We have partnerships that have been going for years

Bill Gibb learns about a Guide Dogs pilot project that is helping to open up more experiences for people with sight loss.

FOR those with sight loss, the world can seem a restrictive place, with limits on what they can do and where they can go.

For many, the past decade has seen the world open up, thanks to the Guide Dogs' My Sighted Guide service, which allows volunteers to become the eyes of those with visual impairment.

Now, those joys of getting out and about are growing with a major expansion of the scheme.

Guide Dogs is piloting a new partner model in which the charity works with organizations across the UK to improve accessibility and provide a safe environment for people with sight loss.

The benefits are already being felt, with RZSS Edinburgh Zoo the first to pilot the new collaborative approach, having had dozens of staff members trained.

"Our main focus is on providing guide dogs, but obviously that's not right for everyone," Heather Valentine, My Sighted Guide Community Development Officer, says.

The My Sighted Guide service was established about ten years ago to offer another option.

"We match sighted volunteers with our clients, and they form a partnership, getting out together and improving the person's mobility.