STAFF at Leeds Building Society’s branches in the North-East have chosen Guide Dogs as their charity for 2015.

All the results of any fund raising will go to the charity – more formally known as Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

This includes two of the society’s regional managers taking part in the Great North Run in September.

Branches in Morpeth, Durham, Blyth, Whitley Bay, North Shields, South Shields, Wallsend, Newcastle and Chester-le-Street will be selling Guide Dogs pin badges, while raffles, cake sales and coffee mornings are also planned.

Pippa Turner, from Guide Dogs in the North-East, said: “We are absolutely delighted that our local Leeds Building Society branches have chosen to support Guide Dogs this year.

“It costs us almost £50,000 to support each guide dog partnership and Guide Dogs don’t receive any Government funding.

“Without the generosity of the local public and business community we wouldn’t be able to provide our life-changing mobility services to people in the North-East suffering from sight loss.”