This is inspiring and uplifting – give it 15 minutes and enjoy your day 😀
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home grown, self sufficient, eco-friendly, organic food, garden, gardening, fruit and vegetable growing, vegan, vegetarian, freedom
Animal Sanctuary Poem Week: Day 5
Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare
The Broyle, Ringmer, East Sussex, BN8 5AJ, UK
Tel: (01825) 840252
e: info@raystede.org
Today I saw some horrible men
Who were happy in their pursuit
Of rabbits with their tiny dogs
Who were sent down the holes by the brutes.
These horrible men, these are the type
Who work at the pig farm or kill shed.
They hang and they slash, they pluck and they chop,
And afterwards sleep sound in their beds.
And while they sleep, these horrible men,
Some nice people smile and are friendly.
At their fundraiser for a good cause
They eat ham rolls and beef ravioli.
Horrible men, paid by the masses,
To torture and batter and kill.
The coins in those brutal, blood-stained hands
Are from Raystede’s blood-stained till.
I’m so sorry to have to write such a sad poem when we were in such a happy place looking at the other sanctuaries this week, but for the animals’ sake I have to draw your attention to this again.
It’s true that there are many animal charities which confine themselves to working for just one, or a couple of species – eg Cats’ Protection, Dogs Trust – but Raystede never used to be one of these.
Their website used to display the slogan: “We believe that every animal has the right to health, happiness and freedom from suffering” but since this campaign started they have taken it down.
Raystede was started in the 1950’s by a woman, born in 1902, who had convictions and compassion as strong as those of the other sanctuary hosts we’ve met this week. She described herself as a ‘non-meat eater’ and, as she reiterated again and again, cared about ALL animals, without exception. Miss M Raymonde-Hawkins wrote in her book Sensible Pets and Silly People,
“My own view, and that of every decent minded person, is that no animal should be caused to suffer at all for any reason.”
and
“Too often our entertainment, our food, our clothing and so-called sport are all at the expense of animals and a civilised society in years to come will look back with horror at the way that we have exploited animals during this century.”
She concluded her book with:
“Those of us who have grown old in the work and who have so little to encourage us for the future welfare of animals can at least only hope that having carried the banner so far, we can, in falling, fling it to the hosts behind to carry on the work and hope that they will be more successful than we have been during this century.”
She died in 1998 and the “hosts behind” dropped the banner.
They betrayed her.
They betrayed the animals.
Roll up your sleeves guys, looks like this is gonna take a while.
Let’s Shawshank them!
We can do this.
For as long as it takes.
For the sake of back-to-front Grace and Archie No-Tail in Hugletts’ video, and all the billions of others, please join this campaign and tell Raystede to make their cafe vegan.
Write a letter a week (or email or phone call) until Raystede stops serving the products of animal cruelty.
Until they stop instigating unspeakable suffering.
Thank you so much.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare
The Broyle,
Ringmer,
East Sussex,
BN8 5AJ,
UK
Tel: (01825) 840252
e: info@raystede.org
Animal Sanctuary Poem Week: Day 4
Frettenham, Norfolk
Wendy Valentine’s amazing
Her firey compassion don’t stop blazing.
Her sanct’ry is home to many a horse,
It goes without saying, she’s vegan of course!
There’s chickens and ducks and budgies and turkeys,
And sheep and cows and llamas and donkeys.
There’s rabbits and emus, alpacas and deer,
There’s even some chipmunks and goats live here.
But rescuing’s not all that Hillside does,
They also investigate farms because
They need to make public the horror that’s hidden
Behind the farm gates of those animal prisons.
❤ 🙂 ❤
Hillside is now home to over 3000 animals and is one of the UK’s most successful campaigning organisations for the animals’ cause. They have always known that one of the main reasons animals are left to suffer in factory farms is because people have little or no idea about the immense cruelty involved in their food production.
Animal Sanctuary Poem Week: Day 3
East Peckham, Tonbridge, Kent
Marion and Mark made FRIEND
And such good friends they are,
To pigs and goats and cows and sheep
And turkeys and geese and more.
They give a gift to Death Row souls
The best gift they could give:
Forever freedom in paradise,
Now they can really live.
And they do more, they do for sure,
Showing how to go vegan, they teach.
They strive for a world where FRIEND’s needed no more,
To help future souls they can’t reach.
❤ 🙂 ❤
On a beautiful 10 acre site nestled in between the orchards and hop farms of rural Kent, established in 1994 with the purchase of a small lamb at a livestock market, FRIEND is a working animal sanctuary with around 100 former farm animals and companion animals. Animals find their way there in all sorts of ways. Some are rescued from places of abuse, some arrive following the death of their guardian. Some despicable people abandon their animals by throwing them over the fence. No matter how they get there, they are all welcome to live the rest of their lives as naturally as possible with little human interaction.
