As volunteers, you help us to do so much, so the last thing we want is for your volunteering to leave you out of pocket. At Guide Dogs, we’re committed to reimbursing any reasonable pre-agreed expenses linked to your volunteering. So, what does this mean? In the video below, Sarah from the Volunteering Team explains what reasonable or pre-agreed expenses are, and if you choose not to claim, how you should consider gifting the expenses owed to you via Gift Aid.
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The below video(s) provides a step-by-step guide on how to access our expenses policies, guidance, and claim form, along with additional information for puppy raisers and breeding dog holders. It also covers how to complete a claim and how to securely send it to your volunteer manager.
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To access all volunteer expense documents mentioned in the video, please visit expense policies and forms.
I have multiple roles, do I need to complete separate claims for each role?
No, please complete one claim form for all of your volunteer expenses, even if you have multiple volunteer roles. Not only should this make it easier for you, but it also helps to cut down on our processing costs.
What’s a reasonable expense?
Reasonable costs include things such as travel, meals, refreshments and equipment which is outlined in our policy and guidance documents. These are costs we anticipate you may incur as part of your normal volunteering. We are committed to reimbursing these types of expenses.
How do I keep my personal information on the claim form secure?
You only need to provide bank details and your postal address if we don’t already have them or they have changed recently. We also advise you to password protect your claim form and send it along with photos of any receipts to your volunteer manager, or other staff contact for your expenses. Don’t forget to send the password in a separate email.
How often can I claim?
You can claim as many times as you need to, but where possible kindly submit the claim when the cumulative value of the claim is over £10. We do ask that you claim within three months of incurring the expense.
How quickly will I receive my reimbursement?
We process claims weekly by bank transfer. Once your claim has been authorised by your volunteer manager, our Finance Team will set up the payment for the next weekly payment run.
What do I do if I have any questions?
If you have any questions about claiming your expenses, please speak to your volunteer manager who will be happy to help. If you are unsure who your volunteer manager is, please contact the Volunteering Office on volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk or 0345 143 0191 and they will put you in touch.
There’s only a couple of months until we’ll be celebrating across the country at the summer Local Volunteer Awards, taking place between May and July.
The events are a great opportunity to shine a light on you, our volunteers, whose dedication, energy and passion humble us every day. We caught up with 2025 winner, Cassandra, who’s been a fosterer for eight years, to hear how it felt to receive a Pat on the Back:
“It’s lovely to be nominated because sometimes things can be so fast-paced, it’s nice to take a moment to reflect. There are so many amazing volunteers who deserve to be nominated and it’s a very nice to way to show someone that they really are making a difference.”
From receiving her Pat on the Back, Cassandra went on to win the Partner Award at the Local Volunteer Awards in London. She told us more about the day:
“The awards are a nice opportunity to meet people who do a range of volunteer roles. I know I am a cog in a very big wheel, so it was just nice to celebrate with the rest of the volunteers who make it all possible.
“When they called my name out, it was a bit of a surprise! I felt very proud when I received the award but wanted to share that with everyone who was involved.”
Want to spread the joy? It’s easy to nominate a fellow volunteer for a local award – just recognise them with a Pat on the Back.
You can fill in as many nomination forms as you want, at any time of year! If you want to nominate anyone for this summer’s Local Volunteer Awards, please submit your form by Tuesday 31st March 2026. Any nominations received after that date will be entered into next year’s awards.
For more information on the award categories, please visit Local Volunteer Awards.
Last month, six puppy raisers from Essex visited the Guide Dogs London Community Team for a small 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, along with four guide dog puppies – heading to the big city. It was a great opportunity for the pups to visit the office where some of them will soon be starting their formal training. The pups even visited a local café and settled perfectly while their puppy raisers enjoyed a bite to eat.
Joanne said: “It’s important for the puppies to experience lots of different sights and sounds while they are with their puppy raiser. Visiting Guide Dogs sites such as Redbridge or London is really beneficial; the trips provide great opportunities to practise key skills, including navigating London transport, busy and noisy streets, and confidently managing lifts and stairs. It also gives the puppies the chance to get familiar with the sites where they may eventually be placed for the next stage of their training!”
Guide dog puppy Milo (pictured above) is just one pup who will soon start his training in London with Guide Dog Mobility Specialist, Amy Brewer. “Milo is based in Essex, living with a family, and although he has been into London numerous times, this was his first trip to Euston, and to meet Amy. This was a great opportunity for Amy and Milo to meet and for his puppy raisers to meet Amy too and find out about the next stages of Milo’s journey,” Joanne Thorn told us.
The opportunity to visit another Guide Dogs site is not always possible for all volunteers, as it depends on where they live in relation to the site. Jo said: “Whilst it isn’t always possible, it’s so brilliant for everyone involved to meet on site before the puppy enters formal training; giving confidence to the puppy raiser knowing where their puppy will be, making the transition a little easier for the puppy and the trainer.”
As well as getting to experience a day at ‘big school’ the puppy raisers were able to hear from Guide Dog Owner and Fundraiser, Lauren, who shared her experience and answered questions. The day was organised by Operations Volunteering Experience Coordinator, Larry Whitbread, who works closely with volunteers across London, Redbridge and Welwyn. It was a great success, especially for the pups who are going to soon be starting their training in London.
With Easter in just a few weeks, please remember that many human treats that are common at this time of year are toxic to dogs. This includes chocolate and raisins, even in small doses such as a hot cross bun.
So please keep an especially close eye on your puppies and dogs over the Easter period, and make sure that any children or visitors know to keep anything dangerous well out of reach.
Our volunteers play a vital role in caring for our puppies and dogs throughout their training. We understand that when a dog moves on to a new phase of their journey, such as training or being partnered with someone with sight loss, it can be an emotional time for you and your household. We also recognise that some volunteers may, sadly, experience the loss of a dog and experience bereavement.
During these moments, support matters. That’s why we have partnered with Blue Cross to ensure you have someone to turn to whenever you need it. Their Pet Loss Support Service offers confidential emotional support and guidance for anyone who has cared for one of our dogs, and your family members can access the service too.
You can contact the Blue Cross Pet Loss Support Service via freephone telephone to 0800 096 6606, by emailing plsmail@bluecross.org.uk or using their webchat function on their website, where you will also find further information www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-loss-support. The telephone and webchat services are available between 8.30am and 8.30pm every day.
National Puppy Day is on Monday 23 March, and to celebrate we’re hosting an online event for you to find out more about what's involved with raising a guide dog puppy!
Our puppy raisers provide a 6–8 week old puppy with the vital foundation for its future role as a guide dog; supporting them through training, socialisation, the introduction of new environments and experiences while providing a loving home for 12-16 months.
If you’d like to find out more follow this link to register for the event: online puppy raiser information event.
Please check this role is available in your area before joining the webinar. You can find out more at www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraiser
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What’s new in the Volunteering Policy?
Our Volunteering Policy has recently been refreshed. While the core principles remain the same, the updated policy is clearer, more concise, and more strongly focused on you, our volunteers.
We’ve also introduced a new one-page Policy Summary that highlights the key points. A Welsh version of the Policy Summary is also available.
Why do we have a Volunteering Policy?
The Volunteering Policy sets out how and why volunteers are involved in our work, and the values that shape volunteering at Guide Dogs. It reflects our commitment to being an inclusive and welcoming organisation, where people from all backgrounds feel valued and supported. By setting this out clearly, the policy helps create a shared understanding that supports volunteers to thrive.
What does this mean for you as a volunteer?
The Volunteering Policy explains our approach and principles for enabling volunteering to succeed at Guide Dogs. It sits alongside the Volunteering Agreement you sign when you join us as a volunteer.
As you’ll be aware, volunteering with Guide Dogs is based on shared values rather than a contract. Each time you volunteer, you commit to upholding Guide Dogs’ policies and expected behaviours. We ask that you take a few moments to read the policy, and if you have any questions or would like to discuss it further, please contact your volunteer manager or the Volunteering Office.
Why is safety such an important focus?
Safety is at the heart of everything we do. We share a duty of care to volunteers, staff, service users and our dogs, covering areas such as safeguarding, data protection, health and safety, personal wellbeing, and interactions with the public and our dogs.
By working together, we help ensure Guide Dogs is a safe and supportive place for everyone.
