Dear Homesitters,

We are currently experiencing some glorious summer weather. How wonderful for those who have decided to holiday at home, whether on the coast or visiting some of the UK’s many beautiful regions. Similarly, many of our clients and sits are based in wonderful locations, where if you have been sitting while the client was on vacation, you have hopefully been able to fully profit from the excellent weather.

As we have previously signalled October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we have decided to support this excellent and very worthwhile cause. Research through Cancer Research UK has contributed towards many significant advances in the treatment of breast cancer. Our understanding of the disease has significantly increased in recent years, including the identification of those families who potentially carry high risk genes. Treatments are now more personalised and as a result success rates of today’s therapies are leading to much improved outcomes and survival. However, there is still some way to go to add to our armoury of therapy options. I hope you will join us in helping to support this great cause. Full details are included in this Newsletter.

We continue to manage a very focussed drive for homesitter recruitment, striving at all times to meet our stringent quality standards. One approach which we have always valued is your referrals. One means of finding superior homesitter candidates is through personal recommendations. We are thus

proposing to increase the “Introduction Fee” from £50 to £100 for those of you who successfully introduce a homesitter (alone or with a partner). We are recruiting nationwide, with demand in all regions.

In this Newsletter, we are delighted to announce a new partnership with Girlings.

Following the April issue, we have received many responses confirming a willingness to sit over the Christmas and/or New Year period. With this Newsletter, we have included a further response slip for those among you who have yet to reply. Can I remind you all that for this year for the first time, we are proposing homesitter base pay for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day be increased to £48/day. This year we hope to be better able to satisfy the needs of, in particular, our regular clients.

Finally, we know that many of you use some of your time while homesitting to pursue hobbies and interests. We would love to learn of any hobbies you may have, which fit alongside your home and pet sitting. Let us know on admin@homesitters.co.uk as we would love to showcase pieces to our Facebook page.

I wish you all an excellent autumn season and thank you for your efforts and loyalty to Homesitters and our clients.

Kind regardsDr Alan Irvine, Managing Director

The Newsletter of Homesitters Limited

October 2016Issue No. 72

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A Special Thank You

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:• Introduction• A Special Thank You• Girlings Retirement Rentals• Photoshoot• Breast Cancer Awareness Month• Tips and Reminders• Christmas and New Year 2016• The Joys of Having a Break• An Amazing Experience• Testimonial from Beryl Banks• Homesitters Celebrating 100 Sits• Head Office News

A very sincere thank you to all who have stepped in at extremely short notice during the busy summer vacation period, to manage a sit where the scheduled homesitter has unfortunately had to withdraw.

It is not surprising that a few homesitters have to back out at short notice from a sit for health or family related reasons. However, when it does occur it can lead to a minor (or major!) crisis here at Head Office, when we have to reach out to those homesitters whom we believe are potentially available. Sometimes this can even lead to recently appointed homesitters agreeing to save the day. What an induction under the circumstances!

Thankfully all invariably turns out well but only because we have such a great dedicated team of homesitters around the country.

Girlings Retirement Rentals – Partnership – Great Option For Homesitters

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We recently met with Girlings Retirement Rentals at the 50+ Show in London and thought our homesitters would be interested in hearing what this company has to offer, especially those of you who may be considering downsizing in the future.

Girlings is a family run company offering a range of purpose-built retirement property for active, independent over 55s to rent on assured tenancies across the UK. They have property in seaside resorts, market towns and city centres, so there really is something for everyone.

When we visited the 50+ show, we met a great many older people interested in downsizing.

Girlings told us that many older people are choosing to sell their family home to downsize and rent as a lifestyle choice, provided they are able to find something with the security of a long tenure, one of the most important factors considered when downsizing to rent.

There are benefits to renting as well: financial, which comes from releasing capital to invest and/or spend in retirement and practical, as downsizing to a rental property more suitable for their needs takes away the

worries of owning a home, such as property maintenance, looking after the garden and dealing with unexpected bills.

For our homesitters, we believe that one of the biggest benefits of renting through Girlings is the security and peace of mind of the assured tenancy, which means that the tenant can live in the property for as long as they wish. Plus, there are added services, such as communal areas for socialising, 24-hour emergency call-system and a Development Manager, who looks after the general running of the development.

So for those of you who may be on assignment with us for a few months of the year, it’s really easy to just ‘lock up and leave’, safe in the knowledge that your home will be just as you left it when you return.

In the coming months, Homesitters Ltd and Girlings Retirement Rentals plan to collaborate together in a PR capacity to promote the harmonious synergy between our two companies.

To find out more, go to Girlings’ website: www.girlings.co.uk or contact the company on: Freephone 0800 525 184.

Kathryn Hughes, Kayak PR

Breast Cancer Awareness Month – October 2016We have decided to support Breast Cancer research this year by participating in Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is October 2016.

Below we detail the various activities we plan. Both Head Office staff and homesitters can participate in the proposed activities.