FRIEND provides a no kill, free roaming (as far as possible and safe) home to cows, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys. Their 30+ pigs live in their own paddock with wallows. Some of their cats are feral and some are house dwellers. All of their dogs love walking in the meadow.
Promoting veganism is an important part of what they do. They are pleased to meet supporters at their summer open days and introduce them to the animals, who are of course the best ambassadors for a cruelty free life. They do ask that no one brings dogs with them on their visit, as the sanctuary’s residents are free roaming.
They rely solely on donations from the public and put on events to raise money. Financial donations are spent on food, bedding, essential equipment and veterinary bills.
Animal Sanctuary Poem Week: Day 2
Hugletts Wood Farm Animal Sanctuary
Dallington, East Sussex
Imagine a place where cows can live
Their whole lives out in peace.
They’re rescued from the dairy hell
But now live free from cheese.
Big and strong and vulnerable
They’re right where they should be,
A home of love with Wenda and Matt,
They’re even pleased to meet you and me.
Hugletts Wood is a vegan farm,
They grow vegetables and fruits.
The sale of these provides the funds
For their compassionate pursuits.
❤ 🙂 ❤
Hugletts Wood Farm provides sanctuary to cows and their friends. A home for life to farm animals and birds, rescued from the misery of the meat and dairy industry and the horrors of the slaughterhouse.
Hugletts Wood farm is the only farm animal sanctuary in the UK that operates a dedicated Cow Protection Program. It is also the only vegan farm in the UK that runs such a sanctuary.
They try to self-fund as much as possible, growing vegetables and fruits and producing a whole range of woodland products and natural Ahimsa compost but always welcome your support in whatever form it may take!
Animal Sanctuary Poem Week: Day 1
Tower Hill Stables
Asheldham , Essex
Fiona Oakes and Martin,
They’re such a funny pair.
Like vegan superheroes
They’re running here and there.
At Tower Hills, their sanct’ry,
They never seem to stop.
They have so many rescues,
They work until they drop.
So look them up and you’ll see
The lovelies in their care,
And help them if you can please,
When you’ve got a bit to spare.
❤ 😀 ❤
The Tower Hill Stables team are currently trying to raise money to build a new enclosure for the poultry because of DEFRA rules that they have to be kept in over winter to prevent bird flu and they’ve been lucky enough to find a generous benefactor who has promised to match whatever they can raise towards this build. So, if you donate, say £10, the sanctuary will get £20! A great opportunity but it’s a limited time offer and the appeal must end 31st December 2017. Do help if you can 😀
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vegan, vegetarian, athlete, vegan athlete, animal sanctuary, animals, animal rescue, marathon running, marathon running.
Miss Mabel Raymonde-Hawkins
This wonderful woman, who sadly died in 1998, was a life-long advocate for animals. She writes in her book Sensible Pets and Silly People, referring to activities with her childhood friend when she was 5 years old: “… I do not think there was any crime we would not commit for an animal. We were always prepared to do anything we could to reduce the sufferings of any animals that came our way …” She went on to found Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare , in the 1950s I believe, and tirelessly continued as she had begun – saving all the animals who needed her.
The day she died was a great tragedy for animals because those left in charge of Raystede have betrayed her legacy by serving meat, fish, eggs and dairy in their café – something she would never have allowed. How do I know that? Read this (another excerpt from her book):
“Too often our entertainment, our food, our clothing and so-called sport are all at the expense of animals and a civilised society in years to come will look back with horror at the way that we have exploited animals …. Things have gone wrong. Things have got worse. The sparrows go on falling. The sheep go on suffering and it is time many more of us did much more about it … We must be less cautious, we must forge ahead with less timidity and decide that all cruelty should be punished and eliminated. …. Those of us who have grown old in the work and who have so little to encourage us for the future welfare of animals can at least hope that having carried the banner so far, we can, in falling, fling it to the hosts behind to carry on the work and hope that they will be more successful than we have been during this century.”
Heartbreakingly the hosts behind have dropped the banner and let her down horribly.
How dare they? How dare they betray her life’s work? How dare they betray the animals? How dare they do it in Raystede’s name?
Every time someone signs the petition to make Raystede’s café vegan, the CEO, Nigel Mason gets an email. Get everyone you know, and everyone you don’t know to sign it. Even better, write to the president (who worked there when Miss Raymonde-Hawkins was there incidentally) and tell him what you think of their betrayal. Tell him to make that café vegan! I know I can count on you. Thank you ❤
Raystede’s President:
Morgan Williams,
29 Hamilton Court,
The Strand,
Brighton Marina Village,
Brighton,
East Sussex,
BN2 5XD
