On the 6th July 2025, Katy and I will be running the Parallel Windsor Challenge 5k. We are running in memory of our friend Charly, raising money for Wild Spirit Canines: the organisation who trained Charly's service dog Ziggy. They are applying to become part of Assistance Dogs International, so they can become a charity and give their handlers further freedoms with their dogs. We are aiming to raise £500, to cover the cost of this application.

Charly was a brilliant man and an incredible musician. He had a beautiful way of bringing people together, and would always, always be there with advice, comfort, care, and love. He loved the colour yellow, was studying folk music songwriting at uni, terrified us with his wheelchair skating tricks, played pretty much every instrument he could lay his hands on, and gave the best hugs.

A face we all became very familiar with over the last few years was Ziggy, Charly's service dog. She offered support with tasks like alerting to hazard sounds, mobility support such as opening and closing doors, medication reminders, medical detection, as well as companionship and love. His love for her was abundantly clear - we all heard about how clever she was, learning all her tasks in record time and picking up on things humans never could, and got endless adorable photos of Ziggy chilling in lectures, doing settle work, or playing.

With Zig, Charly went away to uni and had an incredible time, doing so many things he would otherwise have struggled with. Charly loved her to bits, and they were a perfect pair.

Put simply, Charly's bond with Ziggy changed his life. We want as many others as possible to get this incredible chance. So, when Katy and I decided to run the Parallel Windsor Challenge in memory of Charly (who loved running when he was younger), it was clear to us that Wild Spirit Canines were who we would fundraise for.

Wild Spirit Canines CIC is dedicated to training assistance dogs for primarily young people (18-30) living with multiple disabilities. The organisation is committed to providing tailored support and expertise to help individuals with complex needs overcome daily challenges and achieve their full potential.

The money being raised is to contribute towards Wild Spirit Canines application to join a regulatory body.

This is a fantastic step forward for Wild Spirit Canines CIC. These regulatory bodies set the gold standard for assistance dog programs worldwide. By becoming a member, they will gain access to a wealth of expertise, resources, and networking opportunities that will elevate the organisation and enable them to help more people like Charly.

Thank you for reading, and we hope you will consider donating for Wild Spirit.

Love,

Katy and Annabelle <3