What is the key takeaway?
The key takeaway: our volunteer policy is designed to create the best possible environment for you to volunteer, happily and safely.
We encourage you to take a few minutes to read the Volunteering Policy Summary, with the full policy also available on the Volunteer Information Point. If you have any questions, your volunteer manager or the Volunteering Office will be happy to support you.
In only a few short months, we will see the return of our annual Local Volunteer Awards, taking place between May and July. It’s a special time for us as we put the spotlight on you, our volunteers. But you get to choose which volunteers we formally recognise locally across the UK.
You can nominate your fellow volunteers – on an individual or group basis – by sharing their amazing stories of how they contribute to Guide Dogs and within our volunteering community. Feel free to nominate as many volunteers for as many categories as you like!
All you need to do is to submit a nomination form via our Pat on the Back scheme.
If you want to nominate anyone for this summer’s Local Volunteer Awards, please submit your form by Tuesday 31st March 2026. Any nominations received after that date will be entered into next year’s awards.
For more information on the award categories, please visit Local Volunteer Awards.
A few months ago, we shared the digital version of the latest One Voice booklet; your go-to source for key information and stats on Guide Dogs for 2025/26. The digital version or PDF can be saved to your smartphone, making it easily accessible while on the go. For volunteers who prefer to have a physical copy, we have printed a limited number of One Voice booklets. This can be especially handy if you like to use One Voice as a visual aid while talking to the public. For example, referring to ‘the cost of a guide dog’ and ‘for every £1 spent Guide Dogs spend’ infographics to explain the breakdown of how donor money is spent.
If needed, printed copies are available at each of our sites, so if you regularly drop in, please pick up a booklet or ask a member of staff if there are no copies in reception.
Volunteer fundraisers can request printed copies from Community Fundraising Supporter Care Team on 0345 143 0234.
We often turn to emails to share information, but if you’re about to hit send to a group, perhaps made up of fellow volunteers and they haven’t agreed to share their email addresses with each other, then you could be breaching their privacy. Always use the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) field to keep email addresses confidential or get consent if you want to share email addresses for group communication.
What is BCC?
When you send an email and add all recipients’ addresses to the BCC Blind Carbon Copy field, everyone receives the email, but they cannot see each other’s email addresses. They can reply to the sender, but they won’t see or receive each other’s replies.
Accessing the BCC field
The BCC field is sometimes hidden by default in email apps. When composing a new email, you may need to look under “Options,” select CC/BCC on the screen, or select a dropdown arrow near the address fields to reveal it.
For more information on data privacy, visit the ICO website.
As we begin a new year, I would like to start by offering my sincere thanks to every one of you for your dedication and hard work throughout last year. I hope you enjoyed a restful festive period and are feeling refreshed as we look ahead to 2026.
The New Year is often a time for reflection and fresh starts, with many people considering their New Year’s resolutions. As we know, volunteering is a wonderful way to try something new while giving back, and with that in mind our first focus for the year ahead is a national campaign to encourage more people to volunteer with Guide Dogs. You will soon start to see our adverts appearing across social media, and I would like to thank you in advance for the warm welcome you will give to new volunteers as they join our pack.
In 2025, we were delighted to welcome over 4,600 new volunteers into our strong and committed community of 17,500 volunteers.
Like many of you, I have spent the start of this year reflecting on what volunteering with Guide Dogs means to me personally. I have loved being a Guide Dogs volunteer and being part of my local community fundraising group.
For many volunteers, getting involved with Guide Dogs starts with one small step. For Cami, that step turned into discovering just how easy – and rewarding – it can be to try something new alongside being a training dog fosterer.
Cami became a training dog fosterer in early 2024, after a chance conversation during a parkrun sparked her interest. Since then, she’s gone on to add fundraising to her volunteering, with plans to take on even more roles in the future – including merchandise coordinator, treasurer, and even helping out as a Guide Dogs mascot, one of her favourite ways to get involved.
Here’s Cami’s story, in her own words.
Cami’s volunteering journey
“In 2023 I was in Leicester for my dad’s birthday. I was at Watermead Country Park for my Saturday morning parkrun. While there, I met a guide dog puppy with their puppy raiser. I got talking to the puppy raiser, who told me all about the role and what it involved. It sounded like something I would love to do.
I went on the website and read about the different roles, and the training dog fosterer role caught my eye. I live in the Southwest, but I’m closer to the Reading hub in the Southeast. I filled out the application, completed my training, and my first dog arrived in February 2024.
In April 2025, I received a volunteer email about the Reading fundraising group. I decided to help out at a couple of events. I enjoyed myself so much and met some amazing people that I signed up to be a fundraiser too. Because of where I live, I was registered with both the Basingstoke & North Hampshire group and the Reading & Wokingham group.
The group coordinators for Reading, Stuart and Sarah, were so helpful, friendly and supportive. Stuart is a guide dog user, and seeing the difference his dog makes to his life really encouraged me to use my time and talents – he’s also very persuasive! With each new role I’ve taken on, Stuart, his amazing wife Wendy, and Sarah have given me so much support and shared their knowledge and experience.
The moment that really struck me about why Guide Dogs is such a life-changing charity was when a man in the Basingstoke fundraising group was matched with his dog, DeJay. DeJay had been in Snoopy class at the Reading hub alongside one of my foster dogs, Star – they even trained and graduated together.
His owner sent me a message that I’ll never forget. That message is why I love volunteering. With over 80 different volunteer roles, there really is something for everyone. Being able to do something small that has a big impact is the greatest experience.
I started as a training dog fosterer and have since added fundraising, driving people, dogs and equipment, and I’m now training to become a merchandise coordinator and treasurer too. I’ve met incredible people along the way. When a dog moves on from me, I’m sad to see them go, but excited for their next chapter. I also miss the amazing guide dog mobility specialists, trainers and techs the most. I love having the opportunity to talk about Guide Dogs and share information about not just the incredible dogs, but all the other work the charity does.”
Trying a new role is easier than you might think
Cami’s story shows that you don’t have to start from scratch to try something new with Guide Dogs.
If you’re already a volunteer:
It’s designed to be flexible, supportive and easy – so you can give it a go and see what fits around your life.
Sponsor a Puppy is one of Guide Dogs’ most loved and successful fundraising programmes, bringing in around £48 million each year. For over 20 years, the minimum donation has stayed at just £1 per week. In that time, costs for things like postage, printing, fulfilment, and data handling have steadily increased, making the current level no longer sustainable. To keep Sponsor a Puppy strong and ensure we can continue delivering the experience supporters love, we’re updating the minimum donation to £8.50 a month (that’s just under £2 a week). This change will apply to new sign-ups starting Tuesday 6 January.
To help us make this decision, we spent a lot of time analysing the data from Sponsor a Puppy, researching other charities’ subscription-led and regular-giving models, and looking into patterns into charitable giving.
For example, when we looked at Sponsor a Puppy data, we found that fewer than one in four new supporters currently join at the £1 per week level, with the majority voluntarily choosing higher amounts. This means, based on financial modelling – using historical data and realistic assumptions to forecast growth - new supporters paying the minimum £2 per week donation could potentially unlock between £3.3–£4.2 million in additional annual income, with the potential to reach up to £10 million over three years. This vital income will allow us to continue delivering our services to help people with sight loss to live the life they choose.
All Sponsor a Puppy information and materials, including our website have already been updated to reflect the new minimum donation amount.
If you hand out any Sponsor a Puppy leaflets as part of your volunteering role, new leaflets will be available from 6 January 2026. If you give visitor experience tours at any of our centres, we will also be providing you with new Sponsor a Puppy A5 cards and pull-up banners to use from 6 January.
We kindly ask that you please recycle any Sponsor a Puppy leaflets and tour materials with the old £1-a-week messaging by 6 January.
We thank you for your awareness and support in this change.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Supporter Experience on 0800 953 0113 or guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk.
Calls are free of charge from all consumer landlines and mobile phones.
Watch our three-minute safeguarding explainer video for an overview of safeguarding at Guide Dogs, to meet the team, and to learn about the four R’s of safeguarding.
