WuffitMix become proud patrons of The European Guide Dog Federation...
WuffitMix Manager, Hannah, spent a wonderful day at the Guide Dog Breeding Centre in Bishops Tachbrook on Tuesday 26th September. Hannah joined Judith Jones, Executive Director of the European Guide Dog Federation and David Adams, President of the EGDF, along with David's Guide Dog Zoey, on a tour of the Breeding Centre.
Hannah says "My day at the Guide Dog Breeding Centre was a truly educational experience into the daily life of a blind person and the struggles they encounter, as well as a fascinating insight into the amount of research, care and training that goes into each and every guide dog before it is paired with a blind or partially sighted person."
WuffitMix are now extremely proud to announce they have become a patron of the European Guide Dog Federation and going forward they will be working closely together to help raise awareness and help to campaign and fundraise in order to guarantee disabled people who require an assistance dog full access rights to public areas and facilities across Europe, amongst many other important issues.
About the EGDF...
The European Guide Dog Federation is a European-wide organisation of bodies representing guide dog users and guide dog service providers. It has been an official Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) since 2007. Currently there are more than 50 members in 25 European countries. Some of its full member organisations have been working together for many years. Some members are fledgling organisations and others have passed this stage and are busy developing new guide dog services.
Before the creation of EGDF, guide dog users were largely invisible citizens at EU level, seen as a sub-set of the blind and partially-sighted community. They missed opportunities to influence EU decision-making directly in favour of their own specific needs and interests and rarely acted together. EGDF enables guide dog users across Europe to play a direct role in shaping policy and legislation to bring about their full and equal citizenship. They work closely with Assistance Dogs Europe on campaign issues they have in common.
How Can You Help?
One way in which you can help is by assisting with EGDF petitions. Completing online petitions can be extremely hard for ordinary people, let along those with little or no sight. This particular petition is requesting that a law be drafted to guarantee disabled people who require an assistance dog full access rights to public areas and facilities in the EU.
In Brussels, where European laws are made, taxi drivers often refuse to take a guide dog and sometimes the police support the taxi driver rather than the disabled person. Hotels try to charge extra for an assistance dog; restaurants refuse service to a guide dog owner. It can be much worse in countries that do not have a culture of accepting dogs or where guide dogs are extremely rare.
The European Guide Dog Federation need as many signatures as possible so it would be great if you could take 5 minutes to complete the following steps:
Follow this link http://bit.ly/2hvc62M and complete the registration form
You will then be sent and email – click the link to verify email and click to log in
Click on ‘support a petition’
Search petition number “1140/2015”
A summary of the petition will be at the bottom of the screen
Click on “view” and then “support”
If you complete these steps, you will appreciate it is hard work and impossible for a blind person to do. Please share this article with your family and friends who many also be able to sign the petition. Thank you in advance for your help!
Visit the EDGF Website by clicking here.
Follow the EGDF on Facebook by clicking here.