Hi, everyone.
Well, what an interesting few months since the last LOWDOWN.

Firstly, I must thank all of you who have kindly taken the trouble to write, email, or voice your appreciation of the first issue. I am grateful for each and every message.

LOWDOWN was also warmly received by the national dog press and attracted a deal of welcome attention to our branch in its fortieth year. It has been said to me that it raises the bar for newsletters produced by other branches and breed clubs. Well, I am not sure about that. My intention was simply to produce a newsletter that you, the membership, would enjoy, find interesting to read and look forward to receiving. As I wrote last time, I want it to be as inclusive as possible and I have been especially pleased to receive some articles and contributions from members who were not previously known to me. So, a very special thanks to them.

It has been noted that the branch seems to be enjoying a revival of late. As you will see from Jean’s Walks Report, we are getting good numbers of hounds attending and the atmosphere is always so enjoyable. Jean and Dusty’s walk and picnic at Friston Forest was a great success. Brian and Jill’s barbeque, following the Sullington Warren walk, was as always, really superb and much appreciated. Several branch members had a great weekend attending the Midland branch Fun day and BHC Championship Show in June. Our own Fun Day was what it says on the tin - fun! We were lucky with the weather and delighted by the appearance of some distant members. We were pleased to see several new people and their hounds turn up on the day and join the branch.

Talking to BHC members from other branches, as I did at various events and championship shows over the summer, I know that they greatly admire the regeneration of our branch. So, well done everyone! But please, if there are any suggestions to further improve the club, do let us know - we are all ears!

I must add that the enthusiasm of the general membership extends to the branch’s officers and committee. It is at branch committee meetings that all our activities are planned. You may well imagine that these meetings resemble something from The Vicar of Dibley - well yes, no, not quite. Though enjoyable, a good deal of business gets done and I must pay tribute to my fellow committee members for their hard work and dedication to the club that has resulted in such a busy and successful 40th anniversary year. The guiding principle to which we all subscribe is that it is all about the hounds and us enjoying their company. If we don’t loose sight of this we will be fine.

Furthermore, and I know he will hate me writing this, but none of this regeneration would have been at all possible without the vision, the enthusiasm and gentle, yet firm, leadership from our superb chairman, Brian Malin. He was prepared to assume this position a few years ago at a very difficult time for the branch and has so cleverly presided over its dramatic revival. The branch owes an enormous debt of gratitude to him and I know that I represent all members when I offer him our heartfelt thanks. Well done, Brian, our hounds salute you!

Many breed clubs and their branches have their own website. These are useful to those of us who are coming to terms with life in the 21^st century as a way of getting and giving information. Up to now our branch did not have one. Not any more!

Our new, super website can be found at www.southeastbasset.org.uk (since superceded by www.bassethoundowners.org.uk). This is the brain-child of one member, Derek Harris, who many of you will know. He alone created this - clever old thing - and it looks great. It will be very useful for dissipating the latest information and news of the branch plus, hopefully, attracting some new members surfing the net for Basset Hound related material. Please check it out. To remain relevant these websites need to be regularly updated by a webmaster and Derek has kindly offered to take on this role (sadly, it doesn’t include a uniform). He has kindly accepted an invitation to join the committee. The branch is very lucky having such talents freely available from its membership. Derek has also been responsible for the design of the useful Walk Maps leaflet which comes with this issue of LOWDOWN. Please keep this handy for future reference.

Due to the coverage of events in this special year, space in this issue has been limited and this has precluded the inclusion of both the book review and the reports from the BHCA National Speciality in Texas that I mentioned in Summer LOWDOWN These articles will now be in our next issue, out in June.

Please check-out the special feature (on page 26) about A Basset is an Asset. This is a wonderful celebratory song written and sung by the Seattle-based, Australian musician, Bronwyn Edwards Cryer. The song’s DVD features her own Basset Hound, Charlee with her six puppies and anyone interested in our breed will love this. You have the opportunity to purchase this DVD directly from the branch, proceeds from which will benefit breed rescue and welfare charities here and in the States. This DVD is a must for all Basset Hound fans and will make a super Christmas present.

Finally, as this special year for the branch comes to an end, I and all the committee wish you, your families and, of course, your wonderful hounds, a very Happy Christmas and New Year. I look forward to sharing another great year with you all.

Tony Roberts