After the rain of the previous vigil, we were delighted to get such a strong turnout for this morning’s event, plenty of new faces and, as seems to have become normal, there were quickly vegan cakes being circulated (is 7am too early for cake?). It wasn’t long before the first of the trucks started to arrive, loaded to the brim with innocent victims. We’re never sure how many pigs are on each truck, but we estimate at around 250; 250 innocent lives, each an individual each possessing the same desire to live, to love and to be loved. The drivers weren’t for stopping outside Tulip, so we moved down to a nearby traffic light junction, where the trucks would stop naturally at the lights, giving us an opportunity to show the pigs some affection without causing any problems for drivers or those attending the vigil. Unfortunately, the drivers weren’t too happy with this either and did all they could to stop us from bearing witness to the suffering of these pigs. Fortunately, their efforts were in vein and we did get to see some of the pigs, to interact with them and show them that somebody cares. Those few previous moments mean so much, to us and to the pigs. A rare moment of human kindness is the only one they will ever experience in their short lives and it is bittersweet that it comes in their final moments on this earth, which has been so cruel to them. We’re doing all we can, but of course it isn’t enough.

Until next time, we keep on fighting, we keep on trying and we keep on speaking out…