Warner Bros Studio Tour London has teamed up with the charitable organisation Guide Dogs to enhance the visitor experience for those with visual impairments.
The Studio Tour in Watford, UK, has welcomed assistance and guide dogs since opening in 2012, with a number of existing policies already in place to support people with visual impairments, including audio descriptive tours.
The year-long partnership has been formed in an effort to further enhance these efforts and to establish best practices for inclusivity in UK visitor attractions. According to the attraction and the charity, the hope is that the work will help drive change through the entire attractions industry when it comes to accessibility.
Key changes at the Studio Tour itself include a new designated toilet space for guide dogs, which has been established within the attraction’s grounds. Additionally, iPads will be offered out to people with a visual impairment to hold over signs and descriptions in order to magnify them.
Guide Dogs will also provide the Studio Tour’s team members with online training resources to teach them best practices when helping visitors with visual impairment, including how to navigate narrow or busy spaces, approach steps and doorways, and guide visitors safely and empathetically. The online training will be part of a wider programme to include in-person training sessions for team members later in 2024.
“We love welcoming everyone to the Studio Tour to step behind the scenes of their favourite Harry Potter moments and discover how they were brought to life through the magic of filmmaking,” said Geoff Spooner, SVP and general manager at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.
“Our partnership with Guide Dogs marks our steadfast commitment to become a best practice example of accessibility for those with sight loss in UK attractions. We also hope to drive change throughout the industry that makes a real difference.”
To mark the start of the collaboration, the Studio Tour has sponsored three guide dogs in training, naming each after the main characters of the Harry Potter franchise - Harry, Ron and Hermione. The three puppies will receive specialist training funded by the Studio Tour, with progress updates on their development to be provided throughout the year.
“We hope our partnership will improve the experience and make a difference to visitors with visual impairment,” said Kerry Kernan, head of Children, Young People and Families at Guide Dogs.
“Through our consultation, advice and training, we hope to encourage change across the UK attractions industry to become more accessible for people with sight loss, so blind and partially sighted visitors have more confidence to visit such attractions independently in the future.”
Three guide dogs in training - Harry, Ron and Hermione - are being sponsored by the Studio Tour as part of the year-long collaboration CREDIT: GUIDE DOGS
Warner Bros Studio Tour London has teamed up with the charitable organisation Guide Dogs to enhance the visitor experience for those with visual impairments.
The Studio Tour in Watford, UK, has welcomed assistance and guide dogs since opening in 2012, with a number of existing policies already in place to support people with visual impairments, including audio descriptive tours.
The year-long partnership has been formed in an effort to further enhance these efforts and to establish best practices for inclusivity in UK visitor attractions. According to the attraction and the charity, the hope is that the work will help drive change through the entire attractions industry when it comes to accessibility.
Key changes at the Studio Tour itself include a new designated toilet space for guide dogs, which has been established within the attraction’s grounds. Additionally, iPads will be offered out to people with a visual impairment to hold over signs and descriptions in order to magnify them.
Guide Dogs will also provide the Studio Tour’s team members with online training resources to teach them best practices when helping visitors with visual impairment, including how to navigate narrow or busy spaces, approach steps and doorways, and guide visitors safely and empathetically. The online training will be part of a wider programme to include in-person training sessions for team members later in 2024.
“We love welcoming everyone to the Studio Tour to step behind the scenes of their favourite Harry Potter moments and discover how they were brought to life through the magic of filmmaking,” said Geoff Spooner, SVP and general manager at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.
“Our partnership with Guide Dogs marks our steadfast commitment to become a best practice example of accessibility for those with sight loss in UK attractions. We also hope to drive change throughout the industry that makes a real difference.”
To mark the start of the collaboration, the Studio Tour has sponsored three guide dogs in training, naming each after the main characters of the Harry Potter franchise - Harry, Ron and Hermione. The three puppies will receive specialist training funded by the Studio Tour, with progress updates on their development to be provided throughout the year.
“We hope our partnership will improve the experience and make a difference to visitors with visual impairment,” said Kerry Kernan, head of Children, Young People and Families at Guide Dogs.
“Through our consultation, advice and training, we hope to encourage change across the UK attractions industry to become more accessible for people with sight loss, so blind and partially sighted visitors have more confidence to visit such attractions independently in the future.”
Three guide dogs in training - Harry, Ron and Hermione - are being sponsored by the Studio Tour as part of the year-long collaboration CREDIT: GUIDE DOGS
