Online Media Centre
The Guide Dogs’ Press Office delivers a comprehensive service to national and regional newspapers, radio, TV and online media. We are available 24/7 to answer journalists’ questions about guide dogs, the charity and its services, events and campaigns.
Note: if abbreviating The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, please use Guide Dogs rather than GDBA
How we can help you
To help any journalist prepare a story we can offer:
- Press releases about major announcements, activities and events
- Photo library
- Statistics and research about the work of guide dogs and the charity
- Expert spokespeople
- In-house ISDN line for live and pre-recorded radio interviews
- Access to guide dogs owners, volunteers and staff who are happy to share their stories
- Out of hours service to give comment and information
Press Office headlines
Some of the recent successes of Guide Dogs’ Press Office include:
Seven Magnificent Marathons - when guide dog owner Dave Heeley ran seven marathons, on seven continents, in seven days - resulted in the most successful ever media campaign coverage for Guide Dogs including more national newspaper, national and international television and radio than ever before. The challenge achieved fantastic media coverage with notable pieces on the News at Ten, Channel Four News, CNN, Channel Five News, BBC News 24, Sky Sports, This Morning, Eye Witness News USA, Channel 12 and 7 Australia. There were also full and half page features in The Independent and The Telegraph as well as coverage in The Times, The Guardian, Daily Mail, Mirror, Express, the Sun, The Sport (and more) being some of the highlights.
The search for Guide Dog of the Year in 2007 was launched by BBC Breakfast and the programme reported on the progress of the awards. Millions of viewers saw films of the three inspirational stories from which they voted for their winner – Roz, guide dog of Gary Wickett from Great Barr, Birmingham.
- Blue Peter presenter Andy Akinwolere became the first presenter since 1991 to be a guide dog puppy walker. Millions of viewers watched him socialise guide dog pup Magic on the CBBC ONE programme.
- In 2006 we celebrated 75 years of guide dogs in the UK. The anniversary year reached a media finale during Guide Dog Week (02-06 October) with significant national coverage: BBC1 News at One, GMTV, BBC News 24, CBBC Newsround, The People, Daily Express, The Times (Public Agenda) and Sunday Express. With coverage on 50 national and regional radio stations, and over 100 regional titles featuring Guide Dogs, the 75 anniversary caught the nation’s imagination!
- We are constantly campaigning on behalf of blind and partially sighted people; the Press Office has supported the charity’s policy team in successfully persuading airlines, ferry operators and Eurostar to allow guide dog owners to travel under the Pet Passport scheme.
- Puppy serials regularly feature in magazines and with broadcasters, allowing readers and viewers to follow the month-to-month development of their favourite pup.
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