FORWARD: Spring/Summer 2026 Guide Dogs presents the Spring/Summer 2026 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 2026 “Mabel has given Caitlin a new purpose” Buddy dog Mabel helps teenager Caitlin with her mental health Inside: how to contact Guide Dogs for help and when Our Academy celebrates a milestone graduation Find out what’s inside our brilliant new Puppy Packs! On the front cover is a photograph of buddy dog owner Caitlin in the garden with her yellow Labrador buddy dog Mabel. cccccccccccc Contents Regulars – Welcome from the CEO 5 Regulars – News 6 Features – Guide Dogs Puppy Packs are here! 10 Features – Need help? 12 Here’s who to call and when Regulars – Guide Dogs in the Media 13 Features – Academy celebrates its 50th graduate! 14 Regulars – On the Campaign Trail 15 Features – Visiting unique places to build lifelong skills 16 Regulars – Star News 18 Regulars – A Day in the Life Of… Nicky Schwarz, Sighted Guide Training Officer 19 Features – Caitlin and Mabel’s story 20 Features – Steven goes round the houses to name a guide dog puppy 22 Features – Helen leaves a life-changing gift to Guide Dogs 23 Regulars – Thank You to our Supporters 24 Regulars – Letter & Caption Competition 26 Regulars – In Good Company 27 Promotions 28 Contact details – arising from the articles in this edition of Forward 29 Included here are three photographs. The first is of Guide Dogs’ Patron, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh meeting a golden retriever puppy in training on a visit to Guide Dogs Northern Ireland. The second is of Reece Clarke, Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet on stage with two guide dog puppies in training, a yellow and a black Labrador. The third is of buddy dog owner Caitlin with her family and buddy dog Mabel on a walk. cccccccccccc Subscription enquiries: You’re receiving this copy of Forward magazine as one of our valued supporters. Forward is available in standard print, Braille and large print 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 email guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk. Editorial contributions: Send your stories to Forward by email to forward@guidedogs.org.uk or addressed to “Forward magazine” 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. Switchboard: 0118 983 5555 Guide Line: 0800 781 1444 or information@guidedogs.org.uk Supporter Experience: 0800 953 0113 or guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk Web: www.guidedogs.org.uk © 2026 Registered charity in England and Wales (209617), Scotland (SC038979) and Isle of Man (1334). E013 04/26 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. cccccccccccc A welcome from Andrew What an amazing start to the year. Perhaps that might feel like a bit of a bold statement with some of the wider world issues, but as we look to what is happening closer to home, there have been some incredible outcomes that all at Guide Dogs have been part of and that we want to share with you, our supporters. As you read through this edition of Forward, you will get to learn of our success on a national stage with multiple policy changes that we had campaigned for over many years. You will also learn of innovation in our Puppy Development teams and a new Puppy Pack that we are introducing. We also have updates on our Guide Dogs Academy that trains the trainers of the future, and the story of a Royal visit to Northern Ireland. Trying hard not to steal the thunder from the article on the Puppy Packs, suffice to say I took one of the new packs with me to a board meeting just before they launched; on the outside there is some branding welcoming the volunteer to being a puppy raiser, and sat on the train holding the box I was congratulated on my new pup by a passing traveller! That did make me smile. Through the donations and volunteering support we are able to help so many from the youngest to the oldest, from the person with sight loss to the family and circle of support around them. It is wonderful that no matter what is happening in the wider world, charities continue to do amazing things and I continue to be very proud of the work of Guide Dogs. I hope that you enjoy this edition of Forward. Andrew Lennox Chief Executive Officer Guide Dogs Included here is a photograph of Andrew Lennox sitting outside on a bench with a yellow Labrador guide dog at his feet. cccccccccccc News Our Patron visits Guide Dogs Northern Ireland Guide Dogs’ Patron, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh, visited Guide Dogs Northern Ireland in March to belatedly mark our 40th anniversary in Belfast. Her Royal Highness met staff, volunteers and guide dog owners whose lives have been shaped by four decades of Guide Dogs NI’s work. The Duchess also surprised guide dog owner Judith Martin with a certificate to mark becoming the charity’s 1,000th volunteer in Northern Ireland. Guide dog training first began in Northern Ireland in 1984 at Lanesborough House in East Belfast. Since then, we’ve created more than 620 guide dog partnerships, and we now support more than 250 children, young people and families each year through a range of mobility and habilitation services. Included here is a photograph of Her Royal Highness The Duchess Of Edinburgh meeting a golden retriever puppy in training. Another campaigning win! Disability equality training for taxi drivers in England Being turned away from shops, cafés and taxis because you’re with your guide dog can be devastating. Despite being against the law, this discrimination happens too often, especially with taxis. For over a decade, Guide Dogs has led the campaign for mandatory disability equality training for taxi and minicab drivers and operators. This training is vital to ensure drivers understand the law, respect the rights of assistance dog owners, and properly support disabled passengers. In February, the Government confirmed that this training will become a legal requirement in England, following Northern Ireland’s lead, and plans to introduce training in Wales. This is an important step towards finally ending access refusals for guide