As we can only accept contributions by cheque from remote based homesitters, we do request that the minimum contribution is set at £5.00 to facilitate the administrative process.

• Pink balloons in a car – pay £1 per

guess as to how many and the winner is whoever’s guess is closest. There may be one or several winners with prizes. This will be launched after the summer during late September. Head Office and homesitters can all participate.

• PJ day – 07 October at Head Office – staff contribute £5 or + to wear PJs to work. Photos will be posted onto the website.

• Cake sale – 07 October at Head Office. Afternoon Tea with sale of cakes/patisserie. Head Office Staff will organise here at Buckland Wharf but individually you could consider participating and contributing with your families and friends.

• Dress pink and/or wear your hair pink day – submit photos. Head Office and homesitters. Pay minimum £1 per photo to enter. Prizes for the best photos. Winning photos will be posted onto the website. We will designate 21 October 2016 to be our “Dress Pink Day” for judging and prize allocation. All photos to be received by 20th October to be considered.

On a beautiful sunny Sunday in May, Homesitters Ltd had an enjoyable yet busy day with its second photoshoot in picturesque Wiltshire with Morgan the Basset Hound, Ella & Coco the Scottish Terriers and Bracken & Barney the Cocker Spaniels. Some very friendly cows, a few pedigree Welsh ponies and 11 very tame chickens were also involved! All were on their best behaviour and a delight to work with.

We’d also like to say a big thank you to our homesitters Paula & Gavin Rose from Dorset (top photo), Janet & Steven Groom from Kent (second photo), Ann King from Kent (third photo) and Peter Jones from London (bottom photo) for taking part in this photoshoot.

Photoshoot

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Tips and Reminders

1Strictly Follow the Client’s Instructions

We hope that our clients leave you with clear instructions regarding the pet routines but please listen carefully to all handover instructions during the preliminary meeting and upon arrival for a sit.

We all know how difficult it is to ignore the pleading eyes of a lovely Labrador but we must be very careful not to overfeed our clients’ pets.

A client recently reported that he had left sufficient food for the entire holiday only to find that the homesitters had gone out and purchased more. The dog had visibly gained weight and was as a result wheezing with shortness of breath upon his return.

Similarly, do please pay attention to instructions and guidance regarding routine e.g. number of walks per day and distances.

Sometimes there will be no instruction but forethought is required e.g. for a partially sighted dog or cat used to finding their water bowl or bed in a particular location leave them there and don’t move them to another location.

2 Consulting the Veterinary Surgeon

As homesitters, you must always be vigilant with regard to the health of the pets and animals in our care. While this is true for all pets it is especially valid for elderly pets. For example, an elderly dog who goes off his food or stops drinking may indeed just be fretting for their owner or it could be a sign of something more serious.

If you detect something is wrong, then please do immediately contact your Administrator who will be happy to advise you. Time is often of the essence. We may have to contact the client to brief them of the situation and the conditions may warrant a consultation with the veterinary surgeon.

Even if a client is due to return in a couple of days, if there is an issue it cannot necessarily await their return. Always act in the best interest of the pet and seek help if you are in doubt.

As with humans, medical conditions e.g. infections do get worse rapidly and early veterinary consultation and intervention can prevent symptoms deteriorating and expedite recovery.

All this to say be continually vigilant and don’t hesitate to contact us at Head Office if you have any questions or concerns.

3 Preparing for the Client’s Return

For the majority of our clients it is the care of their pets while away that is clearly their number one priority.

While feedback received from clients is routinely 99% very positive, the few complaints we do receive generally don’t relate to the care you have devoted to the pets but rather to housekeeping. Equally for the vast majority of our homesitters, the feedback is 100% positive, which makes me very proud.

So please do leave the home and especially the areas you have occupied as clean as you found them upon arrival. Clearly kitchen and bathroom areas are critical. Check the cooker, hob, fridge, microwave etc to ensure they are as you found them. Empty waste bins if you have used them. Change, wash and put away the towels and bed linen if you have been using the clients’.

A few clients have reported actual numbers of wine and beer bottles found in the recycling bin upon their return! While I would hope that for our homesitters the number of bottles is never excessive, we strongly suggest taking yours to a recycle centre if at all possible.

Where dogs have access, such areas may require regular attention during a sit, especially if the weather is inclement or they are moulting, followed by a thorough clean at the end.

Complaints are few but some of our clients, as you are aware, are very house proud. I encourage all newish homesitters at the outset of a sit to assess and note the state of the key home areas. This will greatly help you to plan for the client’s return.

Christmas and New Year 2016In the April Newsletter, we introduced the new conditions for Christmas and New Year 2016.

Homesitter pay rates for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day will be increased to £48/day. We have included an availability/interest questionnaire with this Newsletter for those who still need to reply. Having responses for all is most helpful and much appreciated.

