Southern Lurcher Lifeline Update - 2023
Due to the extreme lateness of our Charity Commission accounts (caused by multiple factors, which we hope will be rectified soon), some of our long-term supporters have requested we publish an update on Southern Lurcher Lifeline’s financial position - which we are more than happy to do.
Unlike our late founder Jenny, who had good health, boundless energy and enough financial support to enable her to quit her job and run Southern Lurcher as a full time concern, all the members of the current committee are bound by numerous restraints. (Full/part time work, severe/worsening health conditions, supporting poorly/elderly family members, caring for injured/terminally ill dogs, house moves/renovations etc.) As such, the running of Southern Lurcher Lifeline has of necessity taken a back seat.
However, despite our restraints (and acknowledging that Jenny would undoubtedly be cross that we have allowed our Charity Commission reports to fall so behind), we are completely confident that she would be more than happy with the way all the Southern Lurcher Trustees and Committee Members – both past and present – have upheld her standards and goals to provide support to sighthounds in need.
Since 2018, when Southern Lurcher Rescue (SLR) became Southern Lurcher Lifeline (SLL), we have :-
- Provided emergency foster cover and then found new homes for 5 former SLR dogs – thereby upholding the charity’s original pledge of lifetime ‘rescue back-up’ (RBU) for all former adoptees.
- Spent £11,313.99 supporting our 8 ‘Lifeline Sponsors’, with more being paid out almost every month.
- Issued 11 grants, to the value of £10,989.07, to former SLR dogs whose medical needs had exceeded or were not covered by their insurance.
- Approved 28 grant applications, to the value of £33,173.76, for non-SLR dogs with insufficient insurance to cover their complicated and/or life-limiting medical conditions.
- Made £10,400.00 of donations to assist 7 exceptional rescues (including Greys 11+, Greyhound Gap, & Celia Cross Greyhound Trust) with their sighthound vet bills. (With more currently in the pipeline.)
This leaves a balance of £81,534.39 in our accounts. (As of 16th May 2023.)
Going forward, our mission is to continue issuing grants and making donations to other rescues. Our paramount commitment, however, must be to ensure we have sufficient funds to provide lifetime RBU (including helping with medical costs when needed) to every former SLR dog until the end of their lifetime and to continue supporting our Sponsored dogs. We therefore need to establish up to date details of how many adopted SLR dogs are still living their best lives and roughly what ages they are, so that we can ‘ring-fence’ an appropriate sum to guarantee their welfare if needed.
Once that is accomplished (and we are up-to-date with the Charity Commission), we will review what level and type of active fundraising we need to aim for and – importantly – are able to commit to; something that may well depend on how many of our supporters still have the time and inclination to join us. We will, of course, continue to consider grant applications whilst this process continues.
We hope this report clears up any queries people may have and puts an end, once and for all, to the insidious gossip dating back to 2017. We are hugely grateful for the loyalty of our genuine supporters. Particularly those who have shown they understand that Jenny and all her (past and present) chosen committee members had/have limits. All we can do is our best, ensuring that the dogs always come first.