Leading civil engineering and building specialists North Midland Construction plc (NMC) has been awarded the £2.5m contract to build a new training facility for assistance dogs in Loughborough.
The project has been awarded by charity Canine Partners who train assistance dogs to support disabled people in their homes and is expanding its current site at Fields Farm in Osgathorpe to become the training hub for the Midlands.
NMC is undertaking a range of works on the site which includes; the construction of a six bedroomed disabled access residential block for the applicants and their canine partners, new kennels for up to 24 dogs, training arena, offices, and external facilities . The project is designed to high sustainability standards including ground source heating.
Peter Stuart from NMC said, “This is a unique facility and a hugely important one as it will allow more of these amazing assistance dogs to be trained for their disabled partners. We are proud to assist the Charity in providing the modern facilities to enhance their training of these wonderful dogs.”
Work is due to start on the project in August 2013 and will be completed in 2015. When fully operational the facility will employ 21 members of staff who will help produce 51 partnerships per year between trained dogs and disabled people and be able to kennel 24 dogs in advanced training.
Andy Cook, the Charity’s CEO, said, “Starting construction of this new training centre in the Midlands marks a very exciting milestone in the history of Canine Partners, and will ultimately allow us to create many more life-changing partnerships with disabled people, as well as becoming an established part of the local community”
