A Cumbrian MP joined celebrations to celebrate a national charity’s successes.

Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith, and committee member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee attended the parliamentary event held by the charity Guide Dogs.

The Guide Dogs event celebrated key campaign successes from 2023, including the requirement that will see the majority of buses fitted with audio-visual announcements, reversing plans to close nearly 1000 railway ticket offices, a new law to tackle problem pavement parking in Scotland, and extra funding for tactile paving on railway stations.

Dr Hudson said he is a longtime supporter of the charity and spoke with guide dog owners and cane users about the differences these changes will make, but also the many challenges that still need to be tackled to enable people with sight loss to travel and live independently.

He said: "As constituents will know I am a proud advocate for Guide Dogs UK and speaking with guide dog owners really brought home, on an emotional level, what important work they are carrying out.

"It was a real delight to meet with Guide Dogs to discuss the year's incredible successes and I hope to build on these in 2024."

 

Eleanor Briggs, head of policy, public affairs and campaigns at Guide Dogs, said: “People living with vision impairment have the right to feel confident, independent and supported in the world.

“That’s why the progress we’ve seen in 2023 on audio-visual announcements and extra funding for tactile paving are fantastic steps forward.

“However, people with sight loss still face barriers to living actively, independently and well.

“We want MPs to prioritise solutions to these day-to-day challenges, including introducing laws to tackle pavement parking across the country, and to end access refusals against guide dog owners.

“We hope that 2024 will bring positive changes that will help people with vision impairment live the life they choose.”