SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO ELIZABETH MCCONNELL

SAFE promotions manager, Amanda Sorrenson, pays a special tribute to a remarkable animal-hero and dedicated volunteer who sadly passed away but not without leaving SAFE a tremendous gift.

"No dear, I can't stay for coffee. I'm off to visit a friend at the hospital." There was always a good reason keeping Elizabeth from spending leisurely time with her fellow activists, after her hard graft at a SAFE demo. She was simply always too busy.

Elizabeth was actually a secret hero of mine... the kind of elderly person I want to be - independent, glamorous, fit and active, still driving - and a keen activist to boot! Elizabeth believed it was her business to get out onto the streets to protest, distribute leaflets or even lie on the street for hours wearing an animal mask and toe-tag, covered with a ‘blood-stained' sheet, to help prevent cruelty to animals.

I recently discovered that Elizabeth was actually in her mid-eighties when she began volunteering in 2004. Elizabeth also collected for SAFE during each Christmas appeal without fail, compensating for her petite street presence by purloining somebody's canine.

It turns out Elizabeth's activism for SAFE was not well known by her children, who could only second guess the nature of their mother's activities based on whether their dog was still at home! Daughter Frances tells us "Mum used to take part in street collections and once she went to my house, without me knowing, and took my rambunctious Huntaway dog with her. Apparently he was very well behaved for her, and thank heavens, as she was already fairly frail then."

Elizabeth was an asset to SAFE, bringing an added level of dignity and respectability that the elderly can afford. If we had older people on our team we must be addressing serious matters! Elizabeth always listened carefully and got straight to work! She was a no-nonsense person, who always looked sparkly and fabulous, her scarf draped glamourously over her shoulder as she handed leaflets to the public.

I have missed Elizabeth over the years. She told me her forgetfulness had made assisting SAFE too difficult. In recent years we spoke a few more times, and I visited her to advise on setting up a run for ex-battery hens, which she planned to adopt. She kept those hens until just recently, when they were re-homed when Elizabeth went into care.

Elizabeth died in November 2009 at the remarkable age of 90, honouring SAFE with a considerable bequest. SAFE has earmarked a portion to produce SAFE's next humane education resource for secondary schools that focuses on animal experiments. It seems a fitting tribute for Elizabeth that she can continue to help laboratory animals, given that she was determined to lay on a cold footpath for many hours protesting against the use of animal experiments. Her daughter assures us Elizabeth would be pleased.

From all of the SAFE team, we thank you Elizabeth. It's time to rest (and put your feet up!).