Support dog Kelly is Edwinstowe girl Isobella’s hero

The 10-year-old, who attends Thoresby Vale Primary School, is autistic, has ADHD and can find the outside world overwhelming, leading her to lash out and have meltdowns.

Yet recently, she had a 160-strong audience gasping in awe when she gave a rousing speech during the annual graduation and awards ceremony held by the national Support Dogs charity.

And it was all because of and testament to her autism assistance dog, Kelly, a yellow labrador trained and provided by the Yorkshire-based good cause.

Isobella said at the ceremony: “This is a really special day because we are celebrating my best friend Kelly and her graduation as an amazing assistance dog.

Isobella lives with her mum, Chelsey Barnes and 12-year-old sister Esmee, who is also autistic

She was matched with Kelly in February 2024 and, following a year of putting into practice all she had learned from Support Dogs, Isobella, Kelly and Chelsey recently graduated.

Isobella continued: “We finally adopted Kelly on May 16, 2025.

“Since then, my life has changed completely.

"Kelly makes me brave.

"Before Kelly, going to places like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Smyth’s Toys was really hard.

"I get really bad anxiety when there are a lot of people and the noise is just too much.

"It actually hurts my ears sometimes.

“But now, with Kelly by my side, I can do all those things.

"She helps me feel safe and brave.

"She’s helped me go to the cinema, which is one of my favourite things to do now, she’s helped me go swimming, we’ve even been on holidays together, where we swam.

"That was the absolute best.

"Kelly is my best friend, if it wasn’t for her, I don’t know what I would be doing.

"She makes me a better person and she just gives so much love and support.

“Even sometimes when I’m upset from school, Kelly is there waiting for me.

"She gives me a big hug and makes me feel really content and happy again.

"She’s always got my back.”

Isobella thanked Support Dogs staff, including instructors Katie Childs and Rebecca Cochran, for helping to make their partnership possible.

Afterwards, mum Chelsey said of the speech: “She’d never done anything like that before, it was incredible.”

Isobella has no sense of danger and before Kelly bounded into her life, she would run off.

When she was aged around four, as her family were getting out of their car, she bolted and a passer-by had to grab her as she ran into the road.

In supermarkets, she would run off or throw herself on the floor, or hide items from the shelves.

When she was seven, a supermarket trip turned into terror when Isobella went missing, prompting security to man the doors.

Eventually, she was found hiding behind a toy display.

Chelsea, who is a tutor for autistic children, says Isobella is also ‘obsessed with water’ and she would often try to run into rivers and ponds and has jumped into the bath fully clothed.

And restaurant trips proved stressful, as Isobella would forget to close her mouth while eating, or spit food out, prompting nasty comments from other diners.

Chelsey, 46, said: “People don’t get it – looks would turn to disgust.

“But now Kelly’s here, Isobella is able to interact with the world, because Kelly has given her the confidence.

"I think she feels protected and that she has her best friend with her.”

Isobella didn’t speak until she was two and would try to run away from school.

It wasn’t until she was eight that she was diagnosed with autism.

Chelsey found Support Dogs on Instagram, following a recommendation by her paediatrician, and applied in 2022.

She said: “I cried when we got Kelly, the change that this wonderful, wonderful girl has brought our family is truly amazing.

"It’s life-changing, she’s our life.

“I think Support Dogs is fabulous.

"The way they help people and what they do, and the fact it is a charity providing its services free of charge, is incredible.

“Every person who works for the charity is truly wonderful – they are passionate, caring and empathetic and they give people a chance in life.”

To find out more about Support Dogs, visit supportdogs.org.uk or call 0114 2617800.