Charity Donations

A HUGE THANKYOU TO OUR SPONSORS, TRADE STANDS & SUPPORTERS who support over the past 33 years has enabled us to donate in excess of £250 000 from your entry fees to worthy canine & human Charity's.

2025 Donations

As you know Dogs In Need Agility Society is a Charity Show, by that, we mean that any monies we have available from previous shows we generously gift to nominated human and canine charities. We do not donate to Breed Rescue, that has been our rule from day 1. Monies available are what the committee decide can be used but still safeguarding a balance of finance that may be used in emergency situations, e.g. cancellation of event (yes, we do have insurance), for any areas that our insurance doesn’t cover. Equipment that the show needs, deposits for showground and other contracts for several years into the future. Hence a financial decision is made by your committee for the level of support we can donate in any given year.

The following charities have received their ‘unexpected’ donations, suffice to say they have all been overwhelmed by your generosity! Whilst there are still more donations to be made this year, this will give you a flavour of how entering DINAS, and your generous participation throughout the show can achieve the welcome financial support it gives.

The committee of DINAS thank you for your generosity in the past and look forward to welcoming you all at Trinity Park, Ipswich, August 17th – 23 rd 2026, when once again we can raise much needed money for your nominated charities.

DONATIONS MADE IN 2026 SO FAR……….

£1200 - East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices

“We’re here to support families – EACH and every step of the way”
Ensuring the best possible quality of life, and making every moment count for children and families.

Nominated by Sandra Holmes/Lisa Smith

£700 - Dogs For Autism

The first charity exclusively providing autism assistance dogs, at no cost, to autistics, people of any age, anywhere in the UK.

3rd March 2026

Dear Rosie and all at Dogs in Need Agility Society,

Thank you so much for your generous donation of £700 which we have safely received. We are incredibly grateful for your support. It was lovely to speak with you last week to find out about your group – we’re always delighted to hear from new supporters of our work.

Your kindness enables our charity to continue providing life‑changing assistance to individuals and families living with a wide range of complex conditions. Thanks to you, we can keep training and providing our specialist assistance dogs — bringing safety, hope, and greater independence to those who need it most.

For the past 33 years, we have been dedicated to transforming lives by training assistance dogs for children, adults, and families living with often multiple medical and neurological challenges. We are currently experiencing extraordinary demand for our services, and your support allows us to grow and reach even more people through our amazing dogs.

The impact of our work on the physical and mental wellbeing of our clients and their families is truly remarkable. Each dog represents independence, confidence, and companionship — and your generosity plays a vital role in making these life‑changing partnerships possible.

Thank you from everyone at Support Dogs.

With very best wishes,
Katie Williamson
Community Fundraising Assistant

Nominated by Christine Cable/Lisa Smith

£750 - Gables Farm Cat & Dogs Home

Gables Dogs & Cats Home is a non-euthanasia rescue and rehoming centre that has been helping the region’s unwanted and abandoned dogs and cats since 1907.

Dear Rosemary,
Thank you for your letter dated March 2026 and very kind offer to support our charity with a very generous donation of £750.00.
Once received we can use the money to purchase some enrichment toys/feeders for our dogs as we like to give them their food in something a bit more stimulating than a bowl – I hope you agree this will be a great use of your society’s donation.
If there is anything else you need from me then please feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your support.
Kind Regards,
Claire Sparkes - General Manager

Nominated by Clare Murray

£1000 - GIST Cancer UK

A GIST is a rare form of sarcoma found in the wall of the digestive system. It is most often found in the stomach, but it can also grow in other parts. GIST affects 1 In 3.5 million people!

GIST Cancer UK is a patient-led charity dedicated to supporting individuals affected by Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours (GIST), a rare form of soft tissue sarcoma. Established in 2009, the charity provides comprehensive patient support services, funds ground breaking research, and advocates for improved treatments and care for GIST patients across the United Kingdom.
Charitable Objectives:
The charity operates under three primary objectives:
A) Physical and Mental Health Promotion
To promote and protect the physical and mental health of patients with Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumours in the United Kingdom through provision of information, support, education and practical advice to them and their carer’s.
B) Research and Treatment Development
The relief of sickness and preservation of health by promoting and supporting research with publication of useful results and development of more effective treatment and care for patients with GIST.
C) Education and Awareness
To advance education of the general public and health professionals in all areas relating to GIST.

Nominated by Rosie Sleaford

£500 - NARS - Norfolk Accident Rescue Service

Norfolk Accident Rescue Service (NARS) is a charity providing life-saving volunteer clinicians for emergencies such as cardiac arrest, serious falls, road traffic collisions and seizures.

