Mandy & Fable's story...Thank you for taking the time to visit this page. Myself and my friend Denise, a volunteer for Guide Dogs, are undertaking an 85 mile tandem ride (1 mile for every year of Guide Dogs' existence) starting on 14th July 2016, to raise much needed funds for the charity.

I have been visually impaired since birth due to a condition called
albinism. I have always believed that we have to make the best of our
situation and I did just that for 42 years. I didn't realise life could
be any different until I was matched with my first Guide Dog, Fable,
last July. She is the most amazing Guide Dog, and life companion. Its only now  that I realise how limited my life has been!  With Fable by my side I now really feel independent; I can go out on my own without worrying if the sun is too bright or if its too dark, I can go to new places on my own without having to ask someone to go with me and for the first time in my life, I actually enjoy walking and being active outdoors.   Fable has helped me accept my disability and has taught me that it is ok to ask for help.  I have met so many new friends and am really excited about my future.

None of this would have been possible without Fable and Guide Dogs, I
feel incredibly lucky and so I am embarking on this tandem ride with
Denise - who I met through volunteering for Guide Dogs. Volunteers come in many forms and support Guide Dogs staff in the following ways; fundraising,  sighted guiding for visually impaired people, puppy walkers, brood bitch and stud dog holders,  Guide Dog boarders and campaigners. Without these wonderful people I would still be living a life restricted by my disability.

Its a cliché but to me Fable really is my little life changer and Denise  and I challenging ourselves to cycle this tandem ride so that more people like me can have the opportunity to improve their lives and experience what true independence feels like.

We would appreciate any donation you can make to support this amazing charity, and if you would like to register as a volunteer for Guide Dogs details follow below.

Denise's story: in 1966 my parents donated a puppy called Candy to the Guide Dogs for the Blind.  A picture of Candy and her (totally blind, male) owner is still proudly displayed on our wall to this day; I love this picture because both owner and dog look happy and proud... and you can sense that the world has been made a more accessible place because of their partnership.  In the years since then Guide Dogs has striven to increase the number of working Guide Dog partnerships and now provides Guide Dogs to an increasing number of visually impaired people - male, female, young and old.   In summer 2015 I met Mandy and Fable, and in the months since they've qualified together I have seen the same sense of happiness, pride and freedom begin to shine through on Mandy's face. This makes the hours of fundraising all worthwhile.

Provision of the Guide Dogs service is only possible because of the generosity of the public.  Guide Dogs receive no central or local Government funding and rely totally on donations, legacies, fundraising and sponsorship to maintain this vital life-changing service.

Please help us to help more visually impaired enjoy the same sense of freedom and independence that Mandy is now experiencing... sponsor us today!

Find out how to volunteer by visiting https://goo.gl/N6PqBD

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.