Anti-hunting campaigner rewarded (From Bucks Free Press)

Anti-hunting campaigner rewarded

9:47am Thursday 19th July 2007 in News

SUPER gran Judy Gilbert has been rewarded in the House of Commons for her bravery during hunting rallies.

The 60-year-old was presented with the Gwen Barter Award for Bravery on June 29 by the League Against Cruel Sports president, One Foot in the Grave star Annette Crosbie.

In just one month of the 2006 hunting season, she was knocked violently to the ground and had to jump clear of a 4x4 driven by a hunt supporter.

Judy, who lives with husband Barry in Beacons Bottom, said: "Hunting with dogs is banned but we need to ensure that the law is obeyed and the ban enforced.

"I believe that many hunts are flouting the law therefore I will continue to collect and present evidence to the police to enable them to bring successful prosecutions."

Judy, grandma of three, is a hunt monitor who, since hunting was banned, ensures the law is obeyed.

She works with the League's Hunt Crimewatch Unit and also with the group Protect Our Wild Animals.

The award is to recognise her resilience in the face of what the league says is a sustained campaign of intimidation and harassment, handed out by hunters and their supporters.

The reception was attended by many leading figures of the anti-hunting world including vice president of the League, Robert Evans MEP.

The bravery award is named after Gwen Barter who was a pioneer in her approach to help end fox and deer hunting.

Gwen grabbed the headlines back in 1962 with her actions when she brought the Norwich Staghounds to a halt by climbing onto the front of the deer-cart and she prevented the East Kent Fox Hounds from digging out when she sat in a foxhole.