Letter from Doreen Thompson - August 4, 2015
Newsletters From Animal Padre's Christians Against All Animal Abuse

Dear Friends,

I am sitting in the car in the Pet Cemetery car park waiting of the rain to stop. I need to take a photo of James’s memorial Bench to include with my letters. This was put in place yesterday, just six months after he died. It is quite near to where his plaque is, containing his ashes. I’m sure those of you who suggested a memorial to James and sent donations, will be very pleased with the outcome, and a very big thank you to all of you.

The inscription reads:
Rev. James Thompson, “The Animals’ Padre”
His Love And Compassion Embraced The Whole of Creation

The inscription reads:
Rev. James Thompson
“The Animals’ Padre”
4.2.1930 – 30.1.2015
His Love And Compassion
Embraced The Whole of Creation

Doreen Thompson (the late Rev James Thompson's wife)
Picture from Judy Hewitt

To all the fifty people who received James’s three monthly newsletter plus thirty other friends of the animal world who lived nearby, a very big thankyou for being so supportive over the years. James was a unique person and no-one can take his place. There will be other animal friendly people who will rise up amongst you and lead the way. Very often when a strong leader is in place it is difficult for any young budding talent to get a chance to lead. It needs someone with stamina, vision, and courage.

The newsletter will not continue as that was James’s very own thing. I just got them ready to send out to you. On the separate sheet of paper I have detailed how you can find newsletters from 2003 and small videos.

James took part in many public demos at Oxford, Whitney Farmer Brown’s Cat place, Cambridge and Huntingdon, Vivisection labs, Wakefield, chickens lib., Leeds the fur trade, Sheffield, Bradford Portsmouth, Porton Down and Salisbury, Banbury Cattle Market, and an all night demo at Dover Docks over live exports. We were constantly taking part in small local demos.

Before his retirement in February 1995 James was a full time clergyman, the last ten of which were spent in Scotland. He was hospital chaplain to four large hospitals in Aberdeen for the Episcopal church of Scotland and we had St. Clement’s Church as well for five years.

We had two parishes on the Moray Coast for another five years, All Saints, Buckie, and St. John’s, Portsoy. So life in those days was very busy. During this time the Ark group found us (Roman Catholic Study Circle for Animal Welfare) and we spent many (animal related) happy holidays with them. Many of you would have been with us, but many have since died.

After James retired and came to Wales, life was just as busy for the first ten years when people found out what he was. He was in demand at the Churches and chapels and also the Animal followers wanted him to speak out for them too. So we still went on many demos and gatherings. We did cut down our activities when he began to tire physically, but he made up for it in his corner on the computer, often writing to the Press on many an issue of need or injustice. He wrote many articles, and he wrote books and I would type these, from his scripts in the old days in Aberdeen, in the dark gloomy winters when it would be dark at 2.30p.m.

However while in Wales we did many demos and started the animal blessing services again in a small Baptist Church down the road, which didn’t have a minister, just relied on lay readers, so as we had no church of our own it was good of the committee to agree to our request. James had taken services there on occasion and I had played the organ for them sometimes, so there was a good relationship. We had one each year until it became unsafe, then we were asked to join in with the minister of Connors Quay Presbyterian Church of Wales and the services have continued with James taking them ever since, about five years. This year they have told me they intend to hold one later this year and ask a hospital chaplain at Glan Clwyd to officiate. So they have shown initiative. I am so pleased.

There are some animal blessing services up and down the country that have really taken off, and some have been going for over twenty years.

You do need to have a Minister or Priest who will agree to taking this kind of service and of using his church, so you do have to tread carefully. There are very successful services at Craigebutler Church of Scotland in Aberdeen, a Methodist Chapel (group of five) in Carlisle, an Anglican church in Beverley, East Yorkshire, one in West Ardsley and one in the Dales,Yorkshire, one near Fordingbridge in Hampshire, and I know there are one or two near Oxford, and also Leicester. They are just a few from the top of my head, there must be many more. James held his first in 1975 when his children were junior age in the grounds of his church St. Luke’s in Huddersfield. I do remember when Alwyn Rice-Jones was bishop of St. Asaph they did have a service for the animal cause there. I do remember the horses were outside at the West Door as we left. May Trip organised it from Yorkshire, but it was just for one year.

Someone asked if I would be having a charity for the animals. The answer is no. In this area we have the Capricorn Animal Sanctuary towards Mold, for Flintshire, and on the Rhyl/Prestatyn side going into Denbighshire you have the North Clwyd Animal Rescue Sanctuary. Both are equally good. We have been more involved with Capricorn and know Sheila and her late husband well. It costs a fortune to keep the sanctuary going and she works like a trogen. The people and children round here are so generous to her and the shops, firms and supermarkets too, They often supply her with food. She is also allowed to have a table in the foyer and collect and also explain what she does.

There is also a small sanctuary in Joy’s garden for injured birds in Greenfield. She and her husband do a wonderful work caring for injured swans and birds in the Greenfield valley and woodland around.

There is Judi who leads North Wales Against Animal Cruelty and spends much time fighting fox hunting and Betty who fights for the badger cause.

These are all causes which need funds and would always be glad of donations, and the outcome is always for the animals, so we don’t need to start any more.

The two big sanctuarys also have a number of charity shops in their areas and they bring in much needed funds. I find this a very good way of fund raising.

Just wanted to write to you all before I go away to Yorkshire, to see my family and get the Astma under control.

Cheerio.

Love,
Doreen Thompson

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