PUTTING a stop to animal cruelty is a priority for the Rev Feargus O’Connor, recently inducted as Minister of St Albans Unitarians.

A co-founder of the Unitarian Animal Welfare Society, he used the event to pledge his support for efforts to put an end to animal cruelty.

In his new role he will be joint minister of St Albans and Golders Green Unitarians.

The Rev O’Connor said he had been a passionate supporter of animal welfare charities including the Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) for many years and had launched a fund which has so far raised more than £12,000 for that organisation.

At the induction service, cheques for over £700 were presented to Dr Brett Cochrane, group head of science at the DHT, in memory of the founder of St Albans Unitarians, the Rev Tom Dalton, and Harold Frankel, an active Unitarian and admirer of the DHT.