Established in 1970, NARS has a team of around 50 volunteer doctors, nurses, critical care paramedics, paramedics and first responders attending over 2000 emergency calls every year in Norfolk.

We receive no Government funding and so rely on the generosity of public donations and fundraising across Norfolk.

8th April 2026

Dear Rosemary Sleaford,

On behalf of NARS, may I pass on our thanks to you for very kindly donating £500.00 to our charity. We really appreciate your very kind and generous donation and are very grateful to you all.

Donations such as yours help to make a real difference, particularly as NARS, which has been established for 55 years, receives no government or NHS funding. NARS supports the East of England Ambulance Service 24 hours a day and our volunteers are made up of First Responders, Paramedics, Nurses, Doctors and Advanced Clinical Practitioners. NARS attended 2000 emergency calls last year.

Thank you again for the very kind and generous donation; we really do appreciate it. Without your support, our charity would not be able to provide this life‑saving service.

With best wishes,

Chris Neil
Chairman
Norfolk Accident Rescue Service

Nominated by Sarah Boxall

£500 - Re-Home Animal Rescue

We are a small foster based rescue in Kent, we are totally reliant on fundraising or donations, all our helpers work voluntarily do that all money raised goes on the rescues.
We also help people with food donations if they are struggling so they can keep their pets as opposed to sending them for rehoming plus if we can’t help a particular dog due to no suitable fosterer, we will do our utmost to find that dog a placement elsewhere.

Nominated by Louise Norris/Sarah Boxall

£500 - Suffolk Animal Rescue

Suffolk Animal Rescue, rehomes dogs, cats and small pets across Suffolk. Adopt, foster, donate or volunteer and help animals in need.

Hi Rosie
£500 very gratefully received, thank you so much for thinking of Suffolk Animal Rescue.
Our vet bills are currently around £10,000 per month so this will certainly be put toward this cost.
Regards Jayne

Nominated by Sarah Boxall

£750 - Waggy Tails

Good Morning Rosemary,

Thank you for your letter of 25th February, with the news of such a generous donation from your group.
We are most grateful to you for this gift; many thanks to your committee and Clare Murray for nominating us.
Like most rescues we are very full and struggling to help with all the requests we receive. It is evident too over the last few months that donations of money and food have gone down too. A sign possibly of the sad situation that some people find themselves in.
The trustees will discuss how to spend your kind gift at their next meeting and I will get back to you then.

Many thanks again
Shelagh Meredith,
Chairman
Waggy Tails Rescue,

Nominated by Clare Murray

2024 Donations

Each year the committee have the difficult but wonderful task of choosing a charity or charities of their choice to donate our surplus cash to extremely deserving causes. After the 2024 show, each committee member was given £1000 to donate. This is how we spent our/your cash from DINAS 2024. Below are some of last years donations.

£250 - Coventry, Warwickshire & Worcestershire Mind

Bev has supported DIN for over 20 years,making your breakfast rolls every morning. She took park in Coventry’s Strictly Experience 2025 - 8th March. It involved 8weeks of training with a semi professional dancer and performing 2 dances in front of a 600 seat theatre. She raised £884 for her charity

£250 - People & Animals AAI UK

People & Animals’ mission is to enable all individuals to live healthy, independent lives, enhancing physical, emotional and social well-being to improve peoples’ life chances, and offer opportunities for the wider community to reconnect, become more resilient, with a ripple effect of raised aspirations across generations.

The donations went towards supporting their therapy dogs Urwin and Cooper, as they go about their magic.

£1000 - Ravenswood Pet Rescue

Ravenswood Pet Rescue are a Wisbech based pet rescue. They help rehabilitate all animals, find foster and forever homes for them. They have a fund raising shop where they sell those non pet related donations.

£500 - The Mutts Nutts Rescue

The Mutts Nutts Rescue works with individuals and their families to secure a safe and happy future for beloved companion pets. Our unique and personal approach means that we can keep a lifetime watching brief on pets registered with us, so ensuring their future wellbeing and safety. We also help elderly members of the community to rehome older pets when they find themselves alone but still able to provide a loving home for a furry companion.

2023 Donations

Each year the committee have the difficult but wonderful task of choosing a charity or charities of their choice to donate our surplus cash to extremely deserving causes. After the 2023 show, each committee member was given £1000 to donate. This is how we spent our/your cash from DINAS 2023

£1000 Westview Play Group - Nominated by Sarah Boxall

One of our own helpers runs this Playgroup in Kent which has been operating for over 35 years. Any money donated goes towards a number of things, in particular stationary, printing of paperwork for activities, materials and actual activities.

