light into europe charity

Foundation Report 2015

Guide Dogs
for the Blind
ROMANIA

www.lightintoeurope.org.uk
www.facebook.com/LightintoEuropeCharity

Contents
Foreword.................................................... 3

Lcrmioara Pintelei (Mrs. Lili).................. 20

Capt. Stan Platt, OBE

Chairman of Light into Europe................... 4

Anca Vasile,

Camelia Platt,
CEO of Light into Europe Charity.............. 6

Severian Pavel,

Gabriel and Lewis (& formerly Chloe)......... 8

Adrian and Veronica Benchea & Max....... 10

Guide Dog Programme Manager............. 22

Guide Dog Instructor................................ 24

Mr. Alan Brooks,
Senior Guide Dog Consultant.................. 26

Cristi Moldovan and Hamish.................... 12

Mr. Sean Dilley,

Cati Zgubea and Klint............................... 14

Board Member, Light Into Europe............ 27

Magda and Heidi...................................... 16

Volunteers................................................. 29

Petra Pintelei............................................ 18

Foundation Finances ............................... 30

editor: Ruth Rusby design: Alexandru Ionescu photos: Severian Pavel, Ruth Rusby

Foreword

ver a lunch of haggis soup back in

February I suggested to Capt. Stan
Platt and his team that we should try to put
together a Foundation Report for Light Into
Europe and capture some of the stories of
the beneficiaries. They all welcomed the
idea with great enthusiasm and excitement.
I slightly panicked, as I realized that while I
could write, I had absolutely no idea how to
interview blind people.

(Lcrmioara), who coordinates the creative

educational services for many of the deaf
children. Mr. Alan Brooks is the Senior Guide
Dog Consultant from the UK who advises our
two top guide dog trainers Anca and Seve,
whose stories appear on pp. 22 and 24.
Mr. Sean Dilley is a political journalist from the
UK and Board Member of Light Into Europe
who brings his real experience of being a
guide dog user for the last 17 years.

Gradually I learned that some would be

able to read my emails and answer them,
whilst others I could interview in person. The
whole experience was at once fascinating
and deeply humbling. With Seves help and a
few friends translating questions and answers
for me, we managed to capture some of the
feeling of isolation, despair and entrapment
that many people with disabilities feel in this
country. We also discovered stories of hope
and the incredible pathways to a new life that
a guide dog can bring.

As well as the Financial Reports on

p. 30 we also have interviews with Capt. Stan
Platt, Chairman of Light Into Europe and Mrs.
Camelia Platt, CEO which delve into some of
the history of the charity as well as the future
ahead.

We interviewed Petra, who is currently

studying at University and her mum, Mrs. Lili

Foundation Report 2015

As this is the first attempt at such a

report by Light Into Europe, we welcome any
feedback. Please dip into a new story from
time to time, and if you have ideas, or wish to
contribute your time or make a donation, let
us know.
Ruth Rusby, Bucharest, April 2016

Capt. Stan Platt, OBE, Chairman of Light into Europe

apt. Stan Platt is from Essex and first

visited Romania in the aftermath of the
revolution in 1990 when he flew a group of
Anglicans from London to Romania.

hundreds of flights with the Air Ambulance

service, of which he was chief in Romania until
2003/4, when the reins were handed over to
SMURD.

From my first moments in Arad and

travelling from city to city, says Stan, I felt a
warmth from the people. I felt I had to come
back and try to make a difference. I really felt
needed. So did hundreds of Brits. I was part of
a movement for change.

We flew many missions with Dr. Arafat,

says Stan. In 2004 I thought we would return
to the UK. I even sent my fishing rods there.
But Camelia, my wife, had other ideas!

Light Into Europe was founded in 1986,

making it now 30 years old. Initially it was set
up to fly medical evacuations in Poland and
other Eastern European countries. Stan flew

Camelia Platt had surveyed the needs of

the country and found two Cinderella groups,
the deaf and the blind, which she considered
most needed their help. The guide dog work
began in 2005 with a visit to Guide Dogs for
the Blind UK.

Light into Europe Charity

At the time it wasnt clear how to establish

such an organization in Romania when each
guide dog costs around 50, 000, says Stan,
so we shelved it for the time being and
focused on other ways to help the blind and
deaf.
Things changed when Petra Pintelei, one
of the charitys blind beneficiaries, won a six
weeks old guide dog puppy after coming first
singing in a TV talent show.
Petra asked me to take the puppy in, as she
was too young to consider a guide dog, says
Stan. The puppy was totally untrained, but with
a lot of help we trained it and she became our
very first guide dog Chloe.
Stan has always loved dogs. When he was a
boy his family bred poodles and Pekingese and
they had up to 30 at a time.
On Saturdays my grandmother would ask for
a dog show on the lawn and all the kitchen chairs
came out, says Stan. We had a dog on each
chair groomed by my sister and myself in order
that my grandmother could choose the winner!
Guide dogs are bred specifically for their
temperament. They must have the right level of
health and loyalty and be sure to never bark or
bite. They have to bond well to a new user, transfer
their affections and become an indispensable
part of a beneficiaries life.
Guide dogs have an average working life
of 6-7 years, says Stan, and we estimate there
is a need for 1200 guide dogs in Romania. At
present we have 11 working dogs and we hope
to increase this to 50 in the next few years.
In order to achieve this, a permanent,
sustainable guide dog training centre is needed,
along with a self-sufficient Romanian team who

Foundation Report 2015

can carry the service forward. A building has

recently been identified as suitable and the team
hopes that with further financial support this can
become a reality.
There is a huge amount of work involved in
running the current program, says Stan, and we
really need more volunteers to help take some of
the workload on.
With many new technologies becoming
available to the deaf and blind communities it
seems that one day sign language, Braille and the
use of guide dogs may become outdated.
In the UK there is a separate deaf culture,
where whole families use sign language to
communicate, says Stan. The same culture
exists here in Romania, but the authorities dont
realize that with the UN Convention on the Rights
of Disabled People, sign language can be made
an official language here too.
Braille is a wonderful experience, Stan says,
as it enables blind people to read and relax, just
as we read and relax.
It is clear that there will always be a need for
guide dogs too. It is not just the seeing eyes that
they provide, but the companionship and loyal
friendship they give that helps open up new
worlds for the beneficiaries.
Stan would like to see the government pass
legislation that supports the work that he and his
team do and would like the local community itself
to be more considerate.
Things like not parking on the pavement are
important, says Stan, being considerate and
making space for a guide dog and user to pass,
not touching working guide dogs. So many ways
we could improve things with just a little more
effort, but of course this all starts with us!

