Bike group raise £2,000 for Hounds for Heroes

MT Heads with Hounds for Heroes chairman and founder, Allen Parton and his service dogs

Rochdale-based motorcycle club MT Heads presented a cheque for £2,000 to Hounds for Heroes founder and vice-chairman, Allen Parton, on Monday (18 June) at the Flying Horse Hotel.

Hounds for Heroes is a charity set up to provide specially trained assistance dogs to injured and disabled men and women of both the UK armed forces and civilian emergency services.

The funds will enable Hounds for Heroes to fund two new puppies and 10 puppy squadron packs for training new dogs ready to go out into the veteran community.

Allen Parton, who started the charity in 2011, flew into Rochdale to accept the donation.

A Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy, Mr Parton suffered a severe head injury in 1991 which left him with considerable physical and emotional trauma. The injury wiped out his memories and left him unable to walk, speak, or write, he couldn’t even remember his own family.

After spending five years in hospital struggling to come to terms with his disabilities, he was partnered with Endal, a yellow Labrador assistance dog, who could respond to hundreds of instructions and signed commands. 

His partnership with Endal was what led Mr Parton to set up the Hounds for Heroes charity.

One of its dogs is currently in-situ with a serving officer from Greater Manchester Police, receiving a Manchester bee at Crufts for his role in the Manchester Arena attack.

Over the last two years, the bikers have raised £3,500 for the charity through their popular events like the annual bike show Ride In, Rock Out, a rock night at the Ukrainian club and the annual July rally at Collop Gate Farm.

MT Heads’ new charity for the coming year will be Rochdale Children’s Moorland Home.