From the
Chair
Well! what a year it has been! Voted in as Chair of the Friends at the AGM in June 2006 and here we are now approaching the AGM in 2007 – where has the time gone?
When I retired from my position as Departmental Administrator for the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Bath, I had planned to start a new career as a veterinary nurse. I am still planning to do that, but for the moment that career change has been put on hold whilst I carry out my duties as Chair, work part-time as Company Secretary for my husband, and cope with a new child – my beloved collie-cross puppy Barney, adopted from the Home on 8th December 2006.
My first year as Chair has been an eventful one. The Friends have increased the number of fund raising events and made some changes to their organization. For the first time the Christmas Fayre was held at the home and proved very popular, so much so, that we will continue to hold it at the Home in the future. The Home’s Christmas Carol service was enhanced by a candlelight evening, at which members of the public were able to purchase a candle to be lit in memory of a beloved friend or pet; again this proved so popular that it will remain on our annual calendar of events. We were all amazed by the run away success of our first ever Fashion Sale featuring new or nearly new designer clothes and accessories which raised £930. For the first time the Friends held a Spring Fayre and Plant Sale at the Home, which exceeded all our expectations and will be a permanent fixture for our events schedule.
The Friends provide a refreshment table at all our events and every 1st Sunday in the month between major events, sometimes along side various table top sales, and it is clear that this is extremely popular and very well supported by our visitors. We intend to expand this facility to become a fortnightly event, providing we can get enough volunteers to help ensure its success. You can be of enormous help to us by volunteering a couple of hours of your time to serve the refreshments or, better yet, you cooks out their could donate a cake or two for each sale.
Our next major fund raising activity will be a Race Night held at the University of Bath Staff Association (UBSA) Club, bar open at 1900 and the first race due to start at 2000; there will be eight races with a break in the middle for a raffle. The UBSA Club is a lovely venue on the University campus near the lake, with free parking. The Friends urge you to join us for, what promises to be, an evening of fun, which we hope will raise much needed money for the Home. Even if you don’t normally gamble, come along have a flutter for a good cause!
Tragically, after a short illness, we lost one of our number in May this year. Rae Carpenter was a fundraiser for the Home, a fosterer of dogs and cats and a stalwart of the Friends Trustees for many years. She was held in great respect and was much loved by all those who had dealings with her; we will all miss her.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my most heartfelt thanks to a terrific Committee and wonderful army of volunteers, without which I, and most certainly, The Friends, could not function. They are a small band of dedicated people who turn up again and again, no matter what the weather to give of their time willingly and always with a smile on their faces.
I wish to make a personal appeal to all those out there, who want to support the Home in the vital work it does in providing care and shelter to unwanted or abandoned animals in our area, to please think seriously about becoming a Friend; it really costs so little money and will make all the difference in the world to the animals in the Home’s care, and/or, if you can spare a few hours now and then at weekends, become a volunteer and donate your time, knowledge and experience to help us in our work. WE NEED YOU!!
20 June 2007