Sheffield £5.4m lottery winner puts lockdown to good use to train support dogs

Deana Sampson, of Mosborough, who scooped a £5.4 million Lotto jackpot in 1996, has always loved dogs and the Sheffield-based national charity Support Dogs is one w hich is close to her heart.

The 57-year-old lost her severely disable d brother Glyn, when he was aged just 40, following an epileptic fit, so she said Support Dogs really resonated with her, as it is a charity supporting and helping people with a number of physical needs, including epilepsy.

Just weeks before the country went into lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, Deana took on her first assistance dog to train – five-month-old golden labrador Regis.

She said: “The charity is extremely close to me, particularly as it helps people with a range of needs and disabilities.

“I know how much my brother struggled with his epilepsy and he unfortunately lost his life as a result.

“I was watching something on the TV about assistance dogs and then discovered Support Dogs, and immediately decided to join.

“I had a host of training lined up for my new puppy – going out in public to busy places, restaurants and parks – but after lockdown was enforced I quickly had to adapt and focus all of the training with Regis to my kitchen and back garden.”

Deana is also taking part in online training sessions with Support Dogs, which received £7,500 of National Lottery funding in February last year for a community project involving its charity shop.

Deanna said: “He is certainly keeping me fit.”

When Regis completes his training with Deana in just more than a year’s time, he will then progress to full-time day school, where his skills will be assessed.

I t will then be decided who he will best be able to support, whether this is someone with epilepsy, a child with autism or someone with other physical disabilities.

A spokesman for Support Dogs, which is based on Brightside Lane, Brightside, said: “We desperately need more people like Deana to come forward.”

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