Latest People: March Of The Mermaids & Brighton Guide Dogs

Photos – Paul Kondritz

March of the Mermaids
The second annual March Of The Mermaids took place on 26 July. The shores of Brighton and Hove were once again invaded by mermaids, mermen, pirates and glorious sea creatures of all kinds.

The event is all in aid of celebrating our seas, sea life and the summer season, along with raising awareness of marine conservation issues. Funds were raised along the parade for the Marine Conservation Society.

The parade was followed by an after-party at Above Audio where the 2014 “Queen Mermaid” and “King Prawn” were crowned.

Guide Dogs at Mayberry
Brighton and Hove Guide Dogs Association brought highly skilled dogs and their owners to Mayberry Garden Centre in Portslade on 30 August. The event ran from 11am-3pm and allowed children and adults alike the chance to meet the guide dogs, stroke and pet them, talk to their owners and learn about how they help the visually impaired.

The association were recently involved in the family-run garden centre’s Emergency Services Day, and proved a hit as manager Darren Clift explained: “The children loved meeting the dogs, who are so docile and well behaved, but it was also a chance to spread an important message about how reliant the visually impaired are on guide dogs, which are entirely funded by the generosity of the public. It costs nearly £30,000 to train a guide dog, but it is money really well spent.”

For more information, you can call Mayberry Garden Centre on 01273 422747