dog owners across the country. We will keep up the pressure, campaigning for similar changes in Scotland, and call on licensing authorities to act against drivers who break the law. AbleNet puts the pedal to the fundraising metal AbleNet, a company which provides gift experiences for people with disabilities, is celebrating naming a guide dog puppy by doing more fundraising for Guide Dogs. AbleNet has named an adorable black Labrador puppy Able after raising thousands through their annual Guide Dogs Charity Supercar Day. The event is aimed at guide dog owners and other people with sight loss, giving them the opportunity to get behind the wheel of some iconic performance cars including an Aston Martin DB9, Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 or a Ferrari F430. The next Guide Dogs Charity Supercar Day is on Friday 11 September at Kendrew Barracks in Oakham, in the East Midlands. Visit www.ablenet.co.uk/ablenet-guide-dogs to find out more. Included here is a photograph of AbleNet founder Paul Ashurst in a wheelchair, with black Labrador guide dog puppy Able, in front of a red Ferrari 458. Paving the way for more powers to tackle pavement-parked cars Guide Dogs has campaigned for stronger pavement parking laws for decades. Cars blocking pavements is a key issue affecting people with sight loss; our research found 95% have been forced to walk in the road because of pavement-parked cars. We welcomed the Government’s announcement in January promising local councils across England more powers to tackle pavement parking, in line with laws in Scotland and London. This will make streets safer for people with sight loss, and parking rules easier to understand for drivers. This also follows progress in Northern Ireland at the end of 2025, with the Northern Irish Government setting out plans to ticket pavement-parked cars. We’ll continue to work with governments across the UK to stop unsafe and unfair pavement parking. Included here is a photograph of a guide dog owner and his yellow Labrador guide dog squeezing past a pavement-parked car. Our work with football clubs really kicks off! In February, six guide dog puppies took a trip to Chelsea Football Club’s iconic Stamford Bridge Stadium for a memorable training experience. This new partnership, which involved the puppies doing an initial familiarisation session, is the latest in our work with football clubs. Puppy Development Advisor Chloe Southby said: “These stadiums are unique in design and it’s difficult to replicate that, so enabling our puppies to feel calm and confident is a huge benefit to them and their future owner. “It’s that positive first experience of visiting a football stadium that gives us the foundation to build on, eventually getting them ready to attend a match.” We’re excited about what’s next with Chelsea, as we continue to highlight the need for accessibility and inclusion within football. Included here is a photograph of a black Labrador puppy in training inside Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge Stadium. Celebrating 40 years of Guide Dogs in Wales This September, we’re celebrating 40 years of guide dog training in Wales. Both the BBC and ITV covered the opening of our base at Trevillian House in the Pontcanna area of Cardiff in 1986, which was set up to produce 30 guide dog partnerships a year. It meant people with sight loss in South Wales no longer had to travel to Exeter in Devon to train with a new guide dog. The centre also offered aftercare and advice to South Wales’s 120 guide dog owners at the time. Guide Dogs Cymru is now based at Eastern Business Park in the St Mellons area of the city. To mark the anniversary, we’ve tracked down some of the people who trained and worked at Trevillian House and invited them to share their memories at a special event being planned in the city centre. Included here is a screenshot of television coverage from 1986 of dignitaries and guests at the opening of Trevillian House. Remembering Mary Heffer Guide Dogs’ Nottingham Team suffered the loss of their dear colleague Mary Heffer in December. Mary would have celebrated her 35th anniversary at Guide Dogs in January, with her entire career dedicated to the role of Vision Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS). A VRS supports and trains people with sight loss to promote and enhance their independence, often assisting them towards getting a guide dog. In the eulogy he gave at Mary’s funeral, her manager Gareth Evans told the story of a client Mary had trained in the past, but who had recently been helped by a different team member. To express just how well they had been supported by the recent colleague, the client said: “I tell you how good they were, they were nearly as good as Mary Heffer.” Included here is a photograph of Mary Heffer with three of her colleagues. On the scent in Bristol From snuffle mats to hanging plastic bottles and a tent, these are all part of a new PAWS (Positive Activities With Scent) room, recently created at our Bristol Regional Centre. The team designed the space for dogs in training to explore and use their senses – what’s known as enrichment – but it’s now proving useful for training too. Nik Gardner, Guide Dog Partnership Operations Manager, said: “We hide treats around the room which encourages them to sniff. Not only is this fun for the dog, it helps familiarise them to sounds, surfaces and textures, or to ignore specific distractions. You know when you hear the sniffing they’re having a great time, and it’s good for them.” Included here is a photograph of a yellow Labrador puppy in training in the PAWS room, which contains a tent, play tunnel, hanging plastic bottles, artificial grass and toys. Help us cut our long-term medication bill in half! Does your guide dog or guide dog puppy have long-term medication, such as for a skin condition? Our new agreement with The Animal Charity Pharmacy could help us save 50% on medication costs, because they provide lower-cost medicines to charities. We will register your dog, explain the process and provide in-person support where needed, to help