It was a busy week for our Guide Dog project this last week as the next events began to take shape. I'm really pleased that our newest member, Lynda, who moved to Reading from Glasgow to take up a job at Guide Dogs for the Blind, quite separate from our JCI Reading project, has chosen to get involved witht he community project currently being run by JCI Reading to raise funds for Guide Dogs for the Blind and awareness for its campaigns. 

Whilst the aim of JCI Reading to raise funds for Guide Dogs for the Blind continues to go well, we have now put in place plans for a Blind Awareness Evening, aimed at raising awareness - which will be open to all, not just JCI Reading members, but members from all JCI chambers and non members also. 

Whilst all of us can imagine what it might be like to be blind, none of us can truly say we totally understand without experiencing it for ourselves. Having an understanding of the difficulties blind people might face and how we can assist with campaigning, fundraising or even just helping a blind person we meet on the street, can help us to become more aware and more knowledgeable in today's community where people with visual impairment and other such difficulties have the right to play a full part of society. 

Lynda and I both feel very strongly about these aims and we are working together to put together an awareness evening which we hope will be educational, challenging, interactive and enjoyable, and cover a whole range of issues faced by those who are visually impaired. We also hope to have at the evening individuals who are visually impaired, those who work with such individuals, for the Guide Dogs for the Blind organisation and evn we hope, Guide Dogs and/or puppies!!!! 

The proposed date for the evening will be 10th May 2012 and the location, Reading town centre. Please check back to our website for updates and arrangements.