Jerome Flynn

Jerome is a Patron of Viva!. A spiritual and passionate vegetarian he is particularly well known for his roles as Paddy Garvey in Soldier Soldier, DC Tom McCabe in Badger, as Toomy Cooper in the West End hit, Jus’ Like That and as a pop star in the duo Robson and Jerome.

Vegetarian since about 18, Jerome told Viva!: “It’s what we do that counts - the effect we have - and for that I don’t need any motivation. The thought of not being a vegetarian is ridiculous, it’s just unthinkable, like going backwards. I won’t eat meat again for the same reason I gave it up in the first place - I don’t want to be part of all that suffering”.

Jerome spoke at Viva!’s End Factory Farming rally in July 2002 to a crowd of 3000. He deplores cruelty and states a vegetarian diet is needed to save animals, vital for the planet and for our good health.

When asked why aren’t more people vegetarian?
People are afraid of change, of taking responsibility because once they - we - start to care, our lives are turned upside down. All the things we accept as normal are challenged and the floodgates to our heart open up. Then everything’s up for grabs - our values, the structure of society, the status quo - most of which is connected to selfishness and our desire to keep control. But once we start to care, caring becomes limitless and limitlessness is very frightening.

The whole political structure that we’ve come to accept would collapse if people genuinely started to care - our profit-driven world would fall apart. We’re talking about a revolution, a transformation of society, but it can happen and the amazing thing is, it can happen very quickly .

I have no doubt that unless we radically change our attitudes and start to get in touch with our consciences, the earth, the environment, the entire biosphere will be threatened.

Viva! is essential – to touch our conscience, to wake us up – please join and save lives.

When I was at drama college, a girlfriend used to growl at me every time I ate a sausage at lunch time. Eventually she banned me from sitting near her so I asked her what it was all about. When she explained it was about animal cruelty and showed me pictures, I understood. I think I’d been avoiding thinking about it. Information is essential, which is why Viva! is so important. It touches our conscience and wakes us up and I went vegetarian because someone like Viva! bothered to go and take pictures and write a report.

Horses are extremely sensitive animals and the suffering they endure on these journeys is unimaginable. I urge everyone to support Viva!’s campaign to end this misery – now!

I support Viva!’s campaign (to save kangaroos) because it is vital we start to cherish and conserve wildlife, not destroy it for profit.

We can’t kid ourselves that we care about animals while obscenities like the farrowing crate exist. Help Viva! get rid of it.