you set up your own account. Once ordered, the medication will be delivered to your door, saving you a trip to the vet, and saving us vital funds. If your dog receives long-term medication, email us at scripts@guidedogs.org.uk, or call Guide Line on 0800 781 1444. cccccccccccc Guide Dogs Puppy Packs are here! If you’ve puppy raised for us, firstly, a huge thank you! You’ll know how exciting it is to prepare for your puppy, and how you want to have everything ready for the big day. Until now, we have ordered, bought and provided vital equipment to our puppy raising volunteers one item at a time. But we wanted to give our volunteers a better experience, make the best use of staff time, and guarantee we were getting the best value for every pound. After much collaboration between teams at Guide Dogs, and vital help from our corporate sponsors, we launched our new Puppy Packs in April to volunteers about to receive a puppy. Delivered direct to Puppy Raisers’ homes, the packs contain all the essentials, fully branded and ready to go, tailored either to a first-time Puppy Raiser or to someone who’s had a pup before. The packs give our volunteers a great welcome to their new puppy, and they enable our staff to focus on supporting them, rather than delivering equipment. And by ordering and contracting at scale, the financial savings to Guide Dogs are really significant. Although the packs have more equipment in them than we have previously provided and are a real treat to receive, we’re saving 42% per year on materials alone by purchasing this way. Additionally, much of the pack contents go with the pup when they go into training, reducing the need to buy again later on. So, how does the process work? Haley Andrews, who headed up the project, explained: “Once we know a new puppy is going to a volunteer, they receive an email with a link to CDL, the company delivering all our packs. That link lets you select a large pack if you’re a first-time Puppy Raiser, or a small pack if you have raised a pup before - the only difference is the larger packs contain a crate. “The packs arrive straight to your home within a few days, and they contain an array of things you’ll need for the pup, from bowls to bedding, brushes to toys, leads, collars and even a new vet bed for inside the crate. “The box itself folds flat for storage until you’re ready to return any items to us, and inside the box the vet bed keeps everything protected, so there’s no packaging to throw away. “I just want to say a huge thank you to our partners who have made this possible – Royal Canin, who have been so generous with supporting these packs, and Ancol, Company of Animals, and Petlife International. “It’s been a real team effort to work with them in developing this pack, and we’re all really excited to share the finished product. We’re looking forward to seeing how they work in action and taking any learnings, then we’ll look to extend the concept – watch this space!” Find out more about Puppy Packs at www.tinyurl.com/GuideDogsPuppyPacks. Included here are three photographs. The first is of a puppy raiser with her black Labrador puppy in training, who is investigating the contents of the Puppy Pack. The second is a close-up of the contents of the Puppy Pack, which includes leads, bowls, treats, toys, collars, brushes and a vet bed. The third is of a yellow Labrador puppy in training. Schools can get involved too! We’ve developed a great Puppy Pack initiative for schools. For a £150 fundraising target, our Schools pack helps children learn about Guide Dogs and complete a colouring and writing competition, with the winning card from each school going into a Puppy Pack. It’s our way of connecting those who help these little puppies grow into life-changers - one of our favourite cards is from the Reception classes at St Edmund Campion Catholic School which reads “Good luck with your training! We know you will be a super guide dog pup”. Included here is a photograph of an entry for the colouring competition. cccccccccccc Need help? Here’s who to call and when Guide Line: 0800 781 1444 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) Emergency Out-of-Hours line: 0345 143 0217 The health and welfare of our dogs is a top priority for us, and we’re lucky to have a whole community of staff, guide dog owners and volunteers who feel the same way. If you’ve spoken to our brilliant team at Guide Line you’ll know that they can help you with any queries, issues or worries, and they’re there to support you Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. If something happens outside of office hours, we have on-call colleagues who cover our Emergency Out-of-Hours phone line. This is for those situations which can’t wait, like an urgent dog health or welfare concern. They will help you access the right solution; this could be by providing you with advice, referring you to take your dog to your local out-of-hours veterinary provider, or asking you to contact Guide Line when it’s next open. Kelly Newton is an Operations Manager at Guide Dogs and is also part of the Emergency line team. She said: “Guide Line are your go-to for anything during the day, and if you have a concern, do call them rather than leaving it to the evening, because then we can put a plan in place if needed. “That said, dogs work to their own timelines and will sometimes wait until after office hours to become unwell, and that’s where the Emergency Out-of-Hours team comes in.” Knowing the right number to call means you’re prepared, and as a charity it helps us to be more effective with our resources. Along with our in-house teams, your local veterinary provider plays an important part in your dog’s health and welfare. Kelly added: “If you are seriously concerned about the immediate health or welfare of your dog, please call your local vet, or their out-of-hours service provider, first, then call us so we can provide you with support and advise as necessary.” Included here is a photograph of a Guide Line Advisor on a call. cccccccccccc Guide Dogs in the Media Bikers prepare guide dog puppies for the road ahead