STAFF at a public transport firm came face to face with their very own guide dog puppy.
Members from Arriva Buses Wales Wrexham, Rhyl and Chester joined their colleagues at the Bangor depot to meet Riva, a nine-month-old yellow labrador.
Wearing his distinctive blue Guide Dogs puppy jacket, Riva posed for pictures on the steps of an Arriva bus.
Staff across North Wales were given the opportunity to choose the puppy’s name after raising more than £5,000 for Guide Dogs Cymru with a series of events.
These included an inter-depot football tournament, a quiz night and zip wire challenge.
The firm is well on the way to naming a second puppy and supports the charity each October during Guide Dogs Week by placing collection buckets on all its “talking” buses.
These feature on-board audio-visual announcements, helping blind and partially sighted passengers to travel confidently and independently.
Andrea Gordon, engagement manager for Guide Dogs Cymru, said: “Arriva’s commitment to talking buses and to Guide Dogs, is exemplary.
"We were delighted to thank them by bringing puppy Riva to meet the staff.
“We hope other bus operators will follow Arriva’s lead.”
Riva’s visit came just days after Transport Secretary Ken Skates announced £3.5m of Welsh Government funding for local authorities to improve audio-visual equipment on board buses and real-time technology at bus stops.
An Arriva spokesman said: "Arriva is committed to making sure that bus travel is accessible for all passengers, so we are delighted to be supporting Guide Dog Wales Cymru, a cause very close to our hearts.
“It was fantastic to see how our fundraising efforts are making a difference, and we look forward to hearing how Riva gets on with his training."
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