Guide Dogs Get Boost From Lost Property

Bolton police have donated around £400 worth of unclaimed jewellery from their lost property store to Guide Dogs for the Blind as a thank you for helping train student police officers.

Bolton Area Training Base (ATB) has had free use of classrooms at the Guide Dog Centre on Devonshire Road, Bolton to teach law to student trainees. The Guide Dog Centre has also provided practical training to student officers making them aware of the needs of blind and partially-sighted people.

Bolton ATB at the division’s headquarters at Scholey Street is one of five venues across Greater Manchester where trainees spend 35 of their 40-week training programme when they join Greater Manchester Police.

Though trainees are based at ATBs, the majority of their training programme is spent in the community helping them to develop communication skills and learn about different cultures, community needs and expectations at an early stage of their policing careers.

Community training venues used as well as the Guide Dog Centre include colleges, schools, places of worship, shopping centres, leisure centres, parks and the High Street.

Jackie Fielding is one of a dozen blind and partially-sighted volunteers who have helped teach students how to guide a blind person and also make them aware of the hazards that blind people face. She works in the typing pool at Bolton police headquarters and is accompanied by her five –year –old dog Yoko, a German Shepherd bitch.

Sergeant Rachel Bedford from Bolton ATB said: “The staff and volunteers at Bolton Guide Dogs for the Blind have been absolutely fabulous in supporting the training of student officers at Bolton ATB. They have allowed us the use of their classroom facilities and freely given up their time to help widen the experiences of student officers. We are delighted to be able to donate this jewellery to help them continue their good work.”

Rod Arthern, Senior District Fundraiser from Guide Dogs for the Blind said: “We are delighted with this latest donation from the police. We will be auctioning the jewellery to maximise its value and the proceeds will go towards the police total that is mounting up to train a puppy on their behalf.

“Our partnership with the police provides lots of benefits that include fundraising, reassurance of people with visual impairments and awareness raising within the force and also the wider community. We look forward to further developing this precious partnership.”

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