The journey of the Golden Retriever Club of Northumbria began in January 1976 when we formed the Tyneside Group of the Northern Golden Retriever Association, led by Pat as Chairman and Jennifer as Honorary Secretary. To build our foundations, we hosted a variety of fundraisers including coffee mornings, jumble sales, and fancy dress parties. Our inaugural committee meeting took place on March 7th, 1976, featuring guest speaker Mrs. Jean Burnett of Rossbourne; entry fees were just 60p for members and 80p for guests, reflecting how much the world has changed since then.Following years of dedicated effort, we petitioned the Kennel Club for independence, and in 1978, the Golden Retriever Club of Northumbria was officially established. We were honored when the late Lord Armstrong of Bamburgh Castle became our first patron, and the iconic silhouette of his castle remains our logo today. From our inception, Pat championed the health of the breed, prioritizing the eradication of hereditary diseases through frequent eye testing clinics, educational talks, and seminars.Our focus on working dogs flourished under the early guidance of the late Les Wilkinson, who launched our first training classes in 1979. This department expanded rapidly, leading to our first sanctioned field trial in 1985, which thrived under the leadership of FT Secretary Jennifer Hay. The ultimate milestone occurred on May 25th, 1980, when the club hosted its premier Championship Show, celebrating an impressive debut entry of 232 dogs