I HAVE watched both Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall and Jamie

Oliver on television for many years, and both men seem to be

highly intelligent and creative in their cooking.

But I have not watched them too much in later years because

I am put off by the way they handle meat, including

chickens.

Meat is derived by killing a living creature, yet during all

these programmes on television I have never heard one of these

cooks give thanks to the animal that has lost its life.

I was impressed to see men and women at the Pilsden

Community near Bridport sit and wait for a short blessing

before touching any food.

I write after reading that Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall has

lost his fight against the supermarkets.

I have always been appalled at the conditions which these

chickens are bred – but I do not eat meat on a regular basis,

so I am not to any great degree supporting such activities.

If Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall was to help me and many other

vegetarians in developing our desire for a less violent

lifestyle he might stand a better chance in bringing an abrupt

end to this money-making adventure.

But as I see it his own life is surrounded by animal deaths

– his own animals' lives are short.

Tony Parsons

Cullompton