On behalf of the Cotswold RDA we would like to say a big thank you to Laura and Greg Derrett, all the judges, ring parties and everyone else who gave up their time to help run and support this charity agility show. The show proved to be a very successful this year raising £1,700 for the charity, which is £200 more than last year.

Source: Ann Codner, Cotswold RDA Chairman

SEPTEMBER 2004

High Peak DTS Says Thanks

To all the competitors (and members) at our 2- day dog show in August 2004 who bought raffle tickets and quiz sheets, we would like to say thank you. Because of your generous nature we managed to raise £233 from the raffle tickets and £88 from the quiz, making a grand total of £321!

The club committee agreed that the local charity who will benefit this year is Dog's in Distress, a worthy cause indeed. Let's see if we can beat it next year!

Source: Sue Barford (27/09/04)

JULY 2004

Roseland show practise ring

Tragically, just before their July show, Lisa Barnard, Roseland's Show Secretary, lost her mother who had been ill for some time. Sue Marson stepped in as show secretary for the day and we ran a practice ring in the afternoon to raise money for the charity of Mrs Barnard's choice - the local renal unit. The ring raised a total of £53 so thank you to everyone who supported it and I know Lisa was very touched by everyone's support. (28/07/04)

JUNE 2004

Caroline Dawson Fund

Caroline Dawson's parents report that they have raised nearly £4,500 in their daughter's memory. The money will be donated to the Brompton Hospital to provide computers for patients’ use, to the Elaine Fox unit at St. Thomas’ Hospital and for a special bed at the local hospice.

Caroline beloved dog Tanna had a tumour removed from his head and is recovering well with her parents.

Caroline, a member of Trent Park DAC died in January 2004. Obituary (13/06/04)

Philippa Armstrong Agility Wheelchair Appeal

At the Packington show this weekend £96.75 was raised for Philippa Armstong, partly with a Pay on the Day and partly from competitor's contributions. The club has offered to round it up to £100. Thank you everyone who contributed.

Helen Walland said, 'Philippa needs £1500 to completely pay for her new souped up chair, so that's only another 14 club shows and she'll have it cracked.'

How about setting up a collection at your show?

Remember she is representing us at the Para-Agility World competition. (01/06/04)

MAY 2004

Fromm Family Nutritional Pet Food Granted BUAV Approval

Fromm Family Foods are making the following offer to their customers to mark the BUAV (British Union Against Vivisection) granting them the seal of approval. For every 15kg Fromm dog food bought, Fromm will donate £1 to Woodgreen Animal Shelter in Huntingdon. Fromm will also provide either a £2 voucher, to be redeemed against the next 15kg bag, or a free combined collar and leash for the customer.

All customers need to do is cut out the ‘proof of purchase’ on the back of a 15kg bag of dog food, or a 7.5 kg bag of cat food, and send it to the UK importers of Fromm Family Foods:-

Postal Pet Products, Woodside, Raycombe Lane, Coddington, Ledbury HR8 1JH
Detailed product information etc. on http://www.postalpets.co.uk
Offer closes 15th July 2004.

The BUAV work towards stamping out animal cruelty by pet food manufacturers or suppliers by recommending those companies that do not test their products on caged animals. For further information check out their website on http://www.buav.org

Wood Green Animal Shelters are a national animal welfare charity which has rehomed lost or unwanted animals since 1924. The charity do not receive Government funding and are ineligible for Lottery funding; they rely solely on the support of the general public.

For further information about the work of the three Wood Green Animal shelters call 08701 90 40 90
or check http://www.woodgreen.org.uk

Dogs in Need Agility Society Charity Donations 2004

Dogs in Need Agility Society (DINAS) originally set out to provide a week long holiday show both for Agility competitors AND their dogs. The first shows were held at Three Counties Showground, Malvern. As entries quickly increased, the show was forced to move to the present larger venue of Suffolk Showground, Ipswich.

Apart from the ‘holiday experience,' the additional aim was to raise money from DINAS shows and donate to very small needy canine charities. DINAS competitors are invited each year to make nominations of canine charities (not single breed rescue charities) whom they consider to be in desperate need of additional financial help.

Over the past twelve years, DINAS has made contributions in excess of £80,000. This year out of a total of £7,500, five charities have each been given £1,500. All of the charities have been scrutinised by DINAS committee which insists on receiving references from both local council dog wardens and veterinary surgeries for the nominated charities.

Here's where your money went:-

1. The Bryson Sanctuary

A local Gateshead newspaper wrote this under the headline 'Animal Rescue Cash Boost.'

An animal refuge, which helps rescue and re-home unwanted dogs and puppies, has received an unexpected windfall. The Bryson Sanctuary at Eighton Banks, Gateshead, has netted £1,500 to help its work.

The good news came after the annual agility competition – Dogs in Need – held at Ipswich and attended by 4,000 dog owners and their pets from all over Britain and Europe.

