We seem as usual to be hurtling through the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness towards Christmas, the earliest evidence of which I saw in August this year when a local charity put out its Christmas Draw tickets!! Should we ever stoop so low, please remind me to stop and think!
The rhythm of life with the dogs is such that days and weeks merge punctuated by fundraising and fundraising and fundraising and we have many people to thank as incidental donations have dropped off and we really do need your help! So a huge thank you to everyone who has stood in the rain and the wind or the blazing sun for that matter, to help the Fen Bank dogs. The trouble with growing larger and homing more and desperate dogs is that it costs more…. More petrol, more vet bills, more staff working longer hours, more need to convince people of the validity of what we do so that our 40 or so dogs can be fed adequately and suitably cared for!
Our first Dog Show was a huge success and next year we will get more photos of the day organised! We learned a lot about organising a large event and hopefully made few mistakes although we hope to get registration more slick next time, we simply didn’t expect the two hundred people who queued so patiently! a huge thank you is due to Cheryl Margaret and Stella for their efforts. Our judges were superb as were their stewards and Graham Crick worked extremely hard to publicise the event and get ring sponsorship for us as well as bringing Diana, Rita and Jon to help on the day. He also organised a raffle and Tombola. Shaun did some very bright posters which were plastered wherever we could get them up, Ann Oettterli made the eye catching costumes for the Greyhound Wedding party and some stunning leather collars ( see our website) Mary Smithson baked cakes endlessly and Shaun did savouries and his famous fruit cakes. Mandy very kindly came up with more supplies and despite being so busy with her own dogs stayed for the day and was a huge help. Beryl and Barbara collected and sold mountains of bricabrac Peter and Isobel manned dog beds and dog food very successfully and Denise and Joyce were everywhere helping out as well as dashing down the road to my dogs! The Boston ladies Jill Wendy and Sylvie did sterling work in the Buffet, Lynn Firth ran the Table top Sale for us and Lily brought her own stall as did Sue from the Phoenix centre. Despite poor health, Shaun set the field out with Richard who worked like the proverbial Trojan, helped by the “Leather twins” John Alberti and Lynne, and then organised the parking until Bill turned up, and then manned Richard’s barbecue . At 8.00 p.m. Richard, Shaun and I were still clearing up, and next year we do need more helpers but The reward for the dogs was nearly £3,000.00 which will take us through November and hopefully Christmas donations will start to trickle in soon- however a flood would be nice!
I managed to miss seeing most of the Show but Ann and Bill took some pictures and I was delighted with the Fen Bank entry- over 40 dogs in the ring, all looking wonderful. The finalists were Honey, Lucy, Annie, Angel, and Jack but as far as I’m concerned all 40 deserved to win!
So what else has happened? Just for once our Summer Shows were largely un - rained upon although I will never forget the Friday of Skegness Carnival week when I stood for 4 hours in torrential rain at a stall I couldn’t get a top on because none of the people who were supposed to help turned up, reasoning that if it was so wet I wouldn’t either! I don’t know whether it was because people felt sorry for me or whether the sight of all that alcohol being washed was too much for red blooded males on a soggy holiday, but we took £110.00 in four hours! At which point I decided enough was enough and went home……fortunately I didn’t take a dog with me, although Holly and her family came to drip with me and gave us a generous donation which cheered me up enormously! Thank You!
On the homing front we have been very very busy! On the website are 17 dogs and there are a similar number ensconced in their new homes ! It is important for us to remember that our proud boast never to lose touch with a Fen Bank dog must continue to be an accurate and truthful statement and it is hard work keeping on top it all- but essential and we have good reason to be grateful for the quality of the homes offered to our dogs, so thank you all.
Apologies are due to the Surrey contingent of Fen Bank supporters and especially to Judy at Celia Cross’ Kennels. Having said how much I was looking forward to seeing you all the van broke down en route and I never got past the M11! Fortunately no dogs on board, but a really frustrating day! I shouldn’t blame Judy if she never asks me again- come to think of it I think I asked her, oh dear!
