Redwood Asthma UK concerns resolved

[Nadine]

I(dismayed from Sittingbourne) just got the latest Stop Press from Redwood where I can read about their "Marketing Managers, grueling trek in aid of Asthma UK". Asthma UK fund animal research -their blurb reads:

"An important aspect of the medical research funded by Asthma UK is about understanding the mechanisms of asthma, and some of this cannot be done without the use of animals.

Asthma UK shares people's concerns about the well-being of animals in medical research. The Charity only funds research involving animals if all other possibilities have been carefully considered, and the research is likely to give essential information that could not be achieved by alternative methods.

All Asthma UK supported researchers and their projects are required to be licensed by the Home Office. Each application is carefully screened and reviewed by a group of scientific and medical experts and is selected based on the direct relevance to asthma and the impact on the quality of life of people with asthma. As such, both the grant application and the proposed research project must meet Asthma UK's strict criteria and adhere to the Home Office's guidelines on the use of animals in research.

Asthma UK supports the Home Office's commitment to the 3Rs, which serves to refine experimental techniques used on animals, reduce the number of animals used in research and replace animals in research wherever possible."

[Pob]

More info here: http://www.redwoodfoods.co.uk/news/caroline.php

Have you emailed them/her with that info?

[Nadine]

Yes, I have -I haven't received any response, as yet(but it was only earlier today!).
Maybe they'll respond if they get a few more?

[Maisiepaisie]

Well I was all ready to boycott Redwoods but my son just told me he cannot live without cheatin ham. Oh crap I just realised its Redwoods who make Cheezly too. I'm not gonna eat it anymore, it would choke me :mad:

[Maisiepaisie]

Just sent them this message:

I am very disappointed to learn that your sales and marketing manager is raising money for Asthma UK, a charity which conducts animal testing. I'd always considered Redwoods a totally vegan company as you produce only vegan food which I have been buying and enjoying for quite a few years now. However because of my disappointment that you are funding animal research I cannot possibly enjoy Redwood foods anymore. I am shocked that a supposedly vegan company would want to support animal testing

:(

[Nadine]

Have just received the following response(amongst others). Seems a boycott isn't necessary after all :)

Dear Nadine

Thank you for your email, first of all I would like to point out that this was a personal initiative and not a Redwood one. The company was kind enough to let me use the website to help with the initiative. Redwood’s would never knowingly get involved with ANY type of animal research.



As an asthma suffer since childhood I thought that this would be a good project to undertake and in my innocence did not realise that Asthma UK used animal testing. I am glad that this has been pointed out to me and I have reviewed the fund raising and my future fund raising activities. The link with Redwood has been removed and I apologise for any offence that has been caused. It would help to know if there are any websites which give details of medical research facilities that do not use animal testing so that funds can be diverted to them and I will also ask Redwood’s to put links on the website.



Once again I apologise for any offence caused.



Caroline Beynon

[the_red_star]

Iv'e

[the_red_star]

Opps, sorry for the double post, my computer went a wee bitty mad there!!

I've just sent them an email also. I will probably get the same response as you, Nadine.

Atleast the response you recieved Nadine was quite positive, in that the lady wants to learn and look in to different research methods for her cause. I think thats a good start indeed!

[Nadine]

Does anyone know of any asthma charities that don't use animal testing?

[the_red_star]

I have just recieved a very speedy reply indeed. Redwood said -

My sincere apologies and thank you for pointing this out. Caroline undertook this as a personnel project as an asthma sufferer. In all innocence she did not realize that Asthma UK was involved with animal testing.

As a vegan company Redwoods has a strict policy on animal welfare and would never knowingly support any company involved in animal testing. The link has naturally been removed and I can confirm that Redwood’s commitment to the principals of veganism remain as strong as they have always been.

Thank you once again for pointing this out and my apologies for any offense caused.

Regards
Keith

[Pob]

Dr Hadwen Trust are funding asthma research (amongst other things):
http://www.drhadwentrust.f2s.com/J_FS-RP_ResProjects2005.html

[Nadine]

Thanks Rob, I sent the info to Caroline and got this reply:

Hi Nadine


Thank you for this link, upon further investigation they have a research project on the go into Asthma so the equivalent amount of what I have raised so far will be sent to them for use in this research.


Kind regards


Caroline

[Pob]

Yay! Nice one! :)

[RedWellies]

Well done, Nadine! That's great! (and you too, Rob for supplying the info!)

[Maisiepaisie]

This is good news and I'm so relieved I don't have to give up Cheezly after all :)

[gertvegan]

As far as I'm aware, over £1000 was donated to Dr Hadwen Trust. :D

[Nadine]

Yay, can everyone who contacted them about this give themselves a pat on the back! Well done to Redwood too :D