Esher and Walton Conservative Association featured the below article on their website on Sunday 2nd March, following the presentation of the Lord Erskine Silver Award to the Co Founder of Blue Fox( Conservatives Against Fox Hunting} at the RSPCA Honours Award ceremony in Whitehall on the 1st March.
Constituency president’s wife awarded RSPCA accolade
Sunday, 2 March, 2014
Chris Platt, President of the Esher & Walton Constituency Association attended the RSPCA’s Honours ceremony in Whitehall, London on Saturday 1 March 2014 where his wife Lorraine was awarded the Lord Erskine Silver Award one of the RSPCA ‘s highest accolades.
The citation to Lorraine reads “In recognition of her very important contribution in the field of animal welfare.”
Lorraine, from Thames Ditton, works within the Conservative Party as the Founder of Conservatives Against Fox Hunting of which our local MP, Dominic Raab, is a Patron.
Lorraine works with Conservative MPs in Westminster on two further Conservative campaigns Blue Badger and Blue Hare.
http://www.esherwalton.com/news/constituency-presidents-wife-awarded-rspca-accolade
CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST WINS RSPCA HONOUR ( RSPCA Press release 3rd March 2014)
A Conservative activist from Surrey has won an RSPCA award for her wildlife campaigning.
Lorraine Platt from Thames Ditton was awarded the Lord Erskine silver award at the RSPCA Honours ceremony.
Artist and Conservative supporter, Lorraine has become a key wildlife campaigner encouraging Conservative MPs to focus on animal welfare issues surrounding hunting and the badger cull.
A trustee of the League Against Cruel Sports, director of Conservatives Against Fox Hunting Lorraine was one of the co-founder of the Blue Fox – a group to provide a voice to Tory MPs who do not want to see the hard-fought hunting with dogs ban repealed.
Lorraine has been instrumental in setting up more Westminster campaigns – the Blue Hare to introduce a closed season for hares and hunting and the Blue Badger campaigning against the badger cull.
The RSPCA’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr James Yeates, said: “Lorraine has made considerable contributions to the campaign in support of the Hunting Act 2004 which protects stags, hares and foxes from being hunted by dogs.
“The Blue Fox group represents Conservative supporters who think hunting with dogs should remain illegal. The group was established, in part, to dispel any myths that all Conservatives were pro-hunting and to give those Conservatives who are against the law being repealed, the chance to be heard.
“Lorraine has earned this award for her continued support and fight to keep hunting with dogs as part of British history and not part of British future.”.
The Lord Erskine silver award is given in recognition of an important contribution in the field of animal welfare to an individual or organisation not necessarily associated with the RSPCA
Lorraine Platt said: “I am deeply honoured to be awarded the Lord Erskine silver award in recognition of my work as founder of The Conservatives Against Fox hunting, also know as Blue Fox.
“I am very grateful to the RSPCA for honouring our work with this prestigious award. It is encouraging to know that our work to protect the Hunting Act 2004 is recognised and appreciated.”
The RSPCA has been presenting awards for about 150 years. This year The Honours includes awards for special merit and ability amongst the charity’s inspectors; humanitarian awards for those who have made an outstanding contribution in the field of animal welfare; and awards for special investigations.
This year winners include:
Five Royal Marines and three members of the Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service presented with gallantry medals for saving the pony which had tumbled 80ft down a cliff in February last year 2013.
TV farmer Jimmy Doherty for his work raising awareness of farm animal welfare.
Two professors who have scooped a new award in memory of astronomer and honorary RSPCA vice president Sir Patrick Moore who sadly died in 2012.
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