Southampton Mobility Team
Newsletter
Spring 2016
Welcome to the Spring newsletter. With
the excesses of Christmas and New Year past and
the days getting longer, I hope this edition finds
you well. I’m Matt Deane, Group Organiser for
East Dorset.
I started running for Guide Dogs in 2013 because I
know they do an amazing job and they rely on
ongoing support. I also run because aged 15 I
was told I'd no longer be able to play the sports I
love, namely rugby and football. Not easy to hear
as a 15-year-old; neither is it easy to hear that
Matt Deane
your sight is deteriorating. I liken my trainers to a
guide dog. Running gave me independence, a
reason to get up and go out, meet new people
and enjoy different places and experiences. Speak to a guide dog
owner and I am sure they'd say much the same thing. Last year I
completed my fourth marathon, not bad for a slightly overweight chap
with one decent knee!
I don’t need to talk about how amazing guide dogs are, you know all
that. Instead I want to use this opportunity to challenge you in 2016 to
do something that you've never done before. It could be anything,
from a skydive, running, swimming, through to a day’s silence, a
knitathon or even learning a new language. Even better, why not
support Guide Dogs whilst you do it? I’m sure you’ll receive so much
more in return.
Matt Deane, Group Organiser for East Dorset
Guide Dogs Chilworth Point 1, Chilworth Road, Southampton, SO16 7JQ
Tel: 0118 983 8892
email: [email protected]
website: guidedogs.org.uk
News
In 2015 we ran a very successful winter social event in Southampton. In
2016 we plan to run three social events. The first will be in Chippenham
on Saturday 23 April from 11am – 1pm. The venue will be The Neeld,
High Street, Chippenham, SN15 3ER. If you would like to come to the
Chippenham social event, please email
[email protected] or call the office on 0118 983 8892 to
book your place. Due to the venue size and popularity of the events,
they will be ticketed, so please ensure you let us know you plan to
come. We also ask that you only come to one of the three events so
everyone has an opportunity to attend. We plan to do another in the
summer in Hampshire and one in the winter in Dorset. We will keep you
updated with our plans.
We have been answering a number of queries recently related to
access rights with a guide dog and use of Guide Dogs branded
equipment. We thought we would take this opportunity to share the
information with everyone.
Accessibility - It is the guide dog owner, not the guide dog, who has
the legal right to access areas where dogs are not normally allowed. It
is at the proprietors’ discretion as to whether they allow access for
guide dog puppies and retired guide dogs.
Use of branded equipment - This is solely for the use of puppies in
training, breeding stock, guide dogs in training or working guide dogs. It
has been brought to our attention that equipment is sometimes being
used on pet dogs to gain access to establishments (withdrawn and
retired dogs are classed as pet dogs). This could cause serious legal
and health and safety issues. Please do let the team know if you are
aware of this occurring or have any questions.
This year we are slightly changing our local awards to be in line with
the national ones. There’ll be six awards, based on Guide Dogs’
values: customer focused, inclusive and embracing, passionate and
determined, dedicated to superior quality, trustworthy and maximising
impact. The winners of the local awards will be those who’ve
demonstrated one of these values most clearly in their work with
Guide Dogs. They’ll then be entered into Guide Dogs’ national People
Awards. Got someone in mind? Nominations are likely to open in
March. Information will appear on our website shortly about how to
nominate someone for an award.
Guide Dogs Chilworth Point 1, Chilworth Road, Southampton, SO16 7JQ
Tel: 0118 983 8892
email: [email protected]
website: guidedogs.org.uk
Dog Care and Welfare
An introduction from Katrina Ayling
At Southampton we now have a full time Dog Care and Welfare Advisor,
Katrina Ayling, who has taken over from Michael Johnson and Glenda
Webb. Glenda and Michael are still with Guide Dogs and now work for the
Exeter and Birmingham teams respectively.
Working alongside Katrina is Rachael Adams, one of the Southampton
team’s new Support Workers. Rachael is responsible for a portion of the dog
care work including administration, requesting clinical histories, managing
health records for advanced training dogs and ordering dog medications.
If you need to speak to Katrina, we
encourage all guide dog owners,
boarders and puppy walkers to
contact the mobility team. This is so
that all enquiries can go through the
triage system. It may not always be
possible to get hold of Katrina due to
her being on appointments, delivering
training sessions, visiting vets or being
on a course. By calling the mobility
team all enquiries can be recorded
on the triage system and redirected
to another member of the dog care
team if the matter is urgent.
