April Update on Racing and Charity Nomination

RACING 2017 & CHARITY NOMINATION Firstly, on behalf of the Committee I would like to thank everyone who donated pigeons to the British Barcelona Club’s Annual Young Bird Sale held on Sunday 9 th April. A total of £2,450 was raised on the day plus £170 from the raffle. All paperwork for those memb RACING 2017 & CHARITY NOMINATION Firstly, on behalf of the Committee I would like to thank everyone who donated pigeons to the British Barcelona Club’s Annual Young Bird Sale held on Sunday 9 th April. A total of £2,450 was raised on the day plus £170 from the raffle. All paperwork for those members who have paid, have now been sent out. There are still just under 100 members still to pay, if you have paid but have not as yet received anything please let me know. Subscriptions are £20. Gold Ring Nominations are still available at £5 per ring. Distances for the new Spanish race point of Zaragoza on Friday 23 rd June are now available. The race code is 5123. Our charity nomination for 2017 is Canine Partners. This is a registered charity that transforms the lives of people with physical disabilities by partnering them with assistance dogs. These amazing dogs bring a greater independence and quality of life to their partners, offering security, companionship, and practical help with everyday household tasks. These life-changing dogs also provide psychological and social benefits including increased independence, confidence, social interaction and self-esteem. Canine Partners receive no government funding, relying solely on donations from the public and legacies to help them. The assistance dogs are trained to meet the needs of individuals with even the most complex physical disabilities. Each partnership cost the charity £20,000 during its lifetime. This includes £5,000 for the first year of the puppy’s life – including its purchase, training, equipment, toys, vet bills, insurance and transport. Another £5,000 is spent on the dog’s advanced training – this is the stage where they begin to hone in on the skills it has learnt with its puppy parents so that it can begin to press buttons, open doors, retrieve dropped items, fetch help, dress and undress a person and even help use a washing machine or a cash point. The dog is then specially matched to a person on the waiting list depending on its skills and the person’s needs and the dog’s training is tailored for that person – this stage costs £4,000. The final £6,000 provides ongoing aftercare and support for the partnership including regular home visits from an experienced member of the team, telephone support and advice. They currently help adults aged 18 and over (both civilians and former service personnel) who have a physical disability or condition that affects their daily life and limits their independence. They are working in partnership with Help for Heroes, The Royal British Legion and other services organisations to provide assistance dogs for veterans and those wounded in service. For all race markings this season, please be aware of all marking times. These must be adhered to, as late arrivals can cause the transporters being late on other pick ups. On a normal Saturday liberation, all clock envelopes after the race must be received by me no later than the Wednesday after the race. Best of luck to everyone for the 2017 season. Clare Norman. Telephone: 02380 573919 Email; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 133 Laundry Road, Shirley Warren, Southampton, SO16 6AR.