Tails Wag in the Capital for a Grand Day Out with Wallace and Gromit

KENT, ENGLAND, April 09, 2011 (Press-News.org) London's dogs' tails will be wagging this week as they are invited to join one of the world's most famous dogs on Sunday for 'A Grand Day Out' in Battersea Park sponsored by Foresters the international, financial services organisation.

Wallace and Gromit will be at Battersea Park on Sunday April 10th from 11am to take part in A Grand Day Out which will raise money for two charities - the Kennel Club Charitable Trust and Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation.

There will be tea and cake from Yorkshire tea available for everyone who participates in this family- and dog-friendly day as well as numerous activities including face painting, a bouncy castle, an inflatable assault course and 'have a go' dog agility. Plus, a cracking Wallace & Gromit award will be given to every dog taking part.

Both charities support good causes in and around the capital. Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation supports Richard House Children's Hospice, Kings College Hospital and the Whittington Hospital's special care baby unit in London.

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust supports local and national charities that help to make a difference to dogs' lives, such as Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. (Last year, they awarded Battersea Dogs and Cats Home GBP13,450 for an X-ray unit. The unit allows the charity to identify pre-existing medical conditions in stray animals quickly and effectively, without pain or causing stress, helping to speed up both their care and their ability to be re-homed).

Shaun Opperman, Head Veterinary Surgeon at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, said: "Often we have very little or no information on the animals coming into the Home, so X-ray equipment is incredibly valuable in helping us care for and re-home the thousands of dogs and cats we look after for every year. At Battersea we rely entirely on donations to fund our work, so we are very grateful for the support provided by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust."

To join Wallace & Gromit in Battersea Park on April 10th from 11am, visit www.agranddayout.org.uk, fill in the registration form and get raising money for Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust. Every penny you raise will be used to help sick children in hospitals and hospices across the UK and make a difference for dogs.

Participants are asked to raise a minimum of GBP25 or make a donation of GBP5 at the event to take part, and all of the proceeds will be split evenly between Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust.

The walks are only made possible by the sponsorship of Foresters, and Purina PRO PLAN. Looking forward to the walk, Elizabeth Carrington-Porter, Regional Membership Manager at Foresters said: "Foresters champions the well-being of families through quality life insurance, unique member benefits and inspiring community activities. In supporting A Grand Day Out our hope is to encourage lots of families to have fun together, sharing healthy family time with their four-legged friends to raise much-needed funds for Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation and the Kennel Club Charitable Trust."

ABOUT WALLACE & GROMIT'S CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation is a national charity which raises funds to help improve the quality of life for sick children in hospitals and hospices across the UK.

Created in 2003, it is the only national charity to receive the backing of the treble Academy Award-winning characters Wallace & Gromit, created by Nick Park at Aardman, who is also a trustee of the Children's Foundation.

ABOUT THE KENNEL CLUB CHARITABLE TRUST
The Kennel Club Charitable Trust was established in 1987 and has donated over GBP5m to a range of organisations and charities, with more than half of this money distributed in the last five years.

The Trust awards grants to organisations to help them to achieve its objective of 'making a difference for dogs' and supports work with dogs across three distinct areas:
- Science - funding research into health problems in dogs
- Support - helping to train dogs to help human beings
- Welfare - providing funds for dogs that need help or rescue

ABOUT FORESTERS
Foresters, is an international financial services organisation which has operated in the UK, US and Canada for over 135 years. We are committed to understanding your financial needs and to offering products and membership benefits, which will assist you with your financial security and peace of mind.

Our purpose is to enhance the well being of members and their families, and we measure our success not only by financial strength, but also by the positive impact we have on our members' communities.

In the UK last year we supported more than 100 charities and raised over GBP3m for those charities and other community partners. Thousands of our members provided much needed volunteer hours to help communities throughout the country.