FORWARD: Spring/Summer 2022 Guide Dogs presents the Spring/Summer 2022 issue of Forward, the official Guide Dogs magazine. Introduction This document contains every part of the print version of Forward, and in the same order as that used in the print edition. Guide Dogs Forward The Guide Dogs magazine Spring/Summer 2022 A paw for our Patron HRH The Countess of Wessex visits our Reading Hub Inside: the power of partnership at Crufts Golden oldies: what happens when a guide dog retires? Find out more about our My Time to Play programme On the front cover is a photograph of our Patron, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, on her visit to our Reading Hub. She is helping a black Labrador guide dog in training make a clay pawprint, to celebrate the redevelopment and designation of the Reading Hub as the Reading Community Team’s new home. Contents Regulars – Welcome from the CEO Regulars – News Guide Dogs’ latest stories Regulars – Guide Dogs in the media We’ve been on your screens, radios, in print and online Regulars – Star news Find out which Harry Potter star visited our National Centre Regulars – On the campaign trail Features – Golden oldies: what happens when a guide dog retires? Features – A breed of their own Features – The power of partnership Features – Teddy and Phil’s story Features – Kate’s story Features – Making over our Name a Puppy scheme Regulars – A day in the life of… Dan Hutton, Academy Learner Guide Dog Mobility Specialist Regulars – Thank you to our supporters Features – Our Patron visits the Reading Hub Features – My Time to Play Regulars - Congratulations to our new partnerships Regulars – Letters & Caption competition There’s something different about guide dog mum Vixen’s new litter Regulars – In good company Promotions Contact details – arising from the articles in this edition of Forward Included here are six photographs. The first is of seven-year-old Nell Sutton playing at home. Nell, star of a Guide Dogs television advert and a service user, is now starring in a new Netflix series, All The Light We Cannot See. The second is of a man with his yellow Labrador guide dog, who is being assisted on a railway station platform by a member of railway staff. The third is of eight Guide Dogs staff members, who are each holding two of guide dog mum Unity’s record-breaking litter of 16 guide dog puppies. The fourth is of a retired German shepherd guide dog on a walk on moorland. The fifth is of seven-year-old vision-impaired Teddy Tutin and dad Phil using an iPad at home. The sixth is of our Patron, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, meeting a black Labrador guide dog in training at our Reading Hub. Subscription enquiries: You’re receiving this copy of Forward magazine as one of our valued supporters. Forward is available in standard print, Braille, large print and audio CD formats. It’s also available online as an accessible PDF, as a plain text document and as audio files at www.guidedogs.org.uk/forward. If you no longer wish to receive this magazine, or if you wish to change the format in which it’s sent to you, please contact us on 0800 953 0113 or via guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk. Editorial contributions: Send your stories to Forward by email to forward@guidedogs.org.uk or by post to the Head Office address below. Unfortunately, due to the volume of ideas we receive, we cannot acknowledge every item. We reserve the right to edit or refuse. Founding Editor: The late Captain Nikolai Liakhoff MBE FRZS Registered Head Office: The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, Hillfields, Burghfield Common, Reading RG7 3YG Tel: 0118 983 5555 Web: www.guidedogs.org.uk Email: guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk © 2022 Registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and in Scotland (SC038979) Any products or services advertised in Forward by third parties are not in any way endorsed by Guide Dogs, and Guide Dogs shall not be responsible for the accuracy of any information contained in such advertisements nor has it investigated or verified any of the information. A welcome from Tom At Guide Dogs, we’re busy working extremely hard to get us back on track because, even though Covid restrictions have completely lifted, the effects of the pandemic sadly still aren’t over for us. There’s been a significant “long Covid” impact on the number of partnerships we’ve been able to create, such as dogs requiring longer training times or ultimately not being successful due to a lack of socialisation as young puppies. This means that, for many people waiting for a guide dog, their wait has increased. We know that when you’re waiting for a life-changer, the wait can feel like a lifetime. But there are certainly lights on the horizon. We have more than 80 new frontline staff in training this year (meet one on page 23), and we plan to recruit a further 200 over the next three years – our Guide Dogs Academy will provide the charity with a pipeline of Guide Dog Trainers and Mobility Specialists. Our Standardised Training for Excellent Partnerships (STEP) and Puppy Raising for Excellent Partnerships (PREP) programmes continue to go well, and we’re also making good progress with our plans to regenerate our sites. Our Newcastle Community Team has found a new home and, at the time of writing, were preparing to move in. We’ve also now appointed contractors to redevelop our Regional Centre in Redbridge, near London. I really enjoyed attending Crufts in March, what with all the Channel 4 coverage, having a guide dog partnership as finalists in the Hero Dog competition, and our amazing main ring show presentation. Even though it was just after our 90th anniversary, it felt like a fitting end to our celebrations – read pages 16-17 for more. It was also a pleasure to take part in the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April, where I took the chance to meet as many of the incredible 190 Guide Dogs runners as I could. It was inspiring talking to people about their support, and I was very appreciative of Team Guide Dogs cheering us along at miles nine and 11. Finally, Dolly, the guide dog mum that my wife Charlotte and I care for, has been mated with a yellow Labrador called Carlo. By the time you’re reading this, she’ll be very close to giving birth, if she hasn’t already. All the girls from her litter are already earmarked as future guide dog mums, and we’re delighted Dolly is making such a wonderful contribution to the guide dog programme. With best wishes, Tom Wright CBE Chief Executive Guide Dogs @TomwrightUK on Twitter Included here are two photographs. The first is of Tom Wright CBE, Chief Executive, holding a young golden retriever guide dog puppy. The second is of Tom competing in the London Landmarks Half Marathon, wearing Guide Dogs running kit and acknowledging support from the crowd. News Star of Guide Dogs advert appears in Netflix series Nell Sutton, a longstanding service user and the star of a Guide Dogs television advert, has secured another major acting role. Seven-year-old Nell, who has sight loss, has been cast in All The Light We Cannot See, a four-part Netflix adaptation of the Pulitzer prize-winning novel by Anthony Doerr, also starring Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie. We’ve supported Nell, who lives in Llwyngwril in North Wales with mum Rachel, dad Paul, older brother Isaac and little sister Martha, with our children’s services since she was a year old. Rachel got in touch with the casting agents after spotting an online appeal for a vision-impaired child to star in the programme. Rachel said: “Winning this role sends a positive message to young people with sight loss that you can do what you want to do.” Included here is a photograph of Nell playing at home. Ready, set, go! Your chance to run for Guide Dogs Guide Dogs’ Events team has places at two upcoming running events for anyone who would like to raise life-changing funds to help those living with sight loss. Those joining #TeamGuideDogs will receive a specially designed Guide Dogs running top, plus dedicated support and a host of other resources. The world’s biggest half marathon, The Great North Run, is on 11 September, with an iconic city to sea course from Newcastle to South Shields. For more information go to www.guidedogs.org.uk/greatnorthrun. The Royal Parks Half Marathon, an autumnal race showcasing some of London’s world-famous landmarks, takes place on 9 October – visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/royalparksoctober for more. For those who don’t run, other volunteering roles are available at both events – find out more by emailing eventvolunteers@guidedogs.org.uk. Railway station safety funding confirmed We’ve had confirmation that funding has been secured to install tactile paving on railway station platforms by 2025, ahead of the deadline previously stated. We’ve been working alongside other campaigners and sight loss organisations on the need for tactile paving for many years, but this issue came to the fore following the tragic death of a man with sight loss called Cleveland Gervais at a London station two years ago. Tactile paving is not just an accessibility measure, it is essential for keeping people with sight loss safe at railway stations and allowing them to travel independently with confidence when using the UK’s rail network. We will continue to work with the rail industry to ensure measures are in place to raise awareness of stations where warning tactile paving is not yet fully installed. Included here is a photograph of a man with his yellow Labrador guide dog, who is being assisted on a railway station platform by a member of railway staff. Volunteers’ Week 2022: A Jubilee special As always, Volunteers’ Week – the annual celebration of volunteers – took place between 1-7 June, but this year it coincided with The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend to commemorate HM The Queen’s 70 years of service. Across the country, we held our Local Volunteer Awards events in recognition of our volunteers’ contribution within their communities and the invaluable help they give to Guide Dogs and people with sight loss. Over the weekend, The Big Jubilee Lunch saw volunteers everywhere take part in online get-togethers, park picnics, street parties, and more. And in case anyone was in any doubt of the public’s appreciation of volunteers – there was also a “Cheers for volunteers” on Thank You Day. For Volunteers’ Week 2022 highlights, search for “awards and recognition” on www.guidedogs.org.uk. Access With Confidence virtual workshops As part of our continuing work to educate guide dog owners about their access rights with their guide dog, we’re now running virtual Access With Confidence workshops. Hosted by our Access, Information and Empowerment Officers (AIEOs) these sessions will equip guide dog owners with the knowledge and skills they need to confidently challenge shops, restaurants, taxis or other business/service providers should they be refused access or be treated less favourably due to having a guide dog or sight loss. These informal workshops are held every two months, lasting up to two hours. For further information and to book a place, call Guide Line on 0800 7811444 or email information@guidedogs.org.uk. Refer to page 12 to learn more about our new Open Doors campaign. New Fenella Smith range on the Guide Dogs Shop A new collaboration with British design brand, Fenella Smith, is now available from www.GuideDogsShop.com. The By My Side ceramics collection celebrates inspiring and life-changing guide dog partnerships and includes four mugs, which come as a set or individually, a dog bowl and a treat jar, each with beautiful hand-drawn illustrations of dog breeds from the Guide Dogs family. Fenella Smith said: “As lovers of all things animal and especially dogs, at Fenella Smith we want to play our part in helping support Guide Dogs.” The collection is also available from www.FenellaSmith.com, as well as selected stockists across the UK, with a percentage of the profits donated to Guide Dogs. Included here is a photograph of somebody holding one of the new mugs, which has illustrations of three different dog breeds. E-scooter research E-scooters are becoming more and more common on our roads, especially in areas with rental schemes. However, e-scooters are almost