Take a look

Made by TBTL

The Jungle Book

Friday 15 November - Sunday 12 January | Various times
CP BSL AD

Tinsel

Tue 10 - Sat 28 December

Donate

Support our work

Become a member

Become a member today and join a community of theatre lovers

Max’s 15th Birthday – The Glorious 12th

Max’s 15th Birthday – The Glorious 12th

Fri 12 Aug | 7.30pm

Join Kerry, Paddy and Harry* for an evening at Theatre by the Lake to celebrate Max’s 15th Birthday, the Glorious 12th August, 2022.

It’s ‘just a dog’ you’ll hear them say. Max is much more than ‘just a dog’. In fact if truth be told, you wouldn’t be reading this right now if not for Max.

You see he saved me from an illness that unwittingly brought me anxiety, panic attacks, an incredible guilt complex, sleep deprivation, the feeling of being worthless, to being an unwanted burden, the loss of friends and of all my confidence. It was an illness that put me in a downward spiral, very near to the edge of ending it all.

Max gave me back my self esteem, brought me a brighter future, introduced me to a new thought process. He gave me the will to see in the next day, the next week, the next month. He gave me hope, showing me the freedom of being outside once again, walked patiently beside me and helped conquer my fears, diverting my darkest thoughts to a much better and happier healthier place.

Telling our story may go a little way to repaying Max, but the debt is much larger than that. Max showed me the very essence of a true companionship. Max helped me win my personal battle with depression. He’s my miracle dog.

Ours is a story that deserves to be heard so others may find a common ground, a new friendship, their own reason to smile again, their voice and just possibly the courage to look for help in their greatest time of need.

“Are you ready, Max? If anyone’s going to help me do this, it’s you.” – Kerry Irving

In 2006, Kerry was involved in a car accident that changed his life forever. Once a cyclist, Kerry now faced significant injuries and a long, grueling road to recovery. Grappling with this reality and his newfound chronic pain, Kerry slipped into depression. Then, his neighbor’s dog, Max – an energetic Springer Spaniel – entered his life. Kerry began taking short walks to regain his strength, and Max tagged along. Max helped Kerry find hope during the darkest time of his life – one step, and paw, at a time. Kerry eventually adopted Max and grew his pack with the addition of two more spaniels, Harry and Paddy.

Join Liz Stevenson at Theatre by the Lake as she chats with Kerry about the memories of Max, joined by the rest of the pack, Paddy and Harry.*

*Theatre by the Lake only allows assistance dogs into the theatre, but have made special arrangements for Paddy and Harry to join us on the night – we’re VERY excited!

Overview
Theatre by the Lake (Studio)
£13
Running time: 90 minutes (45 minutes in conversation, 45 minutes audience Q&A)
Access
Wheelchair & other access booking available via Box Office or online by filling in our access register.

Who is Max?

Max the springer spaniel gained an international following thanks to his adventures captured on social media by his owner Kerry Irving. The popular dog supported more than 10,000 people through meet-and-greets, charity walks, appearances and school visits in his fundraising efforts. He was awarded the animal equivalent of an OBE and raised more than £370,000 for charities and supported people through the COVID-19 pandemic. Max passed away this year, 2022 but Paddy and Harry are keeping his memory living on.

Who is Kerry?

He is the owner of Max, Paddy and Harry, author of Max the Miracle Dog and with the help of Max he has raised thousands of pounds for various charities.

16-MILE REMEMBRANCE WALK
On November 12, Kerry Irving set out on a 16-mile walk with his dogs, Harry and Paddy, to raise funds for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that supports children & young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Thousands of Facebook followers tuned in for his live GPS tracking feed as he and his pups braved gale force winds, torrential rain, and the steep walk over Catbells in Keswick, England. As followers cheered him on from afar, their donations came flooding in. Kerry’s initial target was £20 000, but he far exceeded that – raising over £41 000.
In addition to raising money for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, Kerry raised awareness. His Facebook post about the fundraiser gained 14 000 likes and 1 700 comments.
A year prior, Kerry raised £17 000 for this same charity. Combined with this year’s event, that’s a total of £58 000 raised for children who’ve lost a parent in the Armed Forces.

Learn More about Max the Miracle Dog and Kerry, Paddy and Harry HERE