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Cardiff Castle lit up blue and yellow for Guide Dogs Cymru

The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Graham Hinchey, helped to launch the campaign

Lady Mayoress Anne Hinchey with golden retriever puppy Cariad; Lord Mayor, Graham Hinchey; and guide dog owners Carole Morgan and Sian Healey with their guide dogs Jason, a golden retriever, and Uri, a yellow labrador retriever (Image:Guide Dogs Cymru)

On Monday, November 7 Cardiff Castle shone blue and yellow for Guide Dogs Cymru to mark the start of the charity’s High Street Heroes week which runs between November 7-13.

Guide Dogs Cymru is encouraging political leaders and members of the public to go out to their local high street and speak to businesses about the rights of guide dog owners to access businesses and services.

The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Graham Hinchey, helped to launch the campaign, he also paid a visit to Birchgrove Shopping Centre, where businesses were happy to display stickers to show that guide dogs are welcome.

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The law gives assistance dog owners the right to access businesses and services without discrimination. But, according to Guide Dogs, 81 per cent of assistance dog owners have been refused access to a restaurant, shop or taxi at some point because of their dog. This has a significant negative impact on the confidence, independence and wellbeing of people who use assistance dogs.

Guide Dogs launched its #OpenDoorsForAll campaign earlier this year, to raise awareness of the rights of guide dog owners and to urge the Government to strengthen the law so access refusals don’t happen.

Councillor Hinchey, who has made Guide Dogs Cymru his mayoral charity, said: “I’m delighted to be a High Street Hero. Displaying an ‘assistance dogs welcome’ sticker is a helpful reminder of the law on access for assistance dogs and reassures assistance dog owners that this is a welcoming space for them.

“It is really important that businesses know the rights of assistance dog owners, so that no one is unfairly turned away.”

Lord and Lady Mayoress, Graham and Anne Hinchey, with guide dogs and volunteers at Birchgrove shopping centre (Image:Guide Dogs Cymru)

Blanche Shackleton, head of policy and campaigns at Guide Dogs, said: “Guide dog owners have the right to access businesses and services but all too often they are challenged and unlawfully refused. This is a deeply harmful form of discrimination that impacts the daily lives of guide dog owners.

“That’s why we want to see the law strengthened on access rights for assistance dogs, to prevent access refusals and to open doors for guide dogs.”

You can read more about Guide Dogs’ Open Doors campaign on their website Open Doors Campaign | Guide Dogs

Submitted by Guide Dogs Cymru

Cardiff Castle lit up blue and yellow for Guide Dogs Cymru

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