Search And Rescue Dog Association In Northern Ireland Needs Your Help

Search and Rescue Dog Association (Ireland North) needs your vote this week as it goes head to head with other Lottery-funded projects from across the UK in the semi-finals of The National Lottery Awards 2010.

SARDA(IN) is one of only 10 projects to make it through in the Best Voluntary/Charity Project category of The National Lottery Awards, which are an annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects. All the projects in the running have already received Lottery funding and the Awards celebrate how they have put that money to good use. Dog-lovers are being urged to show their support by casting a vote to help SARDA(IN) make it through to the final stage.

The winning project in each of the seven categories will receive national recognition on a star-studded BBC 1 TV show later this year and, in addition to the Lottery funding they have already been awarded, will receive a £2,000 cash prize to spend on their project.

SARDA(IN) is a registered charity which provides search dogs to locate missing persons on the mountains, urban areas, water and in collapsed structures. Thanks to Lottery funding for a specially adapted van they can transport five search dogs and handlers to a missing persons search area, an essential component in allowing them to work as an effective search and rescue unit.

Peter Brown, Chairman of SARDA(IN) says: “We’re delighted to have reached the semi-finals of The National Lottery Awards. Lottery funding has provided us with a specially adapted van which can transport 5 search dogs and handlers to a missing persons search area, an essential component in allowing them to work as an effective search and rescue unit. We’re really hoping the public gets behind us and votes.”

This year’s National Lottery Awards are supported by actress Fay Ripley, who attended last year’s Awards ceremony, which was broadcast on BBC1. She says: “Lottery players raise £25 million every week, which funds projects and organisations that are making a real difference to people and communities across the UK. The National Lottery Awards recognise the amazing talent and hard work of the people involved in running Lottery-funded projects, so please get behind your local project and vote to give them your support.”

Voting for the semi-finals starts at 9am on Tuesday 1 June and ends at midday on Friday 18 June. To register your vote for SARDA (IN) call 0844 686 5863 or log on to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards

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Tags:  and Rescue Dog Association, and Rescue Dog Association (Ireland North), Animal Charities, Animal Welfare, dog association