silent, which means that people with sight loss have little or no warning that they are approaching. Even a near miss with an e-scooter can rob people with vision impairments of their confidence to go out independently. We have carried out research into vision-impaired people’s experiences with e-scooters. We found that out of the people that had encountered an e-scooter, 72% had had a negative experience. This is a worrying trend, and the Campaigns Team are working proactively to address these safety concerns. Included here is a photograph of somebody riding an e-scooter. Introducing Viewpoint Guide Dogs is recruiting for a new online community made up entirely of people with sight loss called Viewpoint, which is now open for service users, volunteers, or indeed anyone with a vision impairment to join. We’ve created Viewpoint because we want to better understand the opinions of people with sight loss, to help us improve what we offer as a charity. Members regularly take part in interesting research activities such as surveys, polls, discussions and focus groups. We’re sure it’ll prove a great way to get your voice heard. Visit www.guidedogsviewpoint.com to find out more. Included here is a photograph of somebody typing on a laptop. Making All Things Equal In December, we launched our All Things Equal campaign for children and young people with vision impairments. We want to ensure that every child with a vision impairment has access to the specialist support they require to reach their full potential. The campaign has been going from strength to strength ever since, and more than 3,000 people have signed our open letter. We’ve been talking to MPs about the experiences of children with vision impairments in the classroom so that they can better understand the support that children need to thrive. We’re preparing a response to the Government’s Special Educational Needs and Disability consultation to ensure that children with low-incidence, high-needs conditions are supported, and to reduce the postcode lottery of services. Included here is a photograph of a vision-impaired child who is colouring in a picture. In memory of three dedicated Guide Dogs volunteers Sadly Guide Dogs has lost three long-standing volunteers who dedicated decades of their lives to helping people with sight loss to live the lives they choose. Bryan Garnham BEM passed away shortly after being presented with Guide Dogs’ Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award in November last year. Bryan was described as the “stalwart” of the Bury St Edmunds volunteer group, having been fundraising for Guide Dogs for more than 50 years. Shirley Curtis passed away in December, having been a Puppy Raiser in Chesham, Buckinghamshire from 1986 to when she moved to Devon in 2002, raising 17 puppies. She was also an avid fundraiser, especially in North Devon where her stalls are sadly missed. Ruth Warrington also passed away in December. Ruth and her husband Tony lived in West Kirby, Wirral, and together puppy raised at least 40 pups. They also ran the South Wirral fundraising group for many years. Included here are two photographs. The first is of Bryan Garnham BEM at a Guide Dogs event. The second is of Shirley Curtis relaxing on holiday. Media highlights Guide Dogs in the media When German shepherd guide dog mum Unity gave birth to a record-breaking litter of 16 healthy guide dog puppies, images of the adorable litter appeared on BBC Breakfast as presenter Phil Mackie visited our National Centre to report back to the studio. Kay Burley presented a piece on the litter on her Sky News breakfast show, while BBC Radio 2 mentioned the story in their hourly news bulletins. Photos also appeared in a host of print media and on their websites including the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Star, the i paper and Metro. Included here is a photograph of eight Guide Dogs staff members, who are each holding two of guide dog mum Unity’s record-breaking litter of 16 guide dog puppies. BBC One’s Casualty featured the dramatic and emotional tale of a character called Julia and her guide dog. We worked closely with the BBC to make sure the depiction of a guide dog partnership was as accurate as possible, advising on the storyline where we could and providing a guide dog in training called Luna. Our expert training behaviour consultants were on set at all times to ensure Luna was happy in her starring role and portraying a guide dog positively. Julia and Luna appeared in series 36, episode 20, which is available on BBC iPlayer until February next year. Included here is a photograph of yellow Labrador guide dog in training Luna on set. We released a light-hearted video of the burning questions that children would like to ask someone who’s blind or partially sighted. Siobhan Meade was quizzed by primary school children from Benfleet in Essex and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, with questions including how Siobhan chooses her clothes and applies make up, to how she gets around with her guide dog Marty. Our video appeared on Sky News with Kay Burley, in the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express, The Sun and even the New York Times. Additionally, there were more than 70 pieces of local media coverage, plus seven local radio interviews with Siobhan. Included here is a photograph of Siobhan being quizzed by two school pupils, with her black Labrador guide dog Marty sitting beside her. Our survey of UK dog owners revealed that sadly as many as 75% of pet dogs show signs of poor mental health, including loss of appetite, destructiveness and hyperactivity. To battle the boredom, we released canine enrichment guidance, encouraging owners to try out new fun activities with their dogs such as foraging games, food puzzles and “sniffari” walks. Our findings and advice featured throughout the national press in print and online including in The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Star, Daily Express and The Guardian. Included here is a photograph of a yellow Labrador sniffing a food puzzle. Star news Harry Potter star visits National Centre Star of stage and screen David Bradley visited our National Centre with his grandchildren to have a guided tour and meet puppies who are set to change the lives of people living with sight loss. David said: “It was fantastic to visit the centre and find out more about the charity and the journey of a guide dog, from the breeding programme to being partnered to support someone with sight loss. The highlight was meeting the puppies who will hopefully go on to become life-changing guides.” David is an avid supporter of the charity and has sponsored puppies Comet, Cookie, Berry and Felix for his granddaughter Illy, two of which have already gone on to become qualified guide dogs. Included here is a photograph of David Bradley and his grandchildren. His grandson is holding a yellow Labrador puppy and granddaughter Illy is holding a black Labrador puppy. Nicky Campbell – Crufts ring master Broadcaster and self-confessed dog lover Nicky Campbell explored the wonderful world of Guide Dogs when he hosted our 25-minute main arena demonstration at Crufts 2022 which celebrated our extensive expertise and the essential role of our volunteers. Included here is a photograph of Nicky Campbell with a German shepherd cross Labrador guide dog in training at the Guide Dogs stand at Crufts. In the running Guide Dogs Ambassador Jess Impiazzi led the celebrities running the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April. Running for the second time, Jess said: “When my mum Debbie lost her sight, the help from having a guide dog gave her her independence back so she could live her life to the full again! I was so pleased to run the London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise money for this amazing charity so that they can keep changing the lives of those with sight loss!” Included here is a photograph of Jess Impiazzi at the London Landmarks Half Marathon, wearing Guide Dogs running kit. Kitchen hacks with Amar Latif To support the launch of our videos aimed to help vision impaired people with tips for undertaking day-to-day kitchen tasks, TV presenter and star of Celebrity MasterChef 2019 Amar Latif shared his own kitchen hacks. One of Amar’s tips included the safest way to chop vegetables, whether or not you have sight loss. He recommends tucking your fingers back so you’ve got your knuckles against the flat of the knife – to keep your fingertips safe – and keeping your knife at 90 degrees to your board. Amar said: “It feels a little bit weird when you first do it but take your time and get practising with it.” He also joked about the advantages of chopping while blind: “I can’t see my knife. I can’t see my fingers. So, I can’t see any problems!” Included here is a photograph of Amar Latif at work in the kitchen. Campaigning On the campaign trail This year, we’re launching our new Open Doors campaign to help end access refusals for people with guide dogs. Access refusals, where someone is denied entry to a shop, restaurant, taxi or other business or premises because they have an assistance dog with them, are sadly all too common. Our research in 2019 found that 42% of assistance dog owners had experienced an access refusal in the last 12 months, and one in five had experienced an access refusal at least once a month. These incidents, which are illegal, can prevent assistance dog owners from going out and about with confidence. Guide dog owners have told us they’d like more support with access refusals, and in response we’ve developed an app to make it easier to report access refusals and get support from us. This app is a quick and easy way to report access refusals, or educate businesses on your access rights. You’ll also be able to ask us for more support with an access refusal by using the app too. It will also help Guide Dogs, because one of the challenges we have is demonstrating to politicians and businesses the scale of access refusals. By making it simple to report access refusals, we hope to improve the information we have on when they’re happening and where, so we can notice any patterns. The app can be downloaded for free on all phones, just search for the Guide Dogs app in your app store. That’s not all we plan to do on access refusals this year. Our Open Doors campaign will see us work with businesses to encourage them to make sure they have open doors for guide dog owners. We’ve got lots of activities coming up, so check for updates. We’ll also be looking at what more politicians can do, and how the law might be strengthened to stop access refusals from happening. No-one should experience an access refusal and if we all work together, hopefully we can stop them from happening. Included here is a photograph of a guide dog owner having coffee with a friend in a café. Special feature Golden oldies: what happens when a guide dog retires? We often get asked what happens to guide dogs when they reach the end of their working lives. Retirement can be a sensitive time for both the dog and guide dog owner, and our staff do their best to support the partnership through what can be a difficult period. Some owners keep their dog after retirement. This can be a great solution, as it minimises change for the guide dog and preserves the amazing bond between dog and owner. Sadly, this just isn’t a possibility for everyone. Some guide dog owners might need a new working dog and may not be able to manage two dogs in their home, while some may struggle to provide their retiring dog with enough company once the dog can no longer go out everywhere with them. In these cases, guide dog owners often nominate a friend or family member that they think can give the dog a suitable retirement home. All homes are fully vetted by our expert rehoming team, using an in-depth assessment process. Nominated homes are a great option for guide dog owners who may not be able to keep the dog themselves, but feel more comfortable with the dog going to someone they know. There are lots of benefits to this approach – often the dog will already know the person and, in many cases, have stayed with them before, which makes the move much easier. The guide dog owner will also know the new home, which makes staying in touch throughout the dog’s retirement very straightforward! Where a guide dog owner