Katrina says, “This year is going to be a very full year for me as I am still in
training and taking my exams. However, I am rarely fazed by a challenge
and am looking forward to getting stuck in! So please bear with me when you
call the team and are waiting for a call back regarding a dog care and
welfare matter. Until May my diary is very full with training days, courses and
exams. I will get back to you as soon as I can, and if I’m not available the
Southampton team will refer you to another member of the Dog Care team if
the matter is urgent. I am very much looking forward to 2016 and getting to
know more of you.”
Follow and like Guide Dogs at: Guide Dogs Southampton Mobility Team
Guide Dogs Chilworth Point 1, Chilworth Road, Southampton, SO16 7JQ
Tel: 0118 983 8892
email: [email protected]
website: guidedogs.org.uk
Our services
My Guide
Hello! I'm Jenny Gomm and I am a My Guide and lead volunteer at the
Southampton team. I live in Bitterne with my husband Simon and our
rescue Bedlington Terrier, Alfie. I have volunteered as a My Guide for
almost four years, but my previous career, as a Senior Rehabilitation
Officer, has given me a quite a bit of experience assessing people's
needs, arranging rehab programmes and reviewing progress. I've also
undertaken other voluntary roles, mainly providing advice and guidance
or practical support for carers, unemployed people and stroke patients.
During my time volunteering, I have learnt many things that may be
helpful to share with those of you who are also sighted guides. You might
have encountered something when you were out and about with your
service user that you were unsure how to deal with. Please do get in
touch and I'll help if I can – I've been on a pretty steep learning curve
myself! In addition, I'm always happy to hear any comments or
suggestions, positive or negative, as all feedback is useful in helping the
Southampton team and us, as volunteers, give a better service.
I can be contacted on 02380 553003, or by email:
[email protected].
An update from our service user representative
Hello! I hope your 2016 has started well. I attended the
National Service User Representative Conference in
November 2015. It was a positive conference. We had
updates from all service departments, and spent a lot of time
in person with Richard Leaman, our CEO. I came away with
two opportunities which I would love your feedback on.
1. If you would like free training on accessible mobile phones,
pads, pods, tablets or laptops, please contact me by phone or email.
2. If you have ideas for content you would like to be placed on a new online website portal, for you to find out information for everyday living,
holiday equipment, benefits, training, food, etc, please also contact me
using the following information:
Sarahjane Commarford, Service User Rep, Telephone: 07900 705094 or
email: [email protected]
Guide Dogs Chilworth Point 1, Chilworth Road, Southampton, SO16 7JQ
Tel: 0118 983 8892
email: [email protected]
website: guidedogs.org.uk
Fundraising
The Fundraising Team
There are new faces in the Fundraising Team at Southampton as Pete
Bungay joined us in October 2015 as Community Fundraiser for Wiltshire
and Dorset, accompanied by his guide dog Thomas. Pete and Thomas,
along with Katie Loucaides, Community Fundraiser for Hampshire, Isle of
Wight and the Channel Islands, will be joined by new Support Worker,
Laura Robertson, whose focus will be providing Katie and Pete support.
Pete says, “Thomas has changed my life and the Community Fundraiser
role gives me the opportunity to work with amazing volunteers to raise
funds and help change the lives of people living with sight loss”.
Our support groups
Guide Dogs receives no government
funding for the guide dog service and we
rely on our amazing volunteer support
groups to raise funds. We are very proud
to be supported by thousands of
volunteers but in these challenging times
we do need more help.
However much time you have to spare,
there is always a place in our support
groups for you, from taking part in
collections and events to becoming a
collection box coordinator, a treasurer or
organising your own group. Volunteering
to fundraise for Guide Dogs will not only
make a difference to the lives of people
living with sight loss but is also great fun!
If you would like to help us to change lives then please contact the
Southampton Mobility Team or apply on the Guide Dogs website.
www.guidedogs.org.uk/Southampton
Thank you.
Guide Dogs Chilworth Point 1, Chilworth Road, Southampton, SO16 7JQ
Tel: 0118 983 8892
email: [email protected]
website: guidedogs.org.uk
Volunteering
Volunteer Voices update
We started the New Year with our
Volunteer Voices forum meeting in
January. We discussed campaigns, the
Scouts partnership and the Volunteer
Awards. We also looked at the plans
which have come out of the Volunteer
Impact Assessment.
We are looking for people who are
interested in shaping the future of Guide
Dogs to join our positive panel. So if you
are interested in finding out more then
please do call the office for an informal
chat. We have a new email address that you can use to contact
the group with your suggestions, queries and complaints. The
address is [email protected] Watch out for our
new video coming soon!
