Meet Martha – our Care Connection Partners therapy dog!
Date 3 November 2025
Say hello to Martha! She’s the latest addition to our fabulous team, and is bringing smiles to the faces of care home residents.
Martha, an 18-month-old Sprocker Spaniel, belongs to our Office Manager Beth MacLeod-Birch and her husband James, our Business Development Manager.
Martha has recently qualified as a therapy dog after being assessed by a volunteer from the Pets As Therapy charity to confirm her calm, kind and gentle nature before visits commence.
Pets As Therapy partners with care homes, hospitals, schools and community groups to bring the comfort, companionship and joy of a therapy pet visit to those who need it most.
Weekly visits are being arranged with our partners at care homes and learning disability support services to extend our #feelthelove ethos even more.
Martha with Beth MacLeod-Birch.
Beth said: “The idea came about because we’d attended several care home summer fairs and Martha came along to some of those.
“On one visit, there was a resident who was very quiet, and sat to the side. As soon as she saw Martha her eyes lit up, her hands opened up and she sat happily stroking Martha.
“The difference it made to her day was wonderful to see, and we thought it would be lovely to do more of it.
“We want our partners and their residents and service users to #feelthelove and this is another way we can bring that to them. I have some time to give and Martha has a lot of love to give.
“We are getting in touch with our partners about the visits, and we’re looking forward to seeing those smiles!”
As part of the sign-up process to become a Pets As Therapy volunteer, Beth is also completing a safeguarding course and visits will usually take place on Fridays.
For more information about Pets As Therapy, visit https://www.petsastherapy.org/