21 Apr 2026 Community

From a Love of Dogs to Supporting The Kirkwood: John Jackson’s Inspiring Story

A lifelong love of dogs has been transformed into a powerful fundraising project for The Kirkwood, thanks to the dedication and creativity of John Jackson.

John, who writes a monthly column in Emley Voices called Nero’s Notes, has spent much of his life working with dogs. From breeding and showing to judging and professional photography, dogs have always been at the heart of his story. Now, that passion has led to the creation of a unique book that is helping to support people across Kirklees living with life limiting illness.

“I write a monthly column in our local magazine, Emley Voices, called Nero’s Notes,” John explained. “Nero is my black Labrador, and the column is all about dogs and aimed at dog owners. Dogs have been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember.”

The idea for the book came after John read about the challenges facing hospices, including The Kirkwood: “I read an article about the plight of hospices and about The Kirkwood having to close beds and reduce staff,” he said. “I just thought that couldn’t be right. I’d often wondered about turning the stories I write into a book, and that felt like the moment to do it.”

What started as a personal idea quickly grew into a community-wide project. John invited fellow dog owners to submit their own stories: “I put an appeal out for people to write about their own dog, up to 500 words, along with a photograph, and I got a really, really good response,” he said. Inspiring the next generation. Wanting to make the project even more meaningful, John reached out to Emley First School.

“The headteacher, Helen Cameron, agreed, but only on one condition – that I brought Nero in and explained the project to the children myself,” he said.

Working alongside Julia Owen, who helped explain the role of a hospice in a sensitive and engaging way, John encouraged children to take part, whether they had a dog or not.

“I told them if they had a dog, they could write about their own. If they didn’t, they could invent one or write about somebody else’s,” he explained.

The response was remarkable. At the school, 90 stories were submitted from 125 pupils: “Some children submitted photographs, but nearly all of them created drawings instead, and they were absolutely fantastic,” John said.

“One little girl told us she was frightened of dogs, so she wrote about my next door neighbour’s dog instead,” he added. “Another child who was allergic to dogs wrote about a knitted dog. When you read it, you’d think it was real. The imagination was incredible.”

A project that changes lives For John, some of the most powerful moments have come from seeing the impact the project has had on the children themselves.

“We saw the little girl again who had told me she was frightened of dogs,” he said. “She ran up to Nero, gave him a huge cuddle and said to her mum, ‘That’s two dogs I know now.’ That was a very special moment.”

The book was officially launched at Emley Show, before being promoted at Christmas fairs, local dog shows and even Crufts, where it reached a national audience. “It’s one of those books that doesn’t need much selling once you explain what it’s about,” John said. “People understand it straight away and want to support it.”

The project has been supported every step of the way by the local community, including an anonymous sponsor who funded the printing of the book after experiencing the care of a hospice first-hand.

“They lost their partner to MND and said they couldn’t thank the hospice enough for what they did,” John explained. The book has even received royal recognition.

“We wrote to the Queen and within a week we had a letter back,” John said. “She said she thought it was a brilliant idea and was looking forward to reading it.”

A copy of that letter is now included with every book sold. Supporting The Kirkwood So far, the project has raised around £4,000 for The Kirkwood, with more fundraising still to come.

“The Kirkwood is extremely important to Kirklees,” John said. “People support hospices in principle, but until you actually see what they do, you don’t fully understand it.”

He added: “What really stayed with me was speaking to someone who had lost their partner. They said when he passed, they breathed a sigh of relief because of everything they’d both gone through. They said The Kirkwood had been brilliant. That says everything.”

Proud of something bigger Reflecting on the journey, John is incredibly proud of what has been achieved.

“I’m extremely proud of it,” he said. “It started with a love of dogs and became something much bigger, children writing stories, families contributing, and the community coming together to create something special that helps others.”

The book is available to buy in person, including at selected The Kirkwood shops, for £15. It can also be purchased online for £20 (including postage and packaging) via Etsy. You can buy the book here: 

As John continues to look at ways to expand the reach of the project, one thing remains clear, this is a story of community, compassion and creativity, all coming together to make a real difference.