Mrs. Camelia Platt, CEO of Light into Europe

disabled, CSR reports from companies and so
on. Through this she identified the needs of
the blind and deaf as being particularly poorly
supported.
Between 1993 and 2003 Light Into Europe
did massive amounts of work renovating
kindergartens, orphanages, hospitals and
special schools, says Camelia. Through this
we got quite a good perspective on the needs
of various groups in Romania.

They used the support of some of the staff

from the Air Ambulance work that Stan was
involved in to help with the renovations. They
also had some 10-12 doctors as volunteers.

rs. Camelia Platt was born and raised

in Craiova. She met Capt. Stan Platt in
1993 and began working as a volunteer for
Light Into Europe. In 1997 Camelia moved
to Bucharest and from 2003 onwards she
began to be involved full-time with the charity.
Camelia and Stan have a son, George, who
will turn seven in July 2016.
Whilst initially working as a volunteer,
Camelia reached a turning point in her
professional career when she realized the
corporate life she led didnt really fit with her
life ideals and aspirations.
Id rather help somebody else, says
Camelia, you can make a huge difference
in somebodys life, without worrying about
corporate limitations.
Camelia came from the PR and Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) field, but was
frustrated when the corporate guidelines did
not allow very worthy causes and desperate
people to be supported. Which is why she
switched to full-time working for the charity.
I then realized I wasnt trained in working
with vulnerable people, says Camelia, I
needed to be qualified. So I became qualified
as an Occupational Therapist in the UK.
In 2003, Camelia carried out a countrywide
analysis of the needs of disabled people in
Romania. She studied information and statistics
from special schools, services provided for

The work we did had a huge impact,

says Camelia. We estimate that between
1993 and 2003 the minimum value of the
donations, transport, materials, medical
supplies and educational material provided
was not less than 2 million. This mainly came
from donations from the UK.
Everything came from the UK, from
blankets to syringes, to special beds for
surgical theatres. They also had about 100 UK
volunteers.
Nowadays it is hard to find such support,
says Camelia, as Romania is not seen to be a
particularly good example of progress since
1990.
Today Camelia is CEO of Light Into Europe.
She still likes to spend much of her time as an
Occupational Therapist working directly with
the deaf and blind children.
Camelia carries out the functional
evaluation of people with vision impairment.
She also helps decides the font size and
contrast needed for the large print text books
that the charity provides.
The problem is the lack of information
and awareness that the general public has,
says Camelia. We have had audiences with
all different kinds of people and campaign
non-stop for disability awareness. Companies
are not open to talk about disabilities.
There is now a European Directive
on education and creating awareness of
disabilities.
Some companies believe talking about
disabilities has a negative emotional impact
on employees, says Camelia. There is so

Light into Europe Charity

much ignorance. We need to break down

these barriers and destroy these myths.
The World Health Organisation now
estimates that 1 in 7 people are affected
by disability. With an aging population and
increase in chronic diseases such as diabetes
and obesity, this is predicted to increase.
In Romania, some people are not aware
that blind people can have their eyes open,
says Camelia, depending on the cause of
blindness. There is a stigma about blindness,
and blind people are believed to have closed
eyes.
It is true there are not many disabled
people visibly seen on the streets. This is put
down to a lack of understanding and tolerance.
With increased understanding, education
and more accessible public spaces, says
Camelia, other people would benefit such as
the elderly, mums with prams and people with
temporary disabilities. Also people whove
just undergone surgery, who need a stick, feel
a bit dizzy and so on.
Camelia explains that during Communism,
everyone expected somebody else to
take care of things. Now, 26 years after the
Revolution, Romania is supposed to be a
modern European country.
How many new buildings have been
built in the last decade with the disabled in
mind? says Camelia, With the well-being of
employees? This attitudinal barrier is the most
difficult.
Camelia hopes that her and the charitys
work will pave the way for better understanding
and result in CSR departments looking at
charities differently.
You cant look at the success of charities
with the same pair of glasses as corporate
results, says Camelia. Its not like planting a
tree and seeing it grow 30 cm a year. Disabilities
involve ongoing and long-term progress.
Disability is still such a taboo subject in
Romania and there is a reticence for companies
to invest in disabilities.
What I say to companies is that 70-80%
of blind or deaf people just have that one
disability, says Camelia. This means they are
able to compensate and work effectively in a
normal working environment.

Foundation Report 2015

If there were sufficient funds to role out

a continuation of the services the charity
provides, instead of individual isolated
projects, the overall effects would snowball.
The charity would like to see more funding of
the early intervention program leading to more
beneficiaries attending university courses and
becoming fully active and engaged members
of society. This requires a long-term, ongoing
commitment.
What the charity provides is white sticks,
Braille books, sign language training and
guide dogs, says Camelia. But the disabled
deserve more than this. The community should
mobilize resources. Many Romanians expect
a quick fix that they can volunteer for one
day.
If you want to play with a deaf child for one
day, first you have to learn to communicate in
sign language. With blind people you have to
learn about orientation and mobility.
The charity now relies on some 70
volunteers, says Camelia. Mostly these
are involved as puppy walkers in the guide
dogs programme. Some of the dogs rotate
among different volunteers. Some are respite
volunteers. Some of the working dogs may
need special care if their beneficiary partner
is not well.
Light Into Europe is fortunate to have
a reliable group of volunteers mainly from
Ubisoft. Camelia and her team approached
several companies with the idea of looking
for people to host the puppies at home in the
evening and bring them to work during the day
when they were not being formally trained.
Ubisoft was the first company to respond.
This began in 2012 with all the A letter
puppies from Midi (Midnight) being hosted by
Ubisoft volunteers, says Camelia, except for
Angus who was hosted by Martin Harris, the
British Ambassador at the time.
Camelia believes that Romania needs
more consistent disabled legislation with a
proper implementation framework.
On average the charity manages to
support some 2000 blind or deaf beneficiaries
each year, she says with access to large print
or Braille text books, sign language, weekly
educational support, orientation and mobility
and, of course, the guide dogs.

