Midhurst in West Sussex is about as well-to-do as any small town in England. A mile or so outside, in a converted farm surrounded by peaceful, rolling hills, is the headquarters of a charity called Canine Partners.
The centre is dedicated to the training of assistance dogs – mostly Labradors and golden retrievers. Here the dogs learn the extraordinary skills they need to help give independence to disabled people.
All the kids went through an emotional journey and all of them gained something real from the experiment. Whether three or four months can change them forever remains to be seen, though so far the signs look good.
