DAME Joanna Lumley is helping to secure the future of a county animal sanctuary.
Farm Animal Sanctuary in Middle Littleton held its annual open day over the weekend, offering a chance to kickstart its fundraiser.
The charity is hoping to raise £600,000 by Christmas in order to buy the farm and secure the future of the 600 animals that live there.
Ms Lumley, a patron of the Farm Animal Sanctuary, gave a speech at Saturday’s open day.
She said: “It seems to me so terrible that we have been persuaded somehow not to mind what happens to farm animals, so when Jan Taylor founded The Farm Animal Sanctuary, it struck such a chord in my heart”
“What we have got to do is to say to people, can you help us secure one thing? This small farm, so that the 600 creatures that are here can stay here.
“What we have got to do is somehow, between us all, we have got to raise the money needed to purchase the farm.
“It sounds like a hell of a lot, it is a hell of a lot, but between us look how many words we could put out. Could we, between us, collect some of that money?”
The sanctuary had not been able to hold its open day since 2019 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
More than 1,000 people attended the event on Saturday, August 6, with many travelling from further afield to attend.
There was a variety of stalls on offer, selling vegan food, drinks, and crafts, as well as Belle D’Vain Morris Dancing and live music from Vegan Queen V.
Animal welfare organisations and experts held talks throughout the day, including representatives from Pigs in the Wood, Exposing Cruelty, Simply Alpaca, Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs, Macarthur Barstow and Gibbs Veterinary Surgery.
So far, over £100,000 has been raised for the purchase of the sanctuary.
Ms Lumley added: “We’ve got to reconnect with our humanity.
“I’m not suggesting everyone becomes a vegetarian or vegan overnight, but I think we could cut down on our meat eating, for our health, the health of our planet and the health of our farm animals.
“We’ll all feel better when you know that blood isn’t around the plate that you’re eating from.”
To find out more, or donate to the fundraiser, visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/securingoursanctuary.
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