Volunteer of the Month - May 2023 - Malcolm Domb & Cindy Whife

We are delighted that Malcolm Domb and Cindy Whife are May’s Volunteers’ of the Month! Malcolm and Cindy are wonderful ambassadors for the Charity and we are so lucky to have them.

Since joining Hearing Dog for Deaf People as volunteer puppy trainers, in 2016, Malcolm and Cindy have successfully trained four hearing dogs; Nita, Archer, Jerry, and Sandy and are currently training their fifth pup, Hamlet.

Thanks to Malcolm and Cindy’s dedication to the training of each dog, they have had an immeasurably positive impact on the lives of their deaf partners. One such instance being Rachel who was matched with Cocker Spaniel, Archer, in 2020. It was only once she got her hearing dog that Rachel realised how much of life, she had been missing out on before. “I knew he was going to drastically change my life; however, I wasn’t prepared for how much”. Rachel has shared how her confidence has grown and has been able to gain a sense of independence because “with Archer by my side, I’ve nothing to fear”. The companionship and bond that Rachel and Archer have is a credit to the training and care that he received from day one and the journey that Malcolm and Cindy nurtured him through.

In 2022 Rachel was able to connect with Malcolm and Cindy through the Volunteers Facebook Group and arranged a reunion at The Grange, Saunderton. Malcolm quite rightly commented at the time that “we have made lots of new friends through Hearing Dogs – which, at my age, I thought was statistically impossible! Meeting Rachel and seeing Archer again has been the icing on the cake.”

Karina Bird, Dog Training Instructor for Cambridge, has said of Malcolm and Cindy; “they are hugely dedicated volunteers and doing an amazing job with their current trainee, Hamlet. He can be a sensitive boy, and they have really taken the time to work with him on building up his confidence.

Having experienced his first train journey, Hamlet has recently passed his Puppy Three Star and he is continuing to practice settling on transport and in public spaces. It’s important that our hearing dogs can stay focused when there are so many potential distractions around. This learning takes time and is a result of the patience of dedicated volunteers like Malcolm and Cindy."

Karina continues "They put a great deal of care into their puppy training role to ensure that they are giving our young dogs the very best start and always go out of their way to help. They always bring their enthusiastic energy to training classes, as well as always being welcoming to new volunteers, arranging meet-ups and walks with other local volunteers, and creating a wonderful community that is the embodiment of Hearing Dogs values."

As if this wasn’t enough – Malcolm and Cindy are also registered fundraisers and speakers for the Charity. They are always happy to get stuck in with local fundraising events like the recent Pets at Home fundraiser and Paws Appeal collections as well as coordinating local collection boxes and carrying out talks. Rachel Clarke, Community Fundraising Manager for Central East, has summed Malcolm and Cindy up in one line “Frankly, they are absolute super-volunteers!”