BRITISH PIG INDUSTRY SUPPORT GROUP PRESS RELEASE

R.I.P. Winnie-the-Pig
May 1999 — July 2008

Pig industry loses its campaigning hero

By Digby Scott

The pig who lived in Parliament Square for three months, cared for by campaigning pig farmers, died in her sleep at the age of nine.

Winnie-the-Pig was the mascot of British pig producers through a turbulent decade, which saw the national pig herd decline 40 percent as a result of unilateral legislation by government, dual standards by supermarkets, and latterly a global increase in feed prices.

During her vigil in Parliament Square, when she lived in a pen at the foot of the statue of Sir Winston Churchill, she became a popular tourist attraction, known by all the open-top tour bus guides.

More recently, in March this year, Winnie came out of retirement to spend a day opposite Downing Street, when she met politicians and celebrities. Although unfailingly civil to her guests, she spent much of her time dozing, as old ladies do.

Preferring human company to her own kind, she demanded only that social encounters be prefaced with the offering of food. During her nine years Winnie-the-Pig met politicians, dukes, bishops, celebrities and, inevitably, many policemen.

Her jaunts included an appearance on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice, when the pig industry took government to judicial review, and many appearances as a candidate in the London mayoral election of 2000, even though her nomination, though initially accepted at Millbank, was subsequently rejected.

Her mode of transport on these occasions was a bespoke trailer towed behind a three-wheeler, loaned by Reliant.

Her fans included London town crier Peter Moore; as soon as she heard the ringing of his bell she shot out of her hut in Parliament Square, knowing he was on his way to see her, with an apple in his pocket.

She showed her appreciation of Tara Palmer-Tomkinson by gently nibbling her thigh but tested Michael Meacher’s good nature by accidentally standing on his foot.

When Lord Tebbit was introduced to her recently, he recalled the song by Benjamin Hapgood Burt, which concludes, ‘You can tell a man who boozes, by the company he chooses... and the pig got up and slowly walked away’.

Unlike the then Royal Parks Police, who disliked having a resident pig on their immaculate grass in the centre of Parliament Square, the City of Westminster Police were always solicitous of Winnie’s welfare, and allowed her minders to fetch water from a tap in the grounds of the Palace of Westminster.

Winnie took part in three campaigns.

Her Parliament Square vigil of February-May 2000 drew attention to the way supermarkets import large quantities of pork from pigs kept on farms that would be illegal in this country, because the sows are kept in stalls and young male pigs are castrated without anaesthetic.

She attended outside the Royal Courts of Justice in 2000 when the British pig industry unsuccessfully took government to judicial review for helping cattle and sheep sectors with BSE costs but discriminating against pig producers, this creating a ‘BSE tax’ on British pork.

And in March this year she camped opposite Downing Street for a day to draw the attention of politicians and public to the way retailers and processors have been using their overwhelming buying muscle to hold down the price of pork, causing widespread business failure among pig farmers at a time of sharply rising feed costs.

A commercial hybrid, Winnie was born on Russel Kilvington’s farm near Hungerford, but was donated as the industry’s mascot when she failed to get pregnant.

Subsequently, during retirement at Beale Park near Reading, she was successfully wooed by a Gloucester Old Spot boar named Sambo and produced one piglet, Spots, of whom she was fiercely protective.

Recently Winnie moved to Vitality Park, near Wallingford, where she was cared for by Marianne Hill and her daughter Marie, and where her grand-daughter Minnie lives on.

This year three companies showed the pig industry’s appreciation of the way Vitality Farm cared for Winnie: James Booth, of Booth Pig Equipment, provided a new pig ark for her (she liked it) and BOCM Pauls and Charles Hunt and Parrtners provided a year’s supply of sow feed for her.

When Winnie left Parliament Square in May 2000 a large block of concrete appeared in her place and on it was inscribed:

Winnie’s gone and won't be back,
Her demo days are done.
Farmers' protests got it right...
Peaceful, just and fun!

This parting shot was quickly removed by the authorities but the sentiments remain one of the core beliefs of the British pig industry - that vigorous campaigning is essential for the survival of an industry that pursues higher, and more expensive standards than its competitors.

“Above all, Winnie was a focal point for the industry, around which many enduring friendships were made,” said Yorkshire pig producer Richard Longthorp, one of the gang of six who spear-headed Winnie’s Parliament Square campaign.

Another of the gang, Hugh Crabtree, commissioned a portrait of Winnie by artist Chris Collingwood. Several hundred prints were sold and are still to be found in pride of place above many farmhouse mantlepieces.

Gang member Nick White was often Winnie’s chauffeur and recalls towing her in her trailer behind the Reliant Robin, through rush-hour London, on the day of the judicial review.

“It was not an experience I would care to repeat, but it was amazing how many bus drivers recognised her and honked as we got closer to the centre, and the cheers from the crowd of supporters when we arrived was amazing.”

Police in attendance outside the Royal Courts of Justice that day were adamant Winnie must be removed from the court steps, but they had second thoughts when her minders told them, “Okay, we’re off... you look after her”.

The day Winnie left Parliament Square, a few of her minders who were left behind to clear up bits and pieces, heard the familiar commentary of an approaching tour bus.

Then there was a second’s silence, followed by an impromtu, “Where’s the bloody pig gone?”

R.I.P. Winnie.

 

 

 

 

 

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