CARE home residents – and their best friends – took on a charity challenge to raise vital funds.

Residents, staff and their families took on the Muddy Dog Dash alongside their four-legged friends in aid of Lewis-Manning Hospice Care on Sunday, March 17.

Staff members got thoroughly muddy competing while residents enjoyed staying warm and clean cheering them on from the side lines.

More than 20 residents from St Ives Country House Care and Dorset House, run by not-for-profit charity Care South, cheered on the event’s participants which featured dogs and their owners facing a host of fun obstacles at Upton Country Park.

Pat, who lives at Dorset House care home, in Hamworthy, said: “It was a wonderful day. I loved meeting the different dogs at the event, particularly the Labradors, as it reminded me of the Labrador I used to have, and meeting the families of the staff who work in our care homes. Everyone did so well.”

Yvonne, who also lives at Dorset House care home, said: “It was such a lovely day. It was incredible to see so many dogs in one place.”

More than 400 people took part in this year’s Muddy Dog Dash, alongside more than 200 dogs to raise money for Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, which supports people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across East Dorset.

Chris Golding, head of marketing and PR at Care South, said: “At Care South, we love enabling the residents to enjoy all sorts of activities, and this one is quite unique.

“The team, myself and my family thoroughly enjoyed being participating in the race – but most rewarding of all was seeing how much fun the residents had cheering us on and laughing at how muddy we were.”

Care South has an ongoing charity partnership to support Lewis-Manning Hospice Care through its Chairman’s 2020 Fund, which gives back to community groups, services and organisations which directly benefit Care South’s residents and staff, and their Care at Home clients.

Tom Goodinge, director of fundraising at Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, said: “We were thrilled to see the Care South residents cheering from the sidelines of our Muddy Dog Dash, as well as members of the care home teams taking part in the obstacle course.

“We are so pleased to receive such fantastic support from Care South who help us to support more people with life-limiting illnesses during their time of need.”