06 Sep Lena Robbins

Lena receiving a gift as recognition for her 40 years on committee at our Ruby Jubilee event in 2011 from then club Chairman the late Frank Whitbread and longstanding Club Patron Maurice Johnson

It was with great sadness that the club today received news of the death of Lena Robbins at the age of 89 years.

Lena died peacefully this morning at her care home where she lived after becoming increasingly frail in the last few years. We think Lena must have been the last surviving founder member of the club who served on the club committee for over 40 years, most notably for many, many years in charge of the club’s Bernershop.

She was made a Life Member of the club in recognition of her service to the club and breed and she was one of the pioneers of the breed in the UK importing and breeding significant dogs for the breed under her Tarncred affix. In the process she became one of the most successful and influential early breeders of Bernese Mountain Dogs in the UK and her dogs went on to become important foundations for many of the successful kennels to follow.

We will publish more reflections on Lena in due course, and advise of the funeral arrangements, but for now our thoughts and best wishes are with her son Stephen and the rest of her family and friends.