The Safeguarding team are here to support anyone who is experiencing, or is at risk of, harm or abuse. If you have concerns for a service user, a fellow volunteer or staff member in the first instance contact your volunteer manager or come to the team directly. Call us on 0345 143 0199 or email safeguarding@guidedogs.org.uk outside of office hours you can contact Guide Dogs out of hours number 0345 1430217.
Are you up to date with your Safeguarding training? Guide Dogs offer a Safeguarding Level 1 (e-learning) course and a Level 2 face to face half day course. Some volunteer roles need to complete this training every 2 years.
If you are not in one of these roles and are interested in completing this training, then contact your volunteer manager. If you do not know who your volunteer manager is then please contact the Volunteering Office on 0345 143 0191 or volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk.
For more information, please visit Safeguarding.
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Our People Awards 2025 took place at the National Centre near Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, recognising the stand-out efforts and expertise of our volunteers, service users and staff doing an amazing job and helping people with sight loss live the life they choose.
The event took the form of an afternoon tea celebration, with winners being presented with their awards by members of Guide Dogs' Senior Leadership Team.
Winning the volunteer categories were:
The People Awards Team would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff and volunteers at the National Centre who helped make the day the brilliant success it was.
For more information on our volunteer winners, please scroll down to December’s news on VIP. You can also visit Forward magazine (page 9) to view the list of winners across all categories.
On 5 December, Guide Dogs celebrates International Volunteer Day (IVD), a day to recognise the life-changing difference volunteers make globally and to inspire others to volunteer. This year, under the inspiring theme ‘Every Contribution Matters’, we’d like to highlight just a few of the different (and amazing) ways our volunteers contribute to Guide Dogs:
In the run up to International Volunteer Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke about this year’s theme, ‘Every Contribution Matters’, and reminded us “that everyone has something meaningful to offer”. We couldn’t agree more. In his announcement, he also revealed the global launch of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY 2026) while urging everyone to volunteer for a cause that matters to them in recognition that volunteers drive meaningful change in communities.
At Guide Dogs, our work and approach as a volunteer-involving organisation – namely our combined efforts to support people with sight loss to live the life they choose - closely mirror the principles and themes of the International Year of Volunteers, including its aims to empower and promote inclusivity in volunteering. We want volunteering at Guide Dogs to be open to all, by removing barriers and ensuring people from all backgrounds feel welcome and able to get involved.
In 2026, one of the ways in which we’ll celebrate the contributions of volunteers and share their inspiring stories will be through our video Spotlight series. Next year, will be expanding our Spotlight series, to include volunteer roles at Guide Dogs. We will be launching the first volunteer Spotlight films next year, starting with breeding dog holders, puppy raisers and training dog fosterers, and then expanding to cover roles such as fundraising roles, driver, and many more.
Although you’ll have to wait until next year to get to know the volunteers who feature in Spotlight and find out more about their roles, we do have a sneak preview of some of the stars of the new series in our ‘thank you’ video:
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Thank you to everyone who supports us through volunteering and also with our media and communications activities - you play a crucial part in us delivering services, raising funds and awareness of us as a charity, our work and impact, and of course our volunteering opportunities.
Happy International Volunteer Day – and whatever your role (or roles!), thank you for your ongoing support and dedication.
The 2025 edition of One Voice, your one-stop shop for Guide Dogs facts and figures, is now available for you to download and start using.
One Voice is your go-to document for up-to-date messaging about Guide Dogs. Whether you are answering questions from the public, chatting to family and friends, developing speaker notes, or just curious about what’s going on at Guide Dogs, One Voice is the place to go for answers and information. One Voice 2025 also includes the current figures for the cost of a guide dog, which we know many of our volunteers find very useful when talking about our work!
To download your copy of One Voice, please visit the Resources section of the Volunteer Information Point. It’s really important that we are all using the most current information so please make sure that you have downloaded the 2025 edition, and if you have previously saved any older versions, please delete them (or recycle any paper copies you may have lying around).
We encourage everyone to download the digital version of One Voice, which saves Guide Dogs money and helps us protect the environment. However, we know this isn’t practical for everyone, so a limited number of printed copies will be available in the new year for those who need them – more information on how to access these will be shared next year.
Our People Awards 2025 took place at the National Centre on Tuesday 25 November, recognising the stand-out efforts and expertise of our volunteers, service users and staff doing an amazing job and helping people with sight loss live the life they choose.
The event took the form of an afternoon tea celebration, with winners being presented with their awards by members of Guide Dogs' Senior Leadership Team. The People Awards Team would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff and volunteers at the National Centre who helped make the day the brilliant success it was.
Our five volunteer award winners were selected from this year’s Local Volunteer Awards, with nominations submitted via the Pat on the Back scheme. We would like to thank everyone who took the time to nominate a fellow volunteer, and of course the nominees themselves – choosing our winners from such an amazing, inspiring pool of people was no easy task!
Read on to meet the award winners:
Royal Patron Award (volunteer) – Sandra Boden
Sandra is retiring from her Guide Dogs volunteer roles after almost 44 years. Sandra joined the Guide Dogs family as a puppy raiser, raising seven pups alongside being a fosterer. She then became a Brood Dog Holder, welcoming an amazing 39 litters into the world in her home, a total of an astonishing 293 puppies. Of those pups, 173 have qualified as guide dogs and 12 more have become guide dog mums and dads.
Part of Sandra’s nomination read: “We cannot thank you enough for your time, your efforts, and your support. We are so very sad to see you retire from your role but profoundly grateful to have had you alongside us to achieve our goal of changing lives. Your kindness and expertise have made our time working with you a joy, sharing many stories and reminiscing on the memories over the years.”
Volunteer Newcomer Award – Tiernan Devine
Tiernan has helped Guide Dogs Northern Ireland’s Sighted Guide team extensively over the past 12 months, to whom his lived experience of sight loss has been invaluable. He has shared his personal experiences with humour and sensitivity while demonstrating his resilience, and the team has loved watching his confidence grow over the months.
Tiernan has also been a Media Champion for the past year, developing his skills in social media, copywriting and interviewing. He even gave an incredible (and mostly impromptu) performance on the banjo and singing at an RNIB/Guide Dogs event, which was very well received.
Living Our Behaviours Award – Stuart Pearce
Having lost his sight, and his job as a lorry driver, more than 10 years ago, Stuart has dedicated his life to making a difference for other people who are blind or partially sighted.
Stuart’s volunteering roles for Guide Dogs are numerous, and he never refuses a request to help. When he took over as coordinator for his local fundraising group, his infectious enthusiasm helped raise more than £32,000 in the group’s inaugural year. As a campaigner, Stuart has visited the Houses of Parliament and been invited to 10 Downing Street. As a Guide Dogs speaker, Stuart travels far and wide with his guide dog Olivia to talk to groups and organisations about the charity and to raise awareness of vision impairment. Following Stuart’s visit, many of the groups make Guide Dogs their chosen charity for the year.
As if an active volunteering schedule with Guide Dogs wasn’t enough, Stuart has other volunteer roles which help fellow disabled people in the region. He’s part of Reading Borough Council’s Access and Disabilities Working Group, and he's on a disability panel for Great Western Railway which improves travel for disabled people.
Living Our Behaviours Award – Thelma Wilson
Thelma is an incredibly hard-working, tireless volunteer who leaves a lasting impression on the groups she visits. After she spoke at a Brownie pack, they wrote back to say that they were raising money for Guide Dogs, while a global company Thelma visited raised more than £3,000 and shared news of her visit to their staff nationally and internationally.
Thelma is also coordinator of the Leeds fundraising group, which in 2023 raised more than £82,000, a reflection of all the time that Thelma gives to managing local relationships, getting the best out of every opportunity and constantly thinking of Guide Dogs and how she can benefit our work.
Living Our Behaviours Award – Christine Collier
Christine is a collaborative volunteer who brings great people skills to her roles. She loves to meet her fellow volunteers, both new and established, to hear their thoughts which she then uses to create plans to take her volunteering group forward. She’s also brilliant at signing up more volunteers to Guide Dogs, and makes sure she supports them during the onboarding process.
Christine avidly seeks out new local companies to sign up to Name A Puppy, spends time with local councillors to campaign for safer, more accessible streets, and is constantly sourcing new locations for collection boxes or potential venues for activities like Dine in the Dark events. Her relationship with the local paper is excellent, and she regularly gets news stories of the group’s good work into print and online. And despite being a self-confessed technophobe, Christine has embraced supporting her group’s local Facebook group, adding engaging content.