£300 Hastings High School/First Steps ED - Nominated by Ann Roberts

This donation means they can provide Body Image workshops to the students and CPD training relating to Eating Disorders for their dedicated teachers.

The support from both Hastings High School and DINAS is truly invaluable in promoting the education and early intervention of eating disorders in schools. With donations like this, First Steps ED can make a significant impact on the well-being and knowledge of both students and teachers.

£500 Wiltshire Search & Rescue - Nominated by Clare Murray

The team would like to say a massive thankyou for Dogs in Need Agility Society donation.
Without the donations we get from our supporters we wouldn't be able to continue doing the work we do.

£1000 Combat Stress - Nominated by Gerry Eckersley

Combat Stress is a registered charity in the United Kingdom offering therapeutic and clinical community and residential treatment to former members of the British Armed Forces who are suffering from a range of mental health conditions; including post-traumatic stress disorder.

£500 Alzheimer’s Society - Nominated by Sheila Eckersley

Alzheimer's Society is a United Kingdom care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers. It operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while its sister charities Alzheimer Scotland and Alzheimer Society of Ireland cover Scotland and the Republic of Ireland respectively

£500 Spinal Injuries Association

Spinal Injuries Association supports anyone who has been touched by spinal cord injury. We work to enable people to live a fulfilled life after injury.

£500 Royal Brompton Cardiac Department - Nominated by Lisa Smith

Lisa’s brother-in-law ran the Milton Keynes Half Marathon to raise funds for the above charity. Lisa’s niece has been treated here since she was 6 months old and is now in her 30’s and once again has had major open-heart surgery in 2023.

The charity helps patients’ families stay near the hospital with subsidised places to stay. People use this facility from all over the UK for specialised treatment

£500 Multiple Sclerosis

This charity was chosen because one of our competitors suffers from this dreadful disease

£500 I’m George’s Mate

Giving young people the knowledge and skills to support their mental health and prevent suicide.
#getyoungpeopletalking

£500 The Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge - Nominated by Rosie Sleaford

With great sadness one of our much-loved competitors spent their final weeks in this amazing hospice. The love and dedication shown warrants a financial ‘thank you’ for the care given.

£500 Rob Burrow CBE - MND Centre in Leeds

Helping Robs’ family, Kevin Sinfield and their many friends raise £6.8 million to build a specialist Motor Neurone Disease Care Centre in Leeds, to give people living with MND the best quality of life.

Rob was a former professional rugby league player who was diagnosed with MND in 2019, sadly Rob passed away on 2nd June 2024.

£100 MacMillan - Nominated by Ann Roberts

On the 8th of June Claire and Annemarie will be undertaking a 26 mile Marathon along the South Coast to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

£500 - Helen's fundraiser for Pancreatic Cancer UK - Nominated by Ann Roberts

Helen Veal is a stalwart member of Hinckley DTC –Always ready to help anyone – a very caring lady. She lost her Mum last year and then tragically her sister died with pancreatic cancer a month later. She leaves a husband and 3 children. Helen is fund raising for research into this terrible disease. Please see story in link above.

Charity's 2019

TARGET OVARIAN CANCER

On behalf of DINAS Shelley Christmas has donated £500 in memory of Penny Butler from Wellingborough Agility Club
We are grateful to the Wellingborough Club for suggesting this donation should be made in
memory of one of their popular members PENNY BUTLER. We know that Penny had been a
staunch supporter of DINAS from our days at Malvern where we started 29 years ago!

Ravenswood Pet Rescue

Hayley Wilson (our facebook and website goto) nominated a local rescue centre for a £500 donation. Ravenswood take in unwanted pets, foster them out, get them vet treatment if required and find them forever homes in and around the Wisbech area.

We're bringing people together to create a future where nobody dies of bowel cancer. We provide advice & support to those affected by bowel cancer. Support For All.

www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk

Buddy’s Rural Animal Rescue BRAR

BRAR work mainly with Spaniels and Labradors, assessing each dog individually for a possible future on the field as a Gundog, within forces, and those that really just want a pet.

Many of the dogs we work with have come from loving homes where circumstances have changed and we do our best to keep previous owners informed as to how the dog is getting on whilst in our care with photos and updates.

All dogs coming in live in our homes are assessed 24/7 so we really get to know them very well. They are well fed, exercised and have recall before leaving us.

We have an experienced team of Professional Trainers who dedicate their time free of charge to the rescue, on top of working and training their own and clients dogs!

We work within our means, not all dogs are straight forward, and some vet fees can run into thousands of pounds, Amputees, Neospora Caninum, Tumours, Dental work, Medication, the list goes on, so all donations are gratefully received and put to very good use.