Gabriel and Lewis (& formerly Chloe)

abriel Nicolescu is 56 years old and

from Bucharest. He became an insulin
dependent diabetic in 1973 and in 1995
started to lose his vision, becoming blind
in 1997. He has always loved animals and
has trained German shepherds, in particular
Rocky. His second marriage was to Tatiana
Florentina in 2005. Gabriel has always
been active, founding Romania Connect in
1990 and in 2014 founding and becoming
president of a national association of people
with disabilities.

The first day I was excited, for me it was

something new to feel the equipment put on
the guide dog, says Gabriel. Chloe was
cheerful, like me and I quickly got to care for
her.
Eventually on 27th June 2010, the
instructor told him You are ready, starting
from today you and Chloe will be together all
the time!
Chloe brought Gabriel great joy and light
in his life and was almost like a child to him
and his wife. Gabriel and Chloe attended
charitable events together, as well has
travelling to Zagreb and Amsterdam for the
European Federation of Guide Dogs. They
also went on holidays to the seaside and
Danube Delta and have participated in rallies
for disabled accessibility in Bucharest.
Sadly this all came to an end on 20th
August 2015 when Chloe died during an
operation for a twisted stomach.
Talking about her always makes me cry,
says Gabriel, but what remains are memories
of some beautiful years together.
In September 2015, the charity suggested
he took on Lewis.
I accepted with great joy, says Gabriel,
although in my heart I still had Chloe.
He started working with Anca (the trainer)
and Lewis and everything went well. Chloe
and Lewis are very different both in colour
(one golden, the other black) and in nature as
Lewis is much quieter.

I like old rock music, touring and meeting

with friends when my health allows, says
Gabriel.

On May 30th we will celebrate Lewiss

6th birthday with a small cake and spoil him,
says Gabriel.

In 2009 he contacted Light Into Europe

charity. That autumn he was told he would be
the first recipient of a guide dog in Romania.
He initially was taught to walk with a cane and
in October began working with Chloe.

Lewis quickly learns the new routes and

avoids all obstacles. In heavy traffic, in areas
without tactile paving and acoustic traffic
lights they must be particularly careful.
Light into Europe Charity

We risk our lives crossing some

intersections, says Gabriel. Even with a
reflective vest and sometimes a white cane.
The movement of a disabled person and
guide dog can be quite dangerous due to
the lack of accessibility and disrespect or
indifference of many people.
Although the legal framework is there it
is not always applied, says Gabriel. I have
been hit three times by cars and twice fell in
the sewer.
Lewis is like a new baby to Gabriel and
Tatiana. They consider him a true friend, take
care and protect him and start each daily
adventure together. Gabriel walks him at 7
am, and when his health allows, at noon and
in the evening.
Everywhere I go I take Lewis, says
Gabriel. I try to explain to people what a
guide dog does, to understand accessibility
and to help people with disabilities to be less
isolated.
Life can be challenging. People run into
Gabriel, wearing the vest, with a cane and a
guide dog and exclaiming he doesnt see where
hes going.
Now I dont get upset, I laugh, says Gabriel,
and explain to them Im blind. Ive been hit
three times by cars, I have been refused entry
into some shops, but since 2011 the regulation
has improved.
Unfortunately there is still much work to
be done. Gabriel has appeared six times on
television campaigning for people to understand
what it means for a blind person to be on a street
with a guide dog.
He advises a guide dog is only for blind
people that love animals and are willing to take
care of a friend with four paws. They must
not allow the dog to become obese, should
be affectionate and be willing to go outside for
walks regardless of the weather.
Foundation Report 2015

Most importantly, says Gabriel, it is like

being a parent to a child with fur and four paws.

The local community

must become more
involved, he advises.
I was on trial for the
rights of people with
disabilities from 2008
to 2013 and still wait
the judgement of the
ECHR.
Many of the accessibility projects funded
by the EU are incorrectly realized and though
Romania is an EU member and has signed many
treaties and conventions on the rights of disabled
people, they are still not widely respected.
9

Adrian and Veronica Benchea & Max

drian and Veronica are in their early 30s

and have been married since 2010. They
work as masseurs at the Ghicelui Arad
Therapy and Rehabilitation Center
for children and are qualified social
workers. They have both suffered from
absolute blindness since birth.

The most significant thing, says Adrian,

was the idea that as a couple we could take
a walk together. ...

For us, the idea for a guide dog

was an unfulfilled dream, says Adrian.
It seemed unattainable in Romania.
In the summer of 2014 they met
Max, an Irish guide dog, in Bucharest.
Something virtually impossible
to explain was sparked then, says
Adrian. We realized then that as a
visually impaired couple we could
achieve independence with a guide
dog.
Its not always easy for blind
people to depend on a third, sighted
person to help them. The connection
between Adrian and Veronica and Max
was quickly established and it was love
a first sight.
They had to wait until September
for Max to come to Arad. It seemed
like an eternity. They felt honoured to
be trained with Mr. Alan Brooks from
the UK, as well as Anca Vasile from the
charity.
After only 10 days we acquired
the spatial mobility we always longed
for, says Adrian. Our love for puppies
already existed and our desire to learn
was intense.
Their partnership with Max was the
first tandem partnership in Romania, if
not Eastern Europe. Now they could
go by themselves, with Max, to work
and back and do trivial things like
going shopping without depending
on someone else.
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... I dont have words

to explain how it felt
to go together as a
couple, with Maxs
help, for a romantic
walk or dinner.
Now, with the help of their intelligent
friend Max, they can go wherever they need
to go.
Veronica can go and meet her friends,
says Adrian, and I can go out with the boys.
They advise any blind person who
wants independence to consider getting a
guide dog, even though it involves a lot of
responsibility.
The guide dog has needs and is a being
who depends on the blind, explains Adrian.

