Partnerships Page 2

Janet and Ralph Sample, from Gateshead tell their story as they celebrate 10 years of marriage, just months after they qualified together with their guide dogs Hugo and Chelsea.

Being a Sighted Guide for Guide Dogs means helping someone with sight loss get out and about in their local community. It means increasing someone’s confidence, independence and freedom to enjoy more of what they love. And in some cases, being a Sighted Guide means changing someone’s life and making their dreams come true.

The International Guide Dog Federation (IDGF) comprises of 95 organisations from all around the globe, all working to uphold standards of excellence in the breeding, raising, training and partnering of guide dogs. The IGDF’s biennial conference gives different guide dog schools the chance to come together in one place for a week of communication and collaboration. This year, I and other members of Guide Dogs staff were able to join our international colleagues in Vancouver, Canada.

We’re making good progress with the continued recovery and transformation of the guide dog service.