Behind the scenes:

An Animal advocate living with chronic pain

Introduction to Jack Hancock-Fairs. A 30 year old man with brown hair, beard and round glasses. Jack is sitting in front of his desk, facing the camera holding his crutch and camera.

This is Jack Hancock-Fairs - an animal rights advocate, who lives with undiagnosed chronic pain that affects his face and legs. Nevertheless, his goal to alleviate animal suffering, simple pleasures and community are what keeps him going and being an influential video maker. This collection of photographs shows behind the scenes of his life and explores what drives him despite having persistent pain.

This photojournal is a project of Jack’s friend Anna Travinskaia, who chose to tell his story for her photography class.

Purpose : Animals

Jack, is pulling his arms together to show his tattoo that depicts a cow and a dog face merged together in one.

Jack grew up loving animals, but only a few years ago he learned about their suffering on factory farms and in the wild. This led him to change his life and dedicate his career to speaking up for the vulnerable non-human animals. Connecting to animals in real life reminds him about the world he is fighting for, where all of them are treated with respect and moral consideration, not just the ones who are considered as ‘pets’.

Jack feeding hay to two black goats at a farm

Jack, observing a goat that is eating grass. He is holding a camera in his arms and waiting for a moment to film the goat.

Jack is sitting on a couch. He is smiling and extending his arm to pet a small dog.

Jack’s hand touching a face of a black cat. The cat has their eyes closed.

Activism for Animal Rights

Participating in different forms of activism that promote animal rights and witnessing their impact brings meaning to Jack. Here are a few examples of animal advocacy events that he participated in this month.

Jack is holding a sign "Are you an Animal Lover? Take a Quiz" above his head at a Leicester Square in London.

Jack is talking to two passersby, who are smiling and taking vegan candy from another activist next to Jack.

Jack is holding his leg on his crutch and talking to two passersby and asking them to sign a petition on his phone.

Event 1 : Asking people to take an ‘Animal Lover’ quiz and sign a petition to ban the use of crates and cages in the UK

Jack is holding a sign that says 'Kentucky Franken Chicken' and shows an image of a collapsed chicken. Next to him is a woman holding a similar sign. They are protesting in front KFC restaurant.

Jack with six other people protesting KFC for their use of Frankenchickens.

Event 2 : Protesting KFC for not following-up on their promise to stop breeding Frankenchickens

Jack is looking at a man standing beside him, who is looking at a big screen that is showing a close-up of a pig. Jack is educating this man about pig slaughter methods used in the UK.

Event 3 : Educating public about how pigs are gassed with CO2 in slaughterhouses

Working on a Documentary

One of Jack’s biggest drivers for the past five years has been making his first documentary that explores his relationship with his dad, who is a slaughterhouse worker. Below are a few images of him caught in the creative process.

Jack is outside, holding and pointing his Lumix camera.

Jack is sitting at a table, holding a photograph of him as a baby with his dad. There are more of his old photographs on the table.

Picking through old photographs with his dad

Close-up of Jack’s hand writing in his notebook with red ink.

Brainstorming different shots in the notebook

Documentary props and tools

Editing

Tools and strategies

Despite visiting many doctors and undergoing a few surgeries, the cause of Jack’s pain and its solutions are still a mystery. Nonetheless, here are a few things that help him cope on a daily basis.

Jack is drinking from a can through a straw to avoid face pain from drink’s temperature.

Using straws to avoid face pain from beverage’s temperature

A shot from above. Jack working on his laptop in bed with his leg extended to alleviate his leg pain.

Extending legs when in pain or tired

Four of Jack’s crutches laying on a floor

Using crutches for walking

Jack's hands are holding four different types of painkillers that he uses to help his chronic pain

Trying different painkillers

Simple pleasures

1. Taking a rest in the middle of the walk in London and enjoying the sun

Jack is sitting down to take a break from walking. His crutch is laying beside him. Jack removed one of his legs from a shoe and is hugging it, whilst sitting cross-legged. He is looking up, enjoying the sunny weather.

Jack is laying on the grass with his eyes closed and enjoying sunshine

Jack’s foot without a shoe raised and resting on his bended knee. He is still laying on the grass. A crutch is beside him.

Jack is laying on the grass and looking at the Tower Bridge in front of him

2. Being Vegan:
Picking up lