Dame Joanna Lumley kicks off series 3 of our podcast in style!
Published on September 27, 2023
Dame Joanna Lumley, Patron
You might already know Dame Joanna Lumley is a lifelong advocate for the animal kingdom, but maybe you haven’t heard the source of her inspiration or why she’s so passionate about using her influential voice for animals.
Well, that’s about to change as she reveals all in the latest episode of my Animal Free Labcast, the podcast that puts humans, rather than animals, at the heart of medical research.
Kicking off series 3 in style, in our wide-ranging conversation you’ll hear us chat about Joanna’s childhood spent surrounded by nature and the impact this had on her, as well as heartfelt insights into the important role animals play in her day-to-day life in London.
In this exclusive interview, our absolutely fabulous patron tells me about her lifelong commitment to campaigning for animals, her philosophy behind this and why she is urging the Government to support the transition away from the use of animals in medical research and embrace human-specific technologies.
“My feeling, which is so strong”, Dame Joanna tells me, “is that all living creatures have a right, just as much as I do, to life, and a life without pain and a life of freedom.”
Joanna talks about the leaps and bounds made in animal-free research, and what we can all do to make the world a kinder place.
Point of view
Our podcast
It’s always a huge pleasure talking with someone who shares your core values – and I hope you enjoy listening to Dame Joanna just as much I did. I loved putting the world to rights with Joanna Lumley – who wouldn’t?! It’s clear she’s hugely passionate about our beautiful planet and everything and everyone on it. I came away convinced she just genuinely wants the world to be a kinder place. That same drive is at the heart of why I do what I do, and I’m sure is shared by you and the many compassionate people who support Animal Free Research UK.
I’m hugely grateful for you all, because every one of us who use our voices for kinder science – whether we’re celebrities like Joanna Lumley, researchers working at the cutting-edge of science, or ordinary people like me – are all helping to make the world a better place, for the good of people and animals.
As you’ll hear Joanna say in the Animal Free Labcast, “I early recognised that the only useful thing about being well-known is that it can get you oxygen of publicity for causes that really deserve to be looked at. …I think that it’s terribly important that people don’t feel disenfranchised, because they’re not famous… But of course, the voice, the roar of the multitude is what will change things. So it’s important that every person knows that every single one of us is important.”
What you can do
I know there are so many demands on your time, so many good causes to support, so many animals who need your help. It can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s why my hope is that the Animal Free Labcast gives you some hope that things are changing for the better. The science is making leaps and bounds, more and more scientists are transitioning to animal-free research, and decision makers are listening.
There’s still a way to go, and it’s already been a long journey, but I’m utterly convinced that if we all work together, we will arrive at our destination sooner: a world where human diseases are cured faster without animal suffering. It can’t arrive soon enough.
And it will take every one of us – as Joanna Lumley says, it’s the roar of the multitude that creates change. So whether you’re here because you love the cutting-edge science, you want better treatments faster for your loved ones, or you can’t stand the thought of any animal suffering, here are a four things you can do right now to make a difference:
- Listen to the Animal Free Labcast with my fabulous guest Dame Joanna Lumley – available on Spotify, Apple and wherever you get your podcasts
- If our conversation inspires you, leave a review to encourage others to listen
- Share my podcast with your family, friends and colleagues so we reach even more people
- Make a donation, if you can, to support the transition to animal-free research
With heartfelt thanks,
Carla
