Founder and Trustee:
Lisa Cartwright
As well as her own dogs Lisa usually has a foster hound or two... and also gives a home to those hounds that are a bit of a challenge! Lisa spends the vast majority of her time at the kennels, dealing with homing, sourcing opportunities, managing the day to day running of the organisation as well as a whole host of many other tasks.
Board of Trustees:
Rosemarie Edwards
Rosemarie lives in Hampshire with her lurchers. Rosemarie is one of our rehoming coordinators dealing with homing enquiries about our dogs and arranging home visits. Rosemarie is also the main contact for our foster homes.
Kay Cusworth
Kay is based in Yorkshire and has two Gap dogs, a huge Black Greyhound Boy and one naughty Saluki cross. Having held senior Finance roles, Kay is the Charity's treasurer.
Julia Burgess
Julia looks after our fundraising; she is a whizz at coming up with original, creative and fun ideas to raise much needed funds - a never ending task!
Kennel Team
We have small, incredible and dedicated team working alongside Lisa at our kennels. Between them they keep the dogs in tip top condition with all their needs, and beyond, met. They keep the kennels sparkling clean and well maintained taking great pride in all Gap stands for.
Volunteers
We have an absolutely amazing group of people who turn out in all weathers to help with the kennel cleaning, walking the dogs, attending meets and greets, fundraising events, transporting needy hounds, gardening, property maintenance, home checking, vet runs and offering themselves as fosterers... the list is endless! We would be completely stuck without them. If you think you would like to volunteer please see the Ways to Help section of the website.
Online Moderators
We have a group of willing volunteers who help moderate our active forum and Facebook groups. As it turns out, Gappers are such a friendly bunch there is little that needs moderation but the mods do a grand job in keeping things ticking over.
Collar and Craft Makers
We have small band of fantastic and talented people who make collars, leads, banadanas and other amazing hand crafted items for Greyhound Gap. This are a wonderful way of raising funds and all are handmade to the highest standards. The collars, in particular prove very popular. We hold regular online 'Wet Nose Week' auctions which usually include various collars, they are also sold on our stall at fundraising events and at our shows, and a selection is available in our online shop.
Our Patrons
Greyhound Gap is extremely grateful for the support of our Patrons, Rachel Shenton, Kate Hardie and Bill Oddie OBE.
Actress Rachel Shenton gives an insight to why she is passionate about her involvement with Greyhound Gap.
I have to say I am very lucky to have great friends but speaking frankly none of them show me quite as much loyalty & devotion as my 6 year old white alsation, Cassie. When I arrive home from work she greets like I've been gone for 10 years! I really believe that man’s best friend is his dog.
I learned about Greyhound Gap through a dear friend just over a year ago and was utterly outraged at some of the horror stories I was told. Animal cruelty is inhuman & unacceptable. That's why I am very proud to be supporting Greyhound Gap as they strive to give our loyal four legged friends the life they deserve.
Kate Hardie discovered Greyhound Gap when a friend convinced her to consider a rescue dog rather than buy a puppy and became the proud owner of Woody who she adopted Gap in 2010. Here is what Kate has to say about her involvement with Greyhound Gap.
I was not keen on the idea of a rescue dog and like so many a naive prospective dog owner was far more keen on the "look" of the dog. My friend was adamant with me I did not need to get a puppy, nor did the dog need to look a certain way, it was far more about temperament and getting the right dog to suit your family and homelife. The point was made. My search was switched to finding rescue centres for sight hounds. That is when I came across Greyhound Gap.
I was still pretty keen on a good looking dog, a certain size, etc. but luckily Greyhound Gap were far more keen on who we were and what we were like than finding us a good looking dog. We had a home check and spoke at length to Lisa about our lifestyle, our routines, our temperaments, what we could offer a dog and what we could not! The whole process did take a little while, which in hindsight is a good thing. I had been willing to rush into getting a dog with little thought or preparation. Whereas Greyhound Gap take time to ensure that the right dog is placed in the right home - a process that works so well for both dog and human kind!
After around three months a dog came into Greyhound Gap's care that Lisa felt would suit us. Having spent time getting to know me and my family and what we are all like, she could pretty much predict any problems we may have and how to solve them. It was nerve wracking collecting our dog and the first few months were a real learning curve but Lisa was there every step of the way patiently answering our questions and supporting us. She was kind, funny, reassuring and ultimately our family love Lisa nearly as much as we love our beautiful lurcher, Woody.
Woody is possibly the most beautiful dog to walk this planet. I confess he is not the cute, shaggy type I had originally wanted but he is the perfect fit for us. Woody (and Greyhound Gap) have taught us that it's what is on the inside that counts and Woody certainly is both beautiful outside and much more importantly inside. Lisa's help to settle him into our home has been invaluable and he is a joy to have around.
I am hugely proud to be a patron, I do not have to do much to earn the title, but Woody has changed our family's life. He is a fantastic dog. I am so glad I saw sense and trusted Lisa to find him for us, and us for him. We owe Lisa and the people at Gap so much, for bringing us such joy, and for being so extraordinarily sensible, kind, and honest - as does Woody. Not that he would know that, he is way too happy lying on the sofa and snoozing!
Bill Oddie OBE explains why he is proud to support Greyhound Gap.
Man's best friend. Woman's best friend. Kids' best friend. The whole family's best friend. Working dogs, guard dogs, guide dogs.Big dogs, little dogs, smooth and hairy. Quite simply there is no animal in the world that gives us so much pleasure, service,comfort, delight ,loyalty and friendship. It may seem an odd way to put it, but dogs are wonderful people! Just as it would be outrageous to hurt or mistreat a human being who means you nothing but good, so too should it be unthinkable to harm a dog. Any dog. The fact that human beings can be so callous and so cruel is indeed a crime , not only against animals but also against humanity.
I am delighted to support Greyhound Gap because it represents humanity at it's very best, as well as giving dogs the life and love they deserve.