Not wishing to trust the beast again, my journey to Scotland ( Banff) to home yet two more of our long stay dogs to our good friend Anne Phillips was accomplished in the new (second hand car) I bought three weeks earlier vowing that no dogs would be transported in it!! They said it was small but adequate and they liked the air conditioning! I preferred the lower fuel consumption but worried about the speed cameras which are even more everywhere than in Lincolnshire! Escaped unscathed I think…….meanwhile whilst I spent 4 glorious days in the Highlands, Stella manfully coped with my crowd including three puppies and looked extremely relieved when I got back! In my absence the splendid industrial washer donated by RAIN Charity in Oxford arrived, and eventually there will be a tumble dryer of similar size
to go with it! We are extremely grateful to Kit Berry, Margaret Cullip and Syd Burnett for their support. They also sponsor one of our long stay dogs as well.
Special for Christmas our unique Seasonal book of old recipes for spiced wines, presented as a Christmas pack it has “Merry Christmas” inside and a series of recipes well worth trying- including a non alcoholic one for those who must drive! And some wonderful Shropshire Spice Company Spices to go with them! Will make a lovely token present or stocking filler!
Also our unique and very hardwearing and beautiful collars in soft leather, and velvet, each collar is handmade to the exact neck size of your dog with a
Strong metal link chain suitable for attaching to a lead.
See the Merchandise list for details.
OUR GREAT GREYHOUND CHRISTMAS PARTY ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 3rd. will we hope be well supported by all greyhounds in the area and some not so near. Santa Paws is waiting to greet you and there are games and activities, gifts and prizes- see the website ( Greyhound Events) for details of what we hope will be a magical and fun experience for all!
During October and November we hope to be at a number of fundraising days in the local markets including Horncastle on the 22 and 29th October
Spilsby and Skegness during November and December and possibly some meet and greets in between- we need your dosh! dates will be announced on this site………..
OUR CHARITY SHOP
Wendy Joiner continues to do absolutely splendid work for the dogs with her team of helpers and although takings are a little down this year we expect that the Tourists will be back in force next year once the Manor House is refurbished and that we will be able to have some fundraising events based around the shop. I cannot imagine how we ever coped without it. It has enabled us to take in more dogs, pays the salary of one of the staff and has become real point of focus for the Charity –and it would never have happened if Wendy hadn’t seen the announcement of our wedding in the local paper and wrote to me saying she wanted to help. Then she nagged and nagged until we gave in and the rest is history. She has saved a lot of lives and we have many reasons to be grateful to her!
OUR STAFF
Some of you will know Kelly and Leanne who have been with us since last year and will be sorry to hear that Leanne has decided to move on. Her first love is wild animals and although she has loved working with the greyhounds and they have adored her, it is time for a change. We are extremely sorry to see her go, but Richard Furness our new Kennel Manager and Kelly feel that they can cope between themselves for the winter period, with a little help from Deidre, Maddy and Stella and myself and and we will be seeking a full time appointment in the Spring. Elsewhere in the Magazine we have asked Richard to write a piece about Fen Bank as he sees it- now he has tidied it up a bit!
SPECIAL DOGS
Mandy of Northants Greyhound Rescue kindly took on little Tim, one of a pair of poorly puppies we took from Irish Paws a month or so ago, and he will hopefully soon find a home with her. We have kept Muffin a blue and white pup with a horrendously damaged back paw. The condition was congenital but it is going to be extremely difficult to treat and the little lad can’t manage on hard surfaces - he uses it to full advantage to stop himself going outside at all and frequently has to be carried- but he is the runt of the litter and I can still do it- just! However some serious training is required- not for nothing did we christen him “ Muffin!” and our vet tells us he will need operations on his foot- but he needs to do a bit of growing first. We will keep you posted!
Meanwhile A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS from all of us- and if you can spare some pennies for the dogs we would be so very grateful!
Sandra,Shaun and TEAM FEN BANK!! ( four legged and two!)
Website design and maintenance donated by ScreenIT Ltd. If you would like a website built by us email us from our site and state that you saw us from Fenbank greyhound site and we will donate 10% to the Sanctuary