Guide Dogs Cymru

Guide Dogs Cymru's volunteer speakers are inspiring supporters in many parts of Wales. Wendy and her guide dog Cariad were invited to share their life-changing story with freemasons from the Mawddach Lodge, where members have been busy raising money for us, Rob Armstrong and ambassador dog Crumble from our Gwynedd group attended the recent Lodge open day, where W M Bro Patrick R Butcher shared the good news that they had raised £927 to date. Thank you all for your support.

pic shows Rob and black labrador Crumble in a large group of people at the Mawddach Lodge

Mae Seiri Rhyddion Cyfrinfa Mawddach wedi bod yn brysur yn codi a***n i Guide Dogs Cymru yn y misoedd diwethaf. Cafodd Wendy, un o’n gwirfoddolwyr, a’i chi tywys, Cariad, eu gwahodd i rannu eu stori gydag aelodau’r gyfrinfa yn ystod un o’u digwyddiadau i godi a***n.

Aeth Rob, Trefnydd y Grŵp Codi A***n, a Crumble, ci llysgenhadol, i ddiwrnod agored y Gyfrinfa yn ddiweddar. Roedd newyddion da gan W M Bro Patrick R Butcher, sef y ffaith eu bod nhw wedi codi £927 hyd yn hyn. Diolch o galon i bawb!

A guide dog leaves pawprints on your heart, but in Lisa Rushin’s case, those paws are giant-sized!

Lisa commissioned Cardiff artist Sian Healey to create a larger-than-life sculpture of yellow labrador Uri, the first guide dog she and her husband fostered and rehomed. Lisa originally planned to bid for one of the dog-shaped sculptures from our Paws on the Wharf trail earlier this year but missed the deadline by a whisker.

Lisa said: “I was in Japan at the time, just scrolling online, and I spotted that the sculptures were up for auction. I clicked on Sian’s creation, which was a yellow labrador modelled on her own guide dog. When I discovered her dog was also called Uri, I knew I needed to bid for it.”

Unfortunately, the time difference meant Lisa missed the auction by a day. “I was gutted,” she said. “We hadn’t fostered for a year, but we like to support Guide Dogs and we sponsor a puppy. I thought maybe the bid might fall through, so I contacted Guide Dogs and explained what had happened, congratulating them on the brilliant amount they raised with Paws on the Wharf.

“They told me they had a spare sculpture that hadn't been painted and offered to contact Sian so that I could commission my very own Uri! I sent Sian some pictures of the special places that remind us of our special boy, so that she could incorporate them into the design.”

Lisa, who studied art, is a huge fan of Sian’s artistic style. “I love the detail and the colours, and the fact she works really quickly. Sian’s Uri is exactly like our Uri, even down to the pink nose. They could be from the same litter. I've shown pictures of her work to family and friends and they've been moved.”

Sian waived any fees for undertaking the work, so that Guide Dogs could benefit entirely from the commission. She said: “I was glad to be able to do this to give something back to the charity. It’s thanks to my guide dogs that I’ve been able to pursue my love of art and get to classes.”

Lisa and her husband Mark visited Cardiff at the weekend to collect the sculpture but have yet to decide where they’ll place it. Meanwhile, Sian’s newly-retired guide dog, Uri, was visibly relieved to see his giant “double” being wheeled away!

pics show Lisa and Mark Rushin visiting Sian Healey and Uri to collect the giant sculpture

Gwrandewch ar y rhaglen Bore Sul ar BBC Radio Cymru bore 'fory (dydd Sul) am 9.30yb i glywed Zena Cooper o Rydaman yn siarad am ei chi tywys unigryw, Munch, a sut mae'n ymdopi yn y tymor tan gwyllt fel ci sy ar fin ymddeol.

Llun: Zena Cooper a Munch yn Llyfrgell Rhydaman

Tune in to Bore Sul on BBC Radio Cymru tomorrow (Sunday) at 9.30am to hear Ammanford guide dog owner Zena Cooper talking about her guide dog Munch, who's a real character! She'll also share how her dog reacts to fireworks as he approaches retirement.

pic shows Zena Cooper with labradoodle guide dog Munch in Ammanford Library

We're bowled over by this! Guide dog owners Stephen and Andrew, members of Llanelli Visually Impaired Bowls Club, told That's TV South Wales about the challenges of getting out and about with sight loss, and why it's so important to keep socialising and making new friends. We spotted Stephen's guide dog, Crompton, making an appearance on camera!

