For me personally; doing nothing is NOT an option !

• I just wanted to show you some photos from my collection about great animal campaigning days I had in Europe.

 

I think Monica took this photo of ‘my back’ when we were touring the EU back in 2005.

 

There were both Summer and Winter tours – I was involved with both, and the Summer one at least allowed you to wear just a T shirt rather than wrapping up in thermals for the Winter. It was cold, real cold; unlike the mild winters we seem to always get now.

Above – the thorn between 2 Roses – me with Monica (right) and Nanda (left).

 

Working on behalf of CIWF https://www.ciwf.org.uk/ we took the tour truck all over the EU – the truck was fitted out as a special walk through display where you entered at the back, met the veal calves in transport; then progressed on to a complete mock up of a battery cage system as used in the EU. Also shown were pig farming methods complete with fake pigs and farrowing crates and stalls.

‘Welcom’ to our road tour – the greeting for Dutch visitors.

 

Finally you moved on into the front section where you were shown ‘good and bad’ foods to purchase at the supermarket; outlining their impact (good or bad) for animal welfare. Outside the truck we had video screens continually showing footage of the systems; and the truck was kitted out externally to look like an animal transporter at the read; moving forward to systems which were better and did not involve intensive farming, A 2 view truck, bad at the rear, good at the front.

It was a good, productive tour, spreading the ‘intensive’ system word to many tens of thousands of people. In the Netherlands we even had personal permission from Her Majesty the Queen to park the tour truck in front of the Royal Palace for a few days to get the maximum attention; which we did, with thousands of people passing through to learn more about intensive systems and animal factory farming. The Dutch police were very supportive and helped us a lot.

Above – Eco Centre; beautiful de Kleine Aaarde in Boxtel

 

In the Netherlands we also visited de Kleine Aaarde in Boxtel https://www.bd.nl/boxtel/stap-voor-stap-vordert-natuurpark-de-kleine-aarde-in-boxtel~a82b4b10/?referrer=https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&ved=2ahUKEwiXiO_jm4DmAhXIVsAKHVNLB-AQFjAEegQIBhAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bd.nl%2Fboxtel%2Fstap-voor-stap-vordert-natuurpark-de-kleine-aarde-in-boxtel~a82b4b10%2F&usg=AOvVaw1ImRbWD3IG9zDAfP_fSZKg   which is a massive and beautiful ‘Eco Centre’ which deals correctly with all aspects of food, the environment and animal welfare / farming issues.

We had a great time on the tour, spreading the word (with examples) of the real bad things relating to animal intensive farming. I can remember sitting down by the canals having a pizza with Monica, Nanda, Geert, John and Wayne after a busy days campaigning on the road. Memories which will always stick with me.

 

Wonderful John https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/04/25/england-another-terrible-loss-john-callaghan/ from CIWF came out for a while to visit us; and it was here that he and I spent many good hours in my car checking out the veal institutions of the NL; as well as a bit on live horse transport. John; taken way too early like all good people; he more than did his bit.

I was then and am still an angry young Turk when it comes to animal suffering; I hope this inspires you to get out and campaign !

 

Super memories; fantastic people; all dedicated to stopping suffering.

Regards Mark.

Above – waiting near a school for all the children to come and visit – and learn about it all.

 

Above – when we got back to England, we used the calves to stick the them Prime Minister, John Major, into a veal crate to give him a feel for what he was sending British calves to Europe for.

 

Like this below – a British calf is restrained in a European veal crate.

Above – ‘Scania Rules ok !’ –  me taking time out with the tour truck at a free range chicken facility.