The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association known colloquially as The Guide Dogs.

My Gran Doris was blind, and even though she never had a guide dog herself, in her memory, I have conducted various events to raise funds for The Guide Dogs. Funds that are greatly need to continue their great work breeding, training and supporting dogs, to help the blind and partially sighted to conduct a normal and fulfilling life.

Due to safety reasons, those that are registered blind or partially sighted may not enter the race. Therefore, The Old See Dogs will represent all of the 340,000 Britons that are registered blind or partially sighted, and will enable them to accompany me in spirit.

Some facts

• The first known example of a special relationship between a dog and a blind person was depicted in a first-century AD mural in the ruins of Roman Herculane.

• The Guide Dogs story started in 1931 with two amazing British pioneers, Muriel Crooke and Rosamund Bond. These remarkable women organised the training of the first four British guide dogs from a humble lock up garage in Wallasey, Merseyside.

• A Guide Dog does not work 24/7, however as soon as it puts its harness on it goes into work mode. Once the harness is taken off the dog is off duty and will play around just like any other dog.

• In 1960 The Guide Dogs started its own in-house breeding programme, and are now the world's largest breeder and trainer of working dogs.

• It costs over £50,000 to train and support a Guide Dog throughout its life.

• In 1981, Blue Peters dog Goldie, gave birth to a litter of Guide Dog puppies. 

• 36,000 lives have been transformed through a Guide Dog partnership since 1931.