A Denbighshire pub crawl with a difference has helped to raise more than £2,000 for Guide Dogs Cymru.

Sixty-two people set off from the Golden Lion in Llandyrnog, taking in two more pubs en route. The walk was the brainchild of Robyn Dowell, who is totally blind on the left of each eye and has no peripheral vision.

Robyn said: “I came up with a cunning plan. Everyone took a pair of sunglasses and taped over the left side of each lens, so they could experience how I’ve felt for the past 30 years. They cheated after 10 minutes, though, and took the glasses off!”

Robyn, who has been given a diagnosis of terminal cancer, was accompanied on the walk by his guide dog Alba, a five-year-old golden retriever he describes as “amazing”. Although the pair used to love walking for miles, Robyn began to tire, leaving his friends and supporters to complete the walk without him – or the sunglasses!

Ruth Evans, Community Fundraising Manager for Guide Dogs Cymru, said: “This was an amazing achievement by Robyn, and a real community effort. Our thanks go to the walkers, and all those who supported an musical fundraising evening at the Golden Lion in Llandyrnog on the previous Friday. The £2,206.99 raised will help us to provide our life-changing services to others like Robyn.”

pic: erry Ash from Guide Dogs Cymru with Robyn Dowell, guide dog Alba and supporters at the Golden Lion in Llandyrnog

Diolch i Robyn Dowell a chwsmeriaid y Golden Lion yn Llandyrnog am gefnogi Guide Dogs Cymru efo siec am £2,206.99

"When shall we three meet again...?" Retired guide dog Lara had plenty of fun celebrating Halloween with her canine pals Mali and Ruby. This picture, taken by Lara's owner Diana Evans, .shows yellow labrador retriever Lara wearing a black witch's hat , cockapoo Ruby in a smaller pointed hat and cockapoo-cross-Lakeland terrier Mali with her eyes firmly on the dog treat bowl

It's Caption Friday! Black labradors Derek and Juno have been practising their settling on the train to Penarth. Can you guess what they are thinking? Comment below!

It's Caption Friday! Our picture shows Hilary Lester and her yellow labrador retriever guide dog Portia sitting alongside the Paddington statue in St John's Gardens, Cardiff. Wonder what Portia is thinking? Comment below with your suggestions.

No tricks, just treats this Halloween for first-time guide dog owner Jordan! He qualified today with black labrador retriever Lily, who was raised as a puppy in Wiltshire and trained in Cardiff by GDMS Emily Morgan. Jordan and Lily will be working in the Gwent area, and we wish them a long and happy partnership.

pic shows Jordan standing proudly next to black labrador retriever Lily, who is in harness

Llongyfarchiadau mawr i Jordan a Lily, sy newydd gymhwyso fel partneriaeth gi tywys yng Ngwent. Dyma gi tywys cyntaf Jordan. Cafodd Lily ei hyfforddi gan Emily Morgan yng Nghaerdydd

Halloween parties are in full swing and this year, Caerphilly guide dog Spencer has decided to come as a dinosaur. He's even perfected the roar! Thank you to owner Cathy for the picture, which shows golden retriever Spencer wearing a green dinosaur-style coat underneath his harness. His mouth is open wide as if he's letting out a roar

Do you know why some guide dogs wear a red-and-white checked harness instead of the usual fluorescent yellow flash? It signals its owner has both sight and hearing loss.

Jackie Bethell, owner of guide dog Dane, is helping to get the message across by attending talks and events with fellow members of the Cardiff group. Dane is Jackie’s fourth guide dog, but this is the first time she has used the red-and-white checked harness.

Jackie said: “No one has questioned me about it so far, but I’ve just learnt another new route, so it will be good if people understand what the harness means. I’ve been attending talks with Carole Morgan and her guide dog Jason, who wears the standard yellow harness, so she can demonstrate the difference more easily. She even explains it to people we meet when we’re out for a walk together!”

