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In the
middle behind Anne, bald head and blue jacket is my beloved husband Paul.
On his left in the
white cap is a chap from Bedford called Darren who just introduced
himself to us, with his wife and 3 kids.
On Paul 's right is a lady from near Andover but we can't remember her name. On her
right is another lady
from Andover whose dog called Molly looked like our Badger's twin. On the end of the
row, a chap with
a burgundy sweater we think is Adrienne's husband John.
Elaine
If you
know anyone else in the picture, then please let us know! Click on the
photo to display larger version.
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Thame Country Show
Easter Weekend 15/16th April 2001
What
a worry but what a success! This
was the first time we had taken a major part in such an event.
Thame Country Show is the first of 6 major country fayres organised by
Living Heritage each year between the spring and the autumn.
We
first heard about it in February from Carol Plumbly of Modern Dog Sports whom
Living Heritage contracts to carry out dog activities at the Fayres. Carol
asked us if we would like to help run and receive the benefits from the
Exemption Dog Show covering 20 classes on each day and also the Dogstable (dog
obstacle) course plus the use of a 40ft marquee for sales, none of which we
could afford to refuse, but the whole event was held in a perilous pendular
swing of on/off/, on/off because of the foot and mouth scare. This made
forward planning precarious, but we went ahead. Carol provided the apparatus
down to the last detail and I think and hope that we complemented what she
needed from us to make it a success for our charity, that is many pairs of
willing hands.
Carolyn
was the pivot on which it all rested! Adrienne and John Hare acted as points
of contact for help and did the tombola.
Sue North provided sashes and contacted people round Thame.
Frances, Lyn and Sarah ran Sunday’s dog show; the Smith family
(amazing!) did Sunday’s Dogstable;
Nicky
Howard and mother helped with Monday’s dog show; Chris Ross and Liz did
stalls on both days and earned £100 with their teddy tombola; Howard Stewart
and Paul helped with Monday’s Dogstable, geeing us up and giving general
support; the Rossiter family, Claire Wallace-Sims and husband, Catherine
Kirkby, “worked like dogs”, Maria Hamilton and John did the Dogstable on
Monday morning; Mark and Linda from Andover RGT did a stall and a quiz for us;
and Jean Bowler and Sarah helped on Monday afternoon with the Dogstable.
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| “Twins” Molly & Badger |
We
are grateful to the judges who gave their services free among them, Mr and
Mrs. Manning and Ada West, and to all those dogs and owners of all shapes and
sizes who turned up in the cold, wet, windy weather, complete with hailstones,
and who braved getting their cars bogged down in the mud and towed out by
tractors, and making long pilgrimages across the fields to scary mobile loos.
The total collected was
£1417.00! That totals one whole transportation of 36 dogs from
Alicante to homes, or approximately 30 sterilisations, or a month’s food for
50 dogs…! Fabulous
Now
we all know how it works, we can think of expanding on this for next Easter
when almost certainly we will be offered this opportunity again (Carol was
very impressed by us all!) Among
many improvements which come to mind, the following would be welcomed;
ex-office/conference display boards, flags/banners with “Greyhounds in
Need” written across them – say 15ft x 2ft; ideas re activities/classes
especially for greyhounds/lurchers; a parade of rescued greyhounds with
commentary; an adopt/sponsor a greyhound stall; dancing greyhounds – has
someone any knowledge of this? – I know it exists somewhere?
There
is plenty of scope for ideas for next Easter. Get thinking now and the
greyhounds will take Thame by storm! (Excuse the allusion – don’t forget
your warm socks, waxed jackets, fleece lined dog coats and hot flasks of tea!)
Personally,
it was great for me to feel the closeness of our UK family whom I don’t see
enough of due to the heavy demands on my time and energy urgently raising the
money for our dogs in care, being concerned with the primary rescue work in
Spain and liasing with the adoption groups in Europe and USA.. These events
and GIN can only function with your help which all of you give on trust, as
due to quarantine laws you don’t meet many of the dogs we have helped. In
the last year we have taken into care 630 dogs and homed 450 of them,
involving 14 different countries. I try to keep you all informed in detail of
our work via the newsletters and the Internet. I appreciate enormously your
loyalty and support. If any of you were able to travel abroad to attend our
reunions for dogs and owners you would be very very welcome!
On
May 12th there is a dinner in Belgium to raise money for GIN.
It would be great if a number of you could come. I’m sorry but GIN
cannot pay for expenses, not mine or anyone’s, but I can assure you that you
would love it and you would be inspired seeing at first hand the end product
of all our work!- a lot of beautiful couch potatoes!!
With
Very Best Wishes
Anne
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|
Elaine R took this
photograph on the Sunday evening after
Thame Show, All that fund raising must be very tiring |