can’t keep their retiring dog and there’s no nominated home, our rehoming team will make sure they find the perfect retirement home for the dog. We’re lucky as we receive thousands of applications to rehome our dogs each year, and so our Rehoming Officers are able to make sure they’re making the perfect match – whether it’s with a member of the public, or even someone the dog already knows. Many rehomers and guide dog owners choose to stay in touch throughout the dog’s retirement. Sometimes dogs will even go back to the Puppy Raisers who looked after them for the first year of their life! It’s incredible how well dogs remember these amazing volunteers, even if they’ve not seen each other for years. To find out more about rehoming a retired guide dog, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/rehoming. Included here is a photograph of a retired German shepherd guide dog on a walk on moorland. Volunteering A breed of their own What does it take to love and nurture one of our future life-changers? Meet a couple of Puppy Raisers and Fosterers who put aside their emotions to help create amazing partnerships. It takes a special kind of person who can love and let go for the greater good. That’s what all our volunteer Puppy Raisers and Fosterers have in common. Together, these volunteers provide the early foundation and ongoing education, support and care for dogs destined to help people with sight loss. Kirsty and Phil, Puppy Raisers In 2019 Kirsty and Phil became Puppy Raisers after feeling inspired by Phil’s teenage home life – his parents raised six puppies for Guide Dogs! Now both in their early 30s, the couple are onto their second guide dog puppy. Kirsty said: “We’d been building up to having a dog for a while, but eventually decided it would be a better idea to be Puppy Raisers. We’re so glad we took the plunge. If you’re in a similar situation to us and love animals, we would definitely recommend being a Puppy Raiser. It’s such a rewarding experience.” All Puppy Raisers – new or experienced – receive training and support on Puppy Raising for Excellent Partnerships (PREP) – our new standard way to raise puppies, which prepares them for their adult training. Phil said: “Support is always there when you need it. We can call [Puppy Development Advisor] Jo any time in the day and there’s a Facebook group. Plus, there’s a 24-hour emergency line for during the night or over the weekend.” As a Puppy Raiser, a big part of the role is socialising your puppy in different environments. Kirsty said: “We’ve taken both dogs everywhere with us ? to the local shops, to restaurants, to pubs and on transport. We like to go on holiday, and if we want to get away, we can drop the puppies at a volunteer Fosterer rather than a kennel. “The downside of course is that you do have to say goodbye one day. But ultimately you get this sense of fulfilment that your puppy is likely to go on to be an amazing dog that will change somebody’s life. That trumps everything.” Included here is a photograph of Kirsty and Phil, with yellow Labrador trainee guide dog Elizabeth, relaxing at home. Terry and Margaret, Fosterers Apart from Puppy Fosterers, there are Training Fosterers like Terry and Margaret who provide a temporary home for dogs undergoing training during the week. The couple tell us why they like fostering: “You’re giving the dog a chance to live with you and you have the chance to live with a dog and you’re providing it with security while it’s learning to do a super job.” A typical week sees them doing the morning drop off with their current dog, Bumble, at a Guide Dogs site followed by evening pick up: “So through the week Bumble goes into training and then when she comes back, she comes home and chills out. We then have her all weekend, and that’s when we go on free runs.” For Terry and Margaret, there is a bittersweet side to the role as they recall how they felt when they finished fostering for the first time. Terry said: “When we took our first dog, Carli, back to the centre to go with a lady who’d been matched with the dog, I had a tear in my eye because it was very difficult parting with her. “But it doesn’t matter how much it hurts us. We’re giving somebody independence. Somebody is going to have a really lovely companion.” Included here is a photograph of Terry and Margaret, with yellow Labrador trainee guide dog Bumble, relaxing at home. Why we need more Puppy Raisers and Fosterers Like all our volunteers, Terry, Margaret, Kirsty and Phil play an important role in helping people with sight loss to live the life they choose. As volunteers who love and look after our dogs, they make our guide dog service possible. In 2020, the pandemic brought immediate disruption across our organisation, including how we breed, raise and train our dogs. Despite these challenges, we’re working hard to create guide dog partnerships. Our breeding programme continues to make up for lost time with more puppies born every month, which will increase the number of dogs going into training in the long term. Moreover, we recently set up the Guide Dogs Academy, which provides training and development opportunities for people who want to become Guide Dog Trainers and Guide Dog Mobility Specialists. This will allow us to train more guide dogs in future. While these initiatives are great, we realise that the impact of “long Covid” will be with us for some time. To help with our progress, we will need more volunteers in all roles, including Puppy Raisers and Fosterers. Every day we’re welcoming new volunteers who want to support us. If you would like to find out more about Kirsty and Phil, or Terry and Margaret, or any other volunteering roles, please visit the volunteering section of our website. For more information about the impact of Covid-19 on Guide Dogs, please search “Our Covid story” on our website. Crufts 2022 Demonstrating the power of partnership at Crufts Whether you’re a supporter, volunteer, staff member or you use one of our services, chances are that someone will have asked you “How do you train the dogs?” They’re probably asking how we teach an adult dog the guiding behaviours they will use in their working life, but Guide Dogs’ approach to teaching our dogs goes far wider than that – and at Crufts dog show in March this year we got to show the whole process. We were first asked if we’d like to do a presentation in the main ring for Crufts 2021, to mark our 90th year, but Covid halted the show in its entirety. However, we were back in 2022 with a stand where the public could meet our people and dogs – and see the main ring show presentation on the last evening. The ring show gave us a unique opportunity to raise awareness of our charity and show a huge audience, in person and online, what we do – and how we do it. We chose “The Power of Partnership” as our theme, highlighting the trust and connection at the core of our work. It allowed us to show the importance of using positive reinforcement training (PRT) at every stage – it was certainly key to preparing these dogs for unfamiliar environments full of lights, people and new experiences! We were lucky to have broadcaster Nicky Campbell helping us with the presentation, and he moved through the stages of our dogs’ lives, asking questions about how our consistent approach helps to raise calm and confident dogs. The show started with Dave Kent, who has been partnered with guide dogs for more than 40 years. He spoke about their different personalities and characteristics, and how they’ve been suited to him at different stages in his life. Dave provided an excellent introduction to the “behind the scenes” look at creating these exceptional partnerships. Starting at the beginning with breeding, we explained how we care for our guide dog mums and dads, and the scientific expertise which goes into creating our future life-changers. Nicky met some of the wonderful volunteers who care for the dogs and have the rewarding but intense experience of having puppies born in their home and getting them off to the very best start during their first few weeks. Puppy Raising was next, with volunteers and dogs exploring their surroundings and the pups showing great confidence in a new environment. Then our trainers and mobility instructors showed how we “shape” behaviours using reward-based training, always giving the dogs a choice in whether they participate in training and husbandry. The concept of choice is important in developing the trustful relationship between person and dog, and it’s key to us understanding our dogs and meeting their needs. To finish we came back to Dave, who talked with great emotion about the impact of his guide dogs on his life. He said: “I’ve lived a life nourished by guide dogs, and the care and support I’ve received.” It was clear how connected everyone (including the dogs) was with what they were doing. It was a show full of movement – while Nicky was talking in one area, partnerships were actively practising in every other phase, and at every stage it was obvious that despite the lights, the crowds and the noise, the dogs were confident and happy in what they were doing. “The Power of Partnership” ring show gave us a great platform to show how the same core principles connect all stages of the journey of creating a partnership. Our world-leading scientific research programme, Born to Guide, helps us to breed dogs with the right health and temperament to become successful guide dogs, and this connects into Puppy Raising for Excellent Partnerships (PREP), which continues to roll out to our Puppy Raising volunteers as they get a new puppy. The rewards-based foundation of PREP puts the young dogs in the best place to enter formal training, where Standardised Training for Excellent Partnerships (STEP) takes over, using the same principles to build on the dog’s early life experiences and trusting relationships with people. And throughout, “Ethos”, our new dog behaviour monitoring system, lets volunteers and staff report on their dog’s behaviours, supporting the individual dog but also providing valuable feedback about our dogs as a population. The whole system works in a circle to continue to help us improve the dogs that we provide to people with sight loss. A huge thanks goes out to everyone who helped with Guide Dogs at Crufts 2022. Volunteers, service users, staff – and of course the dogs themselves – came together to show the depth and breadth of our work, and the result was an impressive sight. The Power of Partnership, indeed. Find out more You can find the ring show, complete with an introductory video, on YouTube via the link www.TinyURL.com/GuideDogsAtCrufts2022. Included here are two photographs. The first is of Dave Kent with 25 Guide Dogs staff and eight dogs, who were all involved in the event. The second is of Nicky Campbell in the ring during the presentation, as a trainee guide dog is learning to find the button at a pedestrian crossing. Stories Teddy and Phil’s story When seven-year-old Teddy Tutin was diagnosed with a vision impairment, his dad Phil turned to Guide Dogs for help. Initially searching for services for his son, Phil discovered that the first step to helping Teddy would be making sure he had the emotional support and knowledge he needed. Phil said: “When Teddy was born, I didn’t know he had a vision impairment. It wasn’t until I realised he wasn’t reaching for things, and then when he started to crawl and walk he would always bump into things. I had his eyes tested and he was diagnosed with macular dystrophy. “After the diagnosis, I felt really alone and low. When someone tells you your child is never going to be able to see as well as other children, you don’t know what that world is going to be like. I found it overwhelming. I didn’t know what Teddy’s future would look like or how I needed to help him. “The hospital pointed me towards some services and gave me different leaflets. I remember one of the consultants saying I should contact Guide Dogs. I was taken aback, almost offended. I’d only just found out there was something wrong with Teddy’s eyes and to go from that to getting a guide dog is quite a jump. I didn’t realise all the other services that Guide Dogs offer for children and families. But I was clutching at straws so reached out to them. “From the first call, Guide Dogs were so open, supportive and kind. They listened and they clearly