Warwickshire News Mine

The Good Egg Awards have been developed by Compassion in World Farming, the leading farm animal welfare charity, to celebrate the commitment of companies and public sector bodies to stop using eggs from battery caged hens. 

Warwickshire’s pioneering move across its catering will ensure the hens supplying its eggs each year will be spared a life of misery in a cage.  They will be free to carry out many of their natural behaviours, unlike hens kept in barren battery cage systems. 

Warwickshire County Council is one of a growing number of local authorities in the UK to receive a 2009 Good Egg Award.  The recognition comes in the framework of Compassion in World Farming’s ‘Cage-free Councils’ campaign, which is gaining the support of a growing number of concerned citizens across Great Britain.

Compassion in World Farming’s Campaigns Co-ordinator, Eloise Shavelar said: "We congratulate Warwickshire for going free-range and hope that other councils will follow their example. 

"All local authorities have a clear opportunity to lead the way in animal welfare standards, ahead of the 2012 EU ban on barren battery cages.  Central and local government offices are important users of eggs – they employ over 2.5 million staff with most providing food for employees and to supply local contracts including schools, residential units and social services."

Councillor Martin Heatley, portfolio holder for Warwickshire County Council, said:  “As a farmer myself, I am delighted that the county council’s caterers have chosen the most humane practice and equally pleased that we have won this national award reflecting our excellent practice.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has recently encouraged public sector bodies to move away from using battery eggs whether used as shell eggs or in products containing eggs.

The issue of animal welfare in public spending has also been supported within the House of Commons. More than 150 MPs supported a motion tabled in 2008 calling on public bodies to procure food with higher standards of farm animal welfare. The motion stated that battery eggs are no longer appropriate. 

Warwickshire County Council joins some of the UK’s top companies in becoming a 2009 Good Egg Award winner.  They include Debenhams, Little Chef, Starbucks Coffee, John Lewis and Virgin Trains.

To celebrate the Good Egg Awards, Compassion in World Farming is running Bake with Compassion week from 6 – 12 July 2009 to raise awareness for its campaign against battery caged hens.  Supporters include Kate Ford (Coronation Street’s Tracy Barlow), Sophie Grigson, Jo Brand, Alison Steadman, Dave Spikey, David Suchet, Paul O’Grady and Brian Blessed.

Link to WCC