In April we released a media appeal for avid motorcyclists to volunteer as puppy raisers to help socialise our young dogs, after we discovered that dogs are often afraid of motorbikes. We ran a survey which found that 57% of UK dog owners say their pets become stressed around motorbikes, with eight in 10 saying engine noise is the biggest trigger. A further 39% say their dog is also unsettled by people wearing helmets - including bikers, delivery riders and cyclists. For working guide dogs, an unexpected fright triggered by a passing motorbike can pose a danger for both owner and dog. So we issued a plea for bikers to come forward as volunteers, as they can provide puppies with safe, gradual exposure to motorbikes as part of their home environment while helping raise our pups to become life-changing guide dogs. To illustrate our case, we arranged for 10-week-old golden retriever guide dog puppy Kian to meet members of the Harley Owners Group (HOG) in Kidderminster in the West Midlands. Our adorable photos appeared in the Daily Telegraph online, the Daily Mirror online, in print in the Daily Star and Metro, and on ITV News and more. Included here is a photograph of a member of the Harley Owners Group holding Kian. cccccccccccc Academy celebrates its 50th graduate! The Guide Dogs Academy was set up in 2020 as our way of attracting, training and retaining the Guide Dog Mobility Specialists and Guide Dog Trainers of the future. For the first time, it allowed us to have a team of people dedicated to teaching and coaching our technical workforce - that is, anyone working directly with our dogs and their future owners. Academy enables us to recruit in greater numbers, attract candidates from different backgrounds, and give all our new learners the same pathway into their new career. Having trained the trainers and set up the programme, we welcomed the first Academy learners into teams across the UK in January 2022, and we recently met up with one of that first cohort, Dan Hutton. Dan said: “I remember walking in on my first day and feeling a mixture of pride and terror at what I was taking on – there’s a lot to take in! “I still feel like I’m learning every day, but I can’t imagine doing anything else now, and I’m so proud of the partnerships I’ve trained, and being part of making such a difference.” Since those first cohorts we have expanded Academy’s remit, and now it’s the entry point for all our technical staff. We look for people with a coaching mindset who are optimistic, good under pressure, and who thrive on seeing the impact they’re making to people’s lives. This Spring we celebrated our 50th Academy graduate in Cardiff. Having trained six dogs to be ready for matching during her time in Academy, Lauren Prothero – alongside fellow cohort members Rachael O’Dwyer and Lucy Wilkins – is now a fully-fledged Guide Dog Trainer. Congratulations to all our Academy graduates! Included here are two photographs. The first is of Dan with yellow Labrador guide dog in training Mitch. The second is of Lucy, Lauren and Rachael, with two black Labrador guide dogs in training, at their graduation. cccccccccccc On the Campaign Trail Our new research finds children are missing out on support We’ve published new research which finds that far too often, children and young people with a vision impairment in England are missing out on the support and learning they need. More than two thirds (69%) have never received crucial habilitation support essential to their development, and nearly half (45%) have never received support from a Qualified Teacher of Children and Young People with a Vision Impairment (QTVI). Getting specialist support at the right time is vital in creating a positive learning experience, increasing confidence, and improving opportunities for children and young people during education and later life. Without the right support, children risk being left behind their sighted peers. We’re calling on the Government to fix this by ensuring every young person with sight loss can access high-quality support when and where they need it, and by making every classroom inclusive. Getting the SEND reforms right Our findings come at an important moment, as the Government plans to reform the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England. This gives Guide Dogs a unique opportunity to influence changes so they support children who are blind or partially sighted. We organised an event in Parliament for key MPs, taking our research directly to decision-makers to keep children with a vision impairment at the centre of the SEND reforms. MPs met and spoke to habilitation specialists and QTVIs, alongside parents and young people, who shared their experiences and set out priorities for the reforms. This is just one part of our campaign to shape these reforms, and we’ll continue to push so every young person can access early, specialist support – helping them to achieve their full potential and live independently in later life. Included here is a photograph of a vision impaired schoolboy wearing glasses. cccccccccccc Visiting unique places to build lifelong skills Outside the classroom, our puppies enjoy all sorts of adventures that help build the skills needed to navigate the real world. They learn how to travel and remain calm on different types of transport, from car rides to planes, and have access to explore unique locations which are normally off-limits to pet dogs. Each new setting helps them grow in confidence, and our puppy raisers get to share each heartwarming step of their life-changing journey. Puppy class takes off at Southampton Airport Southampton Airport welcomed seven guide dog puppies who descended for dedicated training to experience a working airport. The puppies, aged from six months to just over a year old, embarked on an airside tour of the airport, navigating departure lounges, shops, cafés, lifts and baggage reclaim areas. They even got to practise boarding a plane and settling on the floor of the cabin. Sharon Wallenberg, volunteer puppy raiser, said: “My puppy can experience all the different sights, sounds