Guide Aid Music Night tomorrow at Betteshanger Bowls Club

In the UK today, almost two million people are living with sight loss and of those, around 180,000 rarely leave their homes alone and many suffer from depression and struggle with feelings of isolation.

Guide Dogs UK aim is to provide people with sight loss with the support they need to be able to move around safely and confidently, to get out of their homes and be able to live life the way they choose.

The charity are best known for achieving this through their world-famous guide dogs, but their work now encompasses so much more. In recent years, they have extended their work to other areas to help people with sight loss tackle obstacles they face on a daily basis.

Research

They invest in research and development to make sure Guide Dogs is a constructive and forward-thinking organisation that develops services based on what people with sight loss need and want.

Guide Dogs UK gather evidence in fields from dog behaviour to the built environment, analyse it and use the findings to develop a clear strategy that will have the most positive impact on the lives of people living with sight loss.

Campaigning for equal rights

People with sight loss face challenges or discrimination on a daily basis. Many are denied access to public transport, our town centres or other public places. Guide Dogs UK campaign passionately for rights that most sighted people take for granted.

They work closely with guide dog owners, service providers, other voluntary organisation and MPs. The Charity have secured many successes and have influenced public policy and legislation.

Guide Dogs UK are campaigning on three key issues:

• To stop people with assistance dogs being refused access to services, places and vehicles.
• For audio visual announcements to be compulsory on new buses.
• To end pavement parking.

For more information visit www.guidedogs.org.uk