Tim writes about the Chicken Out! campaign

Happy new year everyone. We’re gearing up to start work in the studio next week, which is very exciting. Everyone’s feeling great and the songs are coming together nicely.

In the meantime, here’s a thought for the day. The three of us all have very strong feelings about animal welfare, and also about the ethics of sourcing and buying food generally. Someone I’ve found very inspirational because of his relentless campaigning in this area is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, so we’re pleased to be lending our support to his excellent Chicken Out! campaign.

Maybe some of you saw the first episode of Hugh’s TV show about battery-farming yesterday (it will be continued tonight and tomorrow). If you did I hope you’ll agree that it was both deeply disturbing and inspiring.

If you agree with Hugh, and with us, that rearing animals in this way should be illegal – rather than being the standard practice of supermarket-supplying farmers – then please sign up for the Chicken Out! campaign by clicking the banner below.

We can also make a statement – and force an improvement in rearing practices – by changing the way we buy food (again, in this case chickens). Buy free range, preferably organic, chickens rather than cheap battery-farmed animals, and let retailers know that food sourced in such a brutal way does not appeal to shoppers in 2008.

See you all soon. 2008 should be a great year.

Tim