. Their first puppy, named Jury, gave them a visit in March.

Speaking about the visit, Charlotte Pieton, Court Manager at Aylesbury Crown Court, said: “We were delighted to welcome Guide Dogs to Aylesbury Crown Court at their recent visit. We were truly impressed by the progress that Judge has made over a short period.

“It is a credit to all the staff and volunteers at Guide Dogs who have put such time and effort into his training. We are really pleased that forfeiture funds have been used to support a person with sight loss.”

While Judge and Jury are both still puppies, they have started to learn basic commands and obedience, as well as how to settle in public places. At 12 – 14 months they will go into early training to become guide dogs, eventually going on to change the life of someone living with sight loss. The £50,000 raised for each of these pups will support them through their entire life, from puppyhood right through to partnership.

Mireille Haviland, Community Fundraising Relationship Manager at Guide Dogs, said: “Naming a puppy is a wonderful way to support a guide dog partnership, as it allows supporters to have a direct impact on a future guide dog’s life. It takes around £56,000 to support a guide dog through its life, so to receive a donation of this amount will be life changing for someone with sight loss.

“We want to extend a huge thank you to HHJ Sheridan, HHJ Tulk and the Aylesbury Crown Court. With their support, we are now able to support these two pups through their entire journey to becoming a guide dog, and on to their future partnerships.”

The Guide Dogs Name a Puppy scheme allows supporters to donate in order to give a future guide dog a chosen name. The donation levels start at £2,500, making it a great opportunity for individuals or schools who might like to raise money to name a puppy something special.

To learn more about how you or your organisation could Name a Puppy, visit the website or contact Mireille Haviland by email.

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