Thursday 17 September 2015

We pootle to the other side of Dartmoor and @CIWF take a #CowOnTour

Good morning and Happy Kiva Repayments Day! Plus congratulations to
Huntisbeare Caravan Club CL 
our MP, Kerry McCarthy, for being appointed Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. I blogged her letter to me just prior to May's General Election in which she discussed her commitment to improving sustainability and humane farming in the UK. I think Kerry is a great choice for the role and I hope the silly media hysteria about her veganism is temporary and doesn't negatively affect her work to promote animal welfare.

On a completely different note, we managed to keep one step ahead of
the rain yesterday managing to both leave Lumburn Court and pitch up at our new campsite, Huntisbeare, without needing to don our waterproofs. We only moved about fifty miles and are now on the other side of Dartmoor convenient for visiting Exeter. Huntisbeare is a Caravan Club CL and one of the pricier ones at £15 a night, however with discounts applied for longer stays (from April through August you can Pay for 5 nights and Stay for 6; March and September get an even better Pay for 4 nights, Stay for 5 nights deal). Chatting to the owner earlier, he said they were very pleased with their first year in the Club and it is easy to see all the improvements that are being made. There are four large hardstanding pitches and one grass pitch. The usual water, waste and electricity points are complemented with a festival-style toilet that even has its own dinky outdoor washbasin. Plus there is a washing up area too. Views only really extend to the bordering hedges and trees and we don't know if we will see much in the way of wildlife. It is possible to buy eggs, garden produce, scones and bread on request although we're definitely ok for bread now. Did you read my slow cooker bread post yesterday?!

We are planning to stay here for at least four nights and make a visit into
Exeter tomorrow as well as exploring the local area during the rest of the time. There is a Whittards in the city so I can stock up on hot chocolate again (we have both decided we like the Creme Brulee White Chocolate best!). Apparently there are lots of local footpaths and we spotted a booklet about the East Devon Way which we must borrow and peruse. Other than that, we plan a few seaside excursions - huddling in bus shelters protecting soggy chips from the rain! - to Seaton and maybe Sidmouth as our pitch is named for the Sid.

A much longer journey than our pootle to Exeter is about to be
undertaken by a model cow accompanied by representatives of Compassion In World Farming. In a protest against live animal exports from the EU the organisation will undertake a mini European tour during October to raise awareness of the issue. Every year around 3 million animals are exported alive out of the EU for slaughter, fattening, or breeding. These horrendously long journeys typically take animals from a place where there are laws to protect their welfare, to countries where they receive little or no protection." CIWF "investigations have shown that the consequences for animal welfare are dire."

CIWF say "our #CowOnTour is a life-size sculpture inspired by the cows we’ve witnessed on our previous investigations into the EU’s live animal export trade. Right now she’s a blank canvas but she’s ready to have the signatures of EU citizens drawn all over her in a giant 3D petition.

Our #CowOnTour will visit major cities in 7 EU countries, starting in London on 9 October when Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch will join us for a protest. #CowOnTour will be collecting signatures all over her body as she goes. At the end, she’ll be delivered to the European Commission with a simple message, ‘STOP LIVE EXPORTS!’

Click this link to find our more about the tour, to sign the petition and to find out how else you can get involved.

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