understood what I was up against as a parent. They knew that the best way to help Teddy was to also help me. “One of the first things they did was to invite us to a family day at a farmyard. It really opened my eyes to the kind of support on offer. It was a fun day for Teddy, he had the biggest smile on his face all day. For me, there were all sorts of different workshops about tax support, education, supporting Teddy into adulthood, occupational therapy, adaptions around our home etc. There were lots of people explaining all the different sections of help that we’re going to need at some point. It was a great introduction. “After the first family event we attended a family weekend at a hotel in Windermere. That’s where the real work began. I started to realise how much support I was going to need. They had parent support groups which were brilliant, and a special seminar for dads, which was the breakthrough for me. I listened to other dads sharing their stories and realised that I needed to get my head out of the sand and accept that Teddy’s life was different to how I thought it would be. I needed to pick myself up and start getting him the help he needed. That seminar really softened and healed me. “Guide Dogs provided childcare and activities for Teddy over the weekend, so I was free to take in all the information. Everyone from Guide Dogs was ready to listen, I felt so looked after. They told me that whenever I needed help, I could call them and they had a team of people who could support me. “After the weekend away, I felt empowered and hopeful. With the support of their specialist education team I was able to fight to get Teddy the Education Health Care Plan he needed. They have the experience to know common pitfalls and challenges. With Guide Dogs on my side, I was able to get Teddy an education plan that included one-to-one support, a weekly visit from a QTVI who helps make a plan for his week ahead, touch typing and pre-Braille training. “I also joined an online parent support group via Zoom. Listening to other parents’ experiences and hearing from the expert speakers was like walking down a path that others had been down before me. They shared real ideas and solutions, like recommending the Yoto audio player which Teddy can operate himself to listen to stories. Things like that give him a bit more independence. We also benefited from the Guide Dogs Tech for All initiative, which provided Teddy with a free iPad so he can develop his technology skills too. “Guide Dogs have shown us what life can be like and what opportunities are out there. They’ve given us both the confidence and support to feel like we can navigate this journey. It’s a huge amount of responsibility for a parent, to be the one that can illuminate the path ahead. But Guide Dogs did that for me, so that I can do it for Teddy. “Since Guide Dogs have come into mine and Teddy’s lives, it’s strange to say, but I really feel like they’ll always be in our lives now, whenever we need them. “I don’t feel lost any more, as I know Guide Dogs aren’t going anywhere.” Included here are three photographs. The first is of Phil pushing Teddy on a swing. The second is of Phil hugging Teddy while on a walk. The third is of Teddy and Phil on the sofa at home, pulling funny faces and posing for the camera. Stories The sky’s the limit for Kate Many people choose to leave a legacy to Guide Dogs as they know our services and guide dog partnerships can offer people with sight loss the chance to live a life of freedom and independence. We’d like to share the inspirational story of Kate, who was able to follow her dreams thanks to her guide dog, Teal. Kate said: “When I met Teal, I was very nervous but as soon as I had hold of her harness and we were out walking, it was like she was an extension of my arm. I was sobbing because I didn’t have to use my stick any more. Being able to walk with my head up and not be worried about tripping or falling was overwhelming. The first time that we went out alone together, I felt so confident. I felt that I could do anything, go anywhere, see anything and be anyone.” Kate was born with congenital albinism and some other conditions which seriously affected her eyesight. Growing up was difficult. Kate added: “It was all very confusing and there was no additional support available at school. I was always told to just get on with it.” Kate spent many years trying to find a job that would fit her physical capabilities, often dealing with workplace bullying because people did not recognise the challenges that she was having to cope with. While Kate was struggling to look after her seriously ill mother, Kate’s daughter said: “For goodness’ sake, Mum, why don’t you get a guide dog?” Kate contacted Guide Dogs and was soon visited by Dee, an Orientation and Mobility Specialist, who Kate said: “gave me all the answers to all the questions that I had, and addressed all the self-doubt that I had been carrying for years.” Having Teal by her side has certainly opened up the world for Kate, who is now studying history at Winchester University. As well as her studies, Kate is an active member of a choir and is on the committee of several societies. She also has plans to do a charity tandem skydive this year so, for Kate, as long as she has the support of her loving family and her “fairy-dust sprinkled” guide dog Teal, the sky really is the limit. To find out more about gifts in Wills, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/giftsinwills. Included here are two photographs. The first is of Kate and black Labrador guide dog Teal on campus at the University of Winchester. The second is of Kate and Teal sitting together outside. Name a Puppy Making over our Name a Puppy scheme with a little help from the Guide Dogs family Our Name a Puppy scheme (NAP for short) gives our supporters the unique opportunity to name a guide dog puppy, putting them at the heart of a pup’s story as they aspire to become a life-changer. As well as the gift of a name – the first and most important word a pup will learn – supporters follow their journey with us, gaining exclusive insights into Guide Dogs’ world. Anyone who raises or donates over £2,500 can Name a Puppy whether as an individual, in memory of a loved one, with friends or a social group, or with colleagues as a workplace fundraiser. Sal Chapman, National Name a Puppy Product Manager, said: “We’ve had fantastic feedback over the years but with technology progressing and our services expanding, we wanted Name a Puppy to reflect this. “At Guide Dogs, we pride ourselves on listening to everyone in our family – whether that’s the people we support, our volunteers, or those who kindly fundraise or donate. Last year we embarked on a project to rejuvenate Name a Puppy, so we set about talking, but most importantly listening, to everyone involved – from supporters who have named puppies, to our account managers and volunteers, to the teams creating our bespoke “Pupdates”. We wanted to hear their thoughts about NAP and, more importantly, how it could be improved. “After a great deal of thought, time, and effort, we’re delighted with how NAP looks. Everything has had a facelift, from our Name a Puppy leaflet to what a supporter can choose to receive. Our web pages look fantastic in our refreshed brand colours, too.” Now, instead of following a pup to a specific milestone, every supporter will find out what role their puppy has fulfilled. Sal said: “I think it’s wonderful that everyone gets to hear what happens to the puppy they’ve named, whether they go on to be a guide dog, help a young person with sight loss as a buddy dog, or make a difference in another way. Each puppy’s or dog’s emotional and physical welfare is central to everything we do, and we firmly believe we should celebrate every named pup. “We aspire to a future where every single guide dog puppy is named or sponsored. I’m confident that our new-look NAP will help us to do just that.” Visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/nap to find out more. Included here is a photograph of a young yellow Labrador puppy playing on the grass. A day in the life of… Dan Hutton, Academy Learner Guide Dog Mobility Specialist Dan Hutton joined Guide Dogs this year through our Academy, which is how we recruit, train and retain our Guide Dog Mobility Specialists and Guide Dog Trainers. He is based in the Leeds team and has come to us after working in the Royal Air Force and the police. Dan said: “Every morning we get together to look at the day ahead. Then it’s straight into learning. The range of resourcing and learning types means that each day varies – we have lots of class and hands-on sessions, which is great because you learn from each other as well as from Hannah, our Technical Learning Specialist. That’s balanced with e-learning and time for private study, so it’s a good mix of theory and practice. “We break for lunch – it’s great being based within a working team because even when you’re not officially in a session, you’re still watching the qualified GDMSs and GDTs in the office, and it’s such a friendly team, people are really supportive and helpful. “In the afternoons we put it all into action – working with the dogs, getting to grips with using clickers to mark behaviour and then rewarding, so the dogs know what to repeat. It looks really simple when the experts do it, but timing is everything and it takes a while to get it right! “We’ll finish the session by settling the dogs back in their pens – that’s their space where they can relax, and it’s really important that we can read their body language, make sure they’re calm and happy, and leave them to their downtime. We’ll regroup to discuss things and share any difficulties – again that supportive environment gives people confidence to share! Then it’s home to my own dog, a ten-month-old German shepherd called Roxy. She’s loving my new job as she gets all the benefits of what I’m learning every day! “As a police officer I had the opportunity to help people, often at a really difficult point in their lives, but this role gives me the chance to make a longer-term impact and see that benefit through. I had worried about my lack of dog training experience, but I realise now that this is as much about working with people as with dogs, particularly in sensitive circumstances. As Hannah says “If you’ve got the right mindset, we can teach you the rest!”” Included here are two photographs. The first is of Dan with a yellow Labrador trainee guide dog. The second is of him dressed in a dog suit at a Guide Dogs stand. Supporters Dear supporters, It’s been brilliant reading about all your fantastic fundraising feats so far this year. We’re loving your energy and enthusiasm – whether that’s taking on a marathon like Scott Cunningham, or leaping from a plane like Levi Niemann! Thank you to each and every one of you who has taken the time and effort to raise money for Guide Dogs in your own way. You’re helping us to make sure that people with sight loss can live the life that they choose. With best wishes for a wonderful summer. Deborah Bourne Interim Director of Fundraising Mandy Pike is raising money to name a guide dog puppy in memory of her first guide dog, Fable, who passed away earlier this year. As Forward went to print, Mandy had collected almost £2,500 from walking the Itchen Navigation in Hampshire with friends, family and volunteers guiding her. Mandy explained why she wants to name a puppy: “I promised Fable I would keep living the life she showed me was possible.” Included here is a photograph of Mandy and black Labrador guide dog Fable. Lewis Christensen, from Newport in South Wales, did a month-long walking challenge around his local park to raise £903. The 28-year-old administrative assistant was accompanied by Susan Taylor, mother of his fiancée, Sophie Taylor. Lewis developed the autoimmune disease uveitis aged 15 and lost the sight in his left eye six years ago. He has now applied for a guide dog to help him get around, and for companionship and emotional support. Included here is a photograph of Lewis and Susan in their local park. More than £5,000 was raised by supporters donning tartan and taking on Glasgow’s Kiltwalk in April. Participants set off from a sunny Glasgow Green and finished in the idyllic surroundings of Balloch, Loch Lomond. John Garvie, part of Team Blindswept and