Huge congratulations to our winners, and all our nominees.
If you would like to nominate someone for our awards, you can do so via the Pat on the Back scheme – now taking nominations for the 2026 awards!
The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it comes a lot of excitement, but a few festive risks, for dogs and puppies.
Whether you are providing a loving home for a guide dog mum or dad, have newborn pups in the house, are puppy raising or taking care of a training dog, making room at the inn to board a dog over the holidays, or even have a pet dog, please take this as our annual reminder to be aware of the risks from seasonal food like chocolates and dried fruit in mince pies and Christmas cake. Remember – puppies grow fast and you may find they can suddenly reach places that they couldn’t before; visitors (especially children) may not be as familiar with what’s safe for pups as you; so please be vigilant.
Fireworks can also be stressful for some dogs, and New Year celebrations can be really difficult for them. There is lots of advice on our website along with Christmas and seasonal advice that you may find useful. Remember, if you have any questions or concerns please reach out to your Puppy Development Advisor or call Guideline on 0800 781 1444.
Lastly, we have become aware recently of a slight increase in dogs picking up or eating things they shouldn't while they're off lead, which can make them unwell. In rare cases this can even be illicit substances that have been dropped or left in parkland or bushes. Signs that something is wrong could include lethargy, unexplained panting or hyperactivity, or vomiting or diarrhoea. If you suspect your dog has eaten something dangerous, please contact your vet.
Have an enjoyable and safe holiday season and thank you for everything you do for Guide Dogs.
We have recently started the process to renew our ‘Investing in Volunteers’ accreditation, the UK quality standard for good practice in volunteer management, ahead of our assessment in mid-2026.
Being an Investing in Volunteers accredited organisation is extremely important to us. It’s one of the ways that we can ensure we are giving you a great volunteer experience, and a big part of that is listening to you. We really appreciate the time so many of you have taken to share your feedback with us, whether that is directly through to volunteer manager, via the Volunteer View survey, or in other ways.
We have been working hard to make improvements based on your feedback, such as improving our Volunteer Expenses Policy and Guidance, which we hope will give you more clarity on what and how to claim your expenses.
You’ve also told us that you don’t always know who your volunteer manager is – this will depend on your role(s), so if you are not sure, please contact the Volunteering Office (volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk or 0345 143 0191). The Volunteering Office is now part of our new Volunteering Onboarding and Care department, which should ensure a smooth, supportive, and welcoming journey for volunteers.
We know that getting to know other volunteers is really important to you, which is why we have continued to host events such as festive socials =– more information on this year’s events is available in the December edition of The Guide.
And we are incredibly grateful that so many of you want to try new roles, join your local fundraising group, or spread the word about what we do through our Volunteering Champion Pack. We have tried to make this as easy as possible for you, so we hope you are finding the process straightforward – as a reminder, if you do want to give another role a go, all you have to do is get in touch with the Volunteering Office.
And finally, we know that for volunteers who look after our puppies and dogs, saying goodbye is the hardest part of your role. We are committed to keeping you updated about their training journey, and recently introduced a minimum standard of communication for volunteers when your pup moves onto the next stage of their journey.
We hope these changes have had, and will continue to have, a positive impact on your volunteer experience.
Over the next few months, we will be sharing more information and resources related to your roles and volunteering at Guide Dogs, so watch this space and thank you again for your helpful feedback and ongoing support!
As we approach the end of the year, many of our sites are celebrating everything we have achieved together by hosting a festive social.
The teams at each site are hard at work arranging these events and you should be hearing directly from your volunteer manager with an invite soon, if you haven’t already. (If you haven’t heard and you aren’t sure who to ask, please get in touch with the Volunteering Office to find out who your volunteer manager is.)
Wherever you are based and whenever your event will be held, we hope to be celebrating with you soon!
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Have you met our festive season sponsored puppies, Clara, Merry and Parsnip?
Parsnip is a loveable golden retriever and loves exploring new sights and smells. Clara is a gentle black Labrador who loves bouncing around with her toys. And Merry is a sweet Labrador/golden retriever who enjoys a curious sniff of his surroundings.
These three are full of potential, and thanks to the support of everyone who sponsors a puppy, they could make a life-changing difference to someone with sight loss.
We would like to thank all the volunteers who have been involved in their journey so far – they have had a brilliant start, and we hope to be able to share good news about their guide dog journeys with all their sponsors in 2026!
Volunteering your time should not leave you out of pocket. Please find our policy and guidance document, as well as the expense claim form on VIP.
The final payment run of 2025 will be paid into bank accounts on Friday 19 December. Please send your claim to your usual contact for authorisation. They will pass it on to Finance who will process all claims they receive by the end of the day on Monday 15 December.
The end of the calendar year also marks the end of our financial year. To help us consolidate our accounts for 2025, please submit all of your expense claims for 2025 by Tuesday 6th January.
Remember, remember, the fifth of November… because it’s International Volunteer Managers’ Day!
Tomorrow we will be taking a moment to celebrate your fantastic volunteer managers. Who your volunteer manager is will depend on the role(s) you have at Guide Dogs, but no matter who they are and what job they are in, they are there for you.
Whether you need support and guidance to help you get through the sleepless nights with your young pups or to help you turn your ideas into fantastic fundraising events, your volunteer managers are there for you.
Your volunteer managers are often keeping things working behind the scenes too, such as approving your expenses, keeping on top of our data, nominating volunteers for pat on the back, welcoming new volunteers and making sure they have everything they need to successfully join the team, as well as support those who take the decision to step away from volunteering. Whether you see them regularly, or they are keeping the cogs whirring more behind the scenes, they are playing an important role in making Guide Dogs a great place to volunteer.
We are so grateful to all 17,000 of our volunteers for the support you give to Guide Dogs, and to the volunteer managers who make your journeys with us run smoothly.
Please join us this week in saying thank you to your volunteer manager – whether you see them in person, leave them a message, or send an email to volunteercomms@guidedogs.org.uk (be sure to let us know their full name so we can pass the message on!).
This autumn, we have been celebrating not one but two phenomenal milestones. It started with 60 years of Guide Dogs in Forfar in September, and hot on their heels, October saw our Northern Ireland team hosting a celebration for their 40th anniversary. With over 100 combined years of Guide Dogs in Forfar and Northern Ireland, we had a lot to celebrate!
Forfar Regional Centre celebrated with a Fun Day, welcoming over 1,700 people through the gates.
Allison Wines, Local Volunteering Attraction Co-ordinator, said: “I was lucky to have two brilliant volunteers with me [on the volunteer stand] – they chatted to visitors, shared their stories, and even gave me a breather when my feet were ready to give up! The volunteers really brought the day to life – their energy and enthusiasm sparked lots of interest in getting involved, and it was great to see so many familiar faces popping by to show support.”
Not to be outdone, our Northern Ireland team hosted their own celebrations in October. Featuring music provided by two young people who have been supported by the Habilitation Service, stories from service users and volunteers right across Northern Ireland and celebrity messages from the likes of Game of Thrones and Derry Girls' Ian McElhinney, singer Daniel O'Donnell and even the world's most famous dog, Pluto, the night was a great success. We are very proud to say that the community, including our amazing volunteers, raised £8,000 for Guide Dogs on the night – despite it not even being a fundraising event!
Huge thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate these two milestones – we hope you enjoyed the festivities as much as we did!
Did you catch our very special litter of 13 on BBC Breakfast last month?
Our Baker’s Dozen pups are sisters Apple, Eccles, Cocoa, Chelsea, Custard and Ginger and their brothers Biscuit, Crumble, Bagel, Crumpet, Rye, Tiger and Pretzel.
The puppies made a splash in the news – coverage first appeared on the BBC Breakfast sofa and was shortly followed by the Independent, the Times, the Sun, and more - even internationally in Yahoo Australia.
This is the largest litter we’ve had at Guide Dogs since guide dog mum Unity’s famous litter of 16 back in 2022 – we wish the Baker’s Dozen (and their puppy raisers!) the best of luck!
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From The Gruffalo to Wuthering Heights, from inspirational fiction to educational textbooks, CustomEyes provides books for children with a vision impairment. It means children and young people can have exactly the same books as their friends and classmates.
