To the backroom boys and girls.
We are under no illusions that our faults are numerous. In a perfect world we would be on our knees thanking you on a daily basis. It isn’t and we don’t but occasionally we try to make amends.
Tia would not exist without you. It takes three quarters of a million every year to run this joint and we would fold tomorrow without your support. The donations are crucial believe me but also the sheer damn hard work and loyalty of special people. Some we have never even met and may never meet but still keep us going by doing what they can.
The two greyhounds that arrived this week from another rescue did not simply appear in the block. They had already been in a rescue for over three years and have sponsor dogs written all over them. They had lost their kennels, and we were able to help. The dogs had to be collected, documentation sorted, and brought up by a volunteer who stayed overnight and headed back the following day. Door to door, that is 300 miles. This happens about once a month. Either a dog is coming up (Bella) or a dog is going back down (Dora). Sometimes it takes a convoy of supporters, meeting in service stations and trying to spot each other. A quick coffee and a dog swap and then back home.
While we have been grappling with the daily crisis, a bunch of folks in Yorkshire decided that Tia had enough on our plate and got stuck into raising some cash. We are in awe frankly. £7000 has been raised simply by going back to old school measures like tin rattling and fundraising. We also have our Tia Fundraising shop, on Facebook and online raffles, all new and I thank each and every one of you. Keep going please, we need every penny.
Tia has been in Nairn for over eighteen months, and we are delighted and somewhat relieved to see our support growing locally. We were gibbering wrecks at our first, onsite, dog show, fearing that no one would show up. It was a sell-out. The bones of our future foundation are fleshing out and we are so grateful for the local support. We must know every butcher, carpet fitter, supermarket, you name it for 30 miles. A soldier from Kinloss climbed the tallest mountain in Africa, raising £1500 in the process. He barely raised a sweat. Thanks, big lad.
We frequently hear a car pulling away from the yard and discover food for the dogs, vet products, biscuits for the staff, a tin of coffee. Things no longer needed by the donors, but we can still put to use. By and large we are unable to track you down. I thank you anyway, especially for the cakes.
Some of our fellow charities didn’t make it this year. They are in our thoughts, decent people just trying to make a difference. Loss of kennels or crippling costs forced them out. Had it not been for you, we would have gone the same way and we might yet.
So, in no particular order, if you have liked, shared, rattled a tin, headed North and then South, bought a brick, made a coffee or cake, dropped off at Pickering, wrestled for a donation point in Sainsburys, fostered, adopted (especially our old friends who wouldn’t go anywhere else) transported, bought a dog time, sent a concerned text, knitted, sold stuff on
Ebay, arranged a legacy or a lottery or simply put up with me, you name it you did it and I am forever in your debt.
Thank you from all who breathe more easily because you did something.
Deb and all @ Tia
