A SCARECROW is “out and proud” in one Hereford garden as a city retiree works to spread the message that everyone is entitled to love.

Lorraine Fresle has revealed her pride-themed scarecrow ready to be displayed at the Oakchurch scarecrow competition later this month.

She was saddened by the fact that members of the LGBT community felt safer in metropolitan areas than in the county and so decided to construct the scarecrow as a symbol of a more accepting Herefordshire.

Around one per cent of people aged 16 years and over in Herefordshire identified as gay or lesbian in the most recent national census, only slightly under the national average, and yet there have only ever been two pride events in Hereford itself.

Hereford Times: The pride scarecrow will be standing over a Hereford garden before it is entered into the competition.The pride scarecrow will be standing over a Hereford garden before it is entered into the competition. (Image: Joshua Dyer)

Mrs Fresle said there were bound to be diversities in the people of Herefordshire and that she wanted to recognise that. She hopes that her entry in the competition will spread the message that everybody is entitled to love, regardless of their orientation.

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“Love is love, people are people and scarecrows are scarecrows’,” she said.

The scarecrow sports a rainbow pride jumper, a necklace bearing the words “Pride for Scarecrows” and white jeggings along with a more conventional carrot nose and mop hairdo.

Mrs Fresle’s kind-hearted nature extends beyond her ‘gay rights for scarecrows’ advocacy however, as she is also a long-time volunteer for St Michaels hospice in Bartestree. She’s keen for people to know that new volunteers are always needed to join the “amazing teams” that operate the various St Michaels charity shops throughout the county.

The scarecrow competition will be held on August 20 at Oakchurch Farm Shop where there will be a barbecue, tombola, a coconut shy and more.