GUIDE DOGS
Leeds Mobility Team Newsletter
Autumn 2015
Welcome from the team
Welcome to the Autumn edition of your newsletter. It’s hard to believe that by the time you are reading this we will be thinking about Christmas and the long summer days will be a distant memory. Where did the year go? The summer was packed with various fundraising efforts from our dedicated band of volunteers and guide dog owners, ranging from sky dives to 1,000-mile walks, and not forgetting the students at Leeds Beckett University who have been fundraising and campaigning for us. I would like to thank every one of our volunteers for the commitment, enthusiasm and hard work you all put in, helping us to deliver our services. Here at Leeds we have nearly 600 volunteers performing 43 different roles and it is no exaggeration to say we really couldn’t do it without you. We have plenty to tell you about in this edition but importantly we want to know what you, the readers, think about the local newsletter. Is the content about right in terms of what you want to read about, or is there any topic that you would like to find included that isn’t? Do let us know.
Ben Drury, Mobility Team Manager
Included here is a photograph of a doggy de-stress day.
In this issue News - Area updates, Leavers and starters, Profile, Volunteering Awards, Christmas party. Update on our services - Service user surgeries Volunteering - New volunteers required, A day in the life of … Fundraising Campaigning
News
Updates from our area
Profile of a guide dog owner
Last year, Anna Lawson became the first blind female law professor in the UK and was honoured by the University of Leeds with one of their “Women of Achievement” awards. Originally a lecturer in Land Law at Leeds, Anna now focuses on scoping Disability Law as a specific academic subject. She is chair of CHANGE, an organisation focusing on the human rights of people with learning difficulties, and director of the University’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Disability Studies. Anna works nationally and internationally on disability issues as a trustee of China Vision, working with people with disabilities in China. She is a member of the statutory Disability Committee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and a Council Member of Justice. She is also a trustee of the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre in Budapest and the Royal National Institute of Blind and Partially Sighted People. Anna's guide dog, Ufton, is a five-year-old German Shepherd. Ufton is Anna’s third guide dog and quite a personality on campus.
Pictured here is Anna Lawson with guide dog Ufton.
Three new supporter groups were established during the summer - Thirsk, Ilkley and Ryedale. All are up and running but if anyone would like to join these groups as a general volunteer please contact [email protected]
Volunteering Awards 2016 In June 2016 we are holding our very first local Volunteering Awards, to recognise and celebrate the many achievements of our volunteers. More details will follow in the Spring newsletter.
The Leeds Mobility Team said a sad farewell in July to one of its longest serving Guide Dog Mobility Instructors (GDMI’s). Linda Gooding was with Guide Dogs for over 30 years, helping countless people with sight loss achieve freedom and independence. She has changed hundreds of lives and we thank her and wish her a very long and happy retirement. We were also sorry to say goodbye to Donna Sayce who came to us from Dogs Trust and has now returned to work with young offenders, teaching them animal husbandry. We wish Donna all the best in her new job. Donna’s role as Community Fundraiser for West Yorkshire will be taken by Charlotte Walton.
Blind Children UK held a residential activity break at Henshaws College in Harrogate, organised jointly by staff from Liverpool and Leeds. “Family Movement Matters” focussed on habilitation and mobility, family education support, and access technology. (“Habilitation” is the process of helping children with sight loss achieve as much independence as possible in their daily lives.) West Yorkshire Police ran stranger danger workshops. Five families from Leeds attended.
Included here is a photograph of GDMI Hannah Watts and training dog Casper.
Christmas party
By now you should have received your invitation to this year’s Christmas Party on Thursday 3 December at Saint Chad’s Parish Centre from 2.30 until 4.30. We look forward to seeing you and if you would like to donate a prize for the raffle please let us know.
Our services
Leeds Mobility Team Service User Representative
We are sorry to announce that Stewart Heppleston has recently stood down as your Service User Representative for the Leeds Mobility Team. Stewart, who has been a guide dog owner for 27 years, has enjoyed being your representative immensely and his decision is purely personal. We know that he will miss the role and we thank him for all the invaluable support he has given to everyone. Stewart’s replacement will be announced shortly.
Service user surgeries
Service user surgeries will be held in West Yorkshire during November and December. All are welcome for tea, coffee and biscuits. Speakers range from West Yorkshire Police and First Buses to specialist equipment providers. Guide Dogs staff will also be explaining more about their roles.
The main dates are: 3 December: Surgery followed by a quiz at Sight Airedale, Keighley, then a Christmas meal at Wetherspoons.
Fri 4 December: Surgery followed by a quiz at Asda Halifax, then a Christmas meal in Halifax.
Meetings will be held every first Thursday of the month at Sight Airedale, Keighley, and Asda, Rooley Lane, Bradford, and every first Friday of the month at Asda, Halifax.
