You knit-wits!
Animal rights campaigners say village should change its name … from Wool to Vegan Wool
THE village of Wool has been proud of its name for more than 1,000 years.
But that hasn’t stopped animal rights campaigners saying it should be changed – claiming it currently ‘promotes cruelty to sheep’.
They want the Dorset village renamed ‘Vegan Wool’, much to the derision of its residents who point out the name is actually derived from an old word for springs and has nothing to do with sheep.
Elisa Allen, director at PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – wrote to Wool Parish Council with the request, saying the change in name would promote kindness to sheep.
The activist said they would give a ‘cruelty-free’ woollen blanket to all 2,000 households in the village if they agree to
‘The name’s historic, let’s keep it’
the idea. Because PETA has made the suggestion in writing, members of Wool Parish Council are obliged to list it on the agenda at their next meeting. But a spokesman said the matter is likely to be laughed out of the room.
Councillor Cherry Brooks said: ‘It is a ridiculous request and it’s caused quite a stir in the village. A few people are offended but most seem to find it amusing. The proposal will now need to be discussed at the next council meeting, which will be interesting.’
Mrs Brooks said the village name is derived from the ancient word ‘welle’, a water spring, and has nothing to do with the wool industry.
When asked by the council for their opinion on the proposal, villagers sprung to the defence of the original name.
Jayne Merchant said: ‘The name Wool should remain as it is, the idea of renaming the village is utterly ridiculous. It’s the most idiotic idea I have come across in a long time.’
Jo Holloway added: ‘It’s not April 1 yet surely!’
Anne Vincent also referred to the origin of the name, saying: ‘It comes from the Saxon word for spring.’ Alan Brown commented: ‘The name of the village is historic, keep it.’
According to experts the place name Wool was first attested in Anglo-Saxon Writs from 1002 to 1012, where it appeared as Wyllon. In the 1086 Domeseday Book it appears as Wille and Welle, and as Welles in 1212.
In her letter to the council Miss Allen said her suggestion would ‘put Wool in the spotlight and promote kindness to sheep.
She said wool has been ‘shown to be a product of extreme cruelty’ and added that a PETA investigation revealed that ‘shearers punched sheep in the face, stamped and stood on their heads and necks, and beat and jabbed them in the face with electric clippers’.
Nicholas Coleridge, chairman of the Campaign for Wool, whose patron is Prince Charles, said: ‘Wool is the most ecologically sound fibre in the world and has been the mainstay of British trade since the Middle Ages.’ He claimed it would be a travesty to rename a village for ‘purely politically-correct reasons’.