K9 Focus founder Lynne named as finalist in animal charity awards

A North Devon animal champion and founder of the K9 Focus charity Lynne Hall has been named as a finalist in the prestigious Petplan & ADCH Animal Charity Awards.

Lynne, from Great Torrington, is one of three finalists in the Volunteer of the Year category for the 2025 awards, which will be held on Thursday, May 8 at the ICC in Telford, hosted by TV presenter Fern Britton.

Lynne set up K9 Focus with her husband Nick to rescue and rehome unwanted and abandoned dogs, some of which were days away from being killed after being dumped in pounds.

The charity is run entirely by volunteers and in more recent times has expanded to include a rescue and adoption service for cats too, as well as a free pet bereavement service.

Now in their 13th year, the Petplan & ADCH Animal Charity Awards highlight the outstanding contributions of animal charities and non-profit organisations throughout the UK, Ireland, and Channel Islands.

In collaboration with the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH), the awards acknowledge the dedication of individuals and teams involved in animal rescue and rehoming efforts.

It features three categories - Volunteer of the Year, Team of the Year, and Employee of the Year.

Commenting on her nomination, Lynne said: “It is a true honour and privilege to have been nominated for this award especially when you consider the thousands of volunteers nationwide that do such incredible work.

“To win this award would simply be amazing - not just for me but to recognise the dedication of the whole team and the time they give to helping animals in need.”

Petplan’s director of trading, Jo Maclennan, added: “Our partnership with more than 1,200 animal charities allows us to see daily the hard work and dedication of the staff and volunteers who do so much to help the animals in their care.

“The Petplan & ADCH Animal Charity Awards are our way of expressing gratitude and recognising the exceptional contributions of all the nominees and finalists.”

You can find out more about K9 Focus at https://www.k9focus.co.uk or visit https://www.petplan.co.uk//about-petplan/charityawards to read more about the awards.