You could make a real practical difference to someone living with sight loss in your community. Join Guide Dogs as a My Guide volunteer and you will be instrumental in helping someone work towards greater independence.

My Guide is a service provided by Guide Dogs to support people who are living with sight loss to get out and about, to do the things they want to do. The role involves providing sighted guide assistance around the local community. 

We currently have people living with sight loss waiting and they would really like to build up confidence in getting out and about with the overall aim of being able to go out independently.

This exciting and fulfilling volunteering opportunity would suit someone who likes to get out and about and could spare two to three hours a week. Full My Guide training and ongoing support and supervision are provided.  Volunteers must be 18+ and would require a DBS check.

To find out more about how you could help towards a person living with sight loss getting more out life, contact Hazel Kelly, Volunteering Consultant on 0118 983 8892 or at hazel.kelly@guidedogs.org.uk

PRESS RELEASE - 3 Jan 2018

Reaching Goals of Independence in 2018

Can you support someone to reach their goals in 2018? The charity Guide Dogs are currently seeking volunteers to be instrumental in helping people to work towards greater independence in Fleet.

Our ground breaking My Guide scheme is a service that supports people who are living with sight loss to get out and about, to do the things they want to do. You could make a real practical difference to someone living with sight loss if you volunteer on the scheme.

We currently have people who are blind or partially sighted waiting and they would really like to build up confidence in getting out and about with the overall aim of being able to go out independently. You will be matched with someone and together you will work towards their goals of independence.

This exciting and fulfilling volunteering opportunity would suit someone who likes to get out and about and could spare two to three hours a week. Full My Guide training and ongoing support and supervision are provided. Volunteers must be 18+ and would require a DBS check.

To find out more about how you could help towards a person living with sight loss getting more out life, contact Hazel Dyson, Volunteering Consultant on 0118 983 8892 or at hazel.dyson@guidedogs.org.uk.

The ability to get around is vital to live a full life yet thousands of people who are blind or partially sighted never leave home alone. Guide Dogs empowers visually impaired people to do that and relies on the support of the public to fund its services.

We breed and train guide dogs which provide life changing mobility and there are currently 5,000 working guide dog partnerships in the UK. It costs £5 per day to support each working guide dog partnership. The full lifetime cost of a guide dog from birth to retirement is around £50,000.

We also provide a range of mobility and other rehabilitation services such as white cane training as well as campaigning passionately to break down barriers – both physical and legal – to enable blind and partially sighted people to get around on their own

FLEET & DISTRICT BRANCH OF GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND

If you would like to "donate one hour in a year" to our charity, please contact Ann or Monique who would be delighted to have a chat with you. 

Fleet & District branch of Guide Dogs has been established for over 30 years and is presently supported by very keen, enthusiastic volunteers, members and supporters, puppy walkers, local partially sighted people and guide dog owners.

We all get inspired by our guide dog owners who are so appreciative of being able to  keep their dignity and freedom of movement while maintaining a  full social  and family life,  and to participate in many ventures with the help of their guide dogs who give them  rewarding companionship and friendship.  Seven to eight guide dogs might be needed in their lives.

Fund raising enables Guide Dogs to carry out their work of breeding, rearing, training guide dogs and training clients, and also supporting dogs and owners throughout their lives.  The Association also provides other mobility services for blind and partially sighted people. Since April 2013 the National Blind Children’s Society (NBCS) has become a subsidiary of Guide Dogs, thus combining both their expertise to help more parents and their children who are blind or partially sighted.

Our branch enthusiastically keeps up public awareness of Guide Dogs in Fleet, Hartley Witney, Yateley, Odiham and Hook by attending all kinds of fetes, fund raising collections including our Flag Day in October, as well as holding garden parties and coffee mornings.  

Our local Guide Dogs speakers enjoy giving talks to the various local schools and clubs.

Like many other charities, we are always seeking new members.  Membership does not entail a regular commitment; we would be glad of your occasional help at a trading stall or collecting on a collection day.