The Resignation of Penny Radford as President of Books for Dogs

Penny Radford, first on the right 

It's a charity, the one of Books for Dogs, that I follow from the first hours of its creation. I remember that I was introduced to it by Peggy Lefebvre and her husband. I had previously interviewed them, a couple who spent some years in a locality called Loreto, close to Gubbio, and that later were involved in the creation of Books For Dogs.

They knew I was a journalist and they asked me if I was interested in this project and if I wanted to write down few lines.

I immediately said them yes, becoming also a good customer of Books for Dogs during the years considering my passion for books.

Penny Radford has always been the mind of the charity with Angela Nutt: a kind, strong, supportive lady, with the ability of making the difference for the canile of Lerchi, at first, and later, for other realities.

It is still undisclosed why Penny decided to resign from Books for Dogs. Anyway, the activity of Penny and the one of the other ladies has been simply wonderful and incredible during these years.

Penny, in her statement, tells the birth of her charity. Everything, (15 years ago) started when, a Christmas Day, Penny and the co-founder Teana Newman volunteered at the Canile Refugi for Dogs at Lerchi. The ladies understood immediately that there was an urgent need for a fund rising: the dogs lived in very poor and miserable conditions.

Some blankets, but also a washing machine the first concreet acts of kindness of these ladies and their numerous community.

Everyone answered more than positively: but these ladies wanted something more: a continuative help, so that these dogs could become decents and very well treated animals.

Books for Dogs was borning, with the help of the rest of British, American, Canadian, Australian community pretty fertile and numerous in Umbertide.

The first step was a book stall of second hand books in several languages, french, english, italian, german every wednesday at the local market of Umbertide. 

Wonderful years, the ladies reached important steps: then the idea of having also a refugee where selling books and CDS in a pub during the winter-time: then the creation of the first charity shop in the city: books, but also CDS, and clothes. The store, at first, was located close to the pub: space was not enough and soon the ladies decided to move in Via Cibo where they created an emporium. You can buy everything there: clothes, books, CDS, objects for the house, games, puzzles, blankets, hot bottles of water, whatever you can think at, probably can be found there: when objects or furnitures are too big for being brought to the store, a newsletter sent to all the people interested, will inform you of the latest news. 

Penny tells that during these 15 years the charity has earned 100.000 euros all spent for the dogs of the several canili that they follow, help and support.

But Penny has been great also promoting with the ASL, the state veterinary organization, free or very discounted microchipping for dogs, helping the rehoming for dogs. 

With the time the customer base of the Emporium became international, with people from several part of the world thanks also the the multi-ethnicity of the city.

Penny says that she is sad to leave this wonderful organisation that she created, but she hopes "To be handing on to the capable hands of  others."

Radford precises that she remains very involved with the Ponte Pattoli dog refugee adding that she will continue to work with "animal welfare in whatever way I can in the future."

Anna Maria Polidori