Interesting, said: “I’m currently waiting on dog number eight and I can’t wait to get back to doing all the things I did before. Sometimes I wonder where my life would be without my guide dogs.” Included here is a photograph of John Garvie and the team after finishing the Kiltwalk. A tractor run in Pembrokeshire inspired by a vision-impaired teenager has raised £5,620. Jackie and Nigel Williams, of Croesgoch Farm Stores in Haverfordwest, held this year’s run for Guide Dogs Cymru, which has helped their 14-year-old grandson, Toby, face life with sight loss. Annette Peter and her guide dog Morgan, of Haverfordwest, with volunteers Martin and Maureen Burgess, accepted the cheque on behalf of the Pembrokeshire fundraising group. Included here is a photograph of the Pembrokeshire tractor run, with Toby, Annette and her yellow Labrador guide dog Morgan, and other supporters. Staff and customers at The Victoria Inn B&B in Witton-le-Wear, County Durham, raised £183.88 from their counter-top collection box. Landlord George Hall said: “When the bar team win the weekly quiz their winnings always go into the donation box, and customers regularly put their spare change in.” Included here is a photograph of Stella, the Victoria Inn’s pub dog, sitting next to a Guide Dogs counter top collection box. Roley Greenwood from Colchester, Essex, has supported Guide Dogs for more than 10 years, raising funds through coffee mornings, selling daughter Susan’s cakes, holding raffles – whatever he can think of! After retirement, he took up wood turning and every year, sells his work at a workshop. At these well-supported events, Susan also makes hot food for donations, and the last workshop in October raised more than £700. Included here is a photograph of Susan and Roley. Theo Harvey in Aberdeenshire has named his fourth guide dog puppy Kit, after his brother Christopher, after raising a total of more than £10,000. After naming pups “Theo” and “Harvey”, 15-year-old Theo then named a third pup William, after his grandad. Theo, who lost his sight due to a brain tumour at the age of nine and now has a buddy dog, raises money through running challenges, tandem bike rides, craft fairs and a variety of other activities. Staff and customers at a Morrisons supermarket in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, have named a second guide dog puppy. The branch held a variety of in-store activities to name 14-month-old Hope. Julie Scott, Community Champion, said: “When we heard we’d reached our fundraising target during the pandemic, we decided on the name Hope as it seemed fitting for us, looking forward to the future.” Staff are now planning to name a third puppy. Included here is a photograph of black Labrador puppy Hope with two members of the Morrisons team. Scott Cunningham MBE of Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, ran the Manchester Marathon in April in memory of his third guide dog, Milo. Scott said: “It was an incredibly emotional race, filled every step of the way with magnificent memories of Milo. I cannot thank the kind supporters enough. Every penny means so much and it is a testament to what Milo meant to so many.” As Forward went to press, Scott had raised more than £800. Included here is a photograph of Scott, in Guide Dogs running kit, running the Manchester Marathon with his guide runner. Levi Niemann from Maidenhead, Berkshire, was partnered with guide dog Hugo in 2018. Since being able to rebuild his confidence and live independently again, Levi has volunteered for Guide Dogs. Most recently he completed a skydive, raising more than £2,000. Levi said: “It was truly momentous as I have never flown before. This has been a longstanding dream of mine, and I am so grateful to everybody who has supported me in this endeavour.” Included here is a photograph of Levi during his skydive. Patron visit Extending the paw of friendship to our Patron, HRH The Countess of Wessex We welcomed our Patron, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, to Guide Dogs’ Reading Hub in March to introduce and showcase our services for children, young people and families, and to highlight the importance of our guide dogs in training. As the visit coincided with World Book Day, The Countess read with five-year-old Everly, who uses our CustomEyes service. CustomEyes makes large print books for children and young people with vision impairments, and The Countess also toured the hub to see how the books, which are customised to meet each child’s specific needs, are made. Nigel Betts, CustomEyes’ National Development Manager, explained the production process to The Countess, and introduced her to his team. Afterwards, The Countess met staff from the Children and Young People’s Services team, who provide life-changing support for children and families affected by sight loss. The Countess heard about our Tech for All service, which provides free assistive technology, and met 10-year-old Zannah, who showed The Countess how her tablet helps her. The Countess also met some children and their families with buddy dogs. Her Royal Highness was then given a guide dog training demonstration by our expert trainers, and Emma Hills, Training and Behaviour Advisor, introduced some of her colleagues and their dogs. There was also a moment when The Countess made a hand imprint in clay, marking the redevelopment and designation of the Reading Hub as the Reading Community Team’s new home. She also helped a guide dog in training to make a clay pawprint, to go alongside her own. Kerry Kernan, head of Guide Dogs’ Children and Young People’s Services, said: “We were absolutely delighted to meet The Countess and showcase our life-changing children’s services. While we’re well known for providing guide dogs, we’re also the largest provider of services for children and young people with sight loss in the country, and we’re really grateful for The Countess’ keen interest and passion for this area of our work.” Included here are five photographs. The first is of Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex helping a black Labrador guide dog in training make a clay pawprint. The second is of her sitting with and reading to Everly. The third is of Nigel Betts showing her a CustomEyes large print book. The fourth is of her chatting to Zannah, who is holding her tablet. The fifth is of her at the training demonstration, as a black Labrador trainee guide dog is practising on an obstacle course. My Time to Play Let’s make time to play Our My Time to Play programme helps babies and toddlers with sight loss (aged from birth to four) build a whole host of skills through fun and supportive group sessions. Since launching in April 2021, initially via Zoom, more than 90 children and their families have taken part in the programme, which runs over seven sessions led by our expert Habilitation Specialists. Play is very important in all children’s early development, helping them learn about the world and themselves, but for a child with a vision impairment, this happens in a different way. My Time to Play focuses on encouraging children to use their non-visual senses to build their practical skills and confidence, from rolling, sitting and crawling, to using a spoon or learning to put clothes on. Each session is structured around activities such as songs, movement and a sensory story that is brought to life through touch, taste, smell or sound. Amy Gordon, who runs both in-person and virtual sessions in Leeds, explains: “For the popular children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, we explore the story using food. Watermelon is cut into chunks, triangles and mashed so children can taste, hold in their hands or even squish their feet in it, while for We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, we set up a sensory trail, filling foil trays with twigs, water and chocolate Angel Delight “mud”.” For the virtual sessions, parents receive a list of materials in advance, mainly everyday household items. The positive impact on participating children is wide-ranging and long-lasting. “One little girl was struggling to make friends as she wanted to touch other children’s faces, which non-vision impaired children didn’t understand. She made loads of friends in our session, as other children were discovering things in the same way,” says Amy. “I’ve also noticed how much more independent children become as they grow familiar with the sessions’ routine, letting their parents take a step back while they take the lead.” For parents too, My Time to Play provides peer-to-peer family support, often at a difficult time when they’re coming to terms with their child’s sight loss. Amy adds: “Many families stay in touch afterwards, with those further along their journey keen to share their own experience and support parents who’ve recently received a diagnosis.” Amy concludes: “Delivering My Time to Play has been absolutely incredible. So many children don’t get any habilitation support until they start formal education and it’s the ideal setting to start conversations about other support options. That can be really life-changing for families.” My Time to Play is free and runs virtually across the UK, with in-person sessions also now offered in some areas. Find out more at www.guidedogs.org.uk/mttp. Sarah and Alfie’s story Sarah took part in My Time to Play’s virtual programme with her son, Alfie. Sarah said: “Even after Alfie’s diagnosis of nystagmus at about three months old, I still wasn’t sure how to help him. I was left to do my own research and came across the Guide Dogs website when I was trying to find information about sensory playgroups. “I’d tried to find sensory groups for Alfie, but they’re not always inclusive and it’s really upsetting to see him left out. When Guide Dogs told me about the My Time to Play programme I jumped at the chance – it was exactly what we’d been looking for. “It’s been fantastic and really brought me out of my shell and given me the confidence to know how to help him. The habilitation specialists were really approachable and friendly and gave us a list of everything we needed, which were all things we had around the house. We played with bubbles and shaving foam, pom-poms and kitchen utensils. “Alfie struggles to see the pictures in a book, so My Time to Play taught me how to make a story more engaging for him. It’s all about making him feel part of it through props, sounds, touch and movement. “During our second session, we read a story about a cat who wears a bell. I used a bell from the Christmas tree and Alfie loved the jingling noise which made the story more interesting for him. He was about eight months old at the time, and during that session he crawled for the very first time towards the bell. I couldn’t believe it, it made me so happy. Afterwards I cried for about three hours! We’d been told that Alfie would have delayed development and we didn’t think he’d be able to crawl yet. Without the bell, and the story to make it more fun, I might not have thought to try. “I’ve noticed so many positive changes in Alfie since we completed the programme. It’s been wonderful to take part in something that’s just for him.” Included here are two photographs. The first is of Sarah and Alfie sitting and reading a book together. The second is of Alfie with various sensory toys. Congratulations to our new partnerships Forward qualifiers for period: 1 Oct 2021 to 31 Mar 2022 New partnerships are listed by community team. Each listing details owner, guide dog, town, breed, Puppy Raiser, Breeding Dog Holder and Fosterer. Warm congratulations to all our new qualifiers. Key: x – Crossbreed CCR – Curly Coat Retriever COL – Collie FCR – Flat Coat Retriever GR – Golden Retriever GSD – German Shepherd IWS – Irish Water Spaniel L – Labrador SPIN – Spinone STP – Standard Poodle Belfast Ian Arthur & Flynn from Carrickfergus L Robert Kirk from Irvine * Samantha Hanley from Telford. Miss Hannah Wood from Forfar. Raymond Barbour & Fred from Donaghadee LXSTP Margaret Allsop from Carnoustie * Mr Paul Sharp from Coventry. Mrs Lesley Wilson from Forfar. Miss Carolyn Air from Forfar. Mrs May Wilson from Newtownabbey. William Finnegan & Bailey from Larne L Brian McKnight from Banbridge * Sarah Kite from Birmingham. Mrs Tricia Collier from Warwick. Julie Graham & Roxy from Ballymena GRxL Desmond Finlay from Donaghadee * Mr Greg Butler from Banbury. Mr