HOW IT ALL BEGAN 

From 1997 until 1999 a dozen friends were working as volunteers for another west country German Shepherd Dog rescue centre.

However, as so often happens, ideas, aims and expectations of charitable work differ greatly and not everyone wanted to continue following the direction of the organiser – in short, a number believed they could do very much better on their own.

In October 1999 the group held their first meeting in Holsworthy and decided to apply to the Charity Commission for registered charity status. Realising it could take several months, and with all the enthusiasm connected with the new Millennium – the name G.S.D. 2000 was selected, sincerely hoping the application would be approved at some time during the coming year!

Trevor Hadlow, the original Chairman, spent weeks completing the registration application forms, seeking advice, drafting the Charity’s governing document and going to and fro dealing with the many queries, but his drive and determination won the day. Everyone was surprised and delighted to receive confirmation of acceptance from the Charity Commission on 15th January 2000: The dream, ‘G.S.D. 2000 German Shepherd Rescue & Re-home’ had become a reality.

The early days

For the first few weeks there was no money available other than digging deep into the pockets of Mary and Trevor Hadlow, Kathy and Adrian Moyse, Annie and Jim Masling and Viva and John Ewington. Between them they somehow managed to keep the Charity solvent whilst funding either one or two dogs in boarding kennels and sorting out their never-ending veterinary problems.

Kathy Moyse was chief fundraiser and very soon she and Adrian decided to hold a garage sale every Sunday at their home near Holsworthy. Her enthusiasm was so very infectious that Annie and Jim Masling and some friends were soon renting a village hall near Cheltenham and holding monthly table top sales. For six months it was a case of begging for items to sell, collecting, sorting, washing, ironing and pricing, as well as home checking and driving dogs up and down the motorway between Gloucestershire and Cornwall for kennelling - a summer of real success and so much fun!

Kathy decided the only real way forward was for G.S.D. 2000 to have its own Charity Shop and began searching for suitable premises. No-one had any experience whatsoever of running a business and Adrian, the Charity Treasurer, was more than a little concerned about the prospect of signing a lease and paying thousands of pounds – that we did not have – over the next five years. But, there was no stopping Kathy once her mind was set ..... she quickly convinced Annie ..... and Adrian and Jim were persuaded to sign the lease.

Kathy managed to recruit 18 part-time volunteers to run the shop and in the first week banked £747, but quite soon weekly takings in excess of £1,000 were the norm and it wasn’t long before she decided to quit her job so that she could spend more time doing what she liked best – working in the shop and promoting the Charity.

Going forward

Julie and Steve Hamblyn joined G.S.D. 2000 soon after the Charity was formed and have been very closely involved ever since. In January 2005, Steve became Chairman of the Charity and Julie a Trustee.