Fundraising ‘legend’, 90, honoured after decades of volunteering for Hearing Dogs charity — The Hull Story

By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor

A Hull man who has raised £200,000 for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People over more than 30 years has been honoured with a special award.

Dave Thompson, 90, had been nominated for a long service award having been a dedicated fundraiser for the charity since 1992. But judges at the HEY Smile Foundation’s Time2Volunteer Awards decided he deserved better and instead gave him the Special Recognition Award.

After retiring as an overseas engineer for Smith & Nephew, Mr Thompson began fundraising after his late daughter, Denise, brought home a Christmas card bearing the Hearing Dogs logo. Denise, who went deaf between the ages of eight and 11, was later partnered with her own hearing dog, a black spaniel named Jude.

Together with his late wife Sheila, daughter Denise, and a local hairdresser, Dave founded the Hull Fundraising Group for the charity. He has since delivered over 1,200 talks about Hearing Dogs across the county – as well as two while on holiday in Iceland and Italy – raising a staggering £200,000 for the charity.

Now in their sixth year, the HEY Smile Foundation’s Time2Volunteer Awards recognise and celebrate all volunteers throughout the Humber region, saying thank you to those who give their time to help others.

Mr Thompson was nominated for the Long Serving Volunteer category of the awards by fellow Hearing Dogs volunteer Maureen Poulton, but judges felt his achievements deserved special recognition.