Each dog leaves with 5 weeks free Insurance , vaccinations, worm/flea treatment to-date & Microchip Transfer. Any KC papers that come with the dog also leave us with that dog.

The dogs recued and trained by us go to excellent inspected homes and are happy doing what their breed was bred to achieve.

F.A.I.T.H Animal Rescue (Norfolk)

F.A.I.T.H. is a progressive animal rescue centre, where animal welfare comes first. They believe that their mental health and well-being are as important as their physical health.

God Unlimited - GUL (Salisbury)

Provides riding and outdoor therapy through horses and ponies for adults and children. Provides accommodation for people who are in transitional periods of their life i.e. veterans and homeless teenagers.

www.god-unlimited.org

“We’re celebrating our incredible Helicopter Emergency Medical Service and the thousands of patients we have tended to
over the last 25 years.

www.ambucopter.org.uk

Margaret Green Animal Rescue

At Margaret Green Animal Rescue (MGAR) we take in animals that have become homeless due to a change in circumstances, or that have been neglected, mistreated or abandoned.

Regardless of their circumstance, each animal will find a warm bed, a kind team and all the love and respect they deserve awaiting them at Margaret Green Animal Rescue. We pride ourselves on the standard of care each rescue animal receives.

Mind is a mental health charity in England and Wales. Founded in 1946 as the National Association for Mental Health, it celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2016. Mind offers information and advice to people with mental health problems and lobbies government and local authorities on their behalf.

www.mind.org.uk

Norwich & Norfolk Myeloma Support Group

This support group of about 50 members is for people with Myeloma, their relatives, friends and carers are always welcomed.

The largest ‘All Animal’ sanctuary and rescue centre in Norfolk & Suffolk.

www.pactsanctuary.org

Parkinson’s UK

Parkinson's UK is a Parkinson's research and support charity in the United Kingdom. In April 2010, the Parkinson's Disease Society changed its name to become Parkinson's UK. Its aims are to improve the quality of life for people affected by Parkinson's and find a cure for the condition.

www.parkinsons.org.uk

Perthshire Gundog Rescue SCIO

“The rescue is committed to the welfare of all dogs that come into our care and endeavour to make a positive contribution to their lives, no matter what their circumstances. We aim to educate people about Gundog Breeds prior to taking them on and are often called to discuss people’s suitability in owning one of these intelligent working bred dogs”. This is a registered Scottish charity run by people giving up their own time with love and devotion.

www.perthgundogrescue.com

Redwings is the largest horse sanctuary in the UK, which means we care for more rescued horses every day than anyone else.

So, how did we get here?
Our story begins as it does for many charities, with a small but committed group of people desperate to make a difference. For Redwings, the story began with the rescue of a single pony called Sheba. She was rescued from a dealer and her recovery inspired the formation of a sanctuary in 1984 dedicated to saving horses from a life of fear and neglect. From that one life saved in the beginning, we are now a registered charity and care for more than 1,500 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules every day at our farms across the country. We also have 500 horses living in Guardian homes through our rehoming programme.

www.redwings.org.uk

St. Barnabas

St Barnabas Hospice is a local independent charity and every year we support more than 10,500 people across Lincolnshire affected by a life-limiting or terminal condition. We deliver free, high quality, compassionate end-of-life care and support to patients, their families and carers. We aim to enable them to live as fully as they are able for however many days, weeks, or months they have left.

stbarnabashospice.co.uk

Support Dogs

Willow the autism assistance dog
makes a better life possible for Sam

The moving story of young autism client Sam Mills and his dog Willow touched the hearts of millions of viewers when they featured on BBC's Children in Need, broadcast in November. seven-year-old Sam recently went on a trip to Alton Towers with his mum, dad, young sister and dog, and had a great time. His favourite ride was a wooden roller coaster called the Wickerman. Nothing unusual about that, you might think. Except that little more than a year ago, nothing would induce Sam to leave his house, let alone go somewhere as noisy and busy as a theme park.