And now, we are making bedtime stories even more accessible to everyone. CustomEyes now allows adults with a vision impairment to tailo r large-print books to their own needs. The expansion of the service means parents and grandparents can now experience the joy of reading to their child or grandchild at bedtime.
We have over 6,000 large print books available – and counting. Each one is custom-made, with font size, spacing, colour and more all tailored to individual needs.
We would like to say a particularly special ‘thank you’ to our volunteer proof readers – a small but mighty team who help make sure these bespoke books are printed accurately.
If the CustomEyes service would be beneficial to you, your child, a family member, or someone else you know, you can find out more via our website.
Once again, many of our sites will be hosting a seasonal get-together and we would love for you to come along. Join us to celebrate as the year comes to a close – a moment to look back at everything we have achieved together in 2025, and to look ahead at all the excitement to come in 2026.
Our elves are hard at work organising the celebrations on a site-by-site basis, so watch this space for more information about your nearest event and we hope to see you there!
Following last month’s updated expenses policy and guidance, we are pleased to report that the expenses claim form has now also been updated. With useful notes and easy to fill in sections, this form should be used for all expenses claims.
We encourage volunteers to claim all relevant expenses for your role – we believe that volunteering for Guide Dogs should not leave you out of pocket. Claiming expenses also helps give us an accurate picture of the costs associated with volunteering, which enables us to budget accordingly in the future.
As a reminder, all claims must be submitted within three months of the expense being incurred and within the relevant calendar year (January to December). If you are able to consolidate multiple claims into a single form, e.g. submit one form per month with all your expenses for the month, that saves Guide Dogs time and money in processing the claims. However, we fully understand that this isn’t always feasible.
You can find the updated expenses policies and forms on VIP Resources under the Policies, Expenses and Procedures section.
October is here, and that means it’s Guide Dogs Puppy Appeal month!
We’re a week into the 2025 Guide Dogs Puppy Appeal and it’s been wonderful to see so many volunteers, staff, and supporters across the country getting involved already. From coffee mornings to sponsored puppy walks and fun community events, the outpouring of support and creativity has been incredible – and it’s not too late to get involved!
Fundraising groups around the country are hosting events all throughout October, and everyone is welcome to join in the fun. Whatever your volunteering role, we would love to see you there. Events are being advertised locally, or you can ask your volunteer manager about what’s on near you. You can also get in touch with your local community fundraising group for a list of local events. It’s a great way to meet your fellow volunteers and get involved in your community.
As a Guide Dogs volunteer you also have exclusive access to Guide Dogs Puppy Appeal content and information if you’d like to find out more. Visit your dedicated Guide Dogs Puppy Appeal page on the Volunteer Information Point to discover your volunteer toolkit – packed with appeal information, eye-catching posters, and shareable social media images.
If your friends, family or wider community want to join in the fun, they can also take part! We have a free fundraising pack available to all at guidedogs.org.uk/pups. Bursting with goodies, the pack has everything they need to make a difference this October.
Got a question or need more information? We’re here to help at guidedogsappeal@guidedogs.org.uk
It is part of our ongoing commitment to you as a Guide Dogs volunteer that you are not out of pocket for volunteering with us. We reimburse any reasonable, pre-agreed expenses incurred as part of your volunteering activity.
Following your feedback, we have updated our Volunteer Expenses Policy and Guidance to provide more clarity around what you can or cannot claim when volunteering, and how to make a claim.
The updated policy and guidance explains how to make a claim, including how to find the form and the timescales for reimbursement; what you can claim for including mileage rates and how to claim if you are traveling on public transport using contactless payment; what we cannot cover; how to seek help with your expenses; and more. Please take a moment to read the document and let your volunteer manager know if you have any questions.
We strongly encourage all volunteers to claim the expenses you are entitled to. Volunteers should never feel uncomfortable about making a claim - we firmly believe the cost of volunteering should never be a barrier for anybody wishing to support our charity. Claiming expenses also helps us gather a full picture of the true costs of our activities.
Thank you to everyone who gave your feedback on expenses, we appreciate the time you took to share your honest experiences which helped shaped our new policy and guidance.
Recent visitors to the Guide Dogs National Centre will have seen our new Tribute Tree, proudly displayed in the main reception area.
This beautiful tree, made up of bronze, silver and gold leaves, is a symbol of love and remembrance. The leaves are engraved in memory of those who have inspired Guide Dogs Tribute Funds (a fund set up in the memory of a loved one).
Once a Tribute Fund has been set up, supporters can dedicate a leaf on the Tribute Tree for either a one off or monthly donation – inscriptions will be added each spring and remain on the tree for a year.
Any visitors to the National Centre are welcome to visit the tree and take a moment to remember some of the much-loved volunteers, service users, staff and supporters who have passed away.
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At our recent AGM we shared our latest film showing the impact our work is having.
Callum is waiting for his next guide dog, but is working with his Vision Rehabilitation Specialist and making great use of technology to build his skills in the meantime.
Kirstie was matched with her guide dog Mooky earlier this year, after her life had been turned upside down by ill health. As she says, "I need to keep moving now, because he needs to keep moving.”
So whether you're a driver putting your feet up after a long journey, a puppy raiser taking a well-earned break while your puppy sleeps, a fundraiser having a quick cuppa at an event, or any of our other amazing and life-changing roles – take a few minutes to let this film remind you of the transformative work you're supporting every day.
None of this would be possible without volunteers – thank you for everything you do.
Our four-part documentary series, Puppy School for Guide Dogs, was re-aired on Channel 5 at the end of September and is available to watch online.
Originally aired in 2023, Puppy School for Guide Dogs introduces some of the pups on their way to becoming life-changers, gives behind-the-scenes insight into just what it takes to raise and train a guide dog, and shines a light on some of the people whose lives will be enriched by one of these very special dogs.
As part of our efforts to reduce the formal data security training we need to ask you to complete, we are introducing a quarterly Digital Safety update with tips on how to keep yourself and your information safe online.
This first update covers ‘baiting’, a trick where attackers offer something tempting, like a found or free USB stick, download, or prize, to get you to select a link or plug in something harmful, which compromises your security.
Common Baits:
Stay Safe:
Curiosity shouldn’t cost your security!
For more hints and tips on staying safe online, visit the National Cyber Security Centre website NCSC.GOV.UK
Every year around 1,350 puppies start their journey to become a guide dog, and as one of our incredible volunteers, you’re already part of that story.
October will mark the return of our annual Guide Dogs Puppy Appeal, and we’re calling on supporters to fundraise any day in October, any way they like, to help turn our pups into partnerships.
Whether that’s by hosting a bake sale, organising a sponsored puppy walk, or playing our fun puppy sweepstake, every penny raised will help turn our playful pups into future life-changers.
As a volunteer, you’re perfectly placed to spread the word, rally your community, and inspire others to take part.
Quick ways to help:
As volunteers, everything you do makes a huge difference to Guide Dogs – your support for the Guide Dogs Puppy Appeal will help us create even more life-changing partnerships. Thank you!
Got a question or need more information? Please contact guidedogsappeal@guidedogs.org.uk
Did you know that we are the only organisation to breed and train guide dogs in the UK? We have a world-class breeding programme dedicated to the ethical and safe delivery of our future life-changers – and like so much of what we do here at Guide Dogs , it is supported by you, our volunteers.
Breeding dog volunteers take care of guide dog mums, dads, and newborn puppies in their homes. Our National Centre, in Leamington Spa, is the home of our breeding programme and historically all breeding dog volunteers have been required to live within a catchment area of approximately one hour’s drive from the centre.
We are excited to share the news that in September 2025, the catchment area for volunteers looking after a guide dog mum is expanding further south into parts of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. This follows the successful recruitment of a new Breeding Dog Advisor , which means we can continue to safely take care of our guide dog mums and puppies further afield.
The new expanded areas (in addition to all locations within one hour’s drive of the National Centre) are:
For more information about this change please read the FAQs available on VIP News. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a breeding dog volunteer, more information about the role is available on our website. And if you are an existing volunteer and want to discuss a new role, please contact the Volunteering Office directly via volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk or 0345 143 0191.
What are the new locations?
Why have you expanded the catchment for the breeding dog volunteer role?
