Members' Charter
Policies

Action Against Foxhunting  (AAF) Members’ Charter

 

Purpose of AAF

AAF is dedicated to exposing the extent and brutality of illegal foxhunting.

Leadership

AAF is run by an Executive Committee consisting of the founders and  other high-profile members of the group. All decisions are taken by the Executive Committee. Pip Donovan is chair of the committee and can be reached on info@actionagainstfoxhunting.org

Local AAF groups

Groups are run by a nominated coordinator. The nominated coordinator takes all the local decisions, with advice from the Executive Committee. The local coordinator must adhere to AAF values and policies.  Members of local groups must abide by this charter. We also support other local non-AAF local groups (named on our website) whose activities are similar to ours and ask them to abide by this charter too.

Core Values

AAF is an entirely peaceful organisation. We do not condone violence or abuse of any sort. Everything we do, or say when on AAF business must be done with courtesy and respect. Our activism is built upon compassion for ALL living beings. As such, we will not tolerate racist, sexist, discriminatory or divisive views. 

Activities of AAF

Door-to-door leafleting
Outreach stalls in public places
Information talks to other organisations
Local and national petitions
Campaigns

Membership

Membership is open to anybody willing to further the objectives of AAF.
Membership is not open to anybody engaged in recreational animal cruelty.

An AAF Member is:

Everyone who belongs to the AAF Closed Group for Active Volunteers
Everyone who holds a banner or poster in a public place displaying the AAF Logo
Anyone who delivers or displays AAF leaflets
Anyone engaged in furthering the objectives of AAF

Member’s Behaviour

When acting on behalf of AAF, members must:

Always be polite
Never use obscenities in public
Never use body-shaming language
Never use hate speech against anybody at all
Never make threats of physical violence
Never bring AAF into disrepute by their behaviour or actions.
Never frighten hunters’ horses, or the hounds, or cause harm to any animal belonging to the hunt or threaten such harm.
Never initiate physical contact of any sort with members of the hunt
Never respond to abuse from members of the hunt
Never use face coverings while on AAF business

These rules apply on line and in person

Breach of these Rules

The AAF Executive Committee needs to be informed if you think you may have breached the rules.

A member might be asked to leave AAF immediately if the breach is serious. However, the member will have an opportunity to explain the circumstances. If the member can assure the Executive Committee that it will not happen again, the member may be allowed to remain a member.

 

AAF’s Policies

Members’ activity

AAF’s key aim is to help members become active and be active ourselves. Members must obey the Members’ Charter when on AAF business, either in person or online and remain professional and courteous at all times. Outside this, we do not impose restrictions on where, how and when member campaigns. We celebrate freedom of choice and expression. 

Conflict between members

We value and support ALL our members and in the event of a conflict between members, we will not take sides. We empower, support and facilitate; we insist on high standards of behaviour within AAF. But we do not control our members. If members cannot resolve their own differences, we suggest that you “agree to disagree” and move on. 

Other groups and organisations

AAF is an independent organisation. It is not part of, and does not take direction from, any other organisation or group. We are free to make our own decisions about our activities and campaigns. However, we are always open to discussion and are keen liaise and communicate with other groups and organisations.

AAF will remain on good terms with all other organisations.

Removal of Members’ posts on AAF Active Volunteers Facebook Group

We moderate posts on our AAF closed group page and will remove them if they breach our own group rules. We may also remove posts at our discretion; but that decision will be taken by AAF admin alone, and is final. Outside AAF, unless the post specially mentions AAF, we have no right – and no wish – to determine what anyone posts or what comments they make.

Veganism

The majority of active AAF members, and all of the AAF admin team are vegan. However, AAF is not a vegan group because we want everyone who is opposed to foxhunting to feel welcome in our group, regardless of their other life choices. We also hope that any non-vegan members might consider becoming vegan once in our group. We will not force this issue as it often leads to discord. We prefer to encourage and support as this is more likely to lead a member to become vegan in their own time.

INCLUSIVITY

AAF welcomes all new members. We welcome long-standing anti-bloodsports activists and those new to it. Members must:

  • Oppose foxhunting
  • Agree to abide by the Members’ Charter
  • Become (or continue to be) active in opposing foxhunting

There are no other requirements.

We do not discriminate on the basis of:

  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage or civil partnership
  • race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin)
  • religion or belief
  • sex
  • sexual orientation
  • political opinions (other than opinions on bloodsports)
  • neurodiversity
  • educational background
  • occupation – unless the occupation involves harming animals. 

The greater the diversity in a group, the better the group.