This April the Siren Comms team is walking to raise money for the Seeing Dogs Alliance. Walking to meetings, walk and talk meetings, making ourselves explore our local areas in our lunch breaks. Walking, walking, walking! All to help the fundraising efforts of the brilliant Seeing Dogs Alliance.

In response to the current shortage of guide dogs and the urgent needs of thousands of blind and partially sighted people, The Seeing Dogs Alliance (SDA) is undertaking a fundraising campaign to begin to reduce the waiting list for trained seeing dogs and become an alternative source of guide dogs.

Current shortages of dogs and dog trainers are leaving blind people waiting for up to two years for a fully trained guide dog to enter service; leaving thousands without the independence, confidence, and companionship a guide dog brings. In some cases this can mean blind and visually impaired people become house bound and unable to achieve the independent living they seek or have become used to.

In response to the current crisis, The Seeing Dog Alliance has taken the step to commit to raising additional funds and begin a campaign to train more dogs and become a long-term, sustainable source of trained seeing dogs for blind and visually impaired people.

The small charity is exceptionally well positioned to help reduce the current waiting list for seeing dogs. Overseen by a strong management board consisting of three guide dog owners, an ex-guide dog training manager and a highly qualified accountant, The Seeing Dog Alliance treats training new dogs as its sole priority. Without the bureaucracy and politics of a larger organisation the charity can focus more effectively on training and placing dogs.

The charity offers a personalised service for its blind clients, ensuring dogs and their new owners train together and build the vital working relationship. As guide dogs reach the end of their working life, The Seeing Dogs Alliance commits to ensuring that a new dog is ready to take up its harness.

Please help us raise money for this wonderful charity.