Nostalgia: Berkshire's strong link to helping the blind

Starting of with Peter Purves in the show’s studio, the broadcast from April that year shows the host explaining how they aim to have a building complete so that they were able to train guide dogs for the foreseeable future.

Moving over to Peter and John Noakes going to the site, they revealed that the land the building was being created used to have an old country house on its land.

However, as the property had not been used in several decades, it was demolished which made way for the project to be given.

In the near 10 minute clip which is able to watch via the BCC Rewind website (search up Wokingham and it will be one of the options), the site was very much in its infancy in being created.

Snapshots show how cement mixers, tilers and bricklayers all hard at work in the wet spring weather.

An ironic twist as that summer would be one of the hottest ever recorded on British soil.

The Guide Dog Association building was eventually finished at the end of that year before moving its headquarters to neighbouring Reading some while later.

Now based in the heart of Berkshire, the charity supports thousands of people across the country who are visually impaired.

Beginning in 1931 through Muriel Crooke and Rosamund Bond, the two friends organised training of the first four British guide dogs from a humble lock up garage in Wallasey, Merseyside.

Fast forward 91 years, the charity is now the largest breeder and trainer of working dogs.

This includes helping more than 36,000 people throughout the country and beyond.

A segment on their website reads: “We may have a long and fascinating history, but our story is always evolving.

“Over the coming years we’re looking to increase the number of guide dog partnerships, but we’re also developing a broader range of services that will help more people who are blind and partially sighted to get out and about on their own terms.”

To read more about the work the charity provides, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk.