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First Blind Dates : Did Sparks Fly or Does Cupid Need to Work on His Archery Skills?

Author: Guide​ ​Dogs​ ​Association​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Blind
Published: 7 Sep 2017 - Updated: 28 Oct 2026

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Overview - Related Content

Synopsis

Guide dog owners date strangers and reveal challenges of living with sight loss and the difference guide dogs have made to their lives.

Overview

One date could change your life forever but in Guide Dog's latest video with Don't Panic, we show that one dog can make all the difference.

Every hour, another person in the UK loses their sight and if this happens to you, Guide Dogs is there to make sure you don't lose your freedom as well.

We want everyone who experiences sight loss to be able to live their lives the way they choose and feel confident, independent and supported in the world. We're a UK-wide charity, founded in 1934, and we're specialists in giving people who are blind or partially sighted the means to live life on their own terms and to step out into the world again.

We rely on donations to continue our life-changing work - every pound raised makes a difference to people in the UK living with sight loss. There are almost two million people in the UK living with sight loss today, a number which is predicted to double to four million by 2050.

First Blind Dates

Four guide dog owners meet strangers for the first time to tell their real-life stories, they reveal the challenges of living with sight loss and the huge difference a guide dog has made to their lives. But as ever, the challenges of dating make for some awkward moments that even the most intuitive dog couldn't guide you through.

Guide​ ​Dog​ ​owner​ ​and​ ​adventure-junkie​ ​Cheryl​ ​Bradshaw​​ ​is​ ​33​ ​from​ ​Glasgow​ ​who​ ​has​ ​been blind​ ​since​ ​birth.​ ​Her​ ​date,​ ​Mark​ ​Williams​,​ ​is​ ​31​ ​from​ ​Liverpool.
Guide​ ​Dog​ ​owner​ ​and​ ​adventure-junkie​ ​Cheryl​ ​Bradshaw​​ ​is​ ​33​ ​from​ ​Glasgow​ ​who​ ​has​ ​been blind​ ​since​ ​birth.​ ​Her​ ​date,​ ​Mark​ ​Williams​,​ ​is​ ​31​ ​from​ ​Liverpool.

Almost two million people in the UK today are living with sight loss that has a significant impact on their daily lives. Of those, around 180,000 rarely leave their homes alone and can lead lonely, isolated lives.

Thrill​ ​seeker​ ​and​ ​Guide​ ​Dog​ ​owner​ ​Nicki​ ​Cockburn​​ ​is​ ​aged​ ​39,​ ​from​ ​Cardiff.​ ​She​ ​met​ ​Harji Dillion​,​ ​a​ ​44-year-old​ ​RnB​ ​music​ ​fan.
Thrill​ ​seeker​ ​and​ ​Guide​ ​Dog​ ​owner​ ​Nicki​ ​Cockburn​​ ​is​ ​aged​ ​39,​ ​from​ ​Cardiff.​ ​She​ ​met​ ​Harji Dillion​,​ ​a​ ​44-year-old​ ​RnB​ ​music​ ​fan.

The video launches the annual Guide Dogs Week running from 7th to 15th October and has been created to inspire people all over the UK to #Moveit for Money and do something they love to raise vital funds for Guide Dogs. More people than ever need a guide dog and the money raised will help the charity ensure that people with sight loss don't lose out on life.

Sociable​ ​Guide​ ​Dog​ ​owner​ ​Laura​ ​Bradley​​ ​is​ ​aged​ ​33​ ​from​ ​Scotland,​ ​and​ ​met​ ​marathon​ ​loving Zeeshan​ ​Shamsi​,​ ​who​ ​is​ ​aged​ ​32.
Sociable​ ​Guide​ ​Dog​ ​owner​ ​Laura​ ​Bradley​​ ​is​ ​aged​ ​33​ ​from​ ​Scotland,​ ​and​ ​met​ ​marathon​ ​loving Zeeshan​ ​Shamsi​,​ ​who​ ​is​ ​aged​ ​32.

Commenting on the video, Peter Emmett, Head of Community Fundraising said; "The First Blind Dates concept creates an authentic platform for our four guide dog owners to share their stories of living with sight loss and guide dog ownership with complete strangers. We're confident that it will inspire people all over the UK to Move it for Money and raise vital funds during Guide Dogs Week."

Music​ ​fan​ ​and​ ​Guide​ ​Dog​ ​owner​ ​Paul​ ​Johnson​,​ ​aged​ ​46​ ​lost​ ​his​ ​sight​ ​at​ ​nine​ ​years​ ​old.​ ​He met​ ​travel​ ​enthusiast​ ​Lorraine​ ​Rogers​​ ​aged​ ​50.
Music​ ​fan​ ​and​ ​Guide​ ​Dog​ ​owner​ ​Paul​ ​Johnson​,​ ​aged​ ​46​ ​lost​ ​his​ ​sight​ ​at​ ​nine​ ​years​ ​old.​ ​He met​ ​travel​ ​enthusiast​ ​Lorraine​ ​Rogers​​ ​aged​ ​50.

And Joe Wade, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Don't Panic; "We wanted to create a film that told real people's stories in an inherently engaging and compelling way. By adopting the familiar dating show set up, we were able to create an authentic environment for people to open up and tell their stories first hand. These stories are honest and empowering, highlighting the positive impact Guide Dogs can bring to people's lives."

Don't Panic

We are Don't Panic, a creative+ agency. We're the most-awarded agency in the content space. We specialize in creating shareable, contagious campaigns using a mix of informed digital planning and brilliant ideas. We use it to build brands, disrupt convention and ensure action. We deliver our messages with humor, intelligence and integrity to inspire people to think in unfamiliar ways and do something about it.

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally issued as a press release by Guide​ ​Dogs​ ​Association​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Blind and published on 7 Sep 2017. Last updated on 28 Oct 2026. This content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

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<a href="https://www.disabled-world.com/communication/broadcasts/blind-dates.php">First Blind Dates : Did Sparks Fly or Does Cupid Need to Work on His Archery Skills?</a>: Guide dog owners date strangers and reveal challenges of living with sight loss and the difference guide dogs have made to their lives.

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