Collection box coordinators Needed
Volunteer collection box coordinators are needed across the whole of
the area we cover. Are you able to look after one of our iconic boxes?
This is a flexible volunteering role for someone looking to take up
something new or complement what they already do. We already
have boxes placed that you could look after, or alternatively you could
find new locations for boxes that are near to you. If you are interested in
finding out more about this, please do contact the Southampton
Mobility Team and we can discuss opportunities for you in your
community.
Volunteer inductions
We are happy to announce the introduction of local volunteer
inductions. This gives people new to Guide Dogs the chance to find out
more about the charity. There will also be My Guide Level 1 training
included in the day. There is a maximum of 16 places available for
each session. The day will run from 10am – 3.30pm. The dates are as
follows: Saturday 9 April, Wednesday 1 June, Saturday 24 September
and Friday 11 November. You will need to book a place by calling
0118 983 8892 or emailing [email protected]
Guide Dogs Chilworth Point 1, Chilworth Road, Southampton, SO16 7JQ
Tel: 0118 983 8892
email: [email protected]
website: guidedogs.org.uk
Campaigning
Access All Areas
In 2015, Guide Dogs conducted a survey among assistance dog owners
from all over the UK for our Access All Areas campaign. In 2016 this
campaign will be at the core of our work. The questions asked in the
survey investigated both positive and negative experiences. Sadly, 75% of
the assistance dog owners surveyed had experienced an access refusal.
The most frequent access refusal reported by guide dog owners was from
taxi companies with reasons cited such as the dog shedding hair or
causing damage to the car.
There are many ways in which you can respond to an access refusal.
Most guide dog owners react by complaining directly to the company. It
is important to remember that the Southampton Mobility Team can assist
you with access issues and even if the problem is resolved to still report it
to the team so that we can monitor statistics.
The survey findings have resulted in Guide Dogs setting out
recommendations. These include mandatory disability awareness training
for taxi drivers; better enforcement of access refusal cases by relevant
authorities; greater awareness and staff training in all public-facing
businesses; and for magistrates to issue an appropriate fine to act as a
deterrent in cases where taxi drivers are found guilty of refusal to carry
assistance dogs.
Visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/AccessAllAreas for more information.
Petition days
In 2016, there will be many ways for you to get involved with the Access
All Areas campaign. Follow our Facebook page, Guide Dogs Campaigns,
to be kept up to date.
The first way to get involved is to be a part of our petition day on Saturday
19 March. Help us collect signatures so that we can show the
Government just how important this campaign is.
Email [email protected] for more information.
Guide Dogs Chilworth Point 1, Chilworth Road, Southampton, SO16 7JQ
Tel: 0118 983 8892
email: [email protected]
website: guidedogs.org.uk
Events
What's On
Charity Concert
Saturday 23 April
Enjoy performances from Wessex Male Choir,
Wessex Chamber Choir and After 8 Singers.
Immanuel Church, Upham Road, Swindon. 7pm.
Tickets £10, child £3. Call 07769 648 421.
Meon Springs Country Experience Show
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 April
The Guide Dogs Display Team will be in action on
Saturday, and on Sunday puppy walkers will be
giving an arena demonstration. There is also a
Guide Dogs gazebo with information and
merchandise. Whitewool Farm, East Meon, GU32
1HW. £7.50.
Guide Dogs Ball
The Portsmouth and District Group’s ball took place on 10 October 2015.
The ball had taken months of planning, with the group securing the
attendance of VIPs including the Deputy Lord Mayor and TV sports
personality Sarah Gomme, as well as a host of guide dog owners, puppy
walkers, volunteers and some of our fantastic supporters. The table plans
were carefully prepared and named after local guide dogs.
The treasurer of the group Denise Allen says, “There was a tremendous
sense of ‘togetherness’ in the room that night, and it was so enjoyable
that many were asking ‘when is the next one?’ “Thanks to the generosity
of the hotel, that donated the room, the anonymous sponsor of food
costs and our guests who bid on the auction and played the raffle, we
were thrilled to raise £4,755. We’re planning to do it all again so please
save the date for The Portsmouth Guide Dogs Gala! Saturday 8 October
at The Marriott Hotel, Portsmouth – it’ll be a fantastic event!”
Registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and in Scotland (SCO38979)
Guide Dogs Chilworth Point 1, Chilworth Road, Southampton, SO16 7JQ
Tel: 0118 983 8892
email: [email protected]
website: guidedogs.org.uk