•  Free travel now available across East Scotland for Guide Dogs trainers
• Stagecoach working with Guide Dogs charity to provide on-bus training

Stagecoach East Scotland and the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association have teamed up to offer free travel to Guide Dogs trainers, when travelling with Guide Dogs in training on any Stagecoach service in East Scotland.

Guide Dogs help two million people across the UK, who live with sight loss, and relies almost entirely on donations. Their expert staff, volunteers and life-changing dogs support people affected by sight loss to live actively, independently, and well.

As part of its vital service, Guide Dogs trains puppies and dogs to become companions for the visually impaired. Guide Dog trainers help the dogs prepare to support people with everyday journeys, which can include travel on buses. To support this essential training, Stagecoach and Guide Dogs have partnered to provide free travel for trainers, ensuring trainers and dogs are supported as they go out and about.

Trainers simply need to show their Guide Dogs ID badge when accompanied by a dog or puppy in training to receive free travel on any Stagecoach bus, across Fife, Perth & Kinross, Dundee and Angus.

David Frenz, Stagecoach East Scotland Operations Director said: “We’re proud to be working with Guide Dogs to offer trainers free travel on our services, supporting the many people across our communities who live with sight loss. This commitment continues to demonstrate that we do the right thing for the community we serve.”

Guide Dogs’ Puppy Development Advisor Joan Van-Eijk said: “We are delighted to have had this opportunity to work with Stagecoach East Scotland, on an exciting new initiative that will be an incredible help to our dog training staff and volunteers.

“To create successful life-changing guide dog partnerships, our dogs need to feel calm and confident using public transport from an early age. This collaboration, which also included sighted guide training for drivers, will make a real difference to people living with sight loss across the region.”

“Guide Dogs is currently recruiting more volunteer puppy raisers to join their pack. You can learn more at www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraising.”