Thank you to all those who supported the Lotus Trust’s Ahimsa – Happy Healthy Cows campaign with sponsorship towards a traveling exhibition and promotional materials.
Their support enabled us to:
purchase exhibition stands suitable for outdoor and indoor use
design and print pamphlets promoting the campaign
design and print 50 t‐shirts accompanying the campaign
generate further support to part‐sponsor a mix of small fundraising gifts
participate in three major festivals including Glastonbury 08, Virgin and two local ones in Hertfordshire
host a Cow Carnival with Britain’s foremost Cow Protection and Working Oxen Farm
Festivals
A small team of volunteers trundled to various festivals around the country with a couple of tables, leaflets, exhibition stands and armed with petitions for the campaign. 2008 festivals included:
Glastonbury Festival
V Festival
Krishna Community Summer Festival
Borehamwood Carnival (Hertfordshire local)
Bushey Festival (Hertfordshire local)
Of these, the most rewarding were Glastonbury and the Krishna festivals with thousands of petitions being signed.
Cow Carnival - the first ever of its kind
With the local Three Counties radio promoting the event, Sunday 20th July resulted in approximately 2,500 – 3,000 guests attending the Cow Carnival. It was a warm summer’s day at Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Cow Protection and Working Oxen farm in Hertfordshire. The event raised awareness of the predicament of cows and bulls and promoted Ahimsa (non‐violence) towards all animals, particularly cows. Opportunities to meet the Manorʹs herd and ox‐carts rides were a central focus. There were many activities including the children’s cow Olympics, exhibitions, workshops and stalls with organic vegetables and cow trinkets. Local groups such as the North Hertfordshire Vegetarian Society also took part.
Overall, the day was a great success with participation of many visitors and people committing to convert to organic milk, the first step toward true compassion.
Sheila Chauhan is heading up the Karma to Climate Change team
once again for setting up another dynamic exhibition to be
taken to summer festivals. This year’s theme will focus
around the banyan tree with its unlimited branches which symbolizes
Mother Earth. Plants, animals and humans all derive strength
and nourishment from its branches, however, with their insatiable
greed and power to control and have the biggest and best, human
beings are fast becoming the host disease that is strangling
the banyan tree. Through pollution, deforestation, global
warming and subsequent soil erosion, species extinction, village
displacement and loss of peace of mind, the global forest is
slowly being uprooted and dying.
If you have a flair for creativity and would like to help
create the banyan tree and its branches, contact Sheila Chauhan
at sheila.chauhan@thelotustrust.org
Cow Carnival
Britain’s
first carnival to celebrate the cow was held just outside
London on Sunday, July 20th. The carnival, which was geared
toward children and families, acknowledged all of the gifts
that cattle bestow on humans, from ploughing the land across
the world, to providing milk for the breakfast table.
The event marked the launch of Ahimsa Milk, a campaign by
The Lotus Trust to persuade people only to drink organic milk,
which ensures better welfare for cows. Ultimately the charity
would like to see a no-slaughter policy introduced with retirement
homes for elderly cows.
The day was held at Bhaktivedanta Manor, in Aldenham,
Herts, the lush 78 acre country estate donated to the Hare
Krishna movement by the late Beatle George Harrison. A star
attraction was the Manor’s own fine herd of happy
healthy cows and visitors were able to take bullock rides
and learn how to milk by hand.
According to Hindu tradition, cows are to be respected like
one's mother as they feed nourish human society with their
milk; indeed, a name for God in Hinduism is "Govinda",
which means "Protector of the cows". Based
on these beliefs, the Manor's community runs Europe's only
cow protection programme where bulls are used to work the land
instead of tractors.
Other attractions included a Cow Olympics, an exhibition,
face painting for children, vegetarian and cooking workshops
and various stalls.
When
Sunday 20th July
2pm - 6pm
More Info
01923 851 010
Where
Bhaktivedanta Manor
Dharam Marg, Hilfield lane
Aldenham, Watford
WD25 8EZ
(follow signs for the 'Hare Krishna Temple' off A41)
Latest
News 
Sheila Chauhan is heading up the Karma to Climate Change team
once again for setting up another dynamic exhibition to be
taken to summer festivals. This year’s theme will focus
around the banyan tree with its unlimited branches which symbolizes
Mother Earth. Plants, animals and humans all derive strength
and nourishment from its branches, however, with their insatiable
greed and power to control and have the biggest and best, human
beings are fast becoming the host disease that is strangling
the banyan tree. Through pollution, deforestation, global
warming and subsequent soil erosion, species extinction, village
displacement and loss of peace of mind, the global forest is
slowly being uprooted and dying.
Britain’s
first carnival to celebrate the cow was held just outside
London on Sunday, July 20th. The carnival, which was geared
toward children and families, acknowledged all of the gifts
that cattle bestow on humans, from ploughing the land across
the world, to providing milk for the breakfast table.
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