Guide Dog Puppies Get On Board at First Bus’ Roundtree Way Depot

The visit, hosted in collaboration with Guide Dogs, aimed to help the future guide dogs get familiar with public transport as part of their development.

The puppies, accompanied by their dedicated volunteer Puppy Raisers, practiced boarding and alighting one of First Bus’ state-of-the-art electric vehicles, as well as taking a ride on the bus. This hands-on experience is a crucial part of preparing them for their future role as life-changing guides for people with sight loss.

Jay Baker, Puppy Development Advisor for the area, expressed gratitude for the support provided by First Bus: “We’d like to say a big thank you to First Bus East for supporting us with this training session.

“It’s essential that our pups learn to travel on different modes of transport with ease, to help prepare them for their future life as a working guide dog.

“Being able to visit the depot today and practice bus travel has been a great training experience for both our pups, and volunteer Puppy Raisers.

“We’re currently recruiting for more local volunteers to join our Puppy Raising Team this year. To find out how you could help raise a guide dog puppy, and prepare them for the future, please do get in touch.”

Guide Dogs is one of the UK’s leading sight loss charities. Through the dedication of its expert staff, volunteers, and incredible guide dogs, the charity helps people with sight loss live the life they choose.

James McCluskey, Commercial Director at First Bus East of England, said: “We were delighted to host Guide Dogs and their amazing puppies at our Roundtree Way Depot. As the largest bus operator in Norfolk, we’re committed to connecting communities and supporting accessibility for all.

“It was fantastic to see how the pups adapted to bus travel and to play a small part in preparing them for their vital future work. We’re proud to support Guide Dogs in their mission to improve the lives of people with sight loss.”

First Bus continues to champion sustainable and inclusive transport with its fleet of 70 electric buses launched in Norwich last year. The company’s collaboration with Guide Dogs highlights its commitment to making public transport accessible for everyone.

For more information about volunteering with Guide Dogs, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/volunteer.

For more information on First Bus and its services, please visit www.firstbus.co.uk.