GUIDE DOGS
Peterborough Mobility Team
Summer 2015
Welcome to our summer newsletter for 2015
Summer at last! I hope you are all out and about and enjoying life to the full.
Life in the team is busy as usual and we have had Pete Smith (our former Service
Delivery Manager) back in for a few weeks helping out with some visits. It was
lovely to see him and catch up, but more importantly good to get help out in the
field. Some excellent news - our new Service Delivery Manager Jemma Keegan has just
joined us, along with our two new fundraisers Mandy Loveder and Joy Porter-Toufik,
both newly in post. They’re all really keen to get out and meet you. In this summer
edition you will find lots of news including a reminder of our stakeholder events
across the counties.
Please enjoy the read.
Fiona Wright, Mobility Team Manager
Included here is a photograph of Fiona Wright.
Administration news: ADUK cards
If you’re still waiting for your ADUK (Assistance Dogs UK) card and have not sent
us a photo of yourself, please post it to the office.
Included here is a photograph of Jess and Tanya.
Hello from Alexandra Lowit (Alex)
I've joined the Peterborough Mobility Team as both a Support Worker for
Peterborough and Support Worker to Hayley Randall in Dog Care and Welfare. I've
wanted to work for Guide Dogs for a long time and it's been an absolute pleasure
getting to know some of our clients and their amazing dogs. I'm looking forward to
getting to know those of you I haven't spoken to yet – if there is anything I can
do to help then please get in touch by calling 0845 3727425.
In
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this issue
News
Service update
Volunteering news
Fundraising news
Campaigns round-up
Diary dates
News
Peterborough Police and Guide Dogs
Saturday 18 July
Calling all guide dog owners! If you fancy a trip to visit the wonders of
Peterborough City, please come and help out at our joint event for an hour on
Saturday 18 July.
This is a joint event with Peterborough Police and the purpose of the event is to
educate the public about the new dog legislation, responsible dog ownership, and
the problems caused by parking on pavements. It would be great for the public to
have the opportunity to talk with you to gain a greater understanding of how guide
dogs work, and not to fuss, distract or feed them!
If you can make this event please contact me either by e-mail on
helen.sismore@guidedogs.org.uk or call on 07795 611468. I can then draw up a rota
for one hour slots.
Event details
Saturday 18 July
Time 10.30am to 3.30pm
Venue Pitch 11, Bridge Street outside the Town Hall.
Nearest parking: Car Haven PE1 1YY (short stay), Pleasure Fair Meadow PE2 9PB (long
stay) or Queensgate.
Media will be invited.
The stand
Games to play whilst blindfolded such as “identify the smell”, “match the item”,
sighted guide 10-pin bowling (using plastic ball and pins), crazy golf to identify
street clutter, collection buckets, trading items and campaign messages - and also
the event van with sensory tunnel.
Activities
Sighted guiding – blindfold walk using blindfold and sim specs, long cane walks
(blindfolded), dog display by guide dog mobility instructors who will be on hand to
talk to the public.
Included here is the Cambridgeshire Police logo.
Access to Work (AtW)
From October 2015, there will be a limit of one and a half times average salary
(£40,800 at today’s rates) per year on the amount of support AtW provides to new
customers. People with a disability will also be given flexibility and greater
control over how they spend their awards through the introduction of personal
budgets later in 2015/16. Find further information at
http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-factsheet
Included here is the GOV.UK logo.
Walks on Wednesday!
Do you fancy enjoying a comfortable walk at Ferry Meadows, Nene Park, Peterborough?
If so, meet us at the Information Centre Café in Ferry Meadows at 10am. The walks
start at 10.15. Complimentary coffee and cake in the café afterwards.
“Walks on Wednesdays” are for everyone regardless of ability, mobility or
disability. Trained volunteers will be there to support and help as and when
needed. You only walk as far as you feel able to! If you’d like more information,
contact Jean Martin at City College Peterborough:
Martin@citycollegepeterborough.ac.uk or 01733 761361.
Included here is a photograph of Wednesday walkers at Ferry Meadows Nene Park.
Ask LILY – West Norfolk
The West Norfolk Partnership are reminding residents, their families and carers
that there is a central point for information for over 65’s living independently.
This information point is the LILY (Living Independently in Later Years) website.
This directory is free and impartial, and includes over 1,100 listings for such
things as health and wellbeing services and advice and advocacy. There is also a
helpline, where an advisor will navigate the site for you.
Please visit http://www.asklily.org.uk or call 01553 616200.
Included here is the LILY Logo.
