Fundraiser of the Year winner revealed for the Border region in Pride of Britain Awards
Keswick man Kerry Irving and his spaniel dogs have been chosen as your Fundraiser of the Year for the Border region at the Pride of Britain Awards.
Kerry was given the news in front of dozens of supporters in Hope Park, Keswick.
“Wow, thank you so much,” said Kerry.
“This is for Max. His legacy will live on as we continue to raise more funds for various charities. Thank you to everyone that continues to support us.”
Kerry, Max, Harry and Paddy have gained an international following in recent years, and their global fan base has helped to raise over half a million pounds for various charities.
If you’re on social media, you may well be familiar with the dogs anyway. Max, Harry and Paddy have gone viral, appearing at community events and even meeting royalty. Sadly, Max passed away earlier this year.
“Max came along at the most important time in my life,” explains Kerry.
“In 2009 I was very close to making a decision to leave this world, but life changed dramatically when I met Max.”
After losing Max, Kerry decided to keep the fundraising going with his other spaniel dogs, Paddy and Harry. Together, the trio are continuing Max’s legacy by raising money for numerous charities.
For the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA) alone, they've raised over a hundred thousand pounds.
With almost 300,000 social media fans following their daily adventures, Kerry is now concentrating on raising funds for animal welfare and child bereavement charities.
Kerry will now represent the ITV Border region at the Daily Mirror Pride of Awards in London in October.