There was a slightly different kind of guest in the studio this week, with Schnapps from Essex Therapy Dogs making an appearance on Eat My Brunch.
Schnapps arrived alongside Anne Cottis, one of the charity's volunteers, and behaved exactly as you would hope - calm, unbothered and quite happy to sit through a radio interview without needing to say much.
More Than Just Airport Support
The work the dogs do is more varied than many people realise. Schnapps is part of a team that helps nervous flyers at the airport, but the charity's work also takes them into hospitals, schools and care homes across Essex.
The aim is simple enough: provide a calm, reassuring presence in situations where people might be anxious, unsettled or in need of a bit of support.
Founder's Recognition
Also joining us was Tina Jullings, who founded the charity and has built it into a well-established local service. She was recently recognised with a Good Morning Britain Volunteer Champion Award, and the team has also picked up a BBC Essex Make a Difference Award, which gives some indication of how widely their work is valued.
Volunteers Needed
Like many organisations of this kind, it relies heavily on volunteers. Tina explained that they are always looking for new teams to join, particularly dogs with a calm temperament who are at least a year old. Training and assessment are part of the process, but the starting point is simply having the right kind of dog.
It is also possible for local organisations to request visits, whether that's a school, care home or another setting where a visit from a therapy dog might make a difference.
Schnapps, for his part, seemed to take the whole thing in stride, which, given the job description, is probably the point.
More information about the charity, including how to get involved or request a visit, can be found at essextherapydogs.co.uk. As always, you can hear the interview again at phoenixfm.com.
