Before last Saturday’s home game against Exeter before the Sky Blues went on to knock Exeter City off their top-of-the -table perch an important ceremony took place in the club’s Family Zone under the Ricoh stands.
Bobby with the FZ gang; a guide dog sneaks into the photo
Our ‘special guest’ for the game, Bobby Gould was pleased to receive a cheque for £75 on behalf of CCFPA towards the the Association’s appeal to raise funds to breed and train a guide dog in memory of the late, great, Coventry City icon (and Association member) Jimmy Hill. The donation meant that the Association has met its target of raising £5000 and Project ‘JH Puppy’ named after the great man is now given the green light.
Thanks to everyone that has supported us in getting this appeal to the finish line, including all those at the FZ, through monies also raised in many ways including collections on our coaches to the Sky Blues Wembley Checkatrade trophy win, donations at Legends Day 2017 and its raffle, at legends XI and other games as well as a donation directly from our own Association funds.
The project began with a visit by CCFPA’s chairman Jim Brown and former players Dietmar Bruck and Ron Farmer to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Breeding Centre at Bishops Tachbrook. ‘Harty’, one of the dogs they met there was again at the Ricoh for Legends Day along with a couple of friends and sniffed out a number of donation opportunities meeting fans as they did a circuit of the Arena with CCFPA’s Sarah-Jane Morris and a couple of staff from the centre during the Sky Blues win against ‘the Posh’!
A canine duo was also present at the Grecians game with their handlers (thanks to them and all staff at the centre). The trainee Labrador and German Shepherd dogs were a picture of friendliness and composure during their stay when they met many JSBs and their families in the FZ and other fans in other parts of the Arena.