Foundation Report 2015

He needs love, petting, play and to be taken

care of. He has to be walked regardless of the
rain, snow and heat and has physiological
needs. A healthy and happy dog makes a
happy life for the blind.
Adrian explains that blind people also
need mobility and orientation in order to be
compatible with a guide dog and it is also
important to keep up all the skills given by
the guide dog trainer.
Otherwise the dog may lose some of
the skills, says Adrian, and you will have
achieved nothing.
Adrian and Veronica feel the government
should develop appropriate legislation for
people with disabilities. The local community
should comply with the accessibility legislation
in public places in order to make the blind
persons life easier. A well-developed media
campaign would help educate the public and
make them more aware of the importance of
guide dogs for the blind.

11

Cristi Moldovan and Hamish

risti was born in Trgu Mure in 1982.

When he was 14 years old he had a
bicycle accident that left him completely
blind.
I am not the kind of person that feels sorry
for myself, explains Cristi, and I wanted to
have a normal life without burdening those
around me, so the desire to have a guide dog
was created in me.

Cristi learned about guide dogs through

reading magazines, but had no idea there
was a foundation in Romania involved in the
training of guide dogs. He eventually learned
about Light into Europe from a friend and
immediately contacted them.

After several
interviews,
some tests and
discussion that
lasted many
months, says
Cristi, I received
a dear friend
Hamish, who I can
count on day and
night.
Cristi explains that time is needed
to create a strong bond of trust
between master and guide dog.
For him and Hamish it took about
5-6 months, during which time they
had many interesting experiences
together.
Cristi and Hamish have been
together for a year and a half now.
They had a months training with an
instructor before he could go out
alone on the street with the dog.
I think the hardest and most
important thing a blind person needs
to acquire with a guide dog is the
trust, says Cristi. The guide dog

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do so, says Cristi. For 20 years, until I had

Hamish I would not go out anywhere alone
even in front of my apartment block. Now I
can go out alone everywhere, something
I never dreamed of before.
Now Cristi simply gets dressed and takes
himself and Hamish to the store, Post Office,
bank, pharmacy etc. The quality of his social
life has improved too.
I can now socialize with my neighbours,
the people on the street, the post office and
bank clerks and salespeople at the stores,
says Cristi. In conclusion, a guide dog can
transform lives.

feels if you trust him or not and behaves

accordingly.
Cristi has been married for 10 years and
believes no one can lead him as well as his
wife can, apart from Hamish.
Yes, a guide dog can lead you much better
than a person because he has been trained to
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13

Cati Zgubea and Klint

dog. She has now been with Klint for
about two months effectively.
I spent two weeks in Bucharest
for us to get used to each other,
says Cati, learning what having a
guide dog means and how to walk
with him properly. Its not easy and
you have to adapt to a new way of
working.
Having a guide dog enables
Cati to be almost completely
independent.
I believe that if you work hard,
says Cati, over time a blind person
can do almost everything an able
person can.
Cati now has much more
confidence in herself when going
out alone in the city, accompanied
by Klint.

ati is 27 years old and lives in her

hometown, Alexandria. She lost her
sight 12 years ago, following various health
problems. She now comes to Bucharest as
often as she can to visit the Foundation for its
activities.
I heard about the organization four years
ago from my sister, says Cati. She also told
me about the guide dogs program, but I did
not feel ready for it.
Last year she contacted the foundation to
talk about the possibility of having a guide
14

Of course, a
blind person with
a guide dog is
seen differently,
she says. Some
are curious and stop
to ask how you work
with him, and so on.
Cati knew she would get all sorts of
reactions from people around her, especially
living in a small town.
Most people here do not know what a
guide dog is, she says.
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It has been important to Cati to have a

supportive family who are all animal lovers.
It should be understood that man and
dog are a team, she says, and you cannot
just leave the dog alone to work you have to
take care of him if you want to enjoy a good
dog!
Locally, Cati believes that every time
construction and infrastructure changes are
made that consideration should be made for
those with vision problems.
Cati also believes the government should
facilitate education for all blind people,
regardless of where they are living, as special
blind schools are not available in all cities and
it is often difficult for people to relocate.
I think the government should be more
involved with educating children in schools
about people with disabilities, she says.
This would help avoid difficult situations for
people like me being misunderstood by the
community.

Foundation Report 2015

15

Magda and Heidi

agda is from Ploieti but

moved to Bucharest
some 40-50 years ago. She
has two sisters in Ploieti and
her son in Bucharest. Her son
is a coach driver and goes
away every Tuesday and
returns each Sunday. Magda
lost her sight after the birth of
her son. She moved into her
flat 30 years ago, together
with her husband who died in
2004.
I heard about the
Foundation from a friend in
2014, says Magda. Ive
always loved dogs, cats and
birds since I was young. I used
to sit and listen to my birds
(Zebra finches) singing all day
long.
Magda has been with
Heidi for a year and a half
now. She met Heidi in March
2014 when she was not yet
trained to be a guide dog.
From 23 September that
year Magda started to come
regularly to the Foundation
to learn about the project
with guide dogs and to begin
the effective training, which
lasted two months.
She was first taught how
to use a white cane to cross
the street, but eventually
gave up with the stick.
They used to have
acoustic traffic lights here,
she says, but not any more.

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Light into Europe Charity

Now she knows how to cross the first

junction near her house by listening to the
tramline. When she hears a big noise on her
left, she knows her traffic light is green. If
shes not sure, she doesnt cross.
Unfortunately, some people tell me the
light is green when its not, she says. People
want to test me to see if Im really attentive.
She walks fast with Heidi now along the
pavements and stops at every kerb to listen
to the traffic. Some people dont understand
or believe that Magda is blind because they
dont see how she can walk so fast with a
guide dog.
Some of the neighbours ask me
why I dont use a white stick, says
Magda, and how can I trust a guide dog.
The reality is I trust Heidi more than I trust
other people.
Now all the neighbours love Heidi. At
first they were a bit afraid as they thought she
might bite. Magda trusts the dog so much and
feels no fear on the streets. Heidi sometimes
stops to receive affection and then moves on.
Heidi and I have lots of friends in the
nearby park, says Magda, but if Heidi
meets a dog she doesnt like, she puts her
head on my arm and asks to go home. I
can feel everything she wants to say. I have
got used to her every emotion. Heidi loves
running free in the enclosed park spaces and
eating grass like a goat!

