East Lancs guide dog ‘Bene’ to be named after a top tipple (From Lancashire Telegraph)

East Lancs guide dog ‘Bene’ to be named after a top tipple

10:00pm Friday 19th October 2012 in News By Chris Adams

East Lancs guide dog ‘Bene’ to be named after a top tipple

A SOCIAL club whose members are planning to sponsor a guide dog are to name him after their favourite tipple – the liqueur Benedictine.

Burnley Miners Club fundraising support group is beginning a final push towards their target of £5,000 after already hitting the £3,000 mark.

The dog, will go by the 'spirited' name of Bene, inspired by the herbal liqueur produced in France by monks.

The Plumbe Street club already has a lounge named after the drink, whose popularity in East Lancs is put down to First World War One soldiers who acquired a taste for it while in northern France. The inspiration for adopting an animal came from guide dogs Demi and Uska, who are familiar faces at the Miners’ Monday Club, where they stop off with their owners Ann Kay and Brenda Midgeley.

The pair proved such an inspiration to stewards and regulars that they were made honorary members last December.

And guide dog another pup, Breeze, has also had a paw in raising cash for Bene.

Mick Igoe, from the fund-raising group, said: “The club is reputed to sell the biggest quantity of the drink in the world.

“We have a lounge called the Benedictine Lounge, so you can see the connections. We’ve done brilliant with the fundraising so far and we just need a little more help from the people of Burnley to finish the job.”

Today before the Burnley vs Blackpool game the group, along with Demi and Uska, will carrying out a bucket collection day from 2pm.

They will visit pubs and clubs under the culvert and near the Turf Moor.

On Friday, October 26, the group are holding their annual guide dog fund night of entertainment at the Miners Club.

Tickets on sale costing £2 with four musical artists on the night along with raffles, a tombolas and a grand auction.