My association with Wimbledon Greyhound Welfare goes back a long way to the late nineties.

That was when I first encountered the greyhound racing world, got my first dog from the retired Greyhound Trust and met WGW founder, Pat Bannister.

Pat was a wonderful woman. From a wheelchair she fought for the dogs’ welfare and ran the kennels with help from a few equally determined women.

She used to tell me during my battles with the industry, about the difficulties of staffing, of trying to raise the money for the rent, the food, the vet bills, the heating and the endless battle to make the ancient kennels comfortable. And everything played out against a never-ending queue of dogs, needing a kennel and that chance of a future.

There is only one other kind of constant and that is you. The people who give so much, in so many ways, to these dogs. And don’t forget that your greyhound is also the best advertisement for another one finding a home. So, thank you, all of you for that.