and smells of an airport because in his future life, hopefully as a working guide dog, it may be that his owner takes him on a plane, so somewhere in the back of his mind he’ll think: “I’ve done this before.”” Puppy Development Advisor Leanne Kelly added: “A big part of this is socialisation and getting the puppies used to different environments, so visiting Southampton Airport was a great experience for them. All the pups did brilliantly, helping them build positive associations with airports that they’ll remember if they visit as working guide dogs.” Included here is a photograph of the guide dog puppies and their puppy raisers boarding a Loganair plane at Southampton Airport. Edinburgh Castle hosts a historical puppy class In March, seven puppies in training across Scotland headed for an exclusive puppy class at Edinburgh Castle, a unique, fun and beneficial experience for them. Puppy Development Supervisor Fiona Fraser said: “Giving guide dog puppies different experiences, visiting places with different surfaces, sights, sounds and smells, helps them to become well-rounded and confident guide dogs.” Included here is a photograph of the guide dog puppies and their puppy raisers outside Edinburgh Castle. Essex puppy raisers head to the big city Six puppy raisers from Essex visited our London Community Team for an insight into what their puppies will be getting up to when they start their formal training. Accompanied by Puppy Development Advisor Joanne Thorn, the group caught the train to The Big Smoke along with four guide dog puppies. It was a great opportunity for the pups to visit the office where some of them will soon be starting their formal training. Guide dog puppy Milo is just one pup who will soon start his training in London with Guide Dog Mobility Specialist Amy Brewer. Joanne said: “Milo is based in Essex, living with a family, and although he has been into London numerous times, this was his first trip to our Euston office. “This was a great opportunity for Milo and his puppy raisers to meet Amy and find out about the next stages of his journey.” Included here is a photograph of golden retriever guide dog puppy Milo and his puppy raisers. To find out more about becoming a volunteer puppy raiser, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraiser. To read more about what it’s like to be a Puppy Raiser, read Puppy Development Advisor Terri’s blog at www.tinyurl.com/TerriThePDABlog. cccccccccccc Star News Reece dances his way to become a celebrity ambassador Our celebrity ambassador roster has welcomed an exciting new addition - Scottish dancer Reece Clarke, Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet. Reece was chosen for his authentic connection to Guide Dogs, demonstrable support for our fundraising, and willingness to create media opportunities for Guide Dogs. Reece grew up in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, alongside three older brothers who all trained at the Janis Ridley School of Dance in Scotland before joining The Royal Ballet School. Reece’s support for Guide Dogs became apparent in Autumn 2024, when he raised £11,000 for us by performing two sell-out shows in his hometown. When Guide Dogs held a puppy familiarisation event at the Royal Opera House (ROH) last year, the session made quite an impact on Reece, persuading him to support us further. We then welcomed Reece for a visit to Guide Dogs’ South East Regional Centre in Redbridge, London. We introduced him to the basics of guide dog training and he met our dogs, trainers, and was given a tour of the centre. Reece has since helped make Guide Dogs’ second visit to the ROH happen, when a group of guide dog owners, guide dogs and guide dog puppies attended a rehearsal of The Nutcracker ballet. The visit also helped us promote our Christmas Sponsor a Puppy pups, as one of them was called Clara – the name of The Nutcracker’s main character. Alongside his Royal Ballet residency, Reece has performed around the world to great acclaim, including being privileged to perform as a guest artist of the American Ballet Theatre in New York and at the Opéra National de Paris. He has also been a painters’ muse on Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year. Included here is a photograph of Reece Clarke, Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet on stage with two guide dog puppies in training, a yellow and a black Labrador. cccccccccccc A Day in the Life Of… Nicky Schwarz, Sighted Guide Training Officer “I started my career here as a Guide Dog Mobility Specialist, matching and training our partnerships, and the experience I have from my first role is so useful in the Sighted Guide Training team. “We are here to open up places and spaces for people with a vision impairment, and by teaching these skills we are normalising sighted guide assistance whether that’s in workplaces, leisure spaces or just out and about. “I love the variety of the work, and seeing the impact of what we do. For instance, at the moment I’m working with Dan. He’s waiting to be matched with his next guide dog, but in the meantime we are providing sighted guide training to his colleagues at Hastings Direct, the insurance company. “We’ll be spending time at their offices, and outside as well, teaching the common language of sighted guide training – how to introduce yourself, how to offer assistance and listen to what the person needs, as well as the practical elements of how to guide someone through a space. “We usually find that there’s a lot of willingness to help, but people are unsure of what to do or how to go about it. That changes as people learn the skills - colleagues engage more readily because they’re confident in what they’re doing and know how to help. “The aim is that when Dan gets his next dog he’ll have that great partnership, along with an environment where he feels really supported and safe because the people around him have the skills they need. And of course, they are able to assist anyone else they meet with a vision impairment, whatever the context. “Being able to say “Yes, I’m sighted guide trained” is a