‘Sooner or later we sit down to a banquet of consequences,’ is one of Pam Ahern’s favourite quotes by Robert Louis Stevenson. As the founder and CEO of Edgar’s Mission, Pam believes that society is at a tipping point with the way animals are treated – and education is the first step.
Edgar’s Mission is a not-for-profit Australian Farm Sanctuary that seeks to create a humane and just world for humans and non-humans. As part of Microsoft Australia’s Windows 10 #UpgradeYourWorldAU initiative, Australians recently helped to crowdsource five local nonprofits to each receive a donation of US$50,000 – one of which was awarded to Edgar’s Mission. Thanks to loyal supporters, the grant will enable Edgar’s Mission to continue to grow and build on its current success.
Edgar’s Mission all started with a pig named Edgar Alan. In 2003 Pam rescued Edgar, pulling her in a direction that she never would have thought possible. With a successful equestrian career in tow, Pam hung up her boots to invest everything she had in a cause that she was incredibly passionate about.
Pam had a realisation that people very rarely have the opportunity to make real connections with farm animals, who are really impacted by the choices that we as humans make. Now, more than 10 years since Edgar Alan first came into Pam’s care, Edgar’s Mission now has around 350 animals at the sanctuary.
Pam believes one of the great determinants of a society’s ethical progress has been our ability to embrace those that we once considered different. “For example, the colour of one’s skin is no longer a justification for treating people differently. The religion one follows, or even gender once dictated how you were treated. There was once a time that that was acceptable, and I think animals are now at the forefront of our next great social justice movement. How we treat them says so much more about who we are as human beings than the animals themselves,” said Pam.
“I’m incredibly thankful to all of our supporters that have made this possible. Every day I’m blown away by people’s belief in our work, and our supporter base is growing every day. The achievement that we have with animals, the recognition Edgar’s Mission now has on the world stage, and the votes that we received has completely blown us away.”
“We have amazing staff and volunteers, and they all strongly believe in this mission that we’re on. Some people just go to work, but for us it’s a life choice, and every day I have to pinch myself that this is actually real and people believe wholeheartedly in what we’re doing.”
“When I started Edgar’s Mission I wondered if anyone would come along for the ride. The first few years it was just me, and that’s the way I always thought it was going to stay. Then one day I woke up and realised obviously that’s not sustainable – and I realised there was tremendous room for growth.”
This realisation sparked the establishment of Edgar Mission’s new farm in Lancefield, surrounded by the picturesque Macedon Ranges in Victoria. The #UpgradeYourWorldAU grant will help Edgar’s Mission to establish their new welcome centre, which is a hub for education, which will also double as a shearing shed for school group visits. Currently, Edgar’s Mission gets more than 25 school visits a year, with a hope to increase this number to 50 in 2016.
Long term, Edgar’s Mission hopes to create a bed and breakfast to attract tourists, both locally and internationally. “We have a huge supporter base, Australia wide and internationally and we see this as an opportunity to help share amazing experiences with them, so we can continue to take them on our journey.”
“It was once considered extreme or radical to care for animals, and it should never be considered extreme to be kind. If we could live happy healthy lives without harming others, why wouldn’t we?” concluded Pam.
“Microsoft is proud to be supporting Edgar’s Mission to help achieve its goals. We are committed to celebrating those who inspire others and make an impact in their community and around the world, and Edgar’s Mission is the perfect example of what can be achieved when the community comes together,” said Belinda Dennett, Corporate Affairs Manager, Microsoft.
Visit #UpradeYourWorldAU or Edgar’s Mission for more information.
