Walking with a blindfold was disorientating, frightening – it was all a blur... takes up the challenge with Guide Dogs Scotland of going out unsighted

Volunteer Week fast approaching, the charity are on the look out for volunteers to help give people with sight loss a new lease of life by getting out into the local community.

The charity’s My Guide service matches a person who can’t independently do things that most people take for granted with a trained volunteer.

With 1277 people registered blind in South Lanarkshire and 918 partially sighted, Emma stressed the need for more My Guide Volunteers and puppy walkers.

She explained: “There are currently 11 My Guide Volunteers in South Lanarkshire and only eight puppy walkers in East Kilbride.

“Learning to guide someone is not something a lot of people have thought about before and it’s a great skill to have. It means you could offer help to someone in the train station or if you see someone who looks a bit lost you can confidently give them a hand.

“My Guide volunteers would be needed a couple of hours a week and would be matched with the same person to form a bond. It helps them go out for a brisker stroll or into a particularly cluttered area where they find it difficult to walk – and they enjoy the companionship.”

The benefits of owning a guide dog are huge and, blind or partially sighted, you don’t need to be registered to use their services.

Emma said: “There are so many benefits to it. The dog sees it all so frees you up to walk more quickly and smoothly instead of stopping and starting like you would using a cane.

“It’s a confidence booster too, as you are not out on your own and, even if you feel a bit nervous, you have something there that is a calm presence that’s helping you.”

With the lifetime cost of a guide dog a whopping £55,000, the charity rely heavily on volunteer fundraisers to keep producing more ‘working’ dogs.

Emma said: “A lot of our dogs are mainly funded by public donations so it’s vital for us to try to encourage people to raise money through collections or all sorts of crazy fundraisers like skydiving or bungee jumping.”

If you are considering becoming a volunteer please remember these are long-term roles so the charity need people who are willing to give absolute commitment. Sign up and be a life-changer today.

Contact volunteer consultant Susan Harrison on (0118) 983 8123 or email susan.harrison@guidedogs.org.uk