Gertie's Gossip 9
Gather Gather - I have 5 minutes to myself so what better than to while it away gossiping......
I have so much to tell you........
I started this morning by trying to get "The Jackson Crew" motivated so called a team meeting.... I like the Pentagon meeting style..... I also like the snack while you chat ethos.
Lots of tasks to share out and not much action! Obviously as an inclusive leader I had asked for agenda items - I had jotted down - How to find homes, getting ourselves known, Web page, how to create a shopping cart thingee. Funding ideas. Engagement and blue sky thinking..... I was going to have a staff member of the month - but think it probably would have been me so scrubbed that off..... didn't want them feeling inferior.
Honestly I handed slips for suggestions to everyone - and all I got back was : Is Waitrose veg really an unreasonable request, Should we get lunch as well as breakfast and Tea, Any chance of Sky sports, If the world bans plastic - will they take into account a replacement will need to make the same sound so we know salad is on the way, Miss Edith is annoying any way we can send her back to Peru......
How am I supposed to run a rescue with this team?
With Sympiggy
Two sad losses to report since our last gossip
Our Karen Corder lost her Freckles - Freckles was a little trooper and was approaching 8 years old. She has left a big hole in Karen's heart. She was a good age but that does not make us miss them any less. Karen had had Freckles since birth - so she was a very special little girl.
As you know, we lost our very own Dolly this month as well. Something we are still all so sad about here at HQ.
Rescue News
We, for the first time since opening in October 2017, have reached capacity in rescue. We currently have 8 pens . You realise pretty quick that there are more piggies needing a space to come in, than good homes available.
However saying that - we do have some very good homes in the pipeline - some have been unavoidably delayed because of post op complications - following neutering - but I am hoping next time I put paw to keyboard we will have some great homing news for you. Things are moving behind the scenes.
Miss Edith is going to stun you in the week with a round up of who is here with us in rescue - (one of her many action points from today's meeting).We are already up to pig Q. (Anyone who can name pig A-Q first will get a prize). Accounts are another action point - so be ready to hear a lot from Miss Edith this week (sigh).
You did us proud this month with some great names for incoming piggies - I bet we are the rescue with the most "out there" name choices........
It was lovely to welcome our first babies into Gertie's this month - and we love the opportunity to set them off into the world into really good homes - with back up support. Something pet shops cannot offer.
We have also been working up different ways of fund raising and supporting the rescue - and have launched our "Pen Sponsor Scheme" - this is certainly not the only way to support us to continue our work - but a massive thank you to those who have got in early on this - even before we launched it....... You will see more about this in the coming weeks.... but thanks to Karen Price, Karen Corder's Mum (Margaret) and Jo Londesbrough for kicking us off. Details are available on our website - however it's still a bit 1980's as we have not mastered the online shopping cart! We are working on it though. We are proud though to have 3 pens at Gertie's that are named and welcome needy piggies.
We also now have a paypal account with charity rates .... I add this as a point to mention only because we almost stabbed ourselves trying to set it up........ Finally we have convinced them we are not a secret undercover money laundering business with a million pound turn over - but actually 3 middle aged women with a few guinea pigs.......
We have signed up to " Give as you Live" as well - and will separately post about this - but Miss Edith has been testing it out and without even trying has raised £3.50 for Gertie's and we can confirm she didn't even move her arse out the hay - and it cost her nothing - other than what she was already buying on the internet.
Like all rescues we try and come up with ways to support our work without having to keep begging for money from loyal supporters. This isn't always easy as there are so many worthy causes out there and times are not easy for anyone. So we do really appreciate and are stunned by the support we have had so far. We do not take this for granted.
Support comes in many different ways so please don't feel the only way to support us is by giving money - The many ways to help are - sponsoring - donating, sharing our FB page posts - recommending us, bunging us a bag of hay - laughing and enjoying our group and making it fun.
We appreciate every way you support us and are proud of what we are creating. We set out to support guinea pigs in need - but always wanted it to be in a way that was fun alongside the hard work. You lot are certainly making it that.
Gertie Jnr