COMMUNITY: Blyton Women's Institute

Alan suffers from a hereditary eye disorder which means he has no vision other than a tiny spot of light and Gill is his black Labrador guide dog.

Alan began his talk by explaining the training that dogs undergo before being partnered with a blind person, saying dogs are taught obedience and how to follow commands.

Next step is to introduce dog to recipient by home visits to see how they interact and then the recipient spends 14 days away on a residential training course.

Alan said that some dogs naturally didn’t make the grade but he knew when he met Gill that she was the dog for him.

Alan is a keen walker and he told his audience how Gill accompanied him and was “his eyes” on his daily five mile walks.

The working life of a guide dog is ten years and Alan was saddened that their partnership would soon be coming to an end, although she was to be rehoused with a relative so he would not lose touch with her completely.

This also means he will face the challenges of getting to know a new dog.

As Gill snoozed at Alan’s feet, unperturbed by all the fuss, the president thanked Alan for introducing his dog and explaining their relationship and how important she was to his independence.

For the competition this month, members had been given three crocus bulbs in the autumn and the challenge was to grow them to their ‘best’ for the February meeting.

Pat Dudman took first place, Ennis Redfern won the 100 club draw and raffle winners were Pat Dudman, Sheila Solomon and Betty Thorley.

The next meeting will be the annual general meeting on March 16. The evening concluded with refreshments.