Its true that for 20

years ...
... I lived alone in my
apartment block,
says Magda. None
of my neighbours
knew me. Now that I
have Heidi, everyone
knows me.
Magda would encourage any blind
person who likes dogs to consider getting
a guide dog. Then they can go out without
other people and be independent. She thinks
a lot of people may not want a guide dog
because of the fur she has to brush Heidi
several times a day.
The local community needs to be more
friendly towards blind people and their
dogs, she says. They need to tell people
about the program with guide dogs and help
blind people integrate better.

Before I got Heidi I tried going outside

with a cane, but I wasnt happy doing so,
explains Magda. Going out with Heidi feels
safer its easier to talk to people.

Foundation Report 2015

17

Petra Pintelei

etra is a 22 year old student

living in Bucharest and
studying at the Lumina University
of South-East Europe. She is
currently studying for two Bachelor
degrees International Relations
and Applied Modern languages
(English-Turkish).
At first I thought it was a bit
like a game, says Petra, but now
I realize it is more work than play!
Petra was born with optical
nerve and retinal nerve damage,
with 5% vision, which allows her to
see some light and shadows and
slight shapes if shes not too tired.
The good thing is I enjoy
languages, says Petra, and the
university has learned to adapt the
curriculum for me. I can write on a
tablet and can sit more oral exams
so that I dont have to write too
much.
Lumina University was founded
in 2010 and is keen to accept
more students with disabilities. It
undergoes regular inspections by
the Ministry of Education.
Petra is currently writing her thesis on
Military Psychological Operations and Hybrid
Warfare. She is doing research into Military
Science, including intelligence and security.
War is not what we imagine, says
Petra, it is not just weaponry. By knowing
the war you know peace. Peace and war are
subsequent.
For a person with disabilities, Petra likes a
challenge, to discover the unexpected in her
field research.

18

Women are also war machines, she

says, making weapons and clothing and
artillery. There are more women than men in
armies though they get less recognition.
Petra has known Capt. Stan Platt since
she was 10 years old, when he came to her
school in 2004. There are currently six blind
schools nationwide and one in Bucharest.
Stan and Camelia came to my school
to look for projects and opportunities, says
Petra. They brought tiny little gifts from
England hair bands for the girls and sweets
and things for the boys.
Light into Europe Charity

One of Petras most thrilling memories of

childhood was when she and members of her
class were taken to England for a fund-raising
activity for a hospice near Carlisle.
We were 40-50 little goblins all singing
childhood English and Romanian songs!
says Petra. I remember this as the trip of my
life my first flight abroad. It was magical a
new place!
During the trip the children enjoyed lots of
entertainment, visiting places, and concerts.
All the children and staff were accommodated
in family houses and taken around by car.
We were little children fund-raising in the
Eden Valley in England, says Petra. It was
so exciting, like a dream. I was consciously
aware we were abroad. A great experience
with our new passports!
Petra has always enjoyed reading English
childrens literature, such as Harry Potter,
Secret Seven, Famous Five, as well as audio
books such as Horrible Histories, Horrible
Science etc.
A few years later Petra met with Mrs.
Gail Stewardson from the European Guide
Dog Federation and Mr. Alan Brooks. They
proposed Petra gave an historical speech in
Brussels calling for the rights of people like
herself to travel freely in Europe with a guide
dog. The result was Petras Law.
Like you, I want to get on a bus, or a
plane or a train and travel from Slovenia
to Spain, said Petra during her speech.
Or even Bruges to Birmingham. Or
Amsterdam to Zagreb. Without hindrance,
knowing that Ill get the same treatment
wherever I go.
In 2009 Petra sang on ProTVs talent show
and won. Her prize turned out to be a six
week old guide dog puppy. This puppy
was Chloe, and although Petra was not yet
ready for a guide dog, Capt. Stan took the
Foundation Report 2015

puppy on and trained her, with help, to be

the first working guide dog in Romania.
Petra now travels around Bucharest with
her white cane along the streets and in the
metro.
Most blind people are inclined to have
good orientation and learn easily, says
Petra. Sighted people dont realize you can
orientate other than with sight. Some believe
you are faking it.
Petra recently visited London, which
she loved. She has become quite a Britishmaniac, inspired by Stan and all his team.
Stan is a great story-teller, she says.
He has introduced some of the old British
magic from his heart.
Of all the British bands, Petra loves Iron
Maiden the most. She has seen them twice in
Bucharest.
They are coming here again, she says.
They are so British. I love their flag, their
lyrics!
Petras big wish is for children in
mainstream schools to be better educated
to understand and accept people with
disabilities and to end the bullying in schools.

Accessibility for
the disabled should
be increased, she
says, and we need
to raise awareness of
disability rights.
19

Lcrmioara Pintelei (Mrs. Lili)

colleagues and can use sign language to
communicate.
It is a full time job that comes naturally
to me, she says, I use my common sense
and come up with lots of creative ideas.
A child is a child and children need to have
their freedom.
Lcrmioara
explains
how
recent
developments in technology gives children
with disabilities access to huge amounts
of information and allows them to express
themselves in novel ways.
Sign language is a visual form of
communication, says Lcrmioara, whereas
using a tablet or Smartphone allows people
to express themselves more freely.

crmioara, otherwise known as

Mrs. Lili, or simply Petras Mum is an
institution, says her daughter Petra.

Lcrmioara explains how the colours on

a smartphone can be inverted, and contrast
and zoom can help. Video messages can be
sent and text can be vocalized. This makes

She started working with Capt. Stan Platt

and his team in 2004 and initially focussed on
working with the deaf people.

It just happened,
says Lcrmioara,
we started to
develop these
creative programs for
deaf children.
Before Petra was born, Lcrmioara
was a secretary in a factory. Now she is
Project Manager of all the arts and crafts
projects, an occupational therapist and runs
the accounting. She works with many deaf
20

Light into Europe Charity

communication much easier for those who

cant read or speak.
Although PECS (Picture Exchange
Commincation System) was initially developed
for autistic children, says Lacramioara, we
are able to adapt it for use with deaf and
blind children.
Lcrmioara gets many of her ideas for
her arts and crafts projects from magazines,
the Internet and from donated items. She
tries to make use of the childrens capacity
and is always meeting new faces, both at the
Centre (35 Str. Clbucet) and at the deaf and
mainstream schools.

