A DEDICATED volunteer who raised �11,000 for a hearing dogs charity in a year has been nominated for a national award.

Deborah Maloney could be named as Volunteer of the Year in the 2012 Specsavers Hearing Dog Awards in London on October 18 for her long service with the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People organisation.

When the Dock Road, Chatteris resident started to work part-time, she became a puppy socialiser to teach six hearing dog puppies the obedience skills they would need to assist their future masters.

From there she went on to hold regular talks with community groups about the charity’s work before organising collections outside Fenland shops.

A modest Mrs Maloney said: “When I got the news that I was through to the final I was really surprised and a little bit embarrassed.

“However I was happy to accept the nomination because it is for the team. A whole team of people are involved, not just me.”

Mrs Maloney said she was moved to get increasingly involved with the charity after seeing the impact a hearing dog could have on a deaf person’s life, particularly in terms of giving people companionship, confidence and independence.

“Hearing dogs are really needed and wanted.”

A spokesman for the Specsavers Hearing Dog Awards said: “Deborah saw off competition from dozens of other contenders from across the country to be named a finalist.”