In 2016 the Keighley and Bradford surgeries will move to the second Thursday of the month and the Bradford location will change to Morley Street Resource Centre, Bradford. For more details contact [email protected] Surgeries are also held every month in North Yorkshire. The Harrogate surgery is held on the last Thursday of the month from 12.30 until 2.30 and the Scarborough Surgery the first Wednesday of the month from 10.00 until 12.30. For more details please contact [email protected]
Volunteering
Those of you who visit our Facebook page will have read the blogs and stories from our volunteers and guide dog owners sharing their interesting and often amusing stories. We welcome these so if you would like to tell us your stories please let us know.
Your fundraising groups need you
All our fundraising groups could do with extra help at their events and collections. If you can spare a bit of time please contact [email protected] or telephone 0845 3727418.
Included here is a photograph of Ruth Wood.
A day in the life of a day care volunteer
Rosie Harding is a day care volunteer who looks after our trainee guide dogs at Headingley, Leeds. Before a busy day of training, Rosie grooms the dogs and takes them out to play in their nature-themed play area. Rosie says she is really proud to be a volunteer for Guide Dogs. Rosie doesn't normally groom the dogs whilst blindfolded but wanted to experience how the training and behaviour of the dogs supported their future owners.
Pictured here is Rosie grooming Ibsen whilst blindfolded.
Doggy B & B accommodation required
We still need boarders to “bed and breakfast” our dogs in training at evenings and weekends. You need to be over 18 and able to drop the dogs off in the morning at Headingley, Leeds and collect them in the evening. Contact [email protected]
Fundraising
Young fundraisers
Ben Dobbs is an exceptional young fundraiser who is aiming to raise £10,000 for Guide Dogs with a series of events, raffles, bun sales and bucket collections. At the time of writing he has already raised £4,000. He decided to fundraise after seeing “Me and My Guide Dog” on TV. If you would like to help him achieve his target just go to http://www.justgiving.com/ben-dobbs-guide-dogs/
Included here are two photographs of Ben fundraising, supported by two guide dog puppies in training.
Sponsor a puppy
Pupils at Shakespeare Primary School in Leeds raised £1,500 to sponsor a puppy, whilst children at Meadowlea Care Home in Menston raised £300 to sponsor a class of puppies.
Pictured here is Thelma Wilson receiving the cheque from a pupil at Shakespeare school.
Name a puppy New puppy Banky, was named by the Bankhouse Inn at Pudsey and was placed with his puppy walking family in August.
Lindsey sings for Guide Dogs Guide dog owner Lindsey Moore from Dewsbury, raised £100 by singing at a fundraising garden party in July. Lindsey’s guide dog Charlotte and pet dog Genie joined in, wowing the crowds.
Included here is a picture of Lindsey, Charlotte and Genie.
Campaigning
Together we can!
Local Councillor for Liversedge and Gomersal, Lisa Holmes, accepted our invitation to do a blindfold walk to highlight the problems of street clutter and pavement parking. She walked with demonstrator dog Pip along with guide dog owner Lindsey and her dog Charlotte.
The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act of 2014 created a new offence, with a maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment, for anyone who allowed a dog to attack an assistance dog. We are currently working with West Yorkshire Police to get them to sign up to a service level agreement that would mean that guide dogs and their owners would be dealt with effectively, compassionately and in accordance with the new legislation in the event of an attack. Contact [email protected] for details.
Included here is a photograph of Councillor Holmes with Helen Plunkett and Pip.
Talking Buses
Thank you to everyone who has been collecting signatures for a petition which will be presented to “The Big 5” bus companies, asking them to make audio visual (AV) announcements compulsory on all new buses. On 12 September some of our campaigners hit the streets despite the rain to ask members of the public to support “Talking Buses”. We are hoping industry leaders “The Big 5” will listen to our call and set the standard for all bus companies throughout the UK. If you have not signed our petition, you can still make a difference by signing the petition online at http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/big5petition.
Included here is a picture of the Talking Buses Petition.
Events
What’s on Whitby Branch 11 November Quiz night - Conservative club, Whitby
Leeds Mobility Team 17 November - Meet the Team, 9.30 until 4.30 Shire View, Leeds
Scarborough Branch 20 and 21 November - Brunswick collections Scarborough
Huddersfield Branch craft and gift fairs 21 November - Brockholes 29 November - Holmfirth High School
Settle Branch 28 November - Settle Christmas switch on
Leeds Mobility Team Christmas Party Thursday 3 December at Saint Chad’s Parish Centre from 2.30pm until 4.30pm
Skipton Branch 6 and 13 December Skipton Christmas markets Follow and like Guide Dogs at: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GuideDogsLeedsMobilityTeam Twitter: @guidedogsleeds
Guide Dogs Leeds Mobility Team, Shire View, 72, Headingley Lane, Leeds, LS6 2DJ Tel: 0845 3727418 e-mail: [email protected] website: http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/Leeds
Please note that calls to this number cost 3p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge
Registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and in Scotland (SC038979)