Zoo teams up with Guide Dogs to help visitors

Guide Dogs and Dartmoor Zoological Society are delighted to announce a new pilot project, aimed at improving the customer experience for visitors who have a vision impairment.

This July, 22 members of staff and volunteers from the Zoo have received expert training and advice from Guide Dogs’ My Sighted Guide service.

Guide Dogs is currently piloting this new partner model, in which the charity will work with organisations across the UK to improve accessibility and provide a safe environment for people with sight loss.

Dartmoor Zoo was pleased to take part in this new collaborative approach with Guide Dogs.

With front of house and visitor experience staff learning how to guide blind and partially sighted customers, it will make visiting the zoo much more accessible to many of the 74,000 people the zoo attracts each year.

“Dartmoor Zoo care about our site being as inclusive and accessible as possible, so being able to take part in this sight loss awareness training has been incredibly informative and beneficial.

“We’re appreciative of the support and guidance we have received and are excited to improve our visitor experience with our newfound confidence and knowledge,” said Marketing Manager Emma Thomas.

The training was delivered by Guide Dogs staff members Carole Butler, Danielle Fletcher and Steve Kersley, who are all part of the Guide Dogs south west team.

Danielle Fletcher, My Sighted Guide Community Development Officer at Guide Dogs, said:

“We are proud to partner with Dartmoor Zoo to provide training for their staff on sight loss awareness and sighted guiding.

“It has been brilliant working with staff and volunteers from different departments who are all very devoted to making the zoo more inclusive to visitors with sight loss.”

Any organisations or venues interested in making their facilities more inclusive through staff training can get in touch with Guide Dogs by contacting Lorraine Brinnen at lorraine.brinnen@guidedogs.org.uk.