Korean War veteran Peter Robinson MBE, 77, has spent much of his life dedicated to supplying puppies for training for the 'Guide Dogs for the Blind Association'. His 26-year campaign has seen him collect literally billions of used postage stamps from across the UK, Spain and the rest of Europe, which he turns into cash to buy and train the guide dogs.
Guide Dog
In 2005, on Peter's last visit to Club La Costa, he was collecting for puppy number 48, for which the company's contribution was 1,798,492 stamps. Now, just 3 years later he is working towards his 57th puppy and Club La Costa Resorts and Hotels have once again agreed to help Peter in his quest, by asking employees and guests at each of their 22 resorts in Spain, Tenerife, England, Scotland and Austria to collect and donate their used postage stamps to the cause.
The task is truly gargantuan! To pay the £36,000 needed for 1 dog and all the costs of its 18-month training programme, Peter has to collect 1 tonne of stamps. Sounds straightforward enough, until you do the maths!
Peter spends several months in Spain each year, and is so well known on the Costa del Sol that the Fuengirola Post office has even given him his own special post box to house the millions of stamps that arrive, some simply addressed to 'The Stamp Man, Fuengirola'!
Anyone can help in this huge collection. If you are visiting or working at any one of the 22 resorts in the Club La Costa Resorts and Hotels portfolio, simply drop your used stamps into the reception desk, and the company will ensure that they reach Peter's campaign HQ.
For more information on Guide Dogs for the Blind Association visit www.guidedogs.org.uk