Well done to Jackie and Carole for raising awareness among people of all ages, and for sharing the message that you should not distract a working guide dog – whether its harness is yellow or red-and-white checked.

Pic: Jackie Bethell and yellow labrador retriever guide dog Dane wearing red-and-white checked harness.

Mae Jackie Bethell a Dane yn helpu i egluro pwrpas yr harnais coch a gwyn

The witching hour is fast approaching, and our trainee dogs are getting in the spirit! Juno and Rodney paid a visit to Pugh's Garden Centre, where they did some fabulous work around the busy Halloween displays with their trainers, Rachael and Lucy. The dogs start class on Monday with their new owners and we wish them every success.

pic 1: Black labrador Juno with Rachael O'Dwyer at Pugh's Garden Centre
pic 2: Trainer Lucy Wilkins at the garden centre with yellow labrador retriever Rodney

Guide dog owner Philippa has asked us to wish her retired guide dog, Toffee, a very happy 15th birthday. The yellow labrador retriever hung up his harness in 2017 and has been enjoying retirement ever since. Philippa told us: "He's still running and playing with his little sister, guide dog Dawn." Our first photo shows him sitting in harness when he qualified, and the second is Toffee still looking handsome today while out on a run.

Local to Pembrokeshire? Eyes down for a full house! Temple Bar Inn, Amroth, is once again raising money for Guide Dogs Cymru by holding weekly quizzes and bingo nights throughout November. Landlord Ian Wilkins said: "It's bingo on Tuesdays and a quiz on Wednesdays, starting 7.30pm. Teams can have up to six people and it's all a bit of fun."

In January, Ian presented a cheque for more than £800 to Guide Dogs Pembrokeshire, which was gratefully accepted by Eva Rich and John Woolsgrove with their guide dogs Nancy and Eddie, both yellow Labrador retrievers. Landlord Ian Wilkins also introduced them to pub dog Max, a golden retriever, as our picture shows

Halloween is fast approaching, and there are some ghostly sights around! Trainee dogs Derek and Rodney were doing some preparation work at the hotel where they'll be on class next week and took it all in their stride - even the tombstones and the skeleton display! Thanks to trainer Lauren for the photos, and best of luck to the boys when they start class.

pic 1: Wide shot of black labrador Derek and yellow labrador retriever Rodney, both in harness, with skeletons and tombstones
pic 2: close up of Rodney next to ornamental dog with bone in mouth

Local to Swansea? Do you enjoy a walk with good company? Our Guide Dogs walking group meets has its next outing on Tuesday, November 12. Meet at Greggs in the Quadrant Shopping Centre at 10am for an adventure that will include a free run at Caswell Bay! All are welcome, including guide dog puppies and retired or withdrawn guide dogs.

Pic taken at the last walk in Singleton Park shows withdrawn dog Chili with guide dogs Roni, Cora and Gwen and their owners

Byw yn ardal Abertawe? Mwynhau cerdded a chwmni da? Mae grwp yn cwrdd am 10yb dydd Mawrth nesa, Tachwedd y 12fed, yn Greggs yn y Cwadrant, cyn mentro allan gyda'u cwn. Croeso i bawb!

Black labrador Juno is coming to the end of her training in Cardiff and will soon be starting class with her new owner. Trainer Rachael O’Dwyer paid tribute to Juno’s puppy raisers, Deb and Kim, and invited them to visit Cardiff so they could witness Juno’s progress. Rachael said: “I could never have got Juno to this point if it wasn't for her puppy raisers! They put so much hard work into our puppies and we are all so grateful for what they do. I was so excited to be able to give a small something back to Deb and Kim, who came to watch Juno work a route in harness before returning to the office for cuddles and play time!”