Our services
My Guide
A client from our area has featured in this issue of the Forward magazine. Rebecca
received a family and friends sighted guiding session from Guide Dogs in December
last year. These sessions are informal and are tailor-made to your friends’ and
family’s needs. If you would like more information about the training or would like
to arrange a session then please get in touch with our My Guide Ambassador Kerry
Bradshaw on 0845 3727425 or kerry.bradshaw@guidedogs.org.uk
New team members
Hello, I’m Jemma Keegan, the newly appointed Service Delivery Manager. As we go to
press, I’m looking forward to joining Guide Dogs on 1 June, working from the
Peterborough office and out and about in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. I
join Guide Dogs from Cambridgeshire County Council, where I have worked for over a
decade delivering and making improvements to services for children, families and
adults. I look forward to learning all about how Guide Dogs delivers services that
make a difference to people with sight loss, and to working alongside our many
clients, volunteers, staff and partners to ensure the ongoing quality of these
services. Please feel free to contact me with any queries, comments or feedback,
and I hope to meet many of you over the coming months.
Mobility Team Service User Representative
I am here to support service users, acting as a confidante and advocate. At the end
of last year I was fortunate to attend the Service User Representative conference.
The conference is a means for reps to feed back service users’ opinions on Guide
Dogs. If you do have any concerns or feedback then please get in touch so I can
address them at the annual conference later on this year. If you want a chat then
please get in touch by either calling me on 07468 711911 or e-mailing
Ami.Turnbull@guidedogs.org.uk.
I am on a working group focused on Friends of Guide Dogs, which aims to get people
connected and more involved with issues that really matter. If you are not already
signed up you can join for free at http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/friends. This is an
exciting initiative and anyone can register. If you have any feedback or
suggestions for developing this further then please do get in touch so I can pass
them on.
Included here is a photograph of Trent, Ami’s retired golden retriever, Ami
Turnbull and Keiran, Ami’s working shepherd retriever guide dog.
Volunteering
Welcome to Guide Dogs!
New volunteers received a warm welcome to the charity at our first "welcome day".
The volunteers paid a visit to our Peterborough office and had the opportunity to
learn more about the charity Guide Dogs; the team covering East Anglia, what they
do and how volunteers can get involved; as well as where volunteers can find
information and support.
They were put through their paces by our My Guide Ambassador Kerry, who taught them
how to safely guide someone who is blind or partially sighted. Liz and Katy-Ann,
two of our Volunteer Voices representatives, were also on hand to chat with those
attending.
Pictured here is volunteer Sally guiding a blindfolded Patricia along the pavement.
Can we hear your voice?
Our Volunteer Voices group met in April to discuss topics including Guide Dogs Week
2015, the recent volunteering survey, when puppies get placed with volunteers and
how new volunteers should be introduced to fundraising groups.
The group has been running for almost three years and is comprised of seven
volunteer representatives who shape what happens on a local and national level
within Guide Dogs. However, we know there are more voices to be heard.
That’s why we’re sending feedback cards and a bite-size volunteering update to our
lead volunteers before each meeting, so they can share it with other volunteers.
You can give volunteering feedback to a Volunteer Voices representative, to the
Peterborough office or a lead volunteer. The representatives’ contact details are
on the back of the feedback card or in your local volunteer welcome booklet.
If you’d like to request one of these please e-mail daniel.ingram@guidedogs.org.uk
or call 0118 9838741.
Included here are two speech bubbles “You spoke, we listened; Volunteers making a
difference".
Fundraising
Fundraising group creation – we need you!
Andrew Pearson
Would you like to fundraise for Guide Dogs whilst making new friends and having fun
at the same time?
As Group Fundraising Development Manager for Guide Dogs my role is to recruit
volunteers to form new fundraising groups across East Anglia.
The existing fundraising groups do a fantastic job in raising much needed funds for
Guide Dogs, by running fundraising events in their area. Events may range from
street/store collections, coffee mornings and quiz nights to large charity balls.
We provide mobility and freedom to many people with sight loss, but we could do
much more with your help.
Each group requires a coordinator, treasurer and maybe a trading secretary, along
with other willing helpers to assist with fundraising. Some groups organise an
event once a month, some two or three a year; all fundraising is appreciated.
At many of our events we get help from guide dog owners and puppy walkers who often
bring along their dogs. There is full support from me in creating a group.
If you are interested in creating or joining a group please contact me, Andy
Pearson, Group Fundraising Development Manager on andy.pearson@guidedogs.org.uk or
07468 711796
Pictured here is Andy Pearson with guide dog Honey.
