Beano’s collaboration with Guide Dogs
We’ve teamed up with the world-famous comic Beano to create a special story ‘A Buddy For Life’, alongside the first audio comic strip created especially for people with a vision impairment. Readers will learn and find out from their favourite Beano characters how our incredible guide dogs and buddy dogs help people living with sight loss.
In this special comic strip story, which was available in print as an insert in the May 1st issue of Beano, Erbert, Minnie, Dennis and Gnasher discover all about our life-changing support when Erbert reveals to his school friends that he is living with sight loss. Follow them on their journey from Beanotown to Guide Dogs National Centre as they meet two new characters along the way, inspired by real-life partnerships, Hester and guide dog Pickle, and Alex and buddy dog Chance.
On this page
Meet the real-life partnerships!
Meet the real-life guide dog and buddy dog partnerships inspiring our special Guide Dogs comic strip story.
Hester and guide dog Pickle
16-year-old Hester became one of our youngest guide dog owners after qualifying with Pickle. Their partnership has gone from strength to strength since they were matched last year, which was documented in the Channel 5 series ‘Puppy School for Guide Dogs’.
Hester started sixth form in September with Pickle by her side, who guides her from home to school. The pair have also done lots of travelling together. As a champion alpine skier, Hester visited the slopes in Austria earlier this year and won Silver in the Swiss National Para Alpine Championships!
It’s been a super-cool experience to find myself featured in a comic I’ve known since childhood, and to see how far I’ve come. I’ve grown up with Dennis and Gnasher so it’s definitely surreal to see myself alongside them!
Alex and buddy dog Chance
Alex was four when he was diagnosed with a vision impairment, after contracting meningitis when he was only three weeks old. It was then that his parents found out about buddy dogs on Guide Dogs' website.
An incident at their local park meant Alex was terrified of dogs, but that all changed when buddy dog Chance joined their family. After being carefully matched with Chance, a loveable golden retriever, the pair have become the best of friends with lots of family walks and time spent outside having fun.
Alex’s mum, Lindsey, says, “Chance has just been life-changing, for Alex and the whole family.”
Where to read the Guide Dogs comic strip story
Read the digital Beano and Guide Dogs comic story: A Buddy for Life!
Follow Erbert and the Bash Street kids' journey as they visit our National Centre, and meet Hester and Alex, in the digital version of our special Guide Dogs story.
Screen Reader Instructions
The comic strip story itself displays a different number of panels per page. Screen reader users please note, each panel is numbered and formatted as a graphic. You will initially hear a description of the scene. Use arrow keys to read the narrative text and speech bubbles. For best results, please download the document.
Download the digital comic story
Listen to the audio comic book story
Join the adventure and listen to the audio version of our special story with Beano.
Ready, set… Fund Race!
Have you been inspired by ‘A Buddy For Life’ and want to find out how you can help raise money for Guide Dogs?
Fund Race is just one of the ways you can get involved. It’s a sports challenge with a twist for everyone to enjoy whilst learning more about sight loss. We’ve created a free resource pack with everything you need for schools and youth groups to plan and take part.
Find out how to get involved and download your free Fund Race schools pack.
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