Foundation Report 2015

Most of the time I go to the children

in their schools, she says, but especially
during the summer holidays we tend to have
more activities at the Centre.
Lcrmioara currently has three projects
on the go, one of which is a sewing machine
course each Friday.
The children have to learn to measure,
cut, and sew, says Lcrmioara, It involves
fiddly fine motor skills. But the kids are so
proud of themselves when they learn to
thread the machine!

21

Anca Vasile, Guide Dog Programme Manager

nca was born in

Craiova and moved
to Bucharest when she
was just five years old.
She is now 31 and loves
living in Bucharest.
Anca graduated with
a degree in Economics
of the Environment and
a masters in Business
Communication. After
a spell working for
Raffeisen Bank she
heard about Light Into
Europe.
I did a lot of
volunteering during my university studies
and I always wanted to work in an NGO,
says Anca. I applied to work as a volunteer
for Light Into Europe and shortly became
Personal Assistant to Mr. Stan.
After a couple of months she was asked
to consider being trained as a Guide Dog
Trainer at Guide Dogs UK.

I have to coordinate all the 30 dogs of

the charity, including health care, says Anca.
I also work with the dogs in basic training
and then in advanced training with the blind
person. There are only two of us and it is hard
to spend enough time with each dog!
Although Anca has never been involved
with dogs before, she has always loved
animals and working with people.

This was a turning point in my life, says

Anca. I went to Liverpool in the UK and
started a six month training course to become
an Instructor at the Guide Dogs Mobility
Centre. This was a chance for me to make a
difference!

I began to understand the impact of

a guide dog on a blind persons life, says
Anca. In fact, the dogs I work with have
really changed my life and not only those of
the beneficiaries!

This took place three years ago; one year

after Anca had joined Light Into Europe.

As well as her training in Liverpool, Anca

has attended many conferences and received
plenty of advice from the charitys senior
guide dog consultant, Mr. Alan Brooks.

When I came back from the UK I was a

Guide Dog Instructor in Training, says Anca,
and then I began to coordinate the entire
program.
Anca is now the Guide Dog Programme
Manager, which includes coordination and
training of the volunteers who look after
the dogs, assessment and testing of blind
people, educational activities with the public
or sponsors, and generally taking part in the
strategies of the charity.
22

In Liverpool I learnt all about the

principles of working with dogs, including
understanding their body language and
behaviour, says Anca, and using these
aspects to train them as guide dogs.
Generally a puppy spends 15 months
with a puppy raiser before beginning formal
training. During this time he learns the basic
commands and all the guide dog rules that
must be respected.
Light into Europe Charity

When the formal training begins, says

Anca, the guide dog has to come to the
centre to learn the basic skills for a guide
dog: sitting at the kerb, working in harness,
avoiding obstacles, etc.
This takes four months or longer and then
the dog is evaluated and a suitable blind
person found depending on his personality
and
technical
characteristics
(speed,
motivation, working types and times).
The training with the blind person
normally takes three to six weeks, says Anca,
depending on the blind persons orientation
and mobility and how long it takes to establish
a real bond.
After a working life of six-seven years,
the guide dog is then retired as a pet. The
blind person can decide to keep the dog, or
another family can be found. The dog belongs
to the charity throughout its working life and
is provided at no cost to the beneficiary,
including food and vet bills.

The biggest challenge

when training guide dogs is
familiarizing them with new
environments when they
are told guide dogs are not
allowed access.
Blind people have a social lives, like us,
says Anca, and to be able to go in public
spaces they need fully socialized dogs!
Anca also needs people not to distract
the dogs while they are working.
Some of the dogs are assessed and
not found suitable to be guide dogs. One
example of this was Aries.
He was dominant, pulled a lot, barked
and was unsociable with other dogs, says
Anca. He was withdrawn from the guide
Foundation Report 2015

dog training programme and made into an

amazing assistance dog for epilepsy!
Anca advises those who might consider
getting a guide dog that they should dare to
dream about freedom and independence.
A guide dog can give you this chance!
she says, As long as you love and look after
him he will do the same for you!
A blind person with a guide dog needs
to be brave. They need to trust the dog and
no longer rely on a person. They also need to
be willing to work hard looking after the dog
and to face challenges and responsibilities as
a team.
You will have to be strong and fight
for your rights together with the dog, says
Anca. Fight for your rights to be integrated
in society, to change perceptions and ideas
as to how society treats you and work hard for
full independence.
Anca believes the charity needs its own
Guide Dogs Centre to move forward. She
wants to see more guide dog beneficiary
partnerships, and for this more active
volunteers are needed, as well as new team
members and sponsorships.
The community needs to understand
the street is used by many different people,
including blind people and guide dogs, says
Anca. We need free access in public spaces
for guide dogs only, and severe punishment
for those drivers who block pavements by
parking badly.
Anca also suggests the local community
should be more active in fund-raising to get
more buy-in to the project.
I believe the local community has a
moral responsibility to help and support those
living with disabilities, she says. We need
to educate children and students, starting in
elementary school to understand they can
make a difference in the world. Being blind
or deaf is not a reason not to have a normal
life!
23

Severian Pavel, Guide Dog Instructor

everian Pavel, or Seve, is 27 years old

and comes from Buzu. He moved to
Bucharest 3 years ago and married his wife
Andreea in September 2015.
I first heard about Light Into Europe from
my wife who was working as a social worker at
the charity, says Seve. She was linking with
the blind and deaf beneficiaries and well as
supporting the schools.
Seve applied for a job as a Personal
Assistant supporting Mr. Stan Platt.
From the moment I started working at
the charity, says Seve, I knew I wanted
to be a guide dog instructor.