Could you help to turn a puppy like Juno into a confident guide dog?
Find out if there’s an opening for a puppy raiser in your area by visiting this link: www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraiser

Pic 1: Black labrador Juno with puppy raiser Deb
Pic 2: Juno enjoys a cuddle with Kim

John Nichol, a former RAF Tornado Navigator and Gulf War prisoner-of-war, came to the Riverfront Theatre in Newport at the weekend with his one-man show about the Unknown Warrior. John is a passionate Guide Dogs supporter and was delighted to meet members of the Newport fundraising group, who were collecting at the event. He even invited Hilary Lester and guide dog Portia up on stage with him and urged the audience to donate to Guide Dogs on their way out, boosting the collection to £397.16. Organiser Hilary said: “John was very energetic and loved meeting the dogs – he made a big fuss of them all”.

pic shows John Nichol at the Riverfront in Newport with Hilary Lester, Emma Davies, Rayana Adams and Lesley Gore plus guide dogs Portia, Parsley, Bletchley and May

The stars aligned to create Swansea guide dog partnership Izzy and Souly - and here's the proof! The pair have their birthdays on consecutive days, giving them twice the reason to celebrate. Yesterday was Izzy's birthday, and today it's the turn of labradoodle Souly, who's three. Izzy told us: "I've had Souly for 15 months now and he has completely changed my life. I recently went to Oxford by myself for the first time and he was amazing. When I told him I could do with a coffee, he made a beeline for the nearest Pret - I was gobsmacked." Penblwydd hapus, Souly!

pic shows pale labradoodle Souly sitting and looking at camera. He has a special badge on his collar to mark his third birthday

Local to the Llyn Peninsula in Gwynedd? We'll be at this year's Nant Gwrtheyrn Christmas Fair on Saturday 23 November. On our stand we will have a lucky dip and a tombola, as well as plenty of gifts for humans and dogs alike. It's a fantastic way to help fund the guide dogs of the future, while getting your Christmas shopping done!

pic 1: Ed Roberts and Nia Hicks-Brew at Nant Gwrtheyrn with guide dogs Blue (black labrador, now retired) and Una (yellow labrador retriever)

Local to Saundersfoot? Our Pembrokeshire group is holding its annual coffee morning on Friday November 15 at the Harbwr Bar from 10am to noon. Pop along and join the fun! It costs £3 for coffee and biscuits, plus there's a super raffle and Guide Dogs merchandise for sale - perfect for Christmas!

The group has enjoyed a successful October, collecting £266 in Morrisons in Haverfordwest and £373 at Tesco in Milford Haven, so there's plenty to celebrate!

pic shows Eva Rich and her yellow labrador retriever guide dog Nancy, who will be at the coffee morning in Saundersfood

Coffi Lab is less than three years old, yet the fast-growing chain has already raised more than £100,000 for Guide Dogs, naming eight puppies. The latest, golden retriever Dylan, went along to their Whitchurch shop to meet the chain's owners, James and Hannah. The visit had special meaning for James, as Dylan was the name of the beloved fox-red labrador pet who inspired him to start Coffi Lab. James wrote: "We were delighted and a little emotional to meet the very special Dylan, one of our eight sponsored guide dog puppies in training. A special thank you to his trainers for bringing him and for all the wonderful work they do. We are so honoured to support this life changing charity and we all loved meeting Dylan."

If you'd like to name a guide dog puppy after someone special, please visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/nap

pics show Hannah and James with golden retriever Dylan

Local to Wrexham? You’re invited to a party! On Monday, November 4, our volunteers will be getting together over a cuppa and cake to celebrate another successful year. The event takes place in the Community Room at Tesco, Crescent Road, Wrexham LL13 8HF from 5.30pm-7.30pm. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people – and some of our adorable puppies! You’re welcome to bring a friend and find out how we put the fun into fundraising. RSVP to [email protected]

Pic: yellow labrador gazing longingly at cuppa and cake

Byw yn ardal Wrecsam? Dewch i gwrdd â ni rhwng 5.30yh-7.30yh ddydd Llun, Tachwedd y 4ydd, yn Ystafell Gymunedol Tesco, Crescent Road, Wrecsam LL13 8HF. Bydd staff a gwirfoddolwyr yno i ddathlu blwyddyn llwyddiannus arall dros baned a chacen, ac mae croeso i chi ddod â ffrind. RSVP: [email protected]

It's Caption Friday! What's in the mind of yellow labrador retriever guide dog Crompton as he sits next to a giant Andrex puppy in his local Tesco store? Put your suggestions in the comments below.