statement that you understand the framework and how to help. I wish we had the opportunity to provide everyone with this training – it’s life-changing!” Included here is a photograph of Nicky Schwarz wearing her Guide Dogs lanyard. Everyday sighted guiding tips * Ask first, don’t assume someone needs help. * Introduce yourself clearly. * Listen to what the person needs. * Communicate clearly as you guide. * Look out for obstacles like steps, doors or busy spaces. * Support independence, guide, don’t take over. cccccccccccc Caitlin and Mabel’s story Buddy dog Mabel has been more than just a dog to Caitlin; she’s been a listening ear through dark periods of mental health. Eileen first realised her daughter Caitlin had a problem when she was two years old. Eileen said: “Caitlin was putting her face really close to the TV and her books. She was also tripping over a lot. It wasn’t immediately obvious, and we wondered if she was just clumsy, but we decided to get her checked. “It took seven years of going between the GP, hospitals and eye consultants before we got a diagnosis of Cone Rod Dystrophy in December 2019. It was really frustrating.” Eileen says the most difficult thing about Caitlin’s sight loss is the impact it has had on her mental health. Eileen added: “Caitlin went through a dark period where she told her teacher she didn’t want to live any more. They referred her to a psychologist and we were all hugely worried. “We asked Caitlin what was on her bucket list before her vision got worse, and she said she wanted a dog. We had a vision impairment specialist teacher in primary school, and she told us about Guide Dogs and buddy dogs, so we attended a discovery day and they helped us understand how the dog could help. After the discovery day, we did a home check on a video call, and we got Mabel two months later.” Describing the moment Mabel arrived at the family’s home in the West Midlands, Caitlin said: “I was so happy. She’s a very friendly and funny dog. When she’s lying on the ground, she rolls on her back and tries to catch her tail.” Now aged 17, Caitlin is proud that she’s now managing her sight loss better with the help of her buddy dog. She said: “Mabel is basically my new psychologist! She’s a real friend.” Eileen agrees: “Having a dog has really helped, it gives Caitlin someone to talk to. During the pandemic, Caitlin felt really lonely as she had to isolate a lot and she struggled to make friends in her new school. “Mabel has also given Caitlin a new purpose. Every night before bedtime, Caitlin teaches her tricks. It takes a few weeks but then she catches on.” Mabel is bringing the whole family together too, encouraging Caitlin and her brother to play together, go on walks and introduce the family to new neighbours. Caitlin sums up Mabel’s influence on their family best: “She’s brought so much joy to this house! She makes us spend more time together and that has helped everyone.” Included here are two photographs. The first is of Caitlin and Mabel enjoying a free run. The second is of Caitlin with her family and Mabel on a walk. cccccccccccc Name a Puppy Steven goes round the houses to name a guide dog puppy A huge thank you to Steven Mitchell from Lisburn in Northern Ireland, who completed an incredible 50km ultramarathon in support of Guide Dogs in just 5 hours and 20 minutes. What makes this achievement even more unusual and remarkable is that Steven completed this feat… By running 556 laps of his cul-de-sac! Taking on this kind of challenge is no small thing, but what made it truly special was the reason behind it. Steven chose to fundraise for Guide Dogs as it’s a cause close to his heart after growing up in a family who have raised four guide dog puppies to date. Those experiences clearly left a lasting impression, with the guide dog pups becoming a meaningful part of family life over the years. One puppy, Stan, was even involved in Steven’s proposal to his wife, Gemma, while another, Leo, took on the role of ring bearer at their wedding. Steven’s run was supported by a brilliant crowd of friends and family, all helping to keep his spirits high throughout the many, many laps. Mascot Penny was also there to cheer Steven on and even join in for a few laps, while puppy Raymond was also there, ready to celebrate at the finish line (and provide some well-earned cuddles!). Steven raised a total of £3,755.75 and so thanks to his amazing efforts, he will also have the honour of naming a future guide dog puppy. It’s an incredibly fitting outcome given the role guide dogs have played in his life. Many thanks to Steven for taking on such an incredible challenge and for choosing to support Guide Dogs and make a real difference. To find out more about naming a guide dog puppy, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/NAP. Included here are two photographs. The first is of Steven and Gemma on their wedding day with a dapper-looking ring bearer, yellow Labrador guide dog puppy Leo. The second is of Steven’s dad Geoffrey, with their latest guide dog puppy black Labrador Ridley, Gemma and Steven handing their donation to Robert from the Lisburn Fundraising Group. cccccccccccc Legacies Helen leaves a life-changing gift to Guide Dogs Helen’s first memory of the charity Guide Dogs was as a little girl, when her mum would give her some change to pop into the life-sized dog collection box in their local shop. As she grew older, she noticed the enjoyment people with sight loss received from touching and smelling the beautiful flowers in a sensory garden near her home. Then, when she started work, her first job was on a switchboard at a college for people who were blind or partially sighted. It was there that Helen saw first-hand just how much guide dogs can help. She said: “I realised just how important they are. To see how much more confidence it gave people and how they were able to get out and about so much more easily and confidently was really lovely.” When writing her Will, Helen knew exactly what she wanted to do. She explained: “I decided to leave a gift in my Will to Guide Dogs. It just seemed a natural