The project addressed this situation by developing and rolling out a qualifying programme of training for instructors which addresses the welfare and training of the dog as well as the instruction of the client in its safe and effective use as an aid to independent mobility.The group of partners consisted of Guide Dogs for the Blind,UK who have been providing a high quality service for more than 75 years, Lincoln University who assisted in the development of the course used by Guide Dogs UK and have considerable expertise in animal behavioural psychology, The European Standards Agency (CEN) and a group of five European guide dog schools in Belgium, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and Slovenia. These schools were chosen to reflect the diversity of geographic and demographic factors found in Europe. Together with the European Association for Service Providers for people with disabilities (EASPD), who used their experience in project management to support the consortium, the project has sought to adapt an established solution to benefit those who need it most.