This is an update from Guide Dogs Northern Ireland. There are no images in this document, which is five pages long. Our contact details are at the end of the update.
Belfast Mobility Team Newsletter
Autumn 2013 – welcome from the team
A very warm welcome from myself and the team to this first edition of the new Belfast Mobility Team newsletter. I hope you enjoy reading about the amazing work we’ve achieved this year, which has seen the guide dog service grow to more than 100 guide dog owners; more than 150 people being supported with mobility; the My Guide service reaching new people and the children’s habilitation service established. But we cannot do it alone and to all of you, I extend my sincere thanks. I hope you enjoy reading, and welcome your thoughts on the stories you would like covered in the next newsletter.
Fiona Brown, Mobility Team Manager
[Fiona is pictured with three dogs and guide dog owner Torie Tennant]
Registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and in Scotland (SCO38979)
In this issue
News - Updates from around the Province
Update on our Services - Buddy dog success
Volunteering - Celebrating our volunteers
Fundraising - Take the lead in the 2014 Belfast Marathon
Campaigning - Together we can!
News
Updates from around the Province
The My Guide service has been at the heart of this year’s City of Culture in Derry-Londonderry. Keen to make sure that the events are widely accessible to as many people as possible, we’ve been working closely with the NW Volunteer Centre to train over 30 guides to provide sighted guiding assistance at venues as well as meeting visitors from transport hubs to guide them to their destination. The volunteer sighted guides have been giving people with a visual impairment the confidence to visit the city and enjoy the range of cultural events on offer. The fantastic events that have been supported throughout the City of Culture year, like The Fleadh and The Turner Prize, have given us a great platform to showcase the My Guide service and introduce the life changing opportunities that it can bring.
[pictured are two ladies walking through Derry-Londonderry, one is being guided in blindfold]
Thanks to all who took part in or supported our Fire Walk as part of this year’s Guide Dog Week. The atmosphere on the night was amazing – the brave soles (groan) who took part included guide dog owners Elaine Orwin and Andrea Hope and a whopping £3576.71 has been raised so far!
[Pictured is Ian from the team walking over red hot coals in the Fire Walk]
Our children and young people’s team is getting bigger with Peter Lock joining Miriam and Emma to work towards providing the only habilitation service in Northern Ireland for children who are visually impaired. We are really excited to develop the service and will keep you updated on their work in future newsletters!
[Pictured are Miriam, Emma and Peter standing outside the Belfast Mobility Centre]
We’ve launched a fantastic new partnership with parkrun to enable people who are blind or partially sighted to get active. parkrun organise free, weekly runs across the UK, encouraging people of all ages and abilities to take part. The Belfast team is working with them to train volunteers as sighted guides at locations across the province. There’s also scope for the volunteers to be trained as running guides, giving people with sight loss whatever support they need to take part.
So whether you’re a budding Olympian, taking your first steps in running, or even if you’re interested in regular walking exercise contact Andrew Murdock on 0845 3727402.
[Pictured are two men closely running side by side on a training track]
Now we’ve had our first sprinkling of snow, it’s safe to talk about Christmas! Card and gift sales are happening through branches across the Province but we also have a fantastic selection of cards in stock at the office. Pop down, say hi and stock up – we’ll even make you a cup of tea!
[Pictured is a popular Guide Dogs Christmas card with six guide dogs in harness on the front]
In 2014, we’re celebrating 30 years of working to deliver life-changing services here in Northern Ireland. We have a few surprises up our sleeves but we would love to hear your ideas of how we can mark this milestone. Pop an email to Belfast at guide dogs dot org dot uk there’s a prize in store for the best idea!
[Pictured is a yellow Labrador puppy looking up at the camera]
Our services
Buddy dogs go from strength to strength
The buddy dog service has arrived in Northern Ireland with a bit of a bang, seeing three successful partnerships placed in the first year. UTV’s The Magazine recently celebrated buddy dog Cassie, who has been placed with Conor Thompson from Crumlin. Conor’s mum Noreen explains how life-changing Cassie has been: “Cassie has given Conor a role within the family that is helping him to interact and take part in family life. She has really brought him out of his shell and it has given us real hope for his future”.
