Purple poppies to remember and honour the animals lost in wars past and present, and those being exploited in weapons research, were laid again at several cenotaphs around the country. Here are pictures from some of these.
In Eastbourne, where the purple poppy wreath has been officially recognised by the Council for two years, thanks to the hard work of Ann Johnson and Bill Palethorpe:
at Eastbourne war memorial – member Bill Palethorpe second right
Eastbourne purple poppy volunteers 2011
Ann and Bill about to lay the wreath
At Southport, for the second year, our member Katherine Ward and her children laid a purple poppy wreath, which was supported by local RSPCA.In Buckinghamshire, thanks to a friend of QCA, junior school pupils bought a wreath of purple poppies and attended a school assembly about the suffering of animals in war.At Birkenhead:
At Golders Green Unitarians in London, where our committee member Feargus O’Connor is minister, we hear:
Our friend in the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals, Anne Graham reports:
This wreath (above) was laid, in company with all the red ones, by a sixth form student, after the church service at St. Mary the Virgin, West Derby, Liverpool. The war memorial is just outside the church, at the entrance to Croxteth Park.
In Welshpool, Powys, our member Helen Porter, with her group Montgomery Voice for Animals, lays a purple wreath at their war memorial:
What a wonderful idea. Thank you for that compassion and dignity extended towards our other-than-human friends.
Towards justice and peace for all creatures,
Jo Vallentine, Perth, W. Australia.
These are lovely photographs. Thankyou everyone for remembering the millions of animals killed in two world wars and who continue to suffer and die as a result of warfare.