Guide Dogs South West is our new Charity of the Year!

We are throwing our support behind Guide Dogs South West - by naming the charity as our official good cause for 2024 and 2025. 

We will spend the next two years raising funds and awareness to help the charity provide a wide range of services and support to people living with a vision impairment.  

“Guide Dogs is a crucial resource, with dedicated volunteers and life-changing dogs to help people live actively, independently and well,” said Richard Tyldsley, Bluestar general manager.  

“We have had a close association with the charity for some time because we allow its team to hop on-and-off our buses with their trainee guide dogs to help them get comfortable using public transport. It’s all part of making our buses accessible to all - and we understand the issues faced by those who are partially sighted when they travel by bus.  

“Now, Guide Dogs has been voted to be our Charity of the Year by my Bluestar colleagues - and we are delighted to be backing this very worthy cause, and raising as much money as possible over the coming year.” 

We have a busy calendar of fundraising planned, and are also promoting the charity on-board and on the rear of one of our buses. 

“Hopefully, the messages will be seen by thousands traveling across the region - and this will help increase awareness for this very worthy cause,” added Richard.

Guide Dogs is the world’s largest assistance dog organisation, and is a charity almost entirely funded by donations. It is one of two organisations to breed and train guide dogs in the UK. It is also the largest employer of specialists dedicated to helping children and young people overcome the challenges of sight loss.  

"We are hugely grateful to Bluestar for choosing us as their charity of the year, and for their ongoing support to help train our puppies and dogs on their buses", said Penny Allen, Guide Dog trainer. Partnerships like this one mean we can continue supporting people with sight loss in Hampshire and beyond – through providing information and advice, rehabilitation support and of course our life-changing dogs.” 

Make sure to follow us on social media to keep up with all of our Charity of the Year pupdates!

For more information about Guide Dogs, please visit guidedogs.org.uk.