For more information on the buddy dog service visit www dot guide dogs dot org dot uk slash services slash buddy hyphen dogs
[Conor is pictured with his buddy dog, Cassie]
An update from our Service User Representative
Next year will see changes introduced for guide dog owners’ identification. Assistance Dogs UK, the umbrella body for assistance dog charities, is introducing a logbook that will replace the current ID card. This will carry separate photographs of both dog and owner and will be recognised as standard identification to provide access to everywhere a guide dog can travel. We will be in touch with further details on how to obtain one in due course. If service users have any questions or issues, or if you’d just like a friendly chat, you can contact me on 02892 651540 or email june dot best at guide dogs dot org dot uk
[Service User Representative June is pictured standing with her guide dog, Alex]
Volunteering
Guide Dogs’ Annual Awards
We’re delighted to let you know that we have five finalists in this year’s Guide Dogs Annual Awards! Glen Mann is being recognised for his fantastic fundraising work,
Jean McKinney for a lifetime of volunteering, Torie Tennant for being an inspirational young guide dog owner and volunteer, buddy dog Cassie for her life changing work with Conor Thompson and guide dog Zeta for her unflinching support to Andrea Hope. All the finalists will be going to a glittering awards ceremony in London on 11 December so we’ll keep you posted with how they get on.
[Pictured is Andrea Hope kneeling down next to guide dog Zeta]
Investing in Volunteers
We’d like to thank all the volunteers who gave up their time to take part in our recent application for Investing in Volunteer status.
Investing in Volunteers is the UK quality standard for all organisations that involve volunteers in their work. It’s a rigorous process that ensures that the volunteer management structure is adhering to good practice and providing an exemplary experience to volunteers.
We couldn’t carry out the work we do without the unbelievable support of our volunteers and we hope this is reflected in the final report when it is issued early next year.
Fundraising
Belfast Marathon 2014
We’re challenging you to take the lead and start thinking about lacing up your trainers to get training for the 2014 Belfast Marathon! This year’s event was a fantastic day and over £5,000 was raised to support vital local services.
Don't worry if you don’t think you can take on the full Marathon; you can still take part by:
- Forming a Relay team where you share the 26.2 miles with up to four other people
- Joining the Fun Run which follows a three mile route for all ages and abilities
- Stepping out on the Marathon Walk, a nine mile non-competitive event starting at Belfast City Hall
For more information or to register visit guide dogs dot org dot uk slash Belfast marathon
Campaigning
Together we can!
All of our campaigns continue to gather momentum.
Under our Streets Ahead campaign, we have been working with representatives of retailers to undertake a series of blindfold walks to understand the difficulties that inappropriately positioned A-boards and other street furniture can present to blind and partially sighted people. In October we presented evidence for the need for effective regulation of Pavement Cafes to the Committee for Social Development. This evidence will inform the Licensing of Pavement Cafes Bill currently passing through the Assembly.
Earlier this year we took our demands for Talking Buses to the Minister for Regional Development. The Minister will continue to seek the necessary funding to introduce talking buses throughout the Translink fleet.
However, there is still much more to be done. Information on all of our campaigns and how you can take direct action to support them can be found at www dot guide dogs dot org dot uk slash campaigns
Together, we can positively change the lives of people who are blind and partially sighted for the better.
Fiona Brown. Mobility Team Manager
[Pictures show one retailer taking part in a blindfold walk with a guide dog and mobility instructor. The second picture is a guide dog owner boarding a Translink bus]
Events
What's on
Christmas Concert in Stormont, Thursday 5 December at 8pm. Stormont, Parliament Buildings. Conciento Choir and Holywood Steiner School Choir. Tickets £15, tea and coffee Included. Contact Orrlene, 07779 035 747
My Guide Belfast Christmas Shopping, Mon morn, Tues eve and Wed afternoons in December. Trained sighted guides will meet visually impaired clients from the bus/rail station or other meeting area in the city centre to assist you navigate the shops. Booking’s essential, call 0845 372 7402 (Tues am or Fri pm)
Volunteer New Year Party, Saturday 18 January 12 noon – 3pm, Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast. Come together for a celebration with all our fantastic volunteers. It’s a chance to reflect on a great year and hatch big plans for 2014! Details to follow!
Belfast Marathon 2014, Monday 5 May 2014, Whether it’s the full marathon, the relay, the fun run or the walk, there are loads of ways to get involved! For more information and to sign up visit www dot guide dogs dot org dot uk slash Belfast marathon
Contact us:
Guide Dogs Northern Ireland
Unit 17, 18 Heron Road, Belfast, BT3 9LE
Tel: 0845 372 7402
email: Belfast at guide dogs dot org dot uk
www dot guide dogs dot org dot uk slash Belfast
Follow and like Guide Dogs at:
www dot facebook dot com slash Guide Dogs N I or Twitter at guide dogs
Registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and in Scotland (SCO38979)
End of update.