We currently have 280 guide dog mums, and we welcome 90-100 new mums-to-be into the breeding programme each year. We need to make sure that all these dogs have loving homes where they can thrive, welcome their pups safely, and enjoy life.
Many of our roles are undertaken by volunteers all over the country, but roles with a small catchment area naturally limit our ability to recruit volunteers. After careful consideration, we have widened the catchment area for the breeding dog holder role to ensure that we can secure volunteer homes for all our guide dog mums and continue breeding the puppies who will go on to become the guide dogs of the future.
Are these areas replacing the existing catchment area around the National Centre?
Definitely not, this is in addition to our existing recruitment radius.
Is this change for guide dog dads or just mums?
This is only for guide dog mums; volunteers who look after a guide dog dad will still need to live within one hour’s drive of the National Centre.
Will this be the only expansion to the role catchment areas?
This is the only expansion we have planned, yes.
Is it still safe for the mums and puppies to be further away from the National Centre?
Yes absolutely. The welfare of our dogs and puppies is vital; we have recruited new staff specifically to cover these new areas, and should there be an emergency, we have excellent vet facilities at our Reading site.
I am a puppy raiser within the new boundary and my puppy has been selected for the breeding programme. Does this mean I can continue looking after the puppy as a breeding dog?
Possibly! If a puppy is chosen to become a guide dog mum or dad, they will live with a breeding dog holder instead of a training dog fosterer. If you live within the catchment area and wish to continue looking after the puppy, please discuss this with your PDA in the first instance, though please note that the catchment has only been extended for guide dog mums – guide dog dads will still need to live within an hour’s drive of our National Centre at Leamington Spa.
Will breeding dog volunteers in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire still have to travel to the National Centre?
The National Centre will remain the base for all breeding activities, and volunteers will still need to travel there as required. Volunteers will continue to use vets in their local area but the proximity to our centre in Reading means we have support from our vet facilities there in case of emergency.
Will this mean more dogs entering the breeding programme, and in turn more guide dog puppies?
No, the number of guide dog mums will stay the same. The change is not to increase the number of puppies born each year, but to accommodate our existing numbers of guide dog mums and their puppies.
I am already a volunteer and I’d like to find out more about becoming a breeding dog holder, what should I do?
Thank you for your interest in the role! In the first instance, please visit our website to find out more about taking care of a guide dog mum or dad. Then you can get in touch with the Volunteering Office directly via volunteer@guidedogs.org.uk or 0345 143 0191. If you are a puppy raiser wishing to change role so you can keep looking after your current pup as they enter the breeding programme, please also raise this with your Puppy Development Advisor .
“The Film I’ll Never See” is a BBC documentary introducing Dave Steele, the 'Blind Poet', as he faces final sight loss due to retinitis pigmentosa.
Guide dog owner Dave began to lose his vision 11 years ago, leading to a difficult time for him and his family. No longer able to drive, Dave’s work in car sales was affected, and the family struggled financially. Dave also faced mental health struggles.
Dave began to write poetry about his condition as a way to cope; he’s now written more than 5,000 poems, and six books that have reached number one bestseller status in the United States and Australia.
The documentary captures Dave's emotional journey, his resilience and his creative triumph through spoken-word poetry. The film itself is not only Dave’s story; from original compositions by a vision impaired composer to scenes shot by a registered blind camera operator, the film embodies authentic and inclusive filmmaking.
The documentary is available on BBC iPlayer now.
As a volunteer for Guide Dogs, the time you give helps us support people like Dave. Thank you for everything you do.
We are delighted to share the news that Guide Dogs, the Official Charity Partner of the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, have benefitted from over £170,000 of fundraising through activities organised at the tournament – a whopping £108,000 more than in 2024!
The sponsors Betfred are terrific partners and pledged to boost their donations to us by £500 for every eagle (when a player scores two under par on a hole) and for any golfer reaching the green in one shot on the 10th hole. Then for any hole-in-ones, they committed that we would get £50,000. Amazingly, golfer Ben Schmidt achieved a fantastic hole-in-one in the first round – thank you Ben!
Overall Betfred donated £150,000 to Guide Dogs, and volunteers at the event supported activities across the tournament villages and raised over £20,000 in additional donations.
We would like to say a huge thank you to all the volunteers who supported this partnership, especially Coventry, Leamington and Solihull fundraising gr oups. We’d also like to thank Liz Gilbert, Sara Burrell, Mark Harvey, Helen Perkins and Sophie Vann for their extraordinary contributions. Thank you all – your efforts have made a huge difference to Guide Dogs!
On Sunday 12 October, over 600 amazing fundraisers will be running 13.1 miles to raise money for Guide Dogs at the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London. Would you like to join us and cheer them on?
Cheering, high fiving, waving flags, and spreading smiles are the order of the day. We will be setting up our cheer point between 9am-2pm near the east bank of the Serpentine – whether you can commit to the full day or just a few hours, we’d love to have you join us. You will make a real difference to the brave runners taking on the challenge for Guide Dogs!
If you, and/or your friends and family would like to come along, please get in touch with eventvolunteers@guidedogs.org.uk – we hope to see you there!
If you love volunteering with Guide Dogs, chances are you already know how rewarding, inspiring, and life-changing it can be, not just for the service users (and dogs!) we support, but for volunteers too.
Our community is powered by passionate people just like you, and we’re always looking to welcome more helping hands and warm hearts into the Guide Dogs volunteer community. That’s why we’ve put together this easy guide to help you inspire others to get involved. Whether you’ve got a few minutes or a few hours, each of these small actions can have a big impact.
Here are five simple but powerful ways you can help us grow:
1. Bring a friend to an event
Events are a great way for potential volunteers to see what we do, meet the team, and experience the Guide Dogs firsthand. Next time you’re attending an event, why not invite a friend or colleague to join you?
2. Spread the word about our Volunteer Champion Packs
We’ve created easy-to-use Volunteer Champion Packs filled with everything anyone needs to talk confidently about Guide Dogs and volunteering opportunities.
3. Share your experience
Your experience as a volunteer might be exactly what someone else needs to hear in order to take the leap and join us. Share what you do and why you love it, whether it’s at the dinner table, during a coffee break, or even in a local community group.
4. Engage on social media
A like, share, or thoughtful comment can go a long way. Follow Guide Dogs on social media and help spread our messages further by reposting stories, tagging friends, or sharing our volunteer opportunities. Social media is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to reach new audiences.
5. Be a role model in your community
Wear your Guide Dogs volunteer shirt or lanyard proudly. When people see your involvement, they’re more likely to ask questions. Be open and ready to share what volunteering means to you - you never know who you might inspire!
By volunteering with Guide Dogs you are truly changing lives, and it’s something worth sharing. When you talk about your experiences, you naturally inspire others to get involved. Every story told, every moment shared, helps grow our community - making it possible to reach more people, train more incredible dogs, and create an even greater impact, together.
Sunday 18th May is National Children’s Day UK - a day all about the importance of a healthy childhood, and how we need to protect the rights and freedoms of children and young people and help them flourish.
To mark the occasion, we are sharing Erin and Quince’s story.
9-year-old Erin was born with a vision impairment. Before buddy dog Quince came into her life, Erin was nervous and scared, even leaving the house was difficult for her. Now just three years on, Erin’s confidence has soared with Quince by her side.
Erin’s mum, Sarah, says: “Erin was a couple of months old when we found out she had a vision impairment. It was a really difficult time. We were still learning how to be parents and then we also had to learn how to be parents of a child who was registered blind. It was a lot to deal with and come to terms with. We just tried to do the best we could and figure it out.”
When Erin was two years old the family was appointed a Guide Dogs habilitation specialist by the local council. Their habilitation specialist taught Erin how to use a long cane and advised her family how to make their home more accessible and worked with her nursery too. As Erin got older her habilitation specialist also helped her at school.
Sarah says: “As Erin got older, she caught up with her friends and we learnt more about her needs which gave us a bit more confidence. As she got older she could tell us what she could and couldn’t see, which allowed us to help her – like painting yellow lines on our driveway and front steps. But Erin was still quite an anxious little girl. She was unsure about lots of things. If she got invited to a birthday party she wouldn’t get involved without one of us next to her. I could tell she really wanted to do all the same things as her friends, but she was nervous and scared because she couldn’t see very well. Noisy places were particularly challenging. Even going to the park was difficult. Leaving the house would involve lots of planning. We’d have to think about the time of day, how busy it would be, which route we’d take, even whether the wind would be too noisy for her to hear us. It meant going out was never an enjoyable experience.”