progression of my life, from that involvement when I was a child, that little spark of interest that then ignited.” Thanks to people like Helen leaving gifts in their Wills to Guide Dogs in the past, we’re able to help people with sight loss today. People like David, who says of his first guide dog Scooby: “The first time I put a harness on and walked Scooby, it just felt right. I stepped back into the house beaming from ear to ear. I couldn’t believe the joy that it gave me to have my independence back.” To find out how a gift in your Will could help transform lives, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/giftsinwills. Included here is a photograph of a guide dog owner, with her yellow Labrador guide dog being stroked by Helen and her granddaughter. cccccccccccc Thank You to our Supporters Dear supporters I want to say a huge thank you to each and every one of the people and teams in these pages who have raised money for Guide Dogs. Without you, we simply couldn’t fulfil our purpose of helping people with sight loss to live the lives they choose. I wish you all an amazing summer, Terry McGrath Chief Marketing & Fundraising Officer Guide Dogs’ IS Directorate has raised £5,959 towards its £10,000 goal to name a guide dog puppy. Staff have taken on fundraising challenges, including Business Partner Assistive Technology Darren Paskell and Head of Service Delivery Ande George abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower, three colleagues completing a Tough Mudder, Lead Business Analyst Hazel Swan running the Scottish 10k, and Technical Architect Jon Hutton running the Reading Half Marathon. Included here is a photograph of Darren abseiling down the Spinnaker Tower. A guide dog owner from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, who performs as Dan DroiD, has raised £36,548. Dan tours the South West with guide dog Luna, collecting donations at gigs. His wife Lynsey, daughter Mina and son Loki play a key role by running a special draw, where attendees donate for the chance to name a guide dog puppy. So far, draw winners have named 14 pups, with three more on track this year. Included here is a photograph of Dan DroiD and his Labradoodle guide dog Luna. Sophie Roe, aged 12, was inspired by her pet Labrador Henry to raise money for Guide Dogs. She walked seven miles from her home in Nebo, Anglesey, to Bull Bay Golf Club, joined along the way by members of Guide Dogs’ Anglesey fundraising group including black Labrador guide dog Spirit. Included here is a photograph of Sophie at home with yellow Labrador pet dog Henry. The team at Dignity Pet Crematorium in Hook, Hampshire, held a Christmas Memorial Bauble campaign, raising more than £1,544 for 10 different charities including Guide Dogs. Thanks to the incredible generosity of families who chose to remember their beloved pets by dedicating a bauble while helping others at the same time, Guide Dogs received £154. Guide dog puppy Selwyn visited Swansea’s Kardomah Café to thank staff and customers for raising £5,000 to choose her Welsh name. Selwyn is the second dog named by the Kardomah, and staff are already fundraising for a third. Included here is a photograph of yellow Labrador guide dog puppy Selwyn and her puppy raiser meeting staff at Kardomah. Isla McAleese raised £37.02 after her Brownie unit, the 2nd Worthing Methodist Brownies in West Sussex, was visited by a puppy raiser and guide dog puppy in training. Isla designed donation boxes for fellow Brownies to colour in and take home for family and friends to fill. She also organised a “guess the name of the dog” game, with two soft toy dogs as prizes. Included here is a photograph of Isla with her brightly-coloured donation boxes. The 10th Worthing Beaver Scout Group in West Sussex were inspired to raise £102 after a visit from a volunteer puppy raiser and her guide dog puppy in training. The group made donation boxes to take home for their family and friends to fill up. Beavers Section Leader Nathalie Van Niekerk said: “I’m very proud of our Beavers, we loved helping make a difference for a good cause!” Included here is a photograph of the 10th Worthing Beaver Scout Group. Memories of a much-loved guide dog inspired siblings Hannah and Gareth Stevenson from Cardigan, West Wales, to run the Liverpool Half Marathon, raising more than £3,000. They named a guide dog puppy Ozzie after Hannah’s first guide dog, paired with her when she was just 15, making her Wales’s youngest owner at the time. Ozzie learned commands in Hannah’s native Welsh so he could accompany her to school. Their mum Jackie is also a Guide Dogs puppy raiser. Included here is an old photograph of Hannah in graduation robes with her black Labrador guide dog Ozzie. Shipping and logistics firm UPS hosted a blind football tournament at its London hub, supported by the Chelmsford fundraising group. The family-friendly event welcomed colleagues and the local community with tea, coffee and snacks. Supporters raised £1,600, which UPS match-funded, bringing the total to £3,200, enough to name a guide dog puppy. The Chelmsford group were also on hand to chat to attendees and share more about Guide Dogs. Included here is a photograph of the Chelmsford group meeting people at the event. cccccccccccc Letter & Caption Competition Jim’s guide dog journey After my guide dog Yannick, a huge German Shepherd and the canniest beastie, died in December aged eight, I wondered if any other guide dog owners have had the same varied journey as me. Over my 35 years as a guide dog owner, I’ve trained at four different centres and with five instructors. There was Vann at Middlesbrough with Mark, Nickle at Forfar with Lorraine, Ingram at Forfar with Dusty, Zeb at Dundee with Eilidh, and Yannick was with Jen at Kilbride. Yannick was my fifth dog and my first German Shepherd. I know we shouldn’t compare, but he was a brilliant worker, so alert and attentive. Even though it’s been six months already since I lost him, it will always hurt. Jim Gales MBE Included here is a photograph of Jim at home with his German Shepherd guide dog Yannick. Caption competition It was all clearly proving a bit much for Bert, the nearly three-year-old Labrador guide dog belonging to Gordon Bowdery. Bert is Gordon’s first guide dog, and Gordon said: “Bert has really changed my life for the better and every day he gives me something to smile about.” Included here is a photograph of Bert lying on his back in his bed with his paws covering his eyes. What would you caption this photo? Send your suggestions to: Forward, Communications Team, 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 Michael Hassell from Leeds, with the caption below. Congratulations, Michael! “When I said we should hang out together…” Included here is a photograph of golden retriever/Labrador cross guide dog puppy Susy sitting patiently as her favourite teddy dries on the washing line. 