David Cook from Forfar. Vicky Kyle & Linda from Larne LxGR Christine Gordon from Newtownards * Elizabeth Evans from Droitwich. Mrs Carol Clarke from Rushden. Mrs Juli Kane from Belfast. Annette Lynall & Hannah from Belfast L Hazel Norrie from St Andrews * Howard Dorrell from Worcester. Mrs Katharine McLean from Forfar. Mrs Phillipa McCreight from Holywood. Lynn Lyttle & Blossom from Carrickfergus L Michael Brown from Newton Stewart, Jo Dillon from Kinross, Robert Beattie from Stirling. * Irene Scott from Warwick. Miss Sarah Sheasby from Bromsgrove. Mr Calum Crosby from Forfar. Iain Matthew & Mac from Garvagh LxGR Juli Kane from Belfast * Elizabeth Evans from Droitwich. Mrs Carol Clarke from Rushden. Mrs Phillipa McCreight from Holywood. Birmingham Margaret Brogan & Cindy from Holbeach GRxL Michael Alexander from Taunton * Helen Daw from Bedford. Mr Richard Phalp from Leamington Spa. David Carthy & Rhia from Birmingham GRxL Ruth Williams from Cambridge * Neil Smith from Northampton. Mr Philip Beaumont from Bromsgrove. Simon Dowling & Peajay from Birmingham L Claire Dixon from Nottingham * Sarah Hicks from Solihull. Mrs Pauline Belton from Didcot. Mrs Geraldine Barrott from Leamington Spa. Roderick Dungate & Dixon from Birmingham LxGR * Michael Spelman from Coventry. Mrs Sarah Harrod from Bromsgrove. Marie England & Poppy from Hereford LxGR Janine Stanley from Bedworth * Mr Ian Crewe from Nuneaton. Hana Gibson & Dixon from Sutton Coldfield GRxL Severine Godson from Banbury * Terry Crane from Kidlington. Ines Higgins & Cruz from Cheltenham L Paul Phillips from Hitchin * Joy Davis from Leicester. Miss Sarah Sheasby from Bromsgrove. Mr Aaron Hodges from Leamington Spa. Vivian Hollis & Jasper from Milton Keynes STPxL Shaun Morris from Malvern * Mrs Linda Landsberg from Milton Keynes. Nicholas Mulryan & Willmott from Buxton GRxGSD Rebecca Mackintosh from Rugby * Mrs Rebecca Mackintosh from Rugby. Nicola Perry & Lexi from Worcester L Samantha Makin from Bristol * Lynne Yates from Northampton. Mrs Lindy Hobbs from Droitwich. Megan Pritchard & Lulu from Hereford L Amanda Leavy from Worcester * Joy Davis from Leicester. Miss Sarah Sheasby from Bromsgrove. David Sheridan & Kai from Birmingham L Annette Warrington from Sutton Coldfield * Donna Hunt from Lutterworth. Mrs Sally Thomas from Worcester. Mr Alistair Fountain from Leamington Spa. Mrs Felicity Stratton from Warwick. Dean West & Boris from Hereford GRxL Alan Thomas from Tiverton * Caroline Butler from Evesham. Mr Adrian Claxton from Warwick. Mr Elliot Read from Leamington Spa. Cardiff Robyn Dowell & Alba from Denbigh GR Susan Miller from Plymouth * Kathryn Harmer from Solihull. Sharon Howells & Enya from Barry GRxL Sally Schofield from Shepton Mallet * Steve Giles from Leicester. Chloe Phillips & Deni from Cardiff STPxL Ann Thompson from Coventry * Mrs Linda Landsberg from Milton Keynes. Bethan Ramm & Dion from Wrexham LxGR Ellen Young from Basingstoke * Elizabeth Parker from Coventry. Mr Peter Meads from Warwick. Mrs Sue Adams from Cardiff. Rowena Thomas-Breese & Winter from Old Colwyn GRxL * Helen Hinchliffe from Derby. Mr Mark Edwards from Warwick. Coventry Marie-Claire Barker & Desdemona from Leamington Spa STPxL Jennifer Parker from Warwick * Gail Winnett from Birmingham. Mrs Linda Landsberg from Milton Keynes. Mrs Sue Cox from Leamington Spa. Luke Boulton & Terry from Coventry L Neil Wade from Nottingham * Helen Benson from Redditch. Mrs Kim Roberts from Stratford-upon-Avon. Mr Andrew Campbell from Warwick. Johnathon Dodson & Iris from Liere L Ann Simonds from Stourbridge * Sarah Hicks from Solihull. Mrs Pauline Belton from Didcot. Mr Keith Merritt from Leamington Spa. Alice Evans & Dora from Loughborough GRxL John Haslam from Wollaton * Mr Michael Rudge from Solihull. Mr Peter Thurling from Bingley. Mrs Pearl Woodward from Kenilworth. Andrew Johnson & Frankie from Earls Barton GRxL Anne-Marie Heenan from Rugby * Claire Jarratt from Coventry. Mr Mark Edwards from Warwick. Mr Niall Golden from Warwick. Deborah Lambert & Dann from Swadlincote GRxL Janet Stirling from Epsom * Laura Sardelli from Northampton. Mr Michael Rudge from Solihull. Mrs Pauline Williams from Warwick. Sarah Leadbetter & Nellie from Leicester GR Phillip Hardee from Teignmouth, Kirsty Hardee from Teignmouth * Susan Griffiths from Derby. Mr & Mrs Wetherell from Birmingham. Miss Fiona Roberts from Leamington Spa. Miss Heather Gelder from Rugby. Nikola McCloskey & Sparks from Hampton Magna GRxL Gulcem Ercis from Guildford * Mr Christopher Trickey from Leamington Spa. Lauren Mortimer & Kilko from Leicester GRxL Gillian Bane from Cambridge * Sue Padget from Kettering. Barry Ritchie & Molly from Coventry LXSTP * Mr Paul Sharp from Coventry. Mrs Chloe Talamini from Leamington Spa. Mrs Pearl Woodward from Kenilworth. Alison Roberts & Emily from Huncote GRxGR Debbie Harrison from Bristol, Louise Lee-Gammage from Newton Abbot * Jackie Buick from Leicester. Mrs Louise Neill from Alcester. Mrs Caroline Cheshire from Warwick. Edinburgh Debbie Clark & Zoey from Dunfermline L Isabel Pereira from Auchterarder * Sarah Darnes from Stratford-upon-Avon. Mrs Sally Thomas from Worcester. Mr Christopher Osborne from Forfar. Dean Ian Dunbar & Molly from Blairgowrie L Linda Orr from Cupar * Beryl Wyrko from Leicester. Ms Wendy Medlicott from Coventry. Mrs Lorraine McConnachie from Arbroath. Jason Johnson & Bailey from Dunfermline GR Shelagh Davidson from Burntisland * Mr Paul Albrecht from Stratford-upon-Avon. Mrs Gillian Low from Forfar. Tracey Jones & Ravenna from Alloa L Karen Johnston from Lanark, Pauline Duff from Cambuslang * Miss Niamh Mitchell from Forfar. Margaret Linn & Leah from Falkirk LxGR Joy Tavendale from Kilmarnock * Edmund Dixon from Market Harborough. Mrs Sheila Hemming from Evesham. Mrs Sally McLean from Forfar. Kelly Low & Earl from Fintry GRxL Fiona McKervey from Stonehaven * Mr Greig Massie from Forfar. Janina Maria McIntosh & Briar from Perth GRxL John Croll from Dundee * Adele Sullivan from Banbury. Mr & Mrs Wetherell from Birmingham. Miss Jenni Small from Forfar. Elizabeth McManus & Emmi from Motherwell GRxL Elaine Dakers from Arbroath * Mr Greg Butler from Banbury. Mrs Nikki Henry from Carnoustie. David Millan & Norris from Edinburgh GRxL Barbara Watson from Montrose * Mrs Sheonagh Henderson from Forfar. Janice Mitchell & Megan from Livingston L Sheila McCann from Cupar, Anne Hutton from Cupar * Sarah Allen from Nottingham. Miss Clare Powell from Evesham. Miss Laura Alice Murray Galloway from Forfar. Ian Boyd Moncrieff & Kane from St Fillans GRxL Frances Perston from Livingston * Mrs Andrea Gill from Northampton. Mrs Allyson Field from Arbroath. Shona Ramsay & Dougal from Jedburgh LxL Debby Merrett from Milltimber * Sue Lancaster from Bedford. Mr Peter Meads from Warwick. Mrs Wendy Milne from Forfar. Exeter Martina Beard & Molly from Burnham-on-Sea GRxL Bernadette Hughes from Budleigh Salterton, Tom Hanford from Exeter * Terry Crane from Kidlington. Elaine Brophy & Ebony from St Austell L Lesley Davey from Cullompton, Emma Seldon from Beaminster * Ann Buxton from Leicester. Mrs Kim Roberts from Stratford-upon-Avon. Ms Camilla Barrow from Dawlish. Jacqueline Cadell & Korky from Brislington L Tom Hanford from Exeter * Michael & Samantha Downs from Solihull. Mrs Sally Thomas from Worcester. Mrs Nicola Hadley from Leamington Spa. Mrs Vicki Harding from Bristol. Edwin Carter & Gill from Yeovil GRxL Peter Sewell from Lyndhurst, Susan Keen from Shaftesbury * Sue Padget from Kettering. Ms Liza Page from Exeter. Simon Curry & Leo from Plymouth LxGR Susan Hembrow from Taunton * Anastasia Undasan from Banbury. Mr Ian Crewe from Nuneaton. Mrs Julie Lamacraft from Exeter. Steve Darling & Jennie from Torquay GRxGR Janice Burn from Wokingham * Amanda Adkins from Buckingham. Mr Paul Black from Solihull. Miss Maggie Wheatley from Leamington Spa. Ms Paula Mills from Exeter. Tiffany Deacon & Kim from Christchurch LxGR Sue Taylor from Ilkley * Lynne De Melo from Melton Mowbray. Miss Imogen Shaw from Shipley. John Evans & Phoenix from Exeter L Kathy Williams from Barnstaple * Sarah Kite from Birmingham. Mrs Tricia Collier from Warwick. Mrs Jonelle Arrowsmith from Exeter. Vicky Heil & Caldie from South Molton L Helen Mitchell from Street, Janet Bunning from Crewkerne * Christina Sibbald from Wantage. Mrs Sharon Broer from Coventry. Mrs Janet Bunning from Crewkerne. Mr Andrew Pollard from Exeter. Geoffery Hunt & Pringle from Bridport GRxGR Colin Sanderson from Plymouth, Carol Townsend from Plymouth, Geoff Myers from Exeter * Andrew Watson from Leamington Spa. Mrs Sarah Smith from Exeter. Pat Morgan & Micky from Abergavenny LxGR Colin Cormack from Epping * Tammi Curran from Rugby. Mrs Jane Hargrave from Daventry. Miss Rachel Royston from Ilford. Ms Jannette Toomey from Bristol. Annette Solomon & Abi from Paignton GR Sonia Mapp from Stourport-on-Severn * Mr Paul Crowe from Kenilworth. Mr Peter McCrone from Leamington Spa. Miss Grace Selley from Cullompton. Janice Wheeler & Flossie from Exeter GR Keith Dodd from Bristol * Marie Court from Halesowen. Miss Joanne Winter from Newton Abbot. Mr Dave Messent from Bridgwater. Mark Wilson & Robin from Taunton LxGR Colin Sanderson from Plymouth * Michael Spelman from Coventry. Miss Lynda Palmer from Exeter. Glasgow Margaret Campbell & Jojo from Glasgow GRxL Catriona Macaulay from Dumbarton * Jo Bater from Derby. Mrs Mhari Greenwood from Hamilton. Greg Christie & Baxter from Isle Of Cumbrae GRxL Carol Wood from Dundee * Mr & Mrs Wetherell from Birmingham. Fraser Fleming & Mabel from Motherwell GRxL Daniel McKeeman from Dunfermline, Tracey Johnston from Livingston * Mr Michael Rudge from Solihull. Mrs Denise Colvin from Kirriemuir. Mrs May Dempster from Larkhall. Janet Fleming & Noodle from Hamilton GRxL Simon John Barrett from Stonehaven * Miss Laura Thomson from Kirriemuir. Mr George Currie from Glasgow. Tracey Gorman & Sergeant from Paisley GRxL Malcolm Christie from Montrose * Rosemary Jackson from Leamington Spa. Colin Hetherington & Jumble from Glasgow GRxL Nimmi Whitelaw from Glasgow * Jo Bater from Derby. Mrs Carol-Anne Kennedy from Hamilton. Ann Marshall & Kiwi from East Kilbride GRxL Patricia Wilkinson from Inverkeithing, Evelyn Henderson from Kelty * Mr & Mrs Wetherell from Birmingham. Mrs Lesley Wilson from Forfar. Frances McDonald & Millie from Irvine LxGR Joyce Pirrie from Grangemouth * Deborah Carruthers from Lichfield. Mrs Danielle Vaughan from Wigston. Miss Jenna Ogilvie from Brechin. Brian McRoberts & Dougall from Glasgow GRxL Helen Penny from Blairgowrie * Helen Jones from Birmingham. Mr Michael Rudge from Solihull. Mrs Katharine Cram from Dundee. Mrs Cherie Butler from Forfar. Charles Nicol & Bess from Glasgow LXSTP Connie McBride from Aberdour * Mr Paul Sharp from Coventry. Mrs Jennifer Lovegrove from Forfar. Hull Diane Louise Coveney & Frankie from Hull GRxGR Joyce Delves from Doncaster * Molly McDonnell from Warwick. Mrs Louisa Wardle from Beverley. Lynn Cowley & Prince from Cottingham LxGR * Edmund Dixon from Market Harborough. Mrs Sheila Hemming from Evesham. Miss Claire Huxley from Leamington Spa. Miss Jayne Dale from Beverley. Paul Le Vine & Sol from Beverley L Joy Lyon from Liverpool * Glynis Nixon from Warwick. Mr Ian Matthews from Wigan. Mr Paul Chambers from Beverley. Abbie-Rose Reddington & Evie from York L Barry Aspinall from Haddington * Joy Davis from Leicester. Mrs Kwai White from Beverley. John Reeder & Max from York L Malcolm Essl from Sunderland, Garth Munton from Derby * Irene Scott from Warwick. Miss Sarah Sheasby from Bromsgrove. Mrs Lydia Halliday from Leamington Spa. Mrs Kwai White from Beverley. David Tayne & Casper from Scarborough GRxL Margaret Reid from Stockton-on-Tees * Mr Paul Albrecht from Stratford-upon-Avon. Mrs Victoria McNamara from Atherton. Mr Marc Rampling from Beverley. David Turner & Morgan from Selby LxGR Leonora Tromans from Kidderminster * Elizabeth Evans from Droitwich. Mrs Carol Clarke from Rushden. Mrs Karen Bird from Leamington Spa. Mr David Nuttall from Brough. Leeds Alan Decent & Rosie from Doncaster GRxL John Balderson from Keighley * Steve Giles from Leicester. Ms Jenny Craggs from Sheffield. Ben Sheppard & Charlie from Rotherham L * Miss Sarah Sheasby from Bromsgrove. Mrs Lucy Hewson from Sheffield. Liverpool Bethan Halpenny & Huntly from Wirral GSD Susie Bell from Telford * Mrs Donna Roberts from Wigan. Lee Hodgson & Milly from St. Helens GRxL Shawn Fenwick from Ashington * Mr & Mrs Wetherell from Birmingham. Mrs Catherine Wilkinson from Manchester. Buddug Lloyd Jones & Milly from Caernarfon L Rose Fawcett from High Peak * Beryl Wyrko from Leicester. Ms Wendy Medlicott from Coventry. Mrs Helen Boyd from Preston. Mr John Wood from Bolton. Roy McKnight & Dave from Wirral GRxL Stacey Wallwork from Manchester * Helen Hinchliffe from Derby. Mr Mark Edwards from Warwick. Mrs Michaela Bowden from Manchester. Angie O'Brien & Mason from Bootle GRxL Gillian Bruce from Warrington * Jo Bater from Derby. Mrs Faye Ormes from Bolton. Sylvia Partington & McKenzie from Chorley GRxL Alison Cooke from Wirral * Ms Tracie Garner from Manchester. Jim Richardson & Tomas from Liverpool L Alistair Frederick from Liverpool * Mrs Kim Roberts from Stratford-upon-Avon. Mrs Jennifer Hindle from Leigh. Callum Sanderson & Dylis from Liverpool L Terry Elks from Newcastle Under Lyme * Martin & Paula Hendrick from Telford. Miss Amanda Hancocks from Daventry. Mrs Judith Fearnley from Manchester. Maria Schofield & Sage from Stockport LxGR Jennifer Wright from Congleton * Helen Sergison from Dudley. Mrs Danielle Vaughan from Wigston. Mrs Jenny Lloyd from Manchester. Daryl Seddon & Wilson from St Helens GRxL Linda Webb from Stafford * Rosemary Jackson from Leamington Spa. Mr James Ramsey from Bolton. Debbie Williams & Columba from Hoylake LXSTP Jan Harker from Newcastle upon Tyne * Mr Paul Sharp from Coventry. Mr Michael Stewart from Lowton. London Hetal Bapodra & Rosie from London L Edith Preston from St Albans * Sian Simmons from Kenilworth. Ms Wendy Medlicott from Coventry. Jason Beal & Caine from London LxGR Tony James from Romford * Anastasia Undasan from Banbury. Mr Ian Crewe from Nuneaton. Mrs Liz Smithson from London. Lucia Bellini & Gerri from London LxGR Karen Paxton from Chelmsford * Christina Kearney from Shrewsbury. Mr & Mrs Adam & Marie Myers from Redditch. Emily Davison & Rosie from London LxGR Vladimira & Andrew McLean from St. Albans * Helen Sergison from Dudley. Mrs Danielle Vaughan from Wigston. Ms Emily Lemonier from London. Annette Emerson & Shiney from Ruislip GRxL Bridget Goldsmith from Chelmsford * Claire Jarratt from Coventry. Mr Mark Edwards from Warwick. Mr Roy Burgess from Chingford. Noula Insole & Mattie from London GRxL Kathleen Yarlett from Whitstable * Miss Lauren Playford from London. Ross Irving & Lester from London GRxGR Steph Grundy from London * Amanda Adkins from Buckingham. Mr Paul Black from Solihull. Mrs Jolanta Rukas from Ilford. Lisa Keys & Zane from London GRxL Jane Boyce from Bishop's Stortford * Ruth Roache from Solihull. Mr Joseph Marner from Woodford Green. Kevin Morris & Apollo from London LxGR * Thelma Mouque & Dixie from London GR Malcolm Oates from Stourbridge * Susan Webb from Rugby. Mrs Laura Peake from Leamington Spa. Rosheen Perera & Berry from Bromley L Melanie Nevel from Ware * Jessica Macgregor from Banbury. Ms Eleonora Ferrero from East Grinstead. Paulo Ribeiro & Carlos from London LxGR Victoria Henderson from Marlborough, Diana Clarke from Newbury * Anastasia Undasan from Banbury. Mr Ian Crewe from Nuneaton. Mr Daniel Moore from Romford. Amir Kamali Sarvestani & Rolo from Greenwich GSD Abigail Robertson from Chelmsford * Mrs Gillian Herbert from Loughton. Jadine Sharp & Lemar from Twickenham LxGR Glynis Worboys from Chelmsford * Edmund Dixon from Market Harborough. Mrs Sheila Hemming from Evesham. Mr Kevin Braysher from Buckhurst Hill. David Steward & Maple from Kent L Anne Smalley from Maldon * Beryl Wyrko from Leicester. Ms Wendy Medlicott from Coventry. Dr Daniel Eves from London. Maidstone Thomas Broughton & Velma from Hawkhurst LxGR Charlotte Charlton from Cambridge, Gillian Bane from Cambridge * Julie Andrews from Tamworth. Mr Narinder Bhatt from London. Mrs Paula Crush from Epping. Sue Carden-Price & Kazu from Canterbury L * Lyn Bushell from Daventry. Mrs Lin Lisle from Alcester. Mrs Emma Snellin from Maidstone. Jacqueline Cook & Jay from Battle L Fiona Byers from Chatham * Richard Foot & Gene from Burgess Hill GRxGR Anila Banerjee from Dunmow * Andrew Watson from Leamington Spa. Mrs Jessica Massey from Maidstone. Janet Holland & Indie from Worthing L Zena Desouza-Edwards from Bromley * Mrs Sheila Hemming from Evesham. Mrs Caroline McAteer from Maidstone. Ian Platt & Paddy from Wingham L Lesley Warren from Basildon * Ms Anne Weist from London. Patricia Poole & Nala from Canterbury GR Irene Collins from Sevenoaks * Mr Paul Crowe from Kenilworth. Mrs Amanda Harrison from Maidstone. Stephen Pratt & Sybil from Bexhill-on-Sea GRxL Rae Gibbens from Whitstable * Patricia Hicks from Sutton Coldfield. Paul Voller & Miller from Chichester L Jackie Ralph from Uckfield * Susan Bennett from Daventry. Mr Phil Edwards from Maidstone. Jean Wilson & Pearlie from Eastbourne GR * Donna Hunt from Lutterworth. Manchester Elaine Barrett & Zea from Manchester L Alison Norman from Ilkley * Sarah Darnes from Stratford-upon-Avon. Mrs Sally Thomas from Worcester. Mr Paul Clare from Manchester. Sarah Bayley & Carli from Salford L Andrew Mallett from Newcastle upon Tyne * Glynis Nixon from Warwick. Mr Terry Pemberton from Leigh. Michael Collier & Seany from Leek GR Kathleen Summerfield from Billingham, Libby Hughes from Middlesbrough * Donna Isard from Coventry. Mrs Libby Hughes from Middlesbrough. Mr Tom Gowland from Manchester. Charles William Dixon & Freddie from Stockport L Sue Ward from Retford * Michael Drabble-Jones from Henley-in-Arden. Miss Gemma Connolly from Wigan. Tracey Haslam & Colton from Manchester GR Donna Howson from Rotherham * Donna Isard from Coventry. Mrs Ann Bailey from Sheffield. Sandra Heaton & Winnie from Darwen GRxL Elizabeth Ramage from Nr Dalkeith * Helen Hinchliffe from Derby. Mr Mark Edwards from Warwick. Lucy Hobson & Jenny from Gatley L Alyson Holden from Carnforth * Emma Emms from Stratford-upon-Avon. Mrs Jane Hargrave from Daventry. Mr Stephen Dennis from Wigan. Margaret James & Beatrix from Liverpool L Deborah Broadbent from Thornton-Cleveleys * Irene Scott from Warwick. Miss Sarah Sheasby from Bromsgrove. Harry Jones & Michael from Prenton GRxGR Wendy Jackson from Bury * Andrew Watson from Leamington Spa. Mrs Jean Glass from Manchester. Tony Kimpton & Milton from Lancaster LxGR Gillian Ruleman from Manchester * Joanna Price from Sutton Coldfield. Mrs Julie Trent from Leicester. Mrs Linda Entwistle from Bolton. Colin Lamont & Mannie from Liverpool L Ruth Franco from Southport * Miss Sarah Sheasby from Bromsgrove. Miss Becky Ellis from Tyldesley. Jonathan Lancaster & Cooper from Bolton LxGR Stephanie Wright from Nantwich * Helen Sergison from Dudley. Mrs Danielle Vaughan from Wigston. Mr Tom Lindley from Manchester. Deborah Newton & Echo from Preston GRxGR Margaret Smith from Rochdale * Michael Jones from Leicester. Mrs Louise Neill from Alcester. Mrs Claire Fitzgerald from Bolton. Linda Ann Norbury & Scramble from Manchester GRxL Sue Taylor from Ilkley, Alan Pick from Keighley * Phillippa Dobson from Solihull. Dr Sue Taylor from Bolton. John Sandiford & Derrick from Bolton GSD Vivien Parker from Leyland * Clare Pinks from Rugby. Anne Taggart & Uska from St. Helens L Andrew Robinson from Sunderland * Michael Drabble-Jones from Henley-in-Arden. Ms Lisa Cooper from Warrington. Kate Young & Bob from Malpas LxGR Graham Moorcroft from Derby * Gill Moss from Banbury. Miss Amanda Hancocks from Daventry. Mrs June Cooney from Wigan. Ms Tracie Garner from Manchester. Newcastle Joan Carr & George from Ashington GRxL * Caroline Butler from Evesham. Mr Adrian Claxton from Warwick. Mr Herbert Redpath from North Shields. Charlie Eastwood & Jace from Hartlepool GSD Catriona Rose from Edinburgh * Trudy Evans from Coventry. Mrs Victoria Rash from Kenilworth. Miss Zoe Cartwright from Forfar. Harriet Ann Graham & Charlie from Spennymoor LXSTP Gillian Harrison from Manningtree * Mr Paul Sharp from Coventry. Mr Mark Willis from Gateshead. Charlie Gray & Charlie from Newcastle upon Tyne GRxL Bron Rawlins from Chesterfield * Phillippa Dobson from Solihull. Mr Mark Scobie from Newcastle upon Tyne. Helen Moffatt & Essie from Choppington GRxL Heather Hanning from Leven * Mrs Lesley Haynes from Forfar. Mrs Jennifer Hinks from Redcar. Linda Oliver & Pacha from Stockton-on-Tees LxL Bev Cole from Stockton-on-Tees * Sue Lancaster from Bedford. Mr Peter Meads from Warwick. Miss Rosario Luque Martin from Newcastle upon Tyne. Richard Orford & Angus from Spennymoor GRxL Susan Ridley from Carlisle * Miss Paula Marshall from Dundee. Mrs Gill Crowe from Chester-le-Street. Jonathan Parsons & Pierre from Consett GRxL Gillian McCracken from Kilmarnock * Ellen Dicken from Kenilworth. Mrs Louise Neill from Alcester. Mrs Hannah Pinner from Forfar. Mr Ian Stephenson from Chester-le-Street. David Price & Yoyo from Spennymoor LxGR Katrina Hall from Aberdeen * Lynne De Melo from Melton Mowbray. Miss Karen Dear from Forfar. Ronald Robson & Toby from Blyth STPxL Wendy Raisbeck from Saltburn-by-the-Sea * Gail Winnett from Birmingham. Mrs Linda Landsberg from Milton Keynes. Mrs Susannah Colley from Beverley. Nicola Shaw & Suzie from Maryport GRxL Lorna Money from Glasgow * Mr Michael Rudge from Solihull. Ms Lorna Smith from Sheffield. Ben Siney & Zaden from Morpeth L Eunice Harvey from Larbert, Patrick Willis from Arbroath * Sarah Darnes from Stratford-upon-Avon. Mrs Sally Thomas from Worcester. Nottingham Sharon Bothwell & Bonnie from Stamford GRxL Paul Williams from Tewkesbury * Miss Lesley Coombs from Leamington Spa. Antony Catt & Ted from Nottingham LxGR Rick Priestley from Mansfield * Amber O'Brien from Warwick. Mrs Carol Clarke from Rushden. Miss Nichola Dowbiggin from Warwick. Margaret Douce & Mollie from Barton-upon-Humber L * Miss Leah McFadden from Southam. Jill Evans & Missy from Mansfield GRxL Patricia Hicks from Sutton Coldfield * Patricia Hicks from Sutton Coldfield. Pamela Jose Houghton & Flossie from Dronfield L Kay Cullen from Solihull * Sue Walters from Stourbridge. Mrs Jane Hargrave from Daventry. Mr Fraser Winton from Nottingham. Russell Howard & Bowen from Grimsby LxGR Andreina Benigno-Thomas from Stourbridge * Sylvia Burgess from Buckingham. Mrs Dulcie Parry from Rugby. Mrs Alison Sheldon from Nottingham. Valerie Liffen & Jean from Skegness L Denise Baldwin from Paignton * Jessica Macgregor from Banbury. Miss Jacqui Roe from Kenilworth. Rachael Pereira & Vegas from Nottingham GRxL Sue Halford from Birmingham * Helen Daw from Bedford. Mrs Sue Rickaby from Nottingham. Debra Roddis & Anchor from Nottingham GRxL Robert Johnson from Ilkeston * Helen Hinchliffe from Derby. Mr Mark Edwards from Warwick. Mrs Natalie Bird from Nottingham. Judith Wand & Alan from Grantham GRxL Joanne Kerr from Coventry * Helen Daw from Bedford. Mr Ian Dawson from Nottingham. Mike Winder & Smokey from Chesterfield GRxL Sandra Raw from Worcester * Terry Crane from Kidlington. Craig Hulatt from Nottingham. Stephen Wood & Ritson from Derby GRxL Lisa Licence from Ilkeston * Mr Greg Butler from Banbury. Mr Matthew Bull from Nottingham. Peterborough John Aspinall & Toby from Lowestoft L Amanda Lewis from Warwick, Christopher Whittingham from Northampton * Natalie Durrant from Redditch. Mrs Pauline Belton from Didcot. Mr Andrew Walling from Warwick. Kawal Gucukoglu & Sandra from Peterborough L Fiona Gunn from Sutton-in-Ashfield * Martin & Paula Hendrick from Telford. Miss Amanda Hancocks from Daventry. Mr Oliver Thom from Leamington Spa. Adam Hutton & Max from Ipswich GRxGSD Helen Mitchell from Street, Alison Kent from Taunton * Rene Everett from Solihull. Mrs Claudia Webb from Leamington Spa. Julia Kimbell & Lawrie from Peterborough GRxL Lisa Fellows-Patel from Bath * Sue Padget from Kettering. Mr Andrew Sheridan from Warwick. Mr Mark Warth from Corby. Giovanni Littardi & Holden from Downham Market GRxL Shaun Williams from Leamington Spa * Ruth Roache from Solihull. Mrs Joanne Careless from Warwick. Jane Readfern-Gray & Broady from Peterborough GSD Sharon Simmonds from Lutterworth, Yvonne Savage from Leicester * Alexandra Willetts from Worcester. Mr Philip Plant from Coventry. Mr Anthony Miles from Kettering. Sarah Wilby & Buddy from Beccles GRxL Katherine Lonsdale from Wellesbourne * Caroline Butler from Evesham. Mr Adrian Claxton from Warwick. Mrs Liz Gilbert from Leamington Spa. Reading Devante Claridge & Mack from Newbury GRxL Sarah Watson from Bordon * Caroline Butler from Evesham. Mr Adrian Claxton from Warwick. Mrs Susan McNeil from Reading. Jeffrey Collins & Forest from Bracknell GRxL Karen Vermeersch from Swindon * Helen Daw from Bedford. Mr Berry Van Der Hoeven from Bracknell. Rossana Keene & Bailey from Didcot GR Janice Boswell from Corsham * Susan Griffiths from Derby. Mr & Mrs Wetherell from Birmingham. Ms Jane Smith from Newbury. Mrs Sarah Rimmer from Reading. Alison Ledger & Johnny from Reading GRxL Lorraine Morgan from Pontypool * Neil Smith from Northampton. Mrs Amy Gray from Reading. Mrs Gill Fenwicke-Clennell from Reading. Shrewsbury Adam Cartwright & Penny from Stourbridge GRxL Fleur Sifford from Dudley * Patricia Hicks from Sutton Coldfield. Kirsten Groom & Russ from Belfast GRxGSD Mark Ayles from Newport * Lorna Morgan from Birmingham. Dr Rachel Van Duyvenbode from Shrewsbury. Kirsty Hill & Molly from Wem L Michael Smith from Oswestry * Irene Scott from Warwick. Miss Sarah Sheasby from Bromsgrove. Mrs Mary Carey from Shrewsbury. Paul Meredith & Audrey from Stafford L * Glynis Nixon from Warwick. Mrs Claire Burns from Manchester. Paul Nelson-Berg & Windsor from Tamworth GRxL Joanne Pibworth from Wolverhampton * Steve Giles from Leicester. Eleanor Norfolk & Buttons from Market Rasen GRxGR Mary Beswick from Smethwick * Jackie Buick from Leicester. Mrs Louise Neill from Alcester. Miss Tamsin Armstrong from Warwick. Nicole Smith & Shai from Oswestry LxGR * Leigh Court from Balsall Common. Dave Starkey & Bob from Willenhall GRxGR * Ann Sparks from Sutton Coldfield. Mrs Sandra Rigby from Lowton. Mrs Emma Trevor-Jones from Shrewsbury. Beverley Thomas & Winnie from Grimsby L Patricia Storer from Hinckley * Mrs Sheila Hemming from Evesham. Mrs Elaine Oliver from Radway Warwick. Southampton Paul Diaper & Liam from Southampton L Sheila Piper from Romsey, Sally Purkess from Lyndhurst * Richard Wilkes from Telford. Mrs Pauline Belton from Didcot. Angela Jolliffe & Jeffrey from Calbourne LxGR Darren Richardson from Stamford * Mrs Tricia Collier from Warwick. Mr Lloyd Moncur from Loughton. Welwyn Garden City Jacqueline Carey & Nico from Stevenage GR Julia Decoine from Tonbridge * Mr Paul Crowe from Kenilworth. Mr Onkar Singh Bansal from Ilford. Peta Coles & Bailey from Biggleswade LxGR Katie Washford from Tenterden * Jackie Henderson from Moreton-in-Marsh. Mr Peter Meads from Warwick. Mr Patrick Danzelman from Woodford Green. Kevin Cook & Charles from Southend-on-Sea L Lindsay Dyer from Cambridge * Lucy Anne Chandler from Gloucester. Mrs Shireen Desai from Woodford Green. Joy Drury & Ida from Colchester GRxL * Helen Daw from Bedford. Mr Roberto Granese from Chigwell. Ron Edwards & Glade from Berkhamsted LxGR Christine Hancock from Chelmsford * Jackie Henderson from Moreton-in-Marsh. Mr Peter Meads from Warwick. Mr Dennis Lloyd from Woodford Green. Sunethra Goonewardene & Emmi from London GRxL Laura Brown from St. Albans * Steven Fiore from Buckhurst Hill. Nicola Harradine & Wheat from Biggleswade LxGR David Yale from Gillingham * Miss Rachel Ashley from Nuneaton. Mrs Lesley Gilbert from St. Albans. Arnaldo Jesus & Luther from Essex L Kim Jacqueline Beasley from Braintree, Marilyn Hawkins from Braintree * Lynne Yates from Northampton. Emma McCrossan & Vardon from Bedford GR * Trudy Stables from Banbury. Mr Paul Crowe from Kenilworth. Kevin Prince & Kaleb from Hemel Hempstead L Louisa Walden from Watford * Michael & Samantha Downs from Solihull. Mrs Sally Thomas from Worcester. Valerie Taylor & Mario from Broxbourne GRxL Josefine Van Der Dussen from Woodman Lane * Caroline Butler from Evesham. Mr Adrian Claxton from Warwick. Mr Stewart Ash from Abbots Langley. Letters Hanging up the lead after nearly 40 years This is one of the most difficult notes I’ve ever had to write! It is just to say that I have had to give up Puppy Raising what is my 50th puppy. Melo is a very large, fox-red golden retriever, handsome, strong and determined nine-month-old dog who has raging hormones and is selectively deaf right now and somewhat difficult to handle. Having, it seems, always had puppies in my life, it’s going to be very hard to completely give up this obsession we all seem to have but it is the appropriate time for me to hang up the lead! However I wanted to thank all the staff and volunteers within Guide Dogs for their encouragement and support over almost 40 years, my supervisor being very supportive over many years as well. We are all part of a tremendous team and I have many happy memories and friendships of my time with Guide Dogs. My supervisor and I are hopeful Melo will become a qualified working dog in due course. With all best wishes, Anne Skinner and Major Included here is a photograph of Anne, holding a bunch of flowers. Caption competition Guide dog mum Vixen was waiting to appear in a Crufts demonstration when this photo was taken with her “litter” of soft toy puppies. Vixen, who’s four, lives with Breeding Dog Holder Sophie Vann in Sutton Coldfield. Included here is a photograph of yellow Labrador mum Vixen lying next to a “litter” of soft toy yellow Labrador puppies. What would you caption this photo? Send your suggestions to: Forward, Guide Dogs, Hillfields, Burghfield Common, Reading, RG7 3YG or email forward@guidedogs.org.uk with your name, address and a daytime phone number. The winner gets a £10 Marks and Spencer voucher. The last competition winner is Julie Wallace, from Sheffield, with the caption “You take the front legs and I’ll deal with the back.” Congratulations, Julie! Included here is a photograph of cats Foz and Monty looking at yellow Labrador Pippa, who is lying on the kitchen floor. Competition rules This competition is open to anyone resident in the UK, except employees of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, their families and anyone connected with the competition. No purchase necessary. Proof of posting cannot be accepted as proof of delivery. No responsibility can be accepted for entries delayed, damaged or mislaid or wrongly delivered. Illegible entries will be disqualified. Only one original entry is allowed per envelope. The winners will be notified by either post or telephone and the results will be published in the next issue of the magazine. The winners must agree to the publication of their names, photographs and any publicity, if requested. In all matters concerning the competition the Editor’s decision is final. No correspondence can be entered into. Entry implies acceptance of the rules. The closing date for the competition is 31 August 2022. In good company Swiss Re Foundation supports children with sight loss A new two-year partnership with the Swiss Re Foundation will support families in hospitals when their child is first diagnosed with sight loss. Families will receive emotional and practical support from our new funded Family Support Outreach Officers. They’ll help families understand their child’s diagnosis, be compassionate and provide vital information. During the partnership, we’ll be able to support an incredible 2,000 families! The amazing Swiss Re UK employees are also fundraising and volunteering to give added support to our partnership. Together, we’ll create a lasting legacy as this new service grows, enabling us to reach even more families across the UK in the future. A big welcome to new partners helping to support our life-changing work… Donate your Nectar points Your Nectar points can now be used to support our charity nectar Donate powered by Crowdfunder Turn points into puppies with Nectar Donate! Brought to you from Nectar and Crowdfunder, Nectar Donate enables you to support our life-changing work by donating your Nectar points to Guide Dogs – at no extra cost to you or us! You can even make a cash donation or set up a fundraiser. Find out more at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/guide-dogs. Then vs now – People’s Postcode Lottery player-funded puppies are now transforming lives! Do you remember these adorable puppies? They are funded by the wonderful players of People’s Postcode Lottery from birth, through training, graduating as guide dogs and into retirement. Danyl Johnson, ambassador at People’s Postcode Lottery, was lucky enough to meet them all at our National Centre back in 2019, and this year got to meet some of the graduates at our regional centre in Forfar! Player-funded guide dogs Mabel and Bella have now qualified with their owners, Fraser and Gwen, and are having a huge impact on their lives. Fraser, who runs an accessible technology charity, is now more easily able to help other people with sight loss. Mabel supports him in getting out and about, visiting people who need a helping hand in learning how to use technology to support a more independent lifestyle. Gwen, 85, found she lost all confidence in leaving her home when her sight deteriorated. She barely went out for a whole year and struggled with loneliness and isolation. Bella has given Gwen her independence back, and now Gwen loves nothing better than to walk into town so she can connect with friends and her local community. Included here are two logos with the wording: Supported by players of PEOPLE’S POSTCODE LOTTERY Awarded funds from POSTCODE ANIMAL TRUST Included here is a photograph of Danyl Johnson holding two young yellow Labrador puppies. Promotions The following are three advertisements that are presented in different places in this issue of Forward. 1. GIVEACAR Donate Your Car Fast | Free | For Charity 1 Tell us about your car or motorbike. We’ll arrange to collect it for free. 2 Depending on its condition, your vehicle will be auctioned or sold for scrap. 3 We’ll donate the proceeds to your chosen charity and send you a receipt. Free Collection | Any Car | Nationwide Call us on 0207 736 4242 or visit www.giveacar.co.uk to find out more In support of Guide Dogs Giveacar is a non-profit social enterprise supporting over 1700 charities. Giveacar Ltd, Chester House, 1st and 3rd Floors, 81-83 Fulham High Street, London SW6 4LZ. Registered as a Company Ltd by Guarantee in England and Wales. No. 7128385 2. Guide Dogs We’re here to help Want to know more about your eye condition or that of a loved one? We‘ve put together expert-reviewed information about a wide range of eye conditions including symptoms, treatment and how best to live with them. Find out more at www.guidedogs.org.uk/eyeconditions Included here is a photograph of a young lady, with her golden retriever guide dog, chatting to a friend. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and Scotland (SC038979). A012 05/22 3. Guide Dogs Support Guide Dogs Donate your Nectar points via Crowdfunder www.crowdfunder.co.uk/nectar-donate nectar Donate powered by Crowdfunder Contact details This is a list of phone numbers and contact details arising from the articles in this edition of Forward magazine. Giveacar Call: 0207 736 4242 Visit: www.giveacar.co.uk Eye conditions Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/eyeconditions Chief Executive Twitter: @TomwrightUK Guide Dogs Events Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/greatnorthrun Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/royalparksoctober Email: eventvolunteers@guidedogs.org.uk Volunteers’ Week 2022 highlights Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk and search for “awards and recognition” Access With Confidence virtual workshops Call: 0800 7811444 Email: information@guidedogs.org.uk Guide Dogs Shop Visit: www.GuideDogsShop.com Visit: www.FenellaSmith.com Viewpoint Visit: www.guidedogsviewpoint.com Rehoming a retired guide dog Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/rehoming Volunteering Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk and visit the volunteering section Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk and search for “Our Covid story” Crufts 2022 Visit: www.TinyURL.com/GuideDogsAtCrufts2022 Gifts in Wills Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/giftsinwills Name a Puppy Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/nap My Time to Play Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/mttp Caption competition Post: Forward, Guide Dogs, Hillfields, Burghfield Common, Reading, RG7 3YG Email: forward@guidedogs.org.uk Nectar Donate Visit: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/guide-dogs Visit: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/nectar-donate Close.