When Erin’s habilitation specialist told them about buddy dogs from Guide Dogs they jumped at the chance.
“The difference Quince made was instant. He loved Erin for who she is. He didn’t see the nystagmus, or her glasses, or that she struggled with a step. He became her best friend, and he let her snuggle with him and fuss him. The change he’s made is so huge it’s hard to put into words. He’s helped her be more confident and independent and she now talks positively about her vision impairment.”
Erin says: “Quince isn’t just a buddy dog, he’s my friend. He helps me feel safe and he’s always by my side. Quince walks with me on the way to school. He’s the only dog allowed in the playground and that makes me feel special and included. He makes me feel more comfortable and he always sticks with me... Quince is really special. He wants to do all the stuff that we do together. If he wasn’t who he is, then I probably wouldn’t be who I am.”
Erin’s family are now also volunteers with the Guide Dogs Events Demonstration Team. They go along to county fairs, fundraising events or companies that support Guide Dogs and speak to the audiences. Quince demonstrates some of the skills he learnt during his guide dog training and Erin and and her parents talk about the impact he’s had on their lives.
Dad Anthony says: “Looking back, there’s no way I’d imagine our shy four-year-old, who was attached to our hip, doing any of these things. She’s stood on many stages now for Guide Dogs, from the Christmas Wishes concert at St Pauls to meeting MPs in Parliament to talk about children’s education. This is all thanks to the support she’s received from Guide Dogs.”
Without volunteers like you, we wouldn’t be able to provide habilitation support or buddy dogs to children like Erin. Not all our pups are destined to be guide dogs, but some, like Quince, can change lives in other ways. Find out more about the support we offer to children and young people.
We are very excited to be Charity of the Year at the 2025 MARS Badminton Horse Trials, taking place this week (7-11 May). Badminton is amongst the largest horse trials held annually, attracting the world’s top eventers, and crowds of approximately 180,000.
We have had a presence at Badminton for over 30 years, with volunteers and staff running a Guide Dogs stand each year, so we are delighted to be 2025’s Charity of the Year.
Our CEO, Andrew Lennox, says: “We’re delighted to have been chosen as this year’s charity of the year for the Badminton Horse Trials. This is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase the work we do to an audience that already understands how valuable the partnership between animals and humans can be. A guide dog partnership is a team – they rely on each other, and build up a strong bond of trust over time, facing all kinds of challenges. It’s a powerful working relationship, and I think that seeing that kind of extraordinary partnership at work will resonate with visitors to Badminton.”
Jane Tuckwell, Event Director for the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, commented: “Guide Dogs will be very familiar to visitors to the event, as they are part of Badminton every year. I’m looking forward to welcoming them as Charity of the Year in 2025, celebrating the work they do and hearing more about the wonderful working partnerships they create every day.”
We will also be supported by world-renowned event rider William Fox-Pitt, who will be hosting a walk around the legendary cross-country course to help raise essential funds. William commented: “I have first-hand experience of sight loss after a bad fall ten years ago. I was very lucky that with time and rehabilitation my sight returned, but it really made me appreciate my vision, and the part animals can play in helping to rebuild and recover after something so traumatic.
“Guide Dogs is an amazing cause, and that sense of connection and working as a team resonates very strongly with me. I’ll be at Badminton as a non-competitor this year, and I’m really looking forward to supporting Guide Dogs there.”
As with so much of what we do, our presence at Badminton will be supported by many of our volunteers – thank you to everyone who has helped so far and who will be there throughout the week, sharing stories, raising awareness, and fundraising for us at our main stand and around the site. And if you are visiting, stop by and say hello – we have a main stand right in the middle of the event village and we would love to see you.
One mission. Two ways to make a difference.
This year, we’re making some serious strides – and you can join us!
Whether you’re ready to pound the pavement at the Great North Run or Royal Parks Half Marathon, or you’d rather pump up the runners from the sidelines, there’s a place for you on Team Guide Dogs.
Run for us: Challenge yourself and raise life-changing funds – sign up via our website for your chosen challenge. We still have charity places available for the Royal Parks Half Marathon, and if you have a ballot spot for the Great North Run we would love you to run for Guide Dogs!
Cheer with us: Be the motivation our runners need to keep going – just get in touch and let us know which event(s) you would like to cheer for!
Either way, you’ll be part of an amazing community helping to create a world where everyone with sight loss can live actively and independently.
We know how important volunteers are in delivering our mission to support people living with sight loss to live the life they choose. All 17,000 of you make what we do possible, and we want to celebrate you.
The Local Volunteer Awards are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate your dedication and achievements show how grateful we are for everything you do. Volunteers who were nominated for a Pat on the Back are automatically entered into the Local Volunteer Awards; if you were nominated in 2024’s nomination window when we didn’t hold awards, you will also be considered for this year’s awards, so nobody will miss out.
Your Operations Volunteering Experience Coordinator (OVEC) will be in touch with all nominees soon with dates and locations for your local awards – we hope to see you there!
The Community Fundraising team at Guide Dogs are undertaking a research project to better understand people’s motivations and barriers to engaging in different types of fundraising activities.
The team have created a short survey, open to all volunteers; responses will play a vital role in helping us shape the future of fundraising at Guide Dogs.
If you would be willing to take part, please fill in the online survey by the 1st June; your answers to these questions will be shared with our research partners Good Innovation anonymously so please do not include any personal information in your response.
Thank you for your support.
Last week (3-9 August) was International Assistance Dog Week, a week to recognise all incredible assistance dogs and the volunteers, staff, and supportive communities that have allowed them to succeed.
As part of our celebrations, we shone the spotlight on guide dog owner Hannah. Hannah was partnered with her first guide dog when she was just 13. Since then, she’s had four incredible guide dogs by her side – and says there’s no way she’d be the person she is today without them.
Today, Hannah is partnered with guide dog Morriss. She told us:
“Absolutely everything about your life changes when you have a guide dog, in the most positive way. It’s not just a few small things that help here and there... the change is dramatic. You can let your guard down, you feel safe, and you feel like you can do anything you want to do.”
Assistance dogs like Morriss are life-changing – and so are the volunteers who make it all possible. Thank you for everything you do to support Guide Dogs.
Staff
Service users
Nominations are open until Monday 8th September. You can find more information about the categories on the nomination forms:
Staff nomination form
Service user nomination form
You are welcome to nominate as many staff members and/or service users as you wish, and you may nominate an individual for multiple categories – the more the merrier!
Volunteer nominations will be drawn from the pool of winners of this year's Local Volunteer Awards. We would like to thank everyone who nominated a fellow volunteer via the Pat on the Back nominations this year – and remember, you can nominate someone for a Pat on the Back all year round, and they will automatically be nominated for next year’s awards.
So please do take this opportunity to recognise someone who has helped make Guide Dogs special, and we look forward to celebrating our amazing people later this year.
‘Freedom’ and ‘independence’ are terms often used by guide dog owners to describe how they feel with a guide dog by their side. There’s no denying the life-changing impact a guide dog can have for someone with sight loss. It’s immeasurable. While you can’t put a price tag on freedom, at Guide Dogs, we can put a price on the cost of a guide dog.
For 2025, we’ve calculated how much it costs to breed, raise, train and support a guide dog, from birth to retirement. This updated figure is useful to know and quote when raising awareness of Guide Dogs, especially in your conversations with the public.
The current lifetime cost of a guide dog is £102,000. The overall figure includes costings for the different stages of the guide dog journey, including ongoing support (e.g. veterinary, food etc):
Total: £102,000 – Lifetime cost of a guide dog.
Whatever your volunteering role, it’s useful to remember the lifetime cost of a guide dog. This is especially relevant for volunteers with a public-facing role or those undertaking activities in their community (i.e. fundraisers, speakers, puppy raisers and fosterers) where they can often be approached by the public.
