Following the announcement of the new Regional Support Network initiative, The Kennel Club has established six regions, each with a dedicated regional advisor who will provide tailored guidance and resources, making it easier for organisers to access the support they need.
The regions are outlined below, and a complete team has now been recruited, set to be fully operational by early 2025:
- North East and Scotland;
- North West, Ireland, and Isle of Man;
- East of England;
- Midlands and Wales;
- South East;
- South West.
The Regional Support Network marks a substantial enhancement in how The Kennel Club supports shows and societies in delivering events at the local level. With the introduction of these advisors, The Kennel Club will phase out the Field Officer role.
Helen Kerfoot, Chief Canine Health, Activities and Events Officer at The Kennel Club, commented: “We are very excited to have our Regional Support Network advisors in place. This initiative allows us to adopt a more supportive role with clubs and societies, rather than just focusing on compliance and enforcement.
“We understand the need for more support from The Kennel Club for the grassroots community who play a pivotal role in the world of dogs. We hope this system will streamline our services, making them more efficient, effective and accessible. It will strengthen our relationship with the valued volunteers in canine clubs and societies and enable us to provide a more personalised and locally-based service.
“We are deeply grateful to the Field Officers for their support and assistance to the clubs. Last year alone, they carried out 254 visits across the UK, which represents 7.5% of shows held, many of which received excellent reviews. We believe that the introduction of the Regional Support Network advisors will help demonstrate The Kennel Club’s commitment to working collaboratively with show organisers, focusing on support rather than compliance and enforcement.”
The advisors will be reaching out to clubs and societies in their respective areas early in the new year to learn more about how they can provide the best support and information will be available on The Kennel Club website in due course.