Charity dog pageant to be held in memory of Leeds grandma and Furbabies founder with 'heart of gold'

June Hodgkins was well known in Wetherby and across the world as the founder of the Furbabies pageants, among the first of their kind in the UK, where best-dressed pooches would compete for prizes.

The 64-year-old died suddenly from pancreatic cancer earlier this year, leaving her family and the pageant community devastated.

June will be remembered with a one-off charity event on Sunday, with all proceeds raised going to St Gemma’s Hospice, which provided June with end-of-life care.

Pooches sporting their best frocks will fill Collingham Memorial Hall and the event’s organiser, Sarah Foster, hopes it will be a joyous way to remember her friend.

Sarah met June in 2019, soon after she had started putting on dog shows and pageants.

The 32-year-old told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It blossomed into this amazing friendship.

“She was the most happy, smiley, most caring lady in the world. June would go out of her way to help anyone or any dog.

“She had a heart of gold.”

Grandma-of-seven June was taken into hospital in April with gallstones, but was readmitted on May 11 after suffering with excruciating pain.

Doctors gave the devastating diagnosis of cancer in her pancreas, liver and bowel, as well as nine secondary cancers - and June died just 16 days later.

Her pageants drew in dog owners from across the country and she even gathered a huge fan base in America, after pictures from a pageant went viral.

Sarah’s dog, Barney the Beagle, won best king in the pride-themed Furbabies pageant last year.

“Everybody looked forward to any show she was doing,” Sarah added.

“With June, you were sold a show and that’s what you got - it was big, extravagant and amazing.

“Nobody went home empty handed and everyone went home with a smile.

“She made Furbabies on her own, it was her thing, and there was nothing else like it.”

The charity pageant will take place at Collingham Memorial Hall from 11am on Sunday.

Tickets and competition entries can be purchased at the door.