Edinburgh Mobility Team Newsletter
Summer 2014
Welcome from the team
A warm welcome to your new-look Edinburgh
Mobility Team newsletter.
The first half of this year has been really
exciting, particularly with new colleagues
joining the team. We’re all pulling together
to achieve our ambitious targets in guide
dog production, fundraising, and our new
children’s habilitation services. We simply
couldn’t do it without you by our side.
Sincere thanks for your crucial support.
Please do come and say hello if you are in
the area. If not, hopefully we'll see you soon at
one of our events we have planned - you can find
these at the end of the newsletter.
Colin D Gallagher, Mobility Team Manager
Colin Gallagher
In this issue





News
- The latest from around our area
Update on our Services
- Say hello to some new faces in the team
Volunteering
- Enter our fantastic photography competition
Fundraising
- Three in a row for the Aberdeen Ball
Campaigning
- Get on board our Talking Buses campaign
If you would like
to know more
about any of the
articles you read
in this newsletter,
please call the
Edinburgh
Mobility Team on
0118 983 8703.
Guide Dogs Scotland Vantage Point, 24 St John’s Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6NZ
Tel: 0118 983 8703
email: [email protected] website: www.guidedogsscotland.org.uk
News
Updates from our area
As youl know from reading Forward
magazine, we work hard to raise awareness
of Guide Dogs on TV, radio and print media.
We’re always looking for opportunities to
spread the word about our life-changing
work and we know that you, our supporters,
volunteers and service users, are keen to
support Guide Dogs in this way.
Guide dog owners, especially, often play a
starring role and do a huge amount to put
us in the media spotlight. We want to work
with you to make the most of every
opportunity so, if you’re a guide dog owner
and you’re going to be appearing in the
media with your dog, please let us know as
much in advance as you can by calling us
or by emailing
[email protected]
Guide dog owner
David Keenan in
the media
spotlight
Sheila Gilmore MP for Edinburgh East (left) and Ian Murray
MP (Edinburgh South) are among many local politicians
backing our Streets Ahead campaign. They undertook
blindfold walks to learn more about the everday obstacles
faced on our streets by people who are blind or partially
sighted.
Angus and Mearns MSP Nigel Don (right)
also experienced a blindfold walk while
supporting our call for compulsory
microchipping on all dogs. To learn more
about these campaigns and how you can
help, visit guidedogsscotland.org.uk
Guide Dogs Scotland Vantage Point, 24 St John’s Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6NZ
Tel: 0118 983 8703
email: [email protected] website: www.guidedogsscotland.org.uk
Our services
Meet Jo, our Service Delivery Manager
I joined the team at the end of October 2013
and first of all faced having to fill the big shoes
Ian Flanigan left behind!
It's an exciting time with our new My Guide
Ambassador, and Children and Young People’s
Mobility Instructors coming on board recently
too – not to mention the appointment of a new
Service User Representative.
I have been struck by the passion of my
colleagues and the dedication they have to
making a difference in people’s lives.
In the near future we will host events to get staff,
volunteers and service users together.
If we haven't already met, I look forward to
meeting you along the way!
Jo Milligan
Service Delivery Manager
Jo with trainee guide
dog Elmo outside the
Edinburgh Mobility
Team office
Children and young people’s services
We’re continuing to grow our children and
young people’s services with the appointment
of Gillian Murdoch and Grant Smith to the
Edinburgh team. Gillian is a habilitation
specialist who previously supported children
with a visual impairment in an Edinburgh school.
Prior to joining Guide Dogs, Grant was a mobility
worker for children in Sussex.
“We're both really looking forward to making an
impact in the role, and making a difference to
the lives of children and young people who are
visually impaired,” said Gillian.
Grant Smith and
Gillian Murdoch
Guide Dogs Scotland Vantage Point, 24 St John’s Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6NZ
Tel: 0118 983 8703
email: [email protected] website: www.guidedogsscotland.org.uk
Our services
Rosalind Wallace, new My Guide Ambassador
Our My Guide service people who are visually
impaired with sighted guides. The service was
boosted recently when Rosalind Wallace joined
the team as our My Guide ambassador.
Rosalind said “My Guide is all about reducing
the isolation that many people with sight loss
experience, and helps to rebuild their
confidence and regain their independence. If
you would like to find out more, either as a
service user or as a My Guide volunteer, then
please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”
You can contact Rosalind by phoning
0118 983 8703, or emailing
[email protected]
Rosalind Wallace
Meet David, our new Service User Representative
I’m a 50-something former civil servant who
qualified with Royal, my first ever guide dog,
three years ago.
In addition to the experiences and skills gained
in my career, I hope to be able to help new
users by sharing some of my continued journey
into sight loss and the pleasure I’ve had as a
guide dog owner.
I look forward to the challenges in representing
service user interests, and in assisting the
Edinburgh Mobility Team to advance standards
of local service.
Talk to you soon!
