The Retired Greyhound Trust
Medway Greyhound Support Group

For all new, old and potential greyhound owners there is a support group who meet on the first Sunday of every month at 10.30am outside the Visitors Centre at the Riverside Country Park, Lower Rainham Road, Rainham, Kent.

It is organised by John Homer who can be contacted on 01634 403914 or 07930 636186 or by email on rgtmedwaysupport@aol.com.

The groups aim is to support the owners in socialising their greyhounds to other breeds, raising funds through sponsorship and generally having a good time. Please ring if you need support advice or help, we will do our best to advise.

RGT MEDWAY - MONTHLY WALKS - THE FUTURE

As from October 2012 the Walk will be organised by Jerry Taylor and Jan Bruniges who can be contacted on 0779 221189.

They will develop the walks in line with current aims of RGT Medway(Croftview)..

I will still be running RGT Medway and continuing to provide support to owners both new and old.

My intention is still to be at the walks but having more time to talk to new owners and provide advice and guidance.

John Homer

NEWS - July 2012

The last monthly walk conducted by myself will take place in September 2012. For various reasons I am unable to organise future events.

It does not mean that the walk should stop but I cannot continue to run it and I will assist anyone who wishes to take it on.

It has played an important role in raising funds and raising public awareness in the re homing plight and the continuing needs of the Greyhound.

So far we have raised £21,982.45. for Greyhound Charities.

I will continue to front RGT Medway and will continue to lend support to new owners and re homing groups and the kennels.

Thank you for your support

John V Homer

RGT MEDWAY – CHANGES

There has been a change to the Medway Support Group. These changes have already been put in place and we are now RGT Croftview, Greyhound Support Group. For administration purposes we will still be known as RGT Medway.

The changes have come about due to questions about the future of the group and also Public Liability Insurance. We are now under the full protection of the Retired Greyhound Trust. In return we continue our support of the re homing kennel at Croftview.

Nothing else changes, our aims are still to assist any Greyhound or owner in need and to support all Greyhounds from wherever they are re homed from. We will continue to support other support groups by working together to promote the need for homes for retired or rescued ‘Long Dog types’.

The monthly walks at Riverside Country Park will continue but with a more relaxed approach. Basic rules will apply but our aim is to teach owners good husbandry in caring for and control of their dogs.

Our aim is to work with new owners to build up their confidence to enable their Greyhounds to socialise with other breeds of dog. To enable them to enjoy a normal life, as with any other dog. We will encourage controlled off lead exercise wherever possible. Greyhounds suffer from more ‘garden injuries’ than any other cause of injury. Greyhounds are born to run, it keeps them fit and healthy and may give them a longer life expectancy but they do need the space to run.

A VERY BIG THANK YOU

To all those people who have made donations and supported all our fund raising events and to those who organised them, thanks to Ann and her team for the BBQ and Christmas dinner. A big, big thank you to the team that work at the kennels Gordon, Phillip,Russell,Fred,Graham, Rod, Mark, Jame and not forgetting Terry. There still remains a lot to do, so the work goes on.

Pictures of some of the work are on the web site. I look forward to seeing you all at the walks, first Sunday of every month starting at 10.30.

John V Homer

07930 636186

The outside paddock and kennels. How it used to be.

New kennel fronts and covered walk way.

Fred the engineer at work!

Work progressing on the paddock.

Completed paddock.

News Letter November 2011

RGT CROFTVIEW The work at the kennels has almost been completed. The outside boarding kennel have been updated and the outside walk way now has a roof

We are still looking at improving the reception area and staff facilities. There are still condensation problems that need addressing before the winter. The down side of improving the insulation for the dogs was that during the very cold winter the dog’s body heat created a lot of humidity and it is a case of trying to balance warmth with ventilation. The work goes on! MANY THANKS, TO THE TEAM, led by Terry Mahoney. I know that Cheryl Miller and her staff are extremely grateful for all the work that is being done and for the support and fund raising that the group are doing.

On Sunday 18th December there will be an open day and Christmas party at Croftview. This is to enable all those who have helped with the fund raising, to see all the work carried out so far. Start time will be 10.30am until 2pm.

BBQ and food provided by Croftview

Walk Rules I realise that I have changed the rule to make the walk an on lead walk, I am rescinding that rule except for where it might be deemed necessary to put a dog on lead by a Walk Leader or Marshal. The handler must have control of the dog at all times that especially includes those on lead. Just because a dog is on a lead does not mean it is under control! From experience the only trouble we have had has been from dogs on leads.

RGT Croftview resident behaviourist, Eva Aldea will be attending the walks, if you have any queries about your dog’s behaviour, then please ask.

The Christmas Lunch has been organised for the 29th December at the same venue as last year, (please see notice board or web site for details.)

Finally we will not be taking part in the Great Britain Greyhound Walk 2012. We will however have a sponsored walk to coincide with a monthly walk, probably June, look out for the notices.

I am considering standing down from running the monthly walks, if there are any thoughts or volunteers who might wish to take it on, then please talk to me.

THANK YOU ALL

JOHN HOMER

R.I.P MISSY and ALL THOSE WONDERFUL FRIENDS WE HAVE LOST OVER THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS

Missy typifies all of our Greyhound friends that enter our lives, they bring so much joy to our lives and like no other breed they managed to get closer to our hearts more than any other breed I know. They have a knack of making us smile at least once a day. They are such wimps when it comes to minor things yet when it is something major they are so accepting, trusting and stoic. When the end comes it is painful to us, there is a hole in our hearts and there is something missing in our lives.

I can think of oh so many dogs that are no longer with us and to all those owners who have lost a part of their family be proud that you did your best for your friend and when the time is right let another Greyhound into your lives and heart.

News Letter July 2011

GREAT BRITAIN GREYHOUND WALK. Seventy four greyhounds and lurches took part in the walk contributing to the national number of dogs walked of 1504 with some reports still to come in. I need feedback from the group about future participation in the GBGW.

On the day I presented a cheque to RGT Croftview, for £2,058.35pence, representing the monthly walks and monies raised over the past 12 months. On the walk day we received a further £500 plus a further amount still to come in from sponsorship.

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO TOOK PART.

Where does your money go? Over the past 12 months we have had a team of volunteers who have spent most weeks bringing the kennel up to a standard fit for purpose. Over the winter all the kennels were insulated and much of the timber work repaired or replaced. All the electrical systems were checked and in many instances replaced and new fittings installed. The paddocks have had new metal posts installed replacing rotting timber. Work is about to start on building a covered walkway to the covered paddocks. This should make life a little bit more comfortable during the wet and winter months.

We are looking at improving the reception area and staff facilities. There are also condensation problems that need addressing before the winter. The down side of improving the insulation for the dogs was that during the very cold winter the dogs body heat created a lot of humidity and it is a case of trying to balance warmth with ventilation. The work goes on! MANY THANKS TO THE TEAM, led by Terry Mahoney. I know that Cheryl Miller and her staff are extremely grateful for all the work that is being done and for the support and fund raising that the group are doing.

I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO THE MANAGEMENT AND STAFF AT RIVERSIDE COUNTRY PARK FOR ALLOWING US TO MEET THERE.

THEY ARE AT TIMES PUT UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE BY SOME OF OUR MEMBERS.

IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT WITHOUT THEIR COOPERATION AND GOODWILL WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE DO AND THAT IS TO SUPPORT THE WELFARE OF ALL GREYHOUNDS AND LURCHERS.

THANK YOU ALL

JOHN HOMER