Drivers in Waterford took part in a special fundraising event on Saturday in support of Irish Guide Dogs.

Auto Boland Ford hosted the event, with €30 donated to the charity for every qualifying test drive completed and organisers aiming to raise up to €6,000.

Speaking to WLR at the event, Edward from the Waterford Viking branch of Irish Guide Dogs said public support remains hugely important to the organisation.

Irish Guide Dogs is marking 50 years in operation this year, while Edward said a fully trained guide dog can cost in the region of €65,000.

He was joined at the event by Sprocket, a 14-month-old puppy who is preparing to return for the next stage of his training.

An Irish Guide Dogs volunteer also spoke about the role the dogs play in helping people with sight loss live more independently.

‘A blind person still has to have a life,’ the volunteer said.

‘He gets them out and about and gets them to where they want to be and what they want to do.’

One Waterford family also spoke about the difference an assistance dog has already made to their eight-year-old autistic son.

The family applied to Irish Guide Dogs earlier this year and were later matched with Déise, who joined them full-time earlier this month.

They said she has already become an important source of emotional support for their son.

‘She knows straight away when he needs it and she comes over and she licks him or snuggles him,’ the parent told WLR.

‘She’s been really good for us all actually. She’s helped us all, not just him.’

Shauna, a sales executive with Ford, said similar fundraising events are taking place around the country and that there had been a strong turnout in Waterford.

She said events like Saturday’s also give businesses an opportunity to support the communities they work in.

The final amount raised at the Waterford event has yet to be confirmed.