THE JOYS OF HAVING A BREAKIf you’d like to contribute in Homesitters Ltd PR activities, please contact Benjamin Irvine, Marketing Manager at: benjamin.irvine@homesitters.co.uk or by calling Head Office on 01296 630 730. We’re always on the lookout for more homesitter testimonials for our website, i.e. of your arts and crafts pieces to showcase on our social media or details of your hobbies which you accomplish during sits e.g. bird watching, painting, writing. Also any useful tips you may have to help new homesitters on their sits.

Dog and Horse Sketches by Angela & David Hyde

Horse Picture by Janice Greig

Geometric drawing by Janice Greig

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Homesitters LimitedBuckland Wharf, AylesburyBuckinghamshire HP22 5LQ

Tel: 01296 630 730

admin@homesitters.co.ukwww.homesitters.co.uk

© Homesitters Ltd 2016

Head Office News

Client/Homesitter surname letter Administrator/MinderAOWXYZ Boo-Boz Ri-Rz Sh-Sk Gill GregoryCBe-Bh Brj-Bz Ra-Rh St-Sz Heather ReidDEFG Jill WhitfordHIKNQT Kathryn CockellJLPUV Bra-Bre Sarah BennettM Ba-Bd Bi-Bon Sa-Sg SI-Ss Karen Whitehead

An Amazing ExperienceBy Marion Jenkins, homesitter since August 2009.

”My mother always said we only live 3 score years and 10. Not so true these days. This is my 70th year and I decided I was going to do something special every month for the year. My children bought me a voucher for 2 people for the ‘Airkix’ experience (indoor sky diving) at Milton Keynes. I decided it was going to be my May adventure and got it all booked up.

Great … now who of my friends would be willing to do it with me … Ah … my very good friend, Sheila Conway who introduced me to Homesitters. To be honest, most of my friends said we must be mad, but Sheila and myself are quite happy to try something different.

May 9th … the day had arrived, very strange

that neither of us were nervous. There were 2 other couples in our group who had never done it before, I would say in their late 30’s. Our instructor Ryan was great and very patient. We watched the safety video and learnt the hand signals Ryan would give us when in the wind tunnel. Time then to get all the gear on, and make our way upstairs to commence our flights. Trust me to sit in the wrong place and so ended up being the first one to have a go. You are only in there for just over a minute but it did seem longer than that. We had to wear earplugs as it is very noisy. It was more difficult than I thought it would be, but with Ryan helping me I feel the first flight went well and I was looking forward to doing the second one. Sheila was the 6th person and she did very well. One girl was very nervous and asked to come out before her time was up.

Now on the second flight you have a choice for an extra £5 to be spun round by Ryan and taken to the top and back twice. Remember I was going to be the first one to

“I’ve had the pleasure of being a homesitter for sixteen wonderful years, and would recommend it to anyone who has a sense of adventure and a love of animals. I have so many fantastic memories to look back on. I remember on one sit in a gorgeous location overlooking a lake in London over the Christmas period. The lake had frozen over and the ducks were trying to land on it and were skidding all over the ice. It was like watching a Daffy Duck cartoon. They were trying so hard to regain their dignity. Hilarious! The freeze, of course, meant that food was scarce, so people in the flats on the other side of the lake were putting tit-bits out for all the birds. There were small patches of water that hadn’t frozen, under the stilts of the flats opposite, and I saw a swan start from there and struggle through with all her might, cutting a channel with her body from one

side of the lake to the other, and all the ducks swimming along behind her. Pure magic! So always make sure you have a camera with you to film these delightful episodes.

You also of course have plenty of time to explore, as long as you are not away from the client’s property for more than three hours at a time. We were based only a stone’s throw from Greenwich at the time when the O2 arena was called The Dome and was staging an exhibition. As luck would have it, on Christmas Eve they were selling tickets for one pound each, so we decided to use our three hours to check it out. Quite a mixed bag. We had a spin around the ice skating rink (one of my favourite hobbies), watched coins being minted, and saw the big show in the centre. Then it was back to the flat to feed the gorgeous cat we were looking after. Two contented people and one contented cat.”

Testimonial from Beryl BanksA homesitter who joined the team in June 2000 and resigned in October 2015.

Celebrations – Homesitters Who Have Completed 100 Sits

Homesitters Ltd are pleased to announce that we have several homesitters who have recently celebrated their 100th sit. We extend a big thank you and congratulations to you all.

Susan Cabrelli from Leicester (pictured left) joined the team on 27 April 2008 and celebrated her 100th sit earlier on this year.

Rita and John Cox from Hants (pictured right) joined the team over 6 years ago on 3 April 2010 and are now celebrating their 100th sit.

have my second flight … what to do … okay let’s put my thumbs up and agree and set the precedent for the others, and to be fair all of us took up the option.

Well what can I say, it was an amazing experience and the adrenalin was flowing. We were on a high and so proud of ourselves. It’s never too late to try something new and I would recommend it to anyone … what next I wonder.”

We are sad to announce that Maria Long who has been an Administrative Coordinator for 7 months has left us in September to become a HR Assistant. Maria was a great and valued member of the team and we wish her every possible happiness and success in her new role.