Mr. Alan supports our work as guide

dog instructors by checking and verifying
the training we have given the dogs, says
Seve, as well as teaching and refreshing
our professional development with new
techniques. He also assesses the guide
dog beneficiary partnerships we have
established.
A puppy normally spends a year to 15
months with a puppy walker before they start
formal training. This depends on the character
of the dog and the level of obedience it has
obtained with the puppy raiser.
At the moment we are only two dog

Seve has always liked dogs and

realized he could make a real difference
supporting blind people in Romania
through this work. He has now worked
for 3 years as a guide dog instructor. This
mainly involves daily exercises with the
dogs, raising awareness through guide
dog workshops, and supporting the
puppy raisers (the volunteers who bring
the puppies home with them when they
are not in training).
We are a small charity, says Seve,
and I have lots of other jobs to do, such
as photography, IT technician and even
driver for both staff and dogs!
Seves first experience with dogs was
at the age of five when his family got a
German Shepherd as a pet/guard dog.
More recently, he has trained himself as a
Guide Dog Instructor.
I have not actually gone through any
formal training, but have learnt through
experience, talking with colleagues and
other professionals, as well as watching
videos online!
Mr. Alan Brooks, who is one of the
top guide dog professionals in the world,
has always supported Light Into Europe.
24

Light into Europe Charity

trainers. says Seve. Normally, the dogs are

fully trained by the age of two years.
This advanced, formal training lasts
around six months and involves traffic
awareness, obstacles, avoiding distractions
(including humans, other dogs and food), as
well as working in harness.
The most important thing is that the dog
is happy doing his job, says Seve, we dont
want him to have any negative associations
with the work!
When a dog has finished his advanced
training, at around two years old, the guide
dog beneficiary partnership training begins.
This can take from two to six weeks. The list of
beneficiaries is checked to see who might be
paired with a dog.
We need to check the speed of the dog,
its size and what the blind person needs the
dog to do, says Seve. Some people spend
a lot of time in offices, whilst others wish to
do more walking.
The pairing steps include one week of
bonding between the blind person and the
dog.
Spending time together grooming
and feeding the dog, says Seve, helps
to generate an inseparable bond that will
develop over many years.
The beneficiary learns what having a guide
dog entails and how it should be effectively
used. The training then moves to the blind
persons residential area where together they
learn at least three everyday routes.
These routes are where the guide dog
can guide the blind person, says Seve, such
as from home to the supermarket, to the park
or to visit family.

Foundation Report 2015

A guide dog
partnership normally
lasts from five
to seven years,
depending on the
health and character
of the dog.
The local community dont know
much about guide dogs and are afraid of
being bitten, says Seve. They struggle
to differentiate them from regular pets and
street dogs.
Bucharest is still home to plenty of street
dogs and the pavements are often in poor
shape, which makes working with guide dogs
difficult.
Any dog suffering from dysplasia or
displaying unfavourable characteristics such
as barking, being greatly distracted by other
dogs or cats is assessed. Some of these traits
can be dealt with and others not.
A dog deemed unsuitable to be a guide
dog can become a therapy dog for persons
with autism or epilepsy, says Seve.
A guide dog can offer new independence,
enable a blind person to make new friends,
help them visit new places and be a constant
companion.
The biggest need, says Seve, is to
improve infrastructure such as pavements and
crossings, remove street dogs (by rehoming)
and by teaching people to be more aware and
accepting of blind people. The government
should do more to acknowledge the needs of
the guide dogs and blind people.

25

Mr. Alan Brooks, Senior Guide Dog Consultant

r. Alan Brooks is originally

from Manchester, and

after a lifetime of living in
various places in the UK,
coupled with travelling
frequently overseas through
his work, he currently lives in
Dartmoor, Devon, with his
wife and daughter.

The earlier in life the

puppy experiences todays
busy, chaotic environment,
the better, says Alan.
Good experience as a
puppy will benefit the
dog when it arrives for
professional training at
maturity (12 to 16 months).

I started dog training

with my pet dog whilst still a
schoolboy, says Alan, and
took part in dog obedience
competitions in the 60s.

Matching a guide dog

to a blind person involves
several factors, including
the
persons
individual
ability.

Alan left school and got

a job with The Guide Dogs
for the Blind Association (GBDA) in 1967.
Which means hes been working with guide
dogs for almost 49 years.
Alan came across Light into Europe when
he was Head of International Affairs at GDBA.
He was asked to assess Chloe (the puppy
Petra won in the ProTV talent show) to see if
she was suitable as a guide dog.

The dogs which do not

become guide dogs can
often have quite fulfilling lives, says Alan.
They can work as Assistance Dogs, Search
& Rescue or even just companion dogs for
elderly people or some disabled children.
One of the biggest challenges for guide
dog users in countries who are just starting
to see guide dog use is access to public
premises.

Since then, I have been involved with

Light into Europe intermittently, says, Alan,
as an advisor, staff trainer and the instructor
training the first Tandem GD partnership in
Romania.

Campaigning for guide dog users to

have access accompanied by their dogs is an
ongoing challenge, says Alan. Only when
access is afforded in law can blind people with
guide dogs be completely independent.

He has also assessed dogs, clients and

made presentations at various venues.

Light into Europe is aiming to become

a full member of IGDF (International Guide
Dog Federation) in the near future. It will be
eligible to do so once 10 partnerships are in
place.

Guide dogs differ from other working

dogs in that they sometimes have to make
their own judgement.
Normally the handler takes the initiative
to offer commands to the dog, says Alan.
However, in the case of the guide dog,
sometimes the command forward will be
ignored if there is an obstacle which needs to
be negotiated. Once around the obstacle the
dog will then return to the forward direction.
The breeding of guide dogs has to be
carefully considered. Health and temperament
are affected by genetics and to some extent,
behaviour also.
26

Full membership will give them access

to more knowledge and information from
IGDF, says Alan. They will also be able
to use the IGDF logo in their promotional
material and will be working to international
accredited standards.
Alan believes the government needs to
pass access laws for guide dog users and then
have these laws enforced by the regulating
authorities.

Light into Europe Charity

Mr. Sean Dilley, Board Member, Light Into Europe

r. Sean Dilley is a
political journalist
currently working for Sky
News. He is also a Board
Member of Light Into
Europe.
Sean was born in the
City of Westminster in
1982 and subsequently
moved around London
and as far afield as
Hertfordshire and South
Wales.
When
Sean
was
14 months old, his
grandmothers
family
doctor in Cardiff noticed
that he had congenital
nystagmous
(rapid
involuntary movements
of the eyes), caused by problems with the
visual pathway to the brain.

Almost overnight
I had to learn Braille
and adapt to new
circumstances,
says
Sean. This was no doubt
aided by my former close
up sight and a good idea
of my surroundings.
Sean started to train
with his first guide dog
Brandy in August 1999.
They were together for 7
years and 3 months.
We worked side by
side in a partnership,
says Sean, that I can
only describe as life
changing.
Brandy retired in
November 2006 and Sean began training
with Chipp.

