Campaigning Sheffield teenager's achievements recognised

Lucy Gavaghan, 16, has campaigned for some years to end the use of caged hens in farming. Her work has now been recognised by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Lucy launched a petition on the issue two years ago, following an extensive letter writing campaign. It gained more than 280,000 signatures and she met with bosses of the UK’s biggest supermarkets. Through her campaign, she achieved agreements from major name stores to stop supporting the battery or caged farming of hens.

Lucy has five hens of her own, and believes all hens deserve better lives than that endured in caged or barn farms.

Through her efforts, supermarket Tesco has committed to stop selling eggs from caged hens by 2025. It will follow Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer and Aldi in committing to stop selling caged hens’ eggs. Through campaigning, Lucy has commitments from every leading UK supermarket to be cage free by 2025.

Philip Mansbridge, UK director, IFAW, said: “Lucy’s dedication to campaigning for better conditions for farmed hens is a great example of animal welfare in action. We hope her efforts will inspire others to do all they can for animals. She is a very deserving winner of IFAW’s Youth Campaigner Award.” Lucy now wants high street restaurant and food chains to review their ethics, in particular the use of eggs from caged hens.