BHC Mentor Information Sheet Please use the information below to identify the type of assistance that you require. Each of the mentors have identified the areas in which they can help and the matrix below will direct you towards the mentor(s) that will be best suited to answering your enquiry. If more than one mentor could be of assistance, then we have provided a short biographies to help you choose who you would like to help you. The mentors are: Liz Branscombe Ian Seath Louise Scott Lesley Field Archie Bryden Tina Watkins BHC role and ways of working Starting out as a Breed Health Coordinator Understanding the Role of BHC Model for ways of working (different approaches from breeds, including decision making) Connecting with other BHCs (i.e. BHC Facebook group) Preparing your Annual Health Report Fundraising Introduction to the Breed Health Strategy Guide Writing a Breed Health Strategy Building a health group/ committee/ council Building your network Becoming a BHC mentor International collaborations Succession planning and sustainability
Science Signposting to subject matter experts for specific issues Advice for breeds on using DNA tests and basic breeding strategies Access to relevant papers and understanding how to use them Working with research partners Setting up research programmes Sources of funding for research (e.g. KCCT), applying for grants Surveys, epidemiology and data Introduction to the surveys toolkit Developing a basic health survey Developing an intermediate health survey with specific focus Developing an advanced health survey Data handling and basic statistics Communications Introduction to the website toolkit Best practice for BHC communications Options for communicating (website, newsletter, social media etc.) Dealing with politics Planning and running education events Presentation skills (oral and written) Influencing and persuading Handling the press Dealing with campaigners
Mentor biographies Ian Seath Ian is Chairman of the Dachshund Breed Council and a member of their Health Committee. He has owned Dachshunds since 1980 and awards CCs in the breed. Ian is also President of one of the Dachshund Breed Clubs and Chairman of another. He works as a management consultant, coach and trainer, specialising in continuous improvement and change management. His canine interests include education and training of judges as well as all aspects of breed health improvement. He was a contributing author for the KC s Breed Health Strategy Guide and the Surveys Toolkit. He has supported BHCs in several other breeds, for example in the design and analysis of health surveys and in ad hoc analysis of health data as well as design of health websites. Lesley Field Lesley has worked alongside her good friend Louise Scott as the Joint (8) English Springer Spaniel Breed Clubs Breed Health Coordinator for over 18 years. She has owned and bred English Springer Spaniels for 43 years, as well as sharing her family life with Whippets and horses. She has worked on a daily basis with the general public, as well as with canine specialist organisations, governmental bodies, the veterinary profession and centres of canine clinical excellence. She has served on two major English Springer Spaniel Breed Clubs over the years both as an Officer (Treasurer and Assistant/Show Secretary) and Committee member. She was a Member of the Advisory Council on the Welfare Issues of Dog Breeding from 2010 2014 and now serves as a Member and Trustee of the Dog Breeding Reform Group. Seeking improvements in canine education to make life better for dogs, and their owners, is a challenge that brings Lesley much pleasure and reward. Liz Branscombe Liz is the Flatcoated Retriever BHC and Chairman of the Flatcoated Retriever Society Health Sub-Committee; she has owned Flatcoated Retrievers for over thirty years and enjoys showing and working her dogs. Liz qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 1986 and has worked in both small and mixed animal practice and gained an advanced surgical nursing qualification in 1994. The majority of her veterinary nursing career has been spent working in clinical roles in specialist referral practice; her current role in practice is Training Manager with primary responsibility for the training and development of a team of 60 full and part time veterinary nurses. Liz has used experience gained in managing a Group Health Study for her breed to advise other health coordinators wishing to set up similar schemes for their own breeds.
Louise Scott ex-racing Greyhound. Louise is Joint Breed Health Co-ordinator for English Springer Spaniels, working alongside her friend and colleague Lesley Field, on behalf of the eight KC recognised UK ESS Breed Clubs. She has owned English Springer Spaniels since 1981 and has judged the breed on many occasions over the past 30+ years. She is a longstanding member of the Southern English Springer Spaniel Society Committee, serving as its Membership Secretary since 1993. Nowadays, she loves sharing her life with a beautiful With a background in human resource management and company administration, Louise s role as Breed Health Co-ordinator combines her communication and organisational experience with a deep commitment to improving canine health and welfare. Owner/breeder education, consultation and co-operation with clinicians, researchers and professional organisations are key areas of practice. Her experience includes breed health survey design and implementation, data collection, analysis and reporting. Archie Bryden Archie has been the Breed Health Co-ordinator for Staffordshire Bull Terriers since the inception of the role and is the current Chairman for the North West Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club. Archie has been an official and committee member since 1986 and has served on the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Breed Council genetics sub-committee which led to the development of DNA tests for Juvenile Hereditary Cataract (HC-HSF4) and L-2-Hydroxyglutaric Aciduria. Archie has bred and exhibited Staffordshire Bull Terriers since 1981 and also exhibited a Miniature Pinscher. He is a Championship show judge under KC regulations since 1994 and has awarded CCs, or their equivalent in numerous countries, world-wide. Archie is a retired virologist/microbiologist with experience in academic research, publishing, and lecturing. Archie has a PhD on Rotaviruses, a major cause of juvenile gastroenteritis and has a strong academic background, which leads him to be naturally interested in canine health in general and the need for good science to enable progress.
Tina Watkins Tina has been the Breed Health Coordinator for the 8 Basset Hound Clubs, since 2013. She has owned and bred Basset Hounds since the early 1990s, was passed to award CCs in 2008. She joined the Basset Hound Club of Wales as a member in 1992 serving as Treasurer since 1993, Assistant Secretary from 2006 to 2014 and became Secretary in 2014. During this time, she also served as Chairman of Newport (Gwent) & District Canine Society. Serves as a Committee Member of the Hound Club of Wales and is the Treasurer of the Dachshund Club of Wales. Her background in administration is wide and varied, having skills in business and serving as a Parish Secretary for 21 years. Being the Breed Health Coordinator for Basset Hounds has enabled her to undertake a key role for a Breed Watch Category 3 Breed, promoting breed health, collation and circulation of information, devising and producing breed health databases and certificates, contributing to the 2014 Breed Health Survey, data collection, analysing and reporting. Liaising and arranging for Veterinary Assessments and supporting the Animal Health Trust enabling testing sessions for their study into Hereditary Glaucoma and design and maintenance of the BHHG Website. Her commitment and dedication as a Breed Health Coordinator has helped achieve the Basset Hound being re-scheduled to Breed Watch Category 2 in January 2017.