Dave and Viv Robinson of Waldridge Fell Training Centre at Plawsworth, Chester-le-Street, nominated the donation. Dave said: 'The rescue does a great deal of good and largely unsung work in the North East'.

Refuge Manager Tracy Holmes was delighted to learn of the surprise cash boost, 'Most of our financial support comes from legacies and this £1,500 is one of the largest donations of its kind we have ever received' she said.

2. Saltburn Animal Rescue Association (SARA)
Chris Drinkhall nominated two of his local charities, Saltburn Animal Rescue Association (SARA) and Save Our Strays (SOS), knowing that so much financial support is required to do the important ongoing work.

'Delighted and encouraged by such a generous donation,' said Ann Prosser, Chairman of Saltburn Animal Rescue Association (SARA)

Ann remarked, 'The money will be spent on our day to day work of rescuing and re-homing animals. Our animals are treated as individuals and we make sure that all their veterinary needs are attended to and the best possible care is given to them before re-homing them on. Some animals stay in our care longer than others, either because of ill health or behavioural reasons! We do try to keep costs to a minimum, whilst making sure that the needs of each individual animal are met accordingly. Please thank the competitors, sponsors and committee of DINAS for helping us to help more animals in need.'

3. Save Our Strays (SOS)
A cash boost from Dogs in Need Agility Society enabled Save Our Strays to support Daisy, a stray, through her hours of need. SOS received a donation of £1,500 and the money helped them to take in Daisy and care for her nine new pups. It also allowed them to care for Charlie, a little deaf Jack Russell, who also now needs to be found a loving home. 'We would like to thank them for their help, without this cash injection we might not have been able to help these two dogs,' says Margaret.

Daisy’s SOS - Saved in time for birth of pups
Picture by kind permission of Evening Gazette

Daisy's Story

When little Daisy found her way into the care of Marske-based Save Our Strays (SOS) she was due to give birth any day.

The young Labrador cross had been discovered by a passer-by cowering under a bush in Redcar. She was handed into Waterfall Kennels in Guisborough where, fortunately, staff realised she was heavily pregnant.

'They rang to see if we could take her,' says Margaret Young of SOS. 'She was enormous. I could hardly lift her in to my car she was so big and she was already producing milk.'

Just days later the little dog, now named Daisy, gave birth to ten puppies. 'Sadly one died,' says Margaret, 'but she now has six black little boys and three brown girls.'

The arrival more than doubled the number of SOS dogs now looking for homes. The pups are still too young to identify what breed they are crossed with. Daisy was so young, it appears she was caught out in her first season. Once again this demonstrates how important it is to have your dog spayed.

4. Wellingborough Dog Welfare
'As a small Charity,' writes Michael Clipstone-Roome, Chairman of Wellingborough Dog Welfare, 'the amount of dogs we can help is entirely dependant upon the amount of funds we have available. Your generous donation will allow us to help even more animals in need, and we are very grateful.'

5. Hereford and Worcester Animal Rescue –
Carol Smith could not believe the windfall received by her charity. Being on the Welsh Borders, Carol is frequently called to help rescue dogs from the puppy farming areas of Wales. Knowing that she has to do everything possible for these dogs, larger premises are required to give homes to the ever-increasing unfortunate dogs, which are accommodated by her charity.

Carol says she had just been offered an old stone barn for renovation, which could be used as kennels. She just knew she had to go for it, but could not imagine where the money would come from. Part of her dream was realised when she received her most unexpected donation, 'I just wanted to hug you all,' she said on the morning that she opened her 'envelope full of sunshine!'

Den Keeler, a member of the DINAS Committee, nominated his local welfare, Wellingborough Dog Welfare.

Dogs in Need Agility Society is a registered society, and is run by unpaid volunteers, both by committee and show helpers. Everyone gives of their time freely, and there are no honorariums whatsoever.

DINAS would like to thank competitors, helpers and sponsors for the generous help and support to raise this cash.

And finally, we are delighted to welcome Genesis Pet Food as a major sponsor at the 2004 event. Sandy Wadham, UK importer of Genesis Pet Food is pleased to be associated with Dogs in Need Agility Society, and looks forward to expanding their business further in Agility. See schedule for Genesis Pet Food sponsored classes and prizes.

Schedules for this years show are now available either on-line from http://www.agilitynet.com
or DINAS Show Secretary: Anne Gill tel. 01252-661442 (8am – 11pm only)

Golden Valley Raises Money for Hereford RID

Golden Valley DTC held a Limited Agility show in March which was unfortunately abandoned halfway through because of the heavy rain. The Committee would like to thank everyone who took part for their support and to inform them that the sum of £438.83 was raised for their 2004 charity Hereford Riding for the Disabled. They would also like to thank everyone who helped on the day, especially the judges Helen and Rob Taylor.

Source: Marilyn Wiseham (06/05/04)

Tell us about your fund-raising and charity activities. Email:- Agilitynet.