While the updated lifetime cost of a guide dog is higher than previous calculations it does reflect the challenging climate that we now operate in. The last time we published the lifetime cost of a guide dog was in 2019; before the financial impact of the pandemic, inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
We hope the updated lifetime cost of a guide dog will become a useful discussion point, not only for raising awareness and funds, but also the role of volunteers in supporting the different stages of the guide dog journey.
Forward is Guide Dogs’ magazine for supporters, clients and the general public. First published in 1943, each edition is packed with news, events and stories about the amazing people and dogs involved with us, from owners and volunteers to trainers and fundraisers.
The latest edition is available now, featuring cover star David Bradley, our new strategy ‘Forward, Together’, tech news, and a heartwarming letter from 90-year-old Audrey – plus so much more.
We hope you enjoy this edition of your magazine.
Volunteers are fantastic ambassadors for Guide Dogs, and your activity on social media can contribute to raising the profile of the organisation, share the work we do, connect with each other, and ultimately help us support more people with sight loss to live the life they choose.
Our recently updated social media policy outlines the key principles of the use of social media by our volunteers, to support you in your online communications and to protect the charity’s reputation and all our stakeholders. This includes advice on what is and isn’t okay to post, when to contact our press team, how to make sure your posts are accessible, and more.
We also have an FAQ document for volunteers who manage a social media channel on behalf of Guide Dogs, which we hope will help support you.
If you use social media, either personally or as part of your role here at Guide Dogs, please familiarise yourself with the updated social media policy – thank you for your support with this.
At Guide Dogs we’re always working to ensure everyone’s personal information/data is kept safe. With that in mind we’ve updated the Data Protection and Information Security Essentials information for all volunteers, to reflect the latest guidance and best practice.
Please take a few minutes to read through the document, so that you’re up to date with everything you need to know whilst volunteering for us.
Thank you for helping us keep personal data safe. If you have any questions after reading the update, feel free to get in touch with us at LMSVolunteerAdministrators@guidedogs.org.uk
Our Family Fun Day is back again on Saturday 13 September, open from 11:30am until 4:30pm at our Reading Hub in Burghfield Common, Berkshire. The event is aimed primarily at the community living around Guide Dogs’ HQ, as we’re keen to be good neighbours, but all are very welcome.
Highlights include guide dog training demonstrations, our Sensory Tunnel, and the chance to find out more about how Guide Dogs helps people with sight loss to live the life they choose.
For children, there are fairground games, face painting, a tombola and a lucky dip, while grown-ups can browse the numerous stalls selling local crafts and more. Dog owners are welcome to bring their furry friends for the pet dog show, where we’ll be looking for the waggiest tail and the best trick, among other categories! And everyone can enjoy live music in the main arena and all the food stalls catering to a variety of tastes.
For more information, see the events section of the ‘Volunteers at Guide Dogs (UK)’ Facebook page.
Last year, a quarter of new volunteer applicants found out about volunteering at Guide Dogs through you – Guide Dogs volunteers. Thank you for spreading the word!
If you know someone interested in joining the pack, please share the details of our upcoming information events. And while these events are aimed at people who are new to volunteering at Guide Dogs, if there is a role which you are considering in addition to your current role, please do join us to find out more – you would be more than welcome.
Thanks to the generosity of the Omaze community, Guide Dogs will receive an astounding £4.2 million to continue providing life-changing services for people with sight loss.
The money will fund 1,350 puppies’ first eight weeks and the expert care of their mums and dads. It will also fund a year’s worth of food for our 3,200 working guide dogs.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who supported our Omaze prize draw – especially the wonderful volunteers who brought their puppies along to take part in such a memorable campaign, special thanks to Jean who is puppy raising Omaze’s named pup, Mazey.
We wanted to let you know that following some recent feedback, we’ve made a few tweaks, including accessibility improvements, to the Volunteer Agreement.
The volunteer agreement covers what you can expect from Guide Dogs, and what we can expect from you. It covers things such as our commitment to you to reimburse any reasonable pre-agreed expenses incurred as part of your volunteering, how we will continue to talk to you about your current roles and other volunteering opportunities at Guide Dogs, and our joint commitment to the Guide Dogs behaviours. There’s no need to sign or return it to us.
The latest version can always be found on the Volunteer Information Point via the Resources page. If you have any questions about what the agreement means for you and your role, please speak to your volunteer manager.
As well as treating our dogs and pups, our veterinary team keep up to date with how to care for them – and with the current hot weather it’s important to know that the guidelines around an overheated dog have changed.
Our Veterinary Services Lead, Caroline Goulton, explains;
“All our existing advice about how to keep your dog cool still stands, and it is so important to keep dogs and puppies cool in the summer, as heatstroke can be fatal to dogs. What has changed is our advice if your dog is dangerously hot. The rule is – Cool fast, first, and transport second. Studies by the Royal Vet College show that the most important thing is to get their temperature down as fast as possible, and the best way to do that is by immersing or soaking them in water that’s cooler than they are – preferably cold water. Once they’re wet, put them in front of a fan – then call the vet. It was previously thought that it was better to cool them gradually, but the data shows that time matters – it’s vital to get them cool fast.”
Remember, the primary aim is always to avoid heatstroke in the first place. For guidance on keeping your dog cool in the heat, visit the Hot Weather pages on our website.
As part of our exciting collaboration with illustrator Laura Fisher, we’ve launched a fresh collection of summer-inspired designs on the Guide Dogs Teemill Store. Featuring four beautifully hand-drawn illustrations of our iconic guide dog breeds, golden retriever, yellow Labrador, black Labrador and German shepherd, this range celebrates the sunny season in style!
The designs are available across a range of sustainable clothing and accessories, including T-shirts, tote bags and tea towels.
Please note the Guide Dogs Teemill store is owned and operated by Teemill on behalf of Guide Dogs under licence. Guide Dogs receives a royalty for every item sold, with all proceeds supporting our life-changing work.
Are you (or is someone you know) a teacher or involved with a youth group? Or perhaps you are a parent, guardian, family member or friend to young people who are curious about sight loss, Guide Dogs, and the work we do? Then you may be interested in Learn with Guide Dogs, our new collection of educational resources available to download in English or Welsh.
In these resources, our new Tailblazers Squad introduce young people to what having sight loss is like, explain how our guide dogs are trained, share real life stories from young people with a vision impairment, delve into community issues affecting inclusion, and more. Featuring interactive videos, lesson plans, worksheets, social action projects, puzzles, colouring and more, we have a full range of fun and engaging approaches!
All these resources are available publicly and can be used in the classroom, in youth or study groups, or even at home. Please feel free to download, use, and share as you wish – and please spread the word in your community as well.
In June, we celebrated Volunteers’ Week – a week dedicated to you, and the support and commitment you show to Guide Dogs.
The week was full of fun, inspiration, and thanks. Whether you joined us at one of our Local Volunteer Awards, shared our social media posts, or saw our ‘thank you’ posters around our Guide Dogs sites, we hope you enjoyed the week. Don’t forget you can catch up on all the activity on the VIP Volunteers’ Week page.
From Monday 2nd to Sunday 8th June, we are celebrating Volunteers’ Week – a week dedicated to recognising and celebrating the contributions of volunteers.
As everyone at Guide Dogs knows, we simply couldn’t do our life-changing work without our 17,000+ volunteers. Every guide dog we have has been loved and cared for by volunteers, from birth up to partnership; we have thousands of fundraisers out every week, come rain or shine, raising vital funds to keep our charity going; our drivers help people, dogs, and equipment get from A to B; speakers share their stories to educate and inspire people all over the country; and so much more besides. Thank you for everything you do for Guide Dogs.
Keep an eye on our Volunteers’ Week VIP page, the blog, and our social media pages this week to see how we are celebrating Volunteers’ Week.
Guide Dogs currently provides sighted guide training to businesses, community groups and members of the public but we want to train up more people from these groups, so they have the skills to support people with a vision impairment when they’re out and about.
If you have a vision impairment, we’d love to hear your thoughts on where sighted guiding support would be most useful, and what should be covered in our training (you don’t need to be using a Guide Dogs service to share your views).
Take the survey
Please note all survey responses are anonymous and will be used by Guide Dogs to develop our services. It should take 10-15 minutes to complete.
If you have any questions or need help with completing the survey, please contact Guide Line at information@guidedogs.org.uk or on 0800 781 1444.
Thank you for your help!