Sam, who lives in Sheffield with mum Emma, dad Steve and four-year-old sister Ellie, was diagnosed with autism at the age of five. Bright lights, music, crowds, shops all overloaded his brain and he found it difficult to cope. So what’s made such a difference? Step forward black Labrador Willow, who has been working with the youngster and his family for just over and year, and in May Sam and Willow qualified as Support Dogs’ latest autism assistance partnership. The day out at Alton Towers was further proof of the incredible difference that Willow has made to Sam’s life. “He’s a little boy who struggles to be happy, who is over the moon,” she says, as boy and dog sit companionably in their sitting room, and then chase a ball around the garden. Sam’s autism takes very particular forms. He has sensory difficulties - which means he struggles with noise and crowds, has severe anxiety and he also suffers from depression. Unlike lots of youngsters with autism, he is verbal, except when he’s very stressed, and, until Willow came into his life, had no sense of danger. Says Emma: “Willow can be very calm when she needs to be, but also excitable and daft, gets him playing and distracts him – they are a perfect match. When Sam has a bad day he goes into the garden and plays with Willow and 20 minutes later he is smiling again; she makes him laugh.” Sam’s problems began when he was three and started to struggle at school; lashing out at people in frustration, and covering his ears in class. He spent increasing amounts of time at the school’s ‘nurture unit, specialist provision for children who struggle in mainstream school. Over time, his parents could barely get him to school – they couldn’t hold his hand because he hated to be touched and he would run off into the road. Keeping him safe became more and more of an issue and Emma and Steve ended up taking him to school in a disability buggy. The number of ‘meltdowns’ he experienced increased. Emma had to give up her job working in data management with South Yorkshire Police. “We got to the point where we could not leave the house. We were knocking on so many doors, trying so many things, but nothing was happening,” says Emma.

They applied to Support Dogs for an autism assistance dog and were invited to an open day. “I had a gut feeling that a dog might help him, but I never realised it would be as good as it is,” reports Emma, who did the initial training with Willow before her son and the dog were introduced. A camera crew from CBBC were on hand to record their first ever meeting and it’s a touching scene as Sam, initially wary, starts playing ball with Willow, and his face breaks into a lovely smile. His parents watch, tears in their eyes. And when the CBBC crew came to film three months after their initial visit, he chatted to the presenter who could see an enormous change in him.

Straight away Willow and Sam had a really close bond. Sam struggles with his emotions but is now less anxious because Willow has such a calming effect, acting as his safety net and keeping him calm when they go out. Sam is attached to Willow by a wrist strap, as he doesn’t like a harness. Crowded streets and busy places are not a threat anymore and Sam is no longer a danger to himself by running into the road. “Sam wants to go out now!” says Emma. “He will actually ask to go to the shops or to the woods. She has given him confidence and makes him feel safe. When he struggles – and he still struggles – Willow is there. Sam will lie down on the floor because he can’t run off, and Willow will lie down with him. It makes such a difference and we know that Sam is safe.

Although the main reason for getting Willow was to get Sam out of the house in safety, she has also done wonders for his self-esteem and confidence, and Sam will now chat to members of the public when they come up and ask him about her.

As Sam’s main carer who bore the brunt of his moods, and on whom Sam was utterly dependent, Emma now reports that Sam has now transferred much of that dependence to Willow, meaning she and her husband can go out together occasionally. The family are also trying out new things – they went to a café for Sam’s granddad’s birthday breakfast, which would have been unthinkable a year ago. Getting Sam to bed now takes 20 minutes as he is so much calmer – it used to take two to three hours. Sam is now at a special school in Sheffield and once he settles in Emma hopes to be able to go back to work. They are moving towards a normal life, courtesy of their wonder-dog Willow. “I don’t know what we’d be like if we didn’t have Willow. Since we’ve had her we’ve had a massive lifestyle change,” says Emma. “The doctors wanted to put Sam on medication for his anxiety, but Willow has reduced his anxiety to such an extent that we can work on it with him without drugs. They had never come across an autism assistance dog and they could so the difference in him.

www.supportdogs.org.uk

The Animal Health Trust

The Animal Health Trust exists to fight disease and injury in animals. Thanks to our pioneering work improving diagnosis, treatment and prevention, horses, dogs and cats are living healthier, happier lives – in the UK and across the world.

www.aht.org.uk

Forever Agility on Facebook

Forever Agility has very recently been set up to help support the agility community. Forever Agility will provide financial support to not only cancer sufferers, but also those in need.

Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care, Royal Hospital Bath.

The Dyson Neo natal Unit at the Royal Bath hospital where Sian (nee Roberts) & Ben’s twins were born - they are desperately raising funds for a "twin incubator".

Picture: Sian, Ben and the ‘Agility Girls’, together with nursing staff accepting our generous gift of £1,500 towards their twin incubator.

Berwick Animal Rescue Kennels

Berwick Animal Rescue has been nominated by Clare Murray on behalf of Dogs in Need Agility Society, for the outstanding work which you do in your home, rescuing, and re-homing animals. We dontated £1000

Rosie's Trust

Northern Ireland’s charity for the terminally ill, cancer patients, older people living with disability, and their pets.
'Keeping people and pets together'

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