However NIRAH still appear to be struggling to find funding for the project and as usual are not saying how much money they have actually raised.  The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) had previously helped out financially but are now to be abolished by the new government.  Despite this NIRAH remain hopeful that EEDA’s obligations will be taken over by a consortium.  NIRAH’s next planned stage is to obtain full planning permission as currently they only have outline permission.  Watch this space for further developments…

For the full newspaper article visit Bedfordshire on Sunday

Following recent revelations of animal suffering, Woburn bosses have now admitted that high voltage electric shocks were used to train a bull elephant in their care.  The story was revealed in last week’s Sunday Times - click here to read more from CAPS website.

(Photo courtesy of CAPS)

See also local newspaper coverage of the story:

Bedfordshire on Sunday

Bedfordshire Times and Citizen

Government inspectors have severely critised Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire following an inspection earlier this year.  Concerns include:

(photo courtesy of CAPS)

• Lions being kept locked up in cramped cages for up to 18 hours at a time
• Sealions kept in harmful chlorinated pools which were causing ulcers on their eyes and leaving them unable to see
• Turtles being kept in inadequate ‘temporary’ tanks for months at a time
• An elephant being kept in and unsafe enclousre from which he had previously escaped, posing a serious threat to public safety

For a full report visit CAPS website http://www.captiveanimals.org/news/2010/woburn.html which also has a link to a recent Sunday Times article exposing the suffering.

For further information on local zoos see our campaign page Whipsnade and Woburn - The Reality of Zoos

Willmott Dixon in Hitchin and Letchworth went in to lock down as protesters reached their offices as part of a national day of action against the company because of their involvement in the construction of the new Leicester animal lab.

Willmott Dixon’s offices in Hitchin, who had their main doors locked in anticipation of the campaigner’s arrival, received a vocal protest with plenty of beeps of support from passing motorists.

Two megaphones were used to ensure those at the company were in no doubt as to why the campaigners were there.  Staff were reminded that they can help by leaking information to the campaign.

Police were on the scene but were generally peaceful and protesters were not required to use any public order measures to control them!

Willmott Dixon has its headquarters in Letchworth which it oddly shares with a children’s nursery.  Protesters were keen to ensure no children were upset by the protest and therefore protesters kept out of sight of nursery windows and avoided making a noise.  A representative spoke with the nursery staff who said the protest was fine.

At the Willmott Dixon side of the building posters were displayed through the glass doors and an attempt was made to deliver a leaflet but no one was prepared to come to the door.  A delivery was turned away by staff at the site - clearly answering the door is not their thing!  A group of secondary school students stopped by the protest to offer support and ask questions.

At the main exit road to the complex that houses the Willmott Dixon HQ other campaigners held placards to garner public support.

The police who had followed protesters all the way from Hitchin were overzealously taking pictures from inside the building, hiding in bushes, etc.  Protesters hid their faces in order to keep police entertained and out of trouble!  Can’t have them hanging around street corners, can we?

For more information on the campaign visit Stop the Leicester Animal Lab

Today Bedford Animal Action and Cambridge Animal Rights activists protested in support of the SHAC Beagle Day of Action at Dow Agrosciences offices at Latchmore Court, Brand Street, Hitchin SG5 1NH to expose the notorious company’s business dealings with the most exposed lab in the world, HLS.

For those that don’t know Dow, the company produced Agent Orange and their subsidiary company Union Carbide was responsible for the Bhopal disaster for which victims were never properly compensated.  Of course that’s OK because they spent $6,640,000 (in 2009 alone) on lobbying instead!

What perfect bedfellows for the most exposed animal lab in the world, killers of 500 animals every day, Huntingdon Life Sciences.  If Dow has any interest in its corporate image now is the time to drop HLS once and for all.

Campaigners gave out a number of leaflets and got support from passers-by.  The megaphone was used to good effect to expose Dow’s terrible record in terms of both human and animal rights.

A group of around 7 police including 2 police camera people and two standing at the end of the road wasted public funds in a recession by spending their time watching the peaceful protest.

Activists paid another visit to AstraZeneca’s offices in Luton this week. As usual within minutes of our arrival a security announcement could be heard and blinds started to go down. After a short while we spotted some staff attending a meeting in a ground floor room and repositioned ourselves to ensure that they got a clear reminder of what they were involved in. After a short while they too decided to pull down the blinds and carry on in the gloom rather than have to be confronted with the truth. It soon became clear that a large meeting, or meetings, had taken place as mid-afternoon people started to leave the office for the visitor’s car park. For the next hour or so there was a steady stream of people leaving which gave us a great opportunity to let them know what sort of company they were associating with. Banners, placards and megaphones were used to great effect. The police were conspicuous by their complete absence throughout, despite the fact that we were there for around three hours. Hopefully since the recent court case they have realised that protest is still legal in this country and have found a better use for their time.

We urge AstraZeneca to make the ethical decision to cut its ties with HLS - until then we will continue to return.

To get involved email us at info@bedfordanimalaction.org

For more information on the campaign and cruelty-free alternatives visit www.uncaged.co.uk

BAA keep pressure on Astrazeneca at their UK headquarters in London:

http://www.shac.net/news/2010/april/9.html

BAA activists support University Vivsection Week of Action in Cambridge:

http://animalrightscambridge.webs.com/apps/blog/show/3478561-activists -confront-cambridge-uni-over-animal-tests

BAA put pressure on other Astrazeneca sites and subsidiaries:

http://animalrightscambridge.webs.com/apps/blog/show/3484654-activists -back-at-kudos-pharmaceuticals-after-legal-victory