Guide Dogs For The Blind Seeks Friends In High Places

Lots of us have an anecdote to tell when we are asked who is the most famous person we have met. The closest I have come to meeting a famous person is when I nicked Andre Agassi’s towel from him at a tennis tournament I was ball boying when I was thirteen.

I digress, being able to name drop is important for charities like Guide Dogs for the Blind. Being able to call on high profile names is a way to cut through the noise and grab some much needed attention when driving the message home. This is the difference between being drowned out or being heard when they are trying to say something really important.

Many charities make use of the celebrity endorsement because they carry enormous weight and can have a huge impact, particularly when the celebrity in question does in fact have a personal conncetion such as Johanna Lumley when she campaigned for the Ghurkhas.

Last year during the Guide Dogs Award ceremony, Adrian Chiles of ITV Sport was both eloquent and engaging when he acted as master of ceremonies. Guide Dogs said it was thrilled with his participation in the event which was hardly surprising given Mr. Chiles friendship with a guide dog owner which gives him a unique insight into how guide dogs change lives.

Guide Dogs for the Blind’s CEO Richard Leaman says the charity wants to attract more celebrity brand ambassadors who are aware of and understand what they do and who they are. Ideally the organization is seeking someone famous with a connection to someone who has lost their sight and mobility and would be able to help the organization reach more people and enlist their support in some the transformational work they do. If you know someone who fits this bill then you know what to do.