A memoir of Roxy Morris - 25 years a volunteer

I began volunteering for the League Against Cruel Sports over 25 years ago and was mainly involved in monitoring the local hunts and helping them on their volunteer work days.

At the time the League owned the old priory, which was a very beautiful building situated in a valley among the hills of Exmoor National Park. The building was surrounded by sheep, pheasants and there was a memorial garden where we would go to eat our sandwiches and drink from our flasks filled with coffee, between tackling the vegetation in the overgrown gardens.

There was a group of us that helped out where we could. We got up to all sorts of things and everything we did was done in good spirit.

I got involved with volunteering for the League because animals have been a big part of my life from a very young age. They have been the love of my life and I’ve always wanted to give something back to them, considering we take so much away from them.

My upbringing was slightly unusual though. As I was brought up in a household which hunted and I had been made to go out on hunts. I loved being around the horses but I hated seeing an innocent animal being chased and when I was old enough I stood up against it.

It was a horrific experience which had a profound effect on me but looking back I’m grateful to have witnessed this bloodlust as it has only guided me closer to animals and made me more passionate about helping them.

Caring for animals persecuted by cruel sports is like having a good friend who is in trouble, and you would do anything to help them. If I still had my physical health I’d be out there to this day volunteering and helping where I could. I just hope there are people still out there that will continue to be the voice for these animals. 

Time is moving very quickly, technology is progressing, yet animals are still being hunted, birds are still being bred to be shot in the millions and we are still fighting for the same things today.

When I was a young woman I truly believed we were going to change the world but the sad thing is I’m now 80 years old and there is still a long way to go.

But united we can make a difference to these animals’ lives and we must work together to stand up for animals and inspire future generations to do the same.

Roxy