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 July 2026. cccccccccccc In Good Company Postcode Lottery’s new partnership with Strava is off and running (or cycling, or walking, or swimming…!) Guide Dogs is proud to be one of five charities selected for a new national campaign this summer called Crowns for Causes, organised by Postcode Lottery and the motivational fitness tracking app, Strava. Postcode Lottery has created their own Strava Crowns - digital awards given to people who use the app to log and complete specific physical challenges. The challenges are open to all fitness levels and any activity counts – from walking the dog to scaling a mountain! Strava users simply complete one of the monthly challenges and nominate Guide Dogs as their chosen charity within the app, unlocking a £50 donation from Postcode Lottery that will help change the lives of people with sight loss. There’s a new challenge for each calendar month of June, July and August 2026, with multiple opportunities for app users – whether longstanding or new - to get involved and make a difference. And if a target of 30,000 Strava app users taking part is reached in each month, participants can then vote for Guide Dogs to receive an amazing £100,000 funding boost. One person taking part in Crowns for Causes is guide dog owner Sam, who was excluded from school PE classes because of her vision impairment. But she continued to pursue sports despite being told she couldn’t, and is now a full-time athlete, content creator and advocate for people with sight loss. Sam said: “I’m captain of the England Blind Women’s football team, and I’m a rower — I’ve rowed on the GB Para Pathway for Great Britain. I think of [my guide dog] Helga as an athlete too, because she’s there for all my training sessions! “Before Helga, I was guided everywhere I went. I felt like a bird trapped in a cage, unable to break free. “It’s so freeing to leave the house on my own terms now. I’ve gained a whole new sense of independence, and I don’t have to rely on others to get around.” Strava is available on Apple’s App Store or from Google Play. Included here is a photograph of Sam with her black Labrador guide dog Helga on a football pitch. Also included here is the logo for the Postcode Lottery’s Crowns for Causes campaign. cccccccccccc Promotions The following are three advertisements that are presented in different places in this issue of Forward. 1. ROYAL CANIN® BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN EVERY GUIDE DOG Proud to be in partnership with Guide Dogs Included here is a black and white photograph of a yellow Labrador bounding across some grass. To find out more about our purpose, partners and products please visit www.royalcanin.com ©ROYAL CANIN® SAS 2026. All rights reserved 2. Guide Dogs Could you be an event volunteer? Sometimes it’s the little things that make events, such as the London Marathon or Great North Run, shine for those raising money for us. Event volunteer is a unique role that involves cheering, high fiving, waving flags, spreading smiles, and celebrating with our runners – your puppy in training could be the star of the day! Taking part for just a few hours can help us to support people living with sight loss. Email eventvolunteers@guidedogs.org.uk for more information. Included here is a photograph of Guide Dogs event volunteers dressed in Guide Dogs-branded clothing with flags, pom poms and balloons. 3. Petplan 50 YEARS Petplan® insuring the nation’s pets Calling all Petplan insured pets from the last 50 years! We are proud to have helped millions of pets get the vet care they need during our 50 year history. To celebrate this incredible milestone, we are em-bark-ing on a Guinness World Records® attempt and need your help! If you have had a pet insured with Petplan during the last 50 years, upload their picture to help us create the world’s largest online gallery of animals. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® OFFICIAL ATTEMPT Visit www.petplan50th.co.uk to upload a picture Included here is a photograph of a three-year-old poodle celebrating her birthday with a hat and a doggy cake. Petplan is a trading name of Pet Plan Limited and Allianz Insurance plc. Petplan is underwritten by Allianz Insurance plc. cccccccccccc Contact details This is a list of phone numbers and contact details arising from the articles in this edition of Forward magazine. ROYAL CANIN Visit: www.royalcanin.com Event volunteer Email: eventvolunteers@guidedogs.org.uk Guide Dogs Charity Supercar Day Visit: www.ablenet.co.uk/ablenet-guide-dogs Long-term medication for your dog Email: scripts@guidedogs.org.uk Phone: 0800 781 1444 Puppy Packs Visit: www.tinyurl.com/GuideDogsPuppyPacks Guide Line Phone: 0800 781 1444 Emergency Out-of-Hours line Phone: 0345 143 0217 Volunteer puppy raiser Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraiser Puppy Development Advisor Terri’s blog Visit: www.tinyurl.com/TerriThePDABlog Name a Puppy Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/NAP Gifts in Wills Visit: www.guidedogs.org.uk/giftsinwills Caption competition Post: Forward, Communications Team, Guide Dogs, Hillfields, Burghfield Common, Reading, RG7 3YG Email: forward@guidedogs.org.uk Petplan Guinness World Records® attempt Visit: www.petplan50th.co.uk Close.