As I grew up, doctors were better able

to see that I had a number of conditions,
says Sean, many with complicated names
but also extremely high myopia (shortsightedness). Growing up in school I wasnt
able to see the blackboard even when I was
only a few feet away from it.

Chipp was a solid worker with a real

sense of life, says Sean, and, according to a
friend of mine, a sense of humour. He always
knew how to have a joke and a laugh!

Sean could not read his own writing and

had support workers with him in any class
requiring visual acuity.

He is undoubtedly the naughtiest of

my dogs when hes not working, says Sean,
but a real character. He has a brain the size
of a planet and he knows how to press the
right buttons to get what he wants. When the
harness comes out, hes ready to face another
day, whatever that brings.

Growing up, I had an extremely limited

field of vision, says Sean. I could only see
a small area in front of my right eye though
sometimes I could see outlines. For instance,
I could see a car around 15 feet in front of me,
but I couldnt tell you the make or accurate
colour.
During a six month period what little useful
sight Sean had began to rapidly deteriorate.
This left him with no light perception in his
left eye and no useable sight in his right.
Foundation Report 2015

Sean is now currently working with his

third guide dog, Sammy, since June 2014.

Sean began working in 2000 for Talk Radio

(formerly TalkSport) for the BBC, researching
for shows and answering questions. By 2006
he had been producing shows for some
time. He was promoted to Senior Producer
for Current Affairs and subsequently Current
Affairs Editor overseeing all the non-sport
content on a mainly sports station.
27

By 2007, I joined the Parliamentary Press

Lobby in Westminster with Guide Dog Chipp
at my side, says Sean, We navigated the
halls of power, quickly making friends and
enemies on all sides of the house. Its a good
job MPs are no longer permitted to carry
swords!
In 2009, Sean diversified into writing the
occasional print article and reviewing papers
for BBC News and Sky News. He became
general reporter for Sky News in 2014.
My first involvement with Light Into
Europe was about six years ago, says Sean.
I had been asked to make an authorted
piece about guide dog access. The Editor
of BBC2s Daily Politics Show had witnessed
some of the difficulties I was experiencing.
A few weeks afterwards, Sean met Gail
Stewartson (from European Guide Dog
Federation and Guide Dogs UK) when he was
a speaker at a UK Guide Dogs Transport and
Mobility Conference. It was through her that
he came across Light Into Europe in Romania
when he was asked to speak on the subject
of communication at the Metropol Hotel in
Bucharest.
At the time of my first visit to Romania,
says Sean, I was entirely shocked and
surprised by the attitudes of society towards
disability and blindness and I was particularly
shocked to have met a brick wall attitude from
some professionals who are supposed to be
supporting young blind children.
It seemed that too few Romanians expect
blind children to go on and live as normal
members of society.
I was bitten by the bug, says Sean, and
was only too delighted to accept an invitation
from Capt. Platt a year or so later to join the
board of advisors and to support Light Into
Europe as a Trustee.
Sean is also a representative on the
European Guide Dog Federation Board and is
28

a regular event goer, speaker and occasional

auctioneer.
At work, I am very much one of the
reporters, says Sean. One of the team,
one of the colleagues who goes to work, is
passionate about news and those occasions
where we can actually change things for the
better.
Sean feels everyone who is part of the
Light Into Europe team brings a different life
experience and skillset.
I hope what I bring to the organization
is a very real world experience, says Sean,
having been a guide dog owner for 17 years
from a young age and in a number of very
busy work places. Despite my experience of
different cultures I cannot possibly know how
hard it is to be brought up in a society that
needs to care more.
Sean is aware that it is critical for Light Into
Europe to continue to work towards a position
of recognition in Romania and abroad.
The charity has worked very hard over
the years to support a great number of
individuals, says Sean, but it is so very
important that more Romanians become
involved in the day-to-day operations of the
charity and its aims.
Guide dogs provide very real
improving experiences for their owners.

life

Its all too easy to see Sean and his guide

dog Sammy, says Sean, rather than Sean
and Sammy working together. The public
needs to understand that guide dogs and
their owners work in partnership together.
Guide dogs provide the blind or severely
sight-impaired person a lifeline no reliance on
one person or group of people ever could.
A guide dog is about an individual living
life in a way, says Sean, that they simple
would not be able to without.
Light into Europe Charity

Volunteers, volunteers, volunteers

we are always looking for more volunteers!

Please contact
robbousie@lightintoeurope.org or stanplatt@lightintoeurope.org
if you would like to offer your support.
Foundation Report 2015

29

Foundation Financials
Light Into Europe: Sources of Revenue
As a British and Romanian charity, Light Into Europe is committed to reporting its financial
management in as clear a way as possible. This enables us to build trust and integrity with our
donors, supporters and stakeholders. We need to build on what we have achieved to date and
maintain income and grow income sources from fund-raising events and sponsorship in the
future.
EUR 130,398 income for year ending Feb 2016
In addition to receiving financial support, Light Into Europe has received non-financial
donations from sponsors such as guide dog food from Royal Canin, courier services from DPD.

5%

2%

8%
32%
5%

6%

11%

8%

23%

30

Light into Europe Charity

Light into Europe: Analysis of Expenditure

Our current expenditure is likely to grow over the next few years as we further develop our
Guide Dog program, establish greater opportunities in training and education, develop new
fund-raising initiatives and showcase what we have achieved. The charity aims to acquire a new
building in 2016, which will provide proper training facilities for the guide dogs as well as being
able to accommodate all the numerous other activities of the charity that benefit the sight and
hearing impaired.
EUR 122,676 expenditure for year ending Feb 2016

1% 4%

29%

33%

2%
7%
2%

7%
6%
2%

Foundation Report 2015

6%

31

Thank you to our sponsors:

Roberto Musneci &

Maria-Laura Ciampoli

Mr & Mrs Pogonaru

Dave Jordan

Steven & Valeria Van Groningen

Jim & Eileen Stewart

Oliver Meister

Christine McNamara

Address: Gala Galaction Street, no.16, sector 1, Bucharest, Romania

Phone: 0040 21 224 37 15 E-mail: office@lightintoeurope.org