More about chickens this evening. It appears that Axminster Town Council has passed a resolution asking Hugh F-W to apologise for his rather high-handed treatment of those who chose not to buy free range chickens, although to be fair, that might be more to do with the way that the programme was edited and put together than HFW's intentions. Anyway, it would appear that intentionally or not he appears to have royally pissed off the locals, and I do have some sympathy with them. Having previously lived in Devon, and having current friends in the farming/rural economy, I know that Axminster is an area with low wages and a great deal of hidden poverty, in common with many rural areas. I'd like to see Hugh living and cooking on the food budget of many poor families (with the time constraints they also face).

None of this of course detracts from the main point about animal welfare - but I've reluctantly reached the view that many people simply don't care and are not interested in animal welfare, especially if it is likely to cost them more money. The answer as I see it is simply to raise the basic bar - so that minimum standards are legally raised thus making it harder for consumers to take the cheap and easy option. I'd also like the public sector to do more on this. As a local authority, for instance, we provide catering facilities for both staff and the public in a myriad of ways. We've made some tentative steps towards Fair trade coffee/tea etc.. but this could be the next issue. I'd be very interested to see if any of our unions would take up this campaign - as without their support (especially again on the issue of cost in staff canteens etc...) this won't work. Public pressure might help though - if you're a customer of a publicly run venue, ask for free range, whether it's a night at the theatre, a school canteen or a residential home. I think I may write some letters on this issue and will report back on the findings... At heart, though, I do suspect this will probably remain one of those issues mainly of concern to middle class softies like myself. Also, I keep reminding myself that many people in developing countries would probably be astonished at us caring about such issues when humans were going hungry. I will also continue to report on the availability (and cost) of free range/organic chicken when we go shopping.

I'm sure some readers will be muttering at this point "What about farmers markets?" I like them as much as the next person, and we often go over to the one in Penarth, and less frequently to the Sunday one in the centre of Cardiff. However, they are a delightful extra, not a way for anyone to do their week's shopping and I am convinced that for real and mass market change, what happens in our supermarkets is crucial.

Off my soapbox for now. Booty fully recovered in that her bruises are now gone, and both woofs are delightfully (well, to us anyway) clean, shiny and fragrant. From a dog perspective they are probably calling us everything and very cross that a carefully cultivated aroma has been destroyed.

Back on my soapbox for another quick, unrelated rant. Blasted Cancer Research ads have started back up again, with their delightful strapline "I shouldn't be here". Well, I am here, whether I should be or not, I'm mad as hell about it, and I'm fed up with such emotive nonsense. From the front line of cancer survival, I can confidently say that there has never been a moment when I've ever thought "I shouldn't be here" - quite the reverse in fact - I am immensely pleased to be here, feel entitled and am determined to squeeze as much quality time as I possibly can out of the time allotted to me on this beautiful and interesting planet. Apart from anything else, I want to see women bishops, liberated chickens, an affordable programme to manage/cure HIV in Africa, an end to malaria, Dollywood, the Ring Cycle again, whether the Bay relief road will ever get built, a ban on caravans (mobile, not static), compulsory tarring and feathering for flytippers and to have dinner at a three star Michelin restaurant. There, that's plenty to be going on with - I could add more, but we'd be here all night.