The Guide Dogs Saffron Walden branch’s fund-raising efforts have topped £10,000.

A cheque for £1,500 was presented to the charity by the Saffron Walden Lionesses last week – money raised during the annual Michaelmas Fayre held in September – which took the branch above the milestone.

Alan Ambrose, of Guide Dogs Saffron Walden, said: “We are extremely grateful to Angela Howard and her Lionesses for their commitment and hard work in raising this magnificent sum for the charity.

“To provide a guide dog for a blind person is the driving force behind every member of the branch. We have set ourselves a target of raising £50,000 – the lifetime costs of one Guide Dog – within 10 years and the Lionesses cheque has helped to make that dream achievable.”

Mr Ambrose also thanked the many outlets in Saffron Walden who have accepted a Guide Dog collection box and who now display one prominently on their counter tops.

“These boxes provide a valuable source of revenue for the charity,” he said..

“We are extremely grateful to: The Victory, The Old English Gentleman, The Duke of York and The Railway; and to these businesses:- Gould Pet Shop, Saffron Building Society, Ridgeons (three separate boxes), Goddard’s, Specsavers, Springwell’s Garden Centre and, most recently, Santander.”