Guide Dogs’ puppies Milo, Reggie, Luna, Dobbie, Ralph and Boris all have one thing in common – their name

Thanks to the ongoing support from Procurement Hub, part of the People for Places group, six guide dog puppies have been gifted a name.

Procurement Hub is a national procurement consortium based in Preston and powered by Places for People. Their mission is to offer simple, effective, and value-driven procurement solutions and services that deliver social impact for communities across the country. Any surplus generated reinvested into social housing, social value and charitable projects – like Guide Dogs.

Procurement Hub has been supporting Guide Dogs since 2020 and has since raised over £87,000 – which is more than how much it costs to breed, raise and train a guide dog.

Out of the six puppies they have named, two are already working guide dogs, with four of the others still either a young puppy or in training.

This is part of the Guide Dogs’ Name a Puppy scheme, where anyone can fundraise to name their own puppy, and follow their journey from a young pup to a life-changing guide dog.

As well as their incredible support through fundraising, Procurement Hub has recently completed Guide Dogs sighted guide training, which teaches the skills and confidence to safely guide people with sight loss, while raising awareness about different eye conditions and the legal access rights of a guide dog owner.

The interactive sessions gave learners at the Procurement Hub the opportunity to experience sight loss through different glasses and lenses, and hear about the impact and benefits sighted guiding has had on someone.

Procurement Hub has announced they are continuing to support Guide Dogs for another year.

Leanne Day, Head of Consortium Services, said: “It’s been a real privilege to work alongside Guide Dogs. Our relationship has grown into far more than a donation – it’s a genuine partnership rooted in shared values and a commitment to doing the right thing. From naming puppies to taking part in sighted guide training, our team has seen first‑hand the life‑changing impact of Guide Dogs’ work, and we’re proud to continue supporting such an incredible charity and the people who rely on its services.”

Lynne Whittaker, Community Fundraising Manager at Guide Dogs, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and enthusiasm shown by the whole Procurement Hub team.

“Every day 250 people in the UK start to lose their sight, and as a charity we’re almost entirely funded by donations. Every penny raised helps us make sure people living with sight loss don’t lose their freedom as well.

“To also complete our sighted guide training shows their commitment to supporting people with sight loss.”