Blue Peter pets first "Blue Peter" dog whose death was not mentioned on the programme. Barney is believed to be an Irish Setter/Dachshund cross and officially joined the "Blue Peter" team on 22 September 2009. He is the show's ninth dog. Barney is a former stray and was given to presenter Helen Skelton by the Dogs Trust. Barney left the show along with his owner Helen on 26 September 2013. The programme has had a long association with guide dogs, which stretches back to 1964 – captivating millions of viewers and helping to transform the lives of thousands of visually impaired people. The
Ski pole a new design calling for the use of steel as the shaft material. This construction was superseded by Edward L. Scott, who is credited with popularizing the lightweight aluminum ski pole in 1959, deriving his modern design from golf club shafts. This new stiff and lightweight pole made it easier for skiers to pole-plant and initiate fast, short turns. The most modern material used in ski pole production is carbon fiber. A patent has been filed on a biocomposite material that can be used for ski poles, but this design has yet to be manufactured. Axel Composites has a patent