David Keenan
East of Scotland Service User Representative
Contact David on 07900705104 or email
[email protected]
David Keenan with
guide dog Royal
Guide Dogs Scotland Vantage Point, 24 St John’s Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6NZ
Tel: 0118 983 8703
email: [email protected] website: www.guidedogsscotland.org.uk
Volunteering
We want your volunteer vision!
To mark Volunteers’ Week (1 – 7 June),
Volunteer Consultant Emma Murton is running a
photography competition. The theme is – “What
volunteering with Guide Dogs means to you.”
There are three categories to enter: volunteers,
service users who volunteer, and volunteers
aged under 16.
The competition is open from 1 June to 7 June,
and you can email your entry to
[email protected] (maximum 4MB file).
Only one entry is allowed per person.
“Whether you are a photography enthusiast or
just a Guide Dogs enthusiast we’re looking
forward to seeing your photos!” said Emma.
To find out more, see guidedogsscotland.org.uk
or phone Emma on 0118 983 8703.
Australian guide
dog owner and
photographer
Andrew Follows
Will you be a Volunteer Voice?
It's really important that we hear the views of
our volunteers, so we're looking for existing,
registered volunteers to become Volunteer
Voices.
Elected volunteers will be asked to attend
quarterly meetings to learn about local and
national plans and help get that information
out to the volunteers they represent.
If you are interested, call Volunteer Consultant
Emma Murton on 0118 983 8703 or email
[email protected]
Guide Dogs Scotland Vantage Point, 24 St John’s Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6NZ
Tel: 0118 983 8703
email: [email protected] website: www.guidedogsscotland.org.uk
Fundraising
Aberdeen Ball set for success yet again
Members of the organising committee at last year’s event
Volunteers in the Aberdeen fundraising group are working hard to host
another fantastic Gala Ball. The social spectacular takes place at the
Marcliffe Hotel and Spa, on Saturday 30 August.
Stand Out for Guide Dogs Week
For Guide Dogs Week this year (4 October to 12 October) we’re calling
on supporters to 'Stand Out'. Whether it’s a coffee morning with
friends, a zumbathon, or a dress down day at work, we’d love to have
you “Stand Out” with us by organising events, as well as joining ours.
Get in touch with the team to find out more about how you can get
involved.
Email [email protected] or phone the office on 0118 983
8703.
Guide Dogs Scotland Vantage Point, 24 St John’s Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6NZ
Tel: 0118 983 8703
email: [email protected] website: www.guidedogsscotland.org.uk
Campaigning
Take the talking buses survey
Guide Dogs has just launched its third
annual Talking Buses survey. You might
already have seen a few emails and
links on social media. The survey is
available at:
surveymonkey.com/s/Talking-Buses2014 and should take about 10 minutes
to fill in.
We are asking bus passengers about
their experiences, and the results from
last year’s survey enabled us to
produce ‘The Road to Nowhere’
report. That helped us raise the need
for more talking buses with MPs and bus
companies and was used extensively in
a Westminster Hall Debate by MPs in
October 2013. We were also able to
regionalise the results of the survey
which helped with local press work
around the launch of the report.
We are keen to make this survey an
even bigger success which is where we
need your help. Please encourage any
local contacts you may have, be it
friends, family or colleagues take part in
the survey.
If you would prefer a paper copy of the
survey, please phone the Mobility Team
on 0118 983 8703.
Angus councillor and guide dog
owner Sheila Hands with guide
dog Usher, and Phil Smith of
National Express Dundee,
alongside the city’s route 5
Talking Bus.
“Talking Buses would improve
the experience of bus travel for
all passengers, not just blind and
partially sighted people,” said
Sheila Hands.
Guide Dogs Scotland Vantage Point, 24 St John’s Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6NZ
Tel: 0118 983 8703
email: [email protected] website: www.guidedogsscotland.org.uk
Events
What's on
Corstorphine Fair
Saturday 7 June, all day at St Margaret’s Park,
Corstorphine, Edinburgh
Come and visit us at the Fair. Around 20,000
visitors are expected - and the Edinburgh Mobility
Team will be there!
Phone 0118 983 8703 to learn more.
The Kelty Coal Race
Saturday 28 June, Kelty, Fife
Fancy a challenge with a difference? How about
running 1km with a sack of coal on your back?
Kelty is a race like no other, and again supports
Guide Dogs Scotland.
See keltycoalrace.co.uk for more details
Edinburgh Mobility Team Open Day
Saturday 5 July, Edinburgh Mobility Team office
A warm welcome awaits as the Edinburgh
Mobility Team opens its doors for our first open
day! Experience a blindfold walk, meet some
guide dog puppies, and meet the team.
Phone 0118 983 8703 to learn more.
Guide Dogs Aberdeen Ball
Saturday 30 August, Marcliffe Hotel, Aberdeen
A gala night of entertainment is on offer for
Aberdeen’s night out of the year, all supporting
Guide Dogs Scotland.
Email chairperson David Cobban for details at
[email protected]
Registered charity in England and Wales (209617) and in Scotland (SCO38979)
Guide Dogs Scotland Vantage Point, 24 St John’s Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6NZ
Tel: 0118 983 8703
email: [email protected] website: www.guidedogsscotland.org.uk