On the cafe page of Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare's website, it is claimed that all the meat and dairy on their menu comes from "local, high welfare farming systems". Well, it just so happens that I live very close to what might be termed a 'high welfare' dairy farm (ie the lactating cows graze in large grassy fields) and every year in late spring or early summer, a crowd of babies arrive in a different field, one which is empty for most of the year. These beautiful tots, bereft of their mothers at such a young age, huddle together in the wide expanse and look so lost. When you go up to the gate they will often hurry over to get a closer look. They are curious, inquisitive, gentle, timid and absolutely adorable. Every year there is a new crowd and they are never there for long, maybe a few weeks. And then they're gone. I've never seen them leave and but I know what's happening to them. These are surplus to the dairy farmers needs. The male babies have to die so that he can sell their mothers' milk to Raystede for the milk and cheese and ice cream on their menu. These babies deserve to be seen. They deserve to be faced, not hidden from. So every year I will post photos of the babies who appear in this field so that their brief existence can be remembered. Every year more will come. And every year all I will be able to do for them is take their photographs.

Raystede could do so much more for them. They could set an example to the world. They could tell people there is no need for dairy in the human diet and therefore no justification for killing babies. They are influential. They could really make a difference. A big difference. Please continue to write to Raystede and tell them to look into the eyes of these babies. Ask them if it’s really okay to take them from their mothers and send them to their deaths, just so Raystede can sell their milk, because they were lucky enough to be born on a “high welfare farm”. Thank you.

Write to: Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, The Broyle, Ringmer, LEWES, East Sussex, BN8 5AJ

Tel: (01825) 840252     e: info@raystede.org