Guide Dogs Week: 3 to 11 October 2015
I know, I hear you say, no sooner has the last Guide Dogs Week passed us by than we
are looking to arrange the next!
Let us know what you are planning to raise much needed funds and raise awareness of
the work we do. Contact the office on 0845 3727425 or e-mail
peterborough@guidedogs.org.uk and we can promote your events on our social media
pages.
Campaigning
Norfolk Police taking preventative action to help reduce dog attacks in Norwich
Have you ever felt fearful, anxious, or nervous about walking through an area in
Norwich or District because a dog was a potential threat to you and your guide dog?
If so, please let us know as we want to compile a collection of experiences. You
don't have to have experienced an attack, as this initiative is about preventing
potential dog attacks from happening.
Please e-mail me helen.sismore@guidedogs.org.uk or ring the office on 0118 9838741
or 0845 3727425 with information. We can report this information to the police and
they will send PC’s to the area to educate the public. This information will help
us to monitor whether a social change has taken place. If this is successful it
will be an excellent model to roll out to other forces – but we need your help to
do this.
Blindfold experiences
It’s been a busy start to the year for blindfold walks - in Cromer, with the High
Sheriff of Norfolk, Lady Dannatt; in Cambridge with the High Sheriff Linda
Fairbrother; and in Ely with the Lady Mayor Elizabeth Every. Further blindfold
walks are awaiting confirmation with the new Mayor of Great Yarmouth, and BBC Radio
Norfolk. Watch this space!
Included here is a photograph of Helen Sismore sighted guiding Lady Dannatt.
Simon’s debut at Westminster!
Simon Daws was invited to attend this year’s Guide Dogs parliamentary reception on
10 June. Simon has been instrumental in raising awareness of the problems caused by
parking on pavements in his area. Our parliamentary reception this year focused on
the Streets Ahead campaign, in particular pavement parking. The Private Members’
Bill ballot took place after the reception.
The reception was a way of engaging with MP’s on this issue after the election, and
hopefully influenced MP’s who were selected in the Private Members Bill ballot to
take forward a bill on pavement parking. Holding the reception directly after the
general election provided a fantastic opportunity to engage with MP’s new and old,
to ensure issues affecting guide dog owners were brought to MP’s attention.
Included here is a photograph of Simon Daws.
Events
What’s on
Branch opportunities
Stamford and District
JUNE
Sunday 28 June: Stamford
Lions Fun Day Meadows Stamford (Outdoor event)
SEPTEMBER
Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 September
Land Rover
Burghley Horse Trials at Burghley House Stamford (Outdoor event)
** FREE ** Low Vision Day Events
Peterborough Low Vision Day: Thursday 24 September 2015 10:30am to 3:30pm Westgate
Church & Centre 68, 68-70 Westgate, Peterborough, PE1 1RG. Contact Mandy Thompson
at info@mypab.org.uk putting LV Day in the subject line.
Lowestoft Low Vision Day Monday 22 June 10am to 3pm, Lowestoft 60 plus Club,
Clapham Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 1QS. Contact Alison on 01473 611011.
Felixstowe Low Vision Day Wednesday 30 September, 10am to 3pm
The Salvation Army, Cobbold Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 7EL. Contact Alison on
01473 611011.
Norwich Guide Dog Forum *** All welcome ***
Annessley Hotel, Norwich. 10 June 2 to 4pm. Information and area campaign news. £1
for tea or coffee. Contact Scott Vallance 01692 581589
*** Advance notice of client and supporter events 2015 ***
Peterborough
2 September at Becketts Chapel, Minster Precincts, Peterborough Cathedral
Peterborough PE1 1XS. Main entrance via the Norman Arch or off Midgate. Nearest car
parks are Queensgate multi storey or Bishops Road PE1 1YZ
Bury Saint Edmunds
10 September at Southgate Community Centre, Caie Walk, Bury Saint Edmunds, Suffolk
(IP33 2PJ post) *** SAT NAV IP33 2QA *** Bus routes are from stand 10 or 12 from
the bus station to Heron Road and takes about 20 mins max from the bus station.
Taxi from train station and close to A14. You can check the venue at
http://www.southgatecommunity.org.uk/bookings
Kings Lynn
23 September West Norfolk Deaf Association Railway Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE30
1NF. Parking Saint James multi Storey PE30 1BT.
Start time 10.30 to 3.30pm. The format will be a mixture of presentations and
workshops for clients and supporters of Guide Dogs.
Guide Dogs: 63 Broadway, Peterborough PE1 1SY
Tel: 0118 9838741 e-mail: peterborough@guidedogs.org.uk
website: http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/peterborough
Registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and in Scotland (SC038979)