Tayto Park has announced two special awareness days in aid of Assistance Dogs in association with Irish Guide Dogs for the blind next week.
On August 21st and 22nd, Ireland's only theme park will host an array of extra activities to support and raise funds for their charity partners.
In addition to donating €5,000 to Assistance Dogs in association with Irish Guide Dogs for the blind, Tayto Park will host a sensory tunnel, which will give users a unique experience of what it feels like to be visually impaired.
Across the two days, Irish Guide Dogs staff and Tayto Park volunteers will encourage visitors to experience their Sensory Tunnel where guests will be invited to walk through the tunnel blindfolded with loud street noises and traffic played over the head.
Visitors will follow floor panels with lumps and bumps similar to the tactile pavement used to guide visually impaired on the streets, including a brick wall, a wooden fence, netting, grass and fur across the five-metre-long structure.
Irish Guide Dogs staff will be on-site during the two-day event providing information to visitors on the various ways the charity can be supported while Tayto Park will also have bucket collections throughout the day raising much-needed funds for the wonderful charity.
Speaking on the partnership, Chairman of the Irish Guide Dogs Board, Patrick Burke said: "Many thanks to the team at Tayto Park for their support. Support such as this is fundamental to our ability to reach and help families of children with autism and those with a visual impairment achieve independence and mobility."
"85% of our income comes from fundraising and donations from the public and our partnerships with our corporate supporters means we can provide a future for a family of a child with autism or a person with a visual impairment achieve independence."
Tayto Park are proud supporters and charity partners of three charities including Assistance Dogs in association with Irish Guide Dogs for the blind, ALONE, supporting older people to age at home and JIGSAW, supporting young people’s mental health.
In addition to donating €5,000.00 to each charity, Tayto Park will be arranging various activities and events throughout the year to support and raise much-needed funds for each charity.