GUIDE DOGS
Shrewsbury Mobility Team Newsletter
Autumn 2014
Welcome From The Team
Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Shrewsbury newsletter.
We have been really busy at the Shrewsbury team, training guide dogs, increasing the number of buddy dogs, working with more visually impaired children and young people and training more volunteers as sighted guides to assist people in their community. We support more people than ever which is great news for the team, but this work couldn’t be done without the dedication and commitment of our volunteers.
At our recent boarder thank you event, I realised how much our volunteers do for the Shrewsbury team and that people often have more than one volunteering role.
This unstinting support has enabled us to grow our services. To all our volunteers, whether you are a boarder, a branch member, a driver, a puppy walker or one of the many, many other volunteer roles in the organisation, from the Shrewsbury Team, thank you.
Colin Elliott – Mobility Team Manager
Pictured here are Chris Heywood and the Shrewsbury Mobility Team boarders.
News
Updates From Around The Area
We are pleased to welcome Alli Richardson as our new My Guide Ambassador. Allison replaces Hannah who moved to our Birmingham team - good luck Hannah! To find out more about My Guide and to help make a difference to the life of a person living with sight loss, please contact Alli Richardson on 01189 838756 or e-mail: allison.richardson@guidedogs.org.uk
We are also pleased that Branwen Jones joined us in August as a Habilitation
Specialist for Children and Young People.
Last but by no means least Gemma also joined the team as an additional Support
Worker.
Pictured here are Ully, Hector and George with their welcome sign.
This year we have updated our boarder training with information on dog behaviour, health and tips on dog handling.
All boarders will need to be retrained, and should book a place through the office on: 01189 838756.
Could you or someone you know help raise the next generation of guide dogs?
We urgently need puppy walkers in Shropshire, Staffordshire and the Black Country.
If you have time, patience and a love of dogs, you could become a volunteer puppy walker, playing a vital role in the early socialisation and education of guide dogs.
For further information on puppy walking please contact Volunteering on 0845
3717771 or e-mail volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk
Speaker Karl Denning delivered an inspirational talk to a school in Oldbury with his dog Quasia, and the feedback speaks for itself:

“I just wanted to extend a huge thank you to yourself for organising the visit from
Karl and Quasia. They were both absolutely fabulous. The children were mesmerised and very interested.
“Could you please send our thanks to them both and say that they were an inspiration. We are going to look at ways that we can fundraise next academic year and I myself feel inspired to become a volunteer and maybe support a blind person with going out shopping etc.”
Pictured here is guide dog Quasia, lying patiently on the floor.
The infamous team “Fire walk” is back again this year in Shrewsbury Market Square on Wednesday 17 September at 6pm.
If you would like to take part in the shortest sponsored walk you will ever do, and show your dedication to Guide Dogs by walking on fire for us please contact Sarah on: 07785 433266.
Registration is £30 and there is a £70 minimum sponsorship. Limited places are available, so book soon to avoid disappointment.
Pictured here is Danny Gleeson, Service Delivery Manager walking on hot coals.
Our Services
Amazing Buddy Dogs
Our buddy dog numbers are growing and we have matched two this year. It is so encouraging to hear what a difference these dogs have made. One mum said:
"Before she used to sit alone at school, during the lunch breaks with a teaching assistant, but since having her buddy dog she has found the confidence to go up to other pupils and start talking to them. She is so passionate about her buddy dog.
She has now made several new friends and rarely sits alone at school."
Another said:
“She's like a magic plaster for the whole family - we all go out for walks together now."
Included here is a photograph of buddy dog Ursula with her owner Abigail.
An Update From Our Service User Representative
Life as your Service User Representative remains busy. I recently met with trustee
John Everitt whilst at the Shrewsbury team. I updated him on issues affecting service users locally.
I was also interviewed as part of the team’s continual improvement assessment which gave me an independent forum to discuss how the team supports us as clients.
Finally I was pleased to attend this year’s See Hear Exhibition, in Shrewsbury. I met guide dog owners old and new as well as talking to potential clients for the future. However, my main job is to represent you so please do get in touch via email: eleanor.roberts@guidedogs.org.uk
or phone on: 01952 825139.
Pictured here is Eleanor Roberts with her guide dog Woody.
Volunteering
Induction Days
This year the team has been holding several volunteer induction days. The day includes an introduction to members of the team and plus the opportunity for sighted volunteers to learn how to safely and confidently guide someone with a visual impairment. Our new volunteer, Julie said:

“The induction day was very good. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had a very enjoyable day. The afternoon session had quite a big impact on me - it has really made me stop and think and to understand better why Guide Dogs do the work they do.
This is something everyone should have the opportunity to do.”
We are keen to see more volunteers at these sessions - if you want to reserve a place, please contact Valerie Jobes in the Shrewsbury office on 01189 838756 or email: valerie.jobes@guidedogs.org.uk
Included here is a photograph of Valerie Jobes, volunteer consultant.
Volunteer Voices
Our Volunteer Voices group continues to meet three times a year – the last meeting was on 3 July. We are working towards improving the links between the representatives and the wider group of volunteers. We posted details of the agenda on our “Local To You” webpage http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/shrewsbury/volunteer and will be posting a short summary of the discussions there too. The next meeting will be held at the beginning of November.
If you want to contact your representative, or comment on an agenda item, or are interested in becoming a representative, then please contact Valerie Jobes.
Fundraising
Sarah Goes Back To University
In July we worked with Wolverhampton University on their Science Festival.
Community fundraiser Sarah Knox and guide dog owners Karly Denning and Eleanor
Roberts met 11 schools from across the borough, and gave them a taste of life living with sight loss.
Questions from the children were varied but our favourite was “why is your dog so special?” and Eleanor replied “because without Woody I couldn’t go out”.
Charity Of The Year Catch Up
We caught up with the Mayor of Burton-on-Trent who chose us as his Charity of the
Year. We were generously presented with a cheque for £3,038 which they hope will go on to name a puppy called Dexter.
This year three Mayors have chosen us as their charity of the year - Stone,
Stafford and Dudley.
On 24 July the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Margaret Aston bravely accepted the challenge of a blindfold walk with one of our training dogs.
For further information about getting involved in fundraising locally, please contact Sarah Knox, community fundraiser on: 07785 433266 or e-mail: sarah.knox@guidedogs.org.uk
Pictured here is the Mayor of Burton-on-Trent with his chosen charities.
Campaigning
Together We Can!
We have been campaigning locally about parking on pavements and audio visual (AV) announcements on buses.
Following on from the work with Hazel in Tunstall, we managed to get local MP Joan
Whalley and the Mayor of Stoke to take a blindfold walk.
Their blindfold walk took them onto the bus which the Mayor described as “really scary but a useful insight into how difficult life can be with blindness”. Then around Tunstall where they came across many vehicles parked on the pavement.

Joan Whalley MP is keen to support our Talking Buses campaign and confirmed she will be insisting that First Buses in Stoke include AV on the 10 new buses they have on order.
Included here is a photograph of Joan Whalley MP, Hazel Wilson and guide dog Tilly and the Lord Mayor of Stoke.
Educating Planners
Guide dog owner Lin Stapley recently challenged the Shrewsbury Developing Highways
Area Manager to a blindfold walk with a guide dog.
Following the walk Richard said “This was a daunting experience and it made me realise just how much we take our sight for granted. Highway engineers work hard to balance out the needs of all road users and there are tools we use in particular for partially sighted and blind people, however it can be very difficult for us to appreciate all of the difficulties and dangers people with sight problems encounter on our streets.”
Pictured here are Richard Harman and GDMI Alan Collier with guide dog Viking.
Events
What's On
Dogs Unite
Saturday 4 October
National Trust, Attingham Park, Shrewsbury
Sunday 12 October
Chasewater Country Park, Burntwood
Contact Sarah for further information
Tel: 01189 838756
Pictured here is the Dogs Unite! logo.
Guide Dogs Week
Saturday 4 – Sunday 12 October 2014
“Stand Out” for Guide Dogs. There are lots of ways that you can get involved and support us to make this Guide Dogs Week amazing.
Contact Sarah for further information
Tel: 01189 838756
Included here is a photograph of someone walking on hot coals.
Halloween Dogs Unite event
Friday 31 October
Annual fancy dress event at Trentham Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Contact Sarah for further information
Tel: 01189 838756
Pictured here is the Halloween event, with supporters wearing fancy dress.
Guide Dogs Christmas Celebration
Saturday 6 December at 6.40pm
Saint Chads Church, Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury Light Orchestra
Tickets £7 or Concessions £5
Contact Laura for further information or to book tickets Tel: 01189 838756
Included here is a close up photograph of a sleeping guide dog puppy, lying next to a wrapped present.
Follow and like Guide Dogs at:
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/GuideDogsShrewsbury
Twitter: @GDpuppyZeus
@GDpuppyUlrich

Guide Dogs England Suite A and C, New Zealand House, 160-162 Abbey Foregate,
Shrewsbury, SY2 6FD
Tel: 01189 838756 e-mail: shrewsbury@guidedogs.org.uk
website: http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/shrewsbury
Registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and in Scotland (SC038979)