We can’t let them get away with this
Call to action: Diocese of Coventry do you stand for cruetly or compassion?
For months, the West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs have been waiting for a response from the Diocese of Coventry regarding the Warwickshire Hunt’s use of church-owned land. In February, the saboteurs filmed the Warwickshire Hunt hunting a fox on their land. Shortly afterwards, one member of the hunt was actually convicted under the Hunting Act.
And yet, the Diocese’s response to sabs about the illegal fox hunting? “We’ll look into it.”
It has been half a year. Six months of delay, six months of silence, six months of pretending that this is a complicated question. It isn’t. Either you allow the hunt on your land, or you don’t. Either you take responsibility for foxes being terrorised and killed on church property, or you don’t.
This is not a grey area. It’s black and white: either they allow hunts on their land, or they don’t. Either they’re complicit in cruelty, or they take a stand. There is no middle ground.
Enough is enough
Every day they refuse to act is another day the Warwickshire Hunt get away with terrorising foxes, ripping them limb from limb in the name of “tradition.” Every delay is a green light for more bloodshed.
The Church is supposed to stand for compassion, for protection, for life. Instead, right now, they’re providing cover for cruelty.
We can’t let them get away with this.
What you must do
If you can’t be out in the fields with the saboteurs, if you can’t chip in a donation to keep them running, then at the very least, for the foxes torn apart on Coventry’s doorstep, you can send an email.
Flood their inbox. Ring their phones. Let them know we are watching and we will not stop until they act. They cannot ignore West Midlands Hunt Sabs any longer.
Here are the contacts. Use them:
Diocesan Secretary: Jacqueline Ladds – diocesan.secretary@coventry.anglican.org | 024 7652 1307
PA to the Diocesan Secretary: Yvette McDonald – yvette.mcdonald@coventry.anglican.org | 0753 422 5098
Bishop of Coventry: Bishop Sophie Jelley – bishopsophie@bishop-coventry.org | 024 7667 2244
Elizabeth Egan (PA) – pa@bishop-coventry.org | 024 7667 2244
Keep it polite, but keep it relentless. Ask them:
Do you allow the hunt on your land?
If not, what are you doing to stop it happening again?
Please let West Midlands Hunt Sabs know any correspondence you receive.
The line has been drawn
The Diocese of Coventry have had long enough. They either stand with compassion or they stand with cruelty.
Foxes are being hunted, torn apart, and killed while the Church dithers. That’s the truth.
It’s time to force their hand. Email. Call. Donate. Share. Act.
Stand with the sabs
West Midlands Hunt Sabs are the reason we even know about this. They’re the ones who put their bodies between the hounds and the foxes, who face down violence and intimidation to drag the truth into the light.
They don’t have church coffers or land rents to bankroll them. They run on donations, fuel money, second-hand gear, and sheer determination.
Support them if you can: West Midlands Hunt Sabs donation page
But whether you can give or not, do not sit silent. Silence is complicity.
E mails sent and well done West Midlands Hunt Sabs. Their dedication and determination is second to none.
I’d urge everyone reading this to join and / or financially support their local HSA affiliated group. A full list of groups can be found on the HSA website. No justice, just us 🦊💪
Again, well done West Midlands Hunt Sabs. I have recently heard from a parishioner that one of my local churches, Dunterton near Milton Abbot in Devon, accepted money that was collected by the local hunt. Dunterton church hold a river walk, along the River Tamar, in October to raise funds for the church. The walk in October 2024 had to be cancelled and therefore, the local hunt handed the church a collection made by the hunt, which was happily accepted.