Vodafone Helps Fund Oxford University

arun.sarin(at)vodafone.com, tim.miles(at)vodafone.com, peter.bamford(at)vodafone.com, thomas.geitner(at)vodafone.com, alan.harper(at)vodafone.com, andy.halford(at)vodafone.com, simon.lewis(at)vodafone.com, brian.clark(at)vodafone.com, stephen.scott(at)vodafone.com, stephen.round(at)vodafone.com, john.athies(at)vodafone.com, jo.hiscock(at)vodafone.com, anjali.modha(at)vodafone.com, pavittar.kaur(at)vodafone.com, angela.ings(at)vodafone.com, gemma.whitton(at)vodafone.com, angelina.matthews(at)vodafone.com, jo.finch(at)vodafone.com, thomas.dwyer(at)vodafone.com, penny.young(at)vodafone.com, lisa.bjornberg(at)vodafone.com, john.penberthy-smith(at)vodafone.com, tim.fitzwater(at)vodafone.com, richard.muraszko(at)vodafone.com, harwinder.bains(at)vodafone.com, richard.down(at)vodafone.com, kate.dunn(at)vodafone.com, tim.hayward(at)vodafone.com, bobby.leach(at)vodafone.com, ben.padovan(at)vodafone.com, jon.earl(at)vodafone.com, janine.young(at)vodafone.com, victoria.bartholomew(at)vodafone.com, jen.smith(at)vodafone.com, martin.russell(at)vodafone.com, martin.russell(at)vf.vodafone.co.uk, martin.russell(at)gb.vodafone.co.uk, waseem.shah(at)vodafone.com, info(at)vodafone.com, businesscustomercare(at)vodafone.co.uk, groupmediarelations(at)vodafone.com


Dear Madam or Sir of Vodafone,

As I am a customer in the mobile sector of Vodafone here in Germany for years, I am very shocked to be informed about the following:

Vodafone helps to finance Oxford University, where every year, thousands of animals die at the hands of academics who portray themselves as being at the cutting edge of scientific advancement. And cutting edge it is indeed! For it is in these vivisection laboratories that animals are being sacrificed to an archaic practice, a practice that is tied hand in glove with an industry that is responsible for allowing drugs into the market which are responsible for the death of millions of people worldwide from adverse drug reactions - the fourth largest killer in the western world.

Oxford University's records show that in 2003, the Vodafone Group Foundation gave £184,494.14 to the university. I am keen to acknowledge the good work of the Vodafone Foundation, but feel its equally important to point out a fundamental flaw in their strategy. How can a charity give money to worthwhile causes around the world, whilst at the same time giving a substantial amount to an institution that is involved in the abuse and destruction of thousands of innocent non human animals, and an institution that employs as part of its workforce an individual who has been investigated by the police for horrific cruelty to a monkey?

The Foundation's essential role in funding various projects around the world is negated by their financial relationship with Oxford University. On the one hand, Vodafone finances projects to save the Panda, while on the other, they give money to Oxford University, who use wild-caught macaques in barbaric practices inside their vivisection laboratories - macaques such as the 'Oxford Two', who were imprisoned and abused for 15 years at Oxford University! The irony in Vodafone's position cannot be missed, and one wonders how they can justify it.

Do you really want to be associated with an institution that employs a highly-placed individual who was investigated by the police for cruelty to a monkey, an institution that condemns thousands of animals to a life of torment? This is what Vodafone represents or what you want your company to be known for, and if so, what about the responsibility you have to your customers and the thousands who will be appalled at the connections you have formed with such an establishment? Please think about all these questions asap and help the animals!

Thanks a lot for your help and kind regards,