Fiona Oakes wins Vegan Achievement Award
Just to let you know that Fiona who runs Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary has just been awarded the Diamond Jubilee Vegan Achievement Award 2004 from the Vegan Society.
This is in recognition of her athletic achievements, her Fire-Fighting achievements, her work to help rescued animals in Russia and also of course the 250 rescued animals she looks after on her own at her Sanctuary in Essex.
Fiona's work is detailed on her website @ www.towerhillstables.com
Yaksongs
Fiona comes 5th in Florence Marathon
Just to let you know that Fiona came 5th in the Florence Marathon in 2 hrs 50mins. She was seeded 28th & had to wait 45 mins in the cold before the 25 elite female athletes were individually introduced to the crowd to take their places at the start of the field.
Fiona beat 21 of them !! & her foot was bleeding at 10K due to a burst blister !!
What's more there was no medical attention at the end of the race for her & a further quarter of a mile to walk before water was available - nice...
What she has to do before someone takes her seriously I just don't know
Tower Hill Stables Open Day
The Open Day on Sunday was a great success - 8 members together with their guests (26 in all) attended & over £1000 was raised to help towards the feed costs of the 250 rescued animals.
Everyone had a great day with some supporters coming from well over 100 miles away !
Fantastic Vegan catering was provided free to the sanctuary by Brentwood Happy Hamsters Catering - Andi & Rob. Even the weather was good !! more details on website
Super Fiona.......and Yaksongs to.
Christmas turkeys - vegan style
Sunday, 26 December, 2004 news.bbc.co.uk
Getting into the Christmas spirit for most people means frantic shopping trips or escaping to somewhere warm.
For Fiona Oakes Christmas means staying at her home in Asheldham, Essex, caring for her 264 animals, in particular, 38 turkeys rescued from a breeding unit.
"They were sick turkeys who were not well enough to be slaughtered for Christmas dinners," she said.
"They are all now in a stable together on a new bed of straw and lots of food and clean water to drink."
Fiona said it normally took the rescued birds a while to settle down and realise that they are safe.
Saving sick turkeys is just another day in the life of Fiona Oakes, who also finds time to work as a retained fire fighter.
Fiona, 35, has been taking in injured and unwanted animals from just about anywhere over the last 11 years at Tower Hill Stables in Essex.
"I love animals," she said. "My objectives are to give every animal in my care, love and the best possible quality of life I can, and when the time comes, dignity in death."
On top of the 38 turkeys her stable now houses 26 pigs, 21 horses, 50 cats, 10 dogs, and dozens of rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and hampsters - all of which live in relative peace side-by-side.
"I take them when they're at the end of their life - when people don't want them any more," she said.
While her day mainly revolves around the feeding and care of her animals, Fiona also finds time for her other passion - running.
Last month she took fifth place in the Florence Marathon, beating 21 professional athletes.
'Outstanding Vegan'
Fiona also runs to promote veganism, which she has practised for 20 years.
"When I win at local races, people are truly shocked. They don't expect someone who is vegan to do well.
"They think that you're weak and must be pale and unhealthy looking because you're not getting any meat protein."
Her efforts led the Vegan Society recently to award her the Outstanding Vegan Achievement award.
"That was a big honour from them for everything I've done," she said.
Running the animal sanctuary on her own, keeping active in the vegan community and running international marathons makes for tiring living - but Fiona has no qualms.
"I have not had a holiday in eight years. But I know what I'm doing is right. This is what I've always wanted to do, " she said.
"I'm not interested in living my life in small doses. You're not here for very long on this planet, so it's about helping others.
"I don't really care if the price I have to pay is that I'm tired most of the time."
SPONSOR FIONA OAKES - Tower Hill Stables
Yesterday Fiona Oakes, of Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary, won the Brentwood Half Marathon for the 4th year in a row. Not bad, but even more impressive if you add two cracked ribs she ended up with 10 days ago. She wasn't even supposed to run! Mad woman she is!
On the 17th of April, Fiona will be running the London Marathon and sponsors are more than welcome, to raise much needed funds for the sanctuary. Please visit www.towerhillstables.com for the latest info and a sponsor form. For starters, new fencing is needed and with the amount of land and animals she's looking after that's a big and costly job! So don't go to the pub for one night (or do and take your sponsorship form!) and send a few pints of sponsorship money to Tower Hill Stables. All contributions much appreciated!
Brentwood Half Marathon 2005
Fiona won the Brentwood Half Marathon for the 4th year in a row yesterday in 1 hour 19 minutes.
This is positive proof that being a Vegan is not prohibitive to performing at endurance sports.
Injury & Illness permitting, Fiona is now focusing on London April 17th. If you haven't already, please consider sponsoring her for this race - 100% to the rescued animals at the Sanctuary.
Fiona starts with the "elite" ladies and their "race" sets off half an hour ahead of the main race, the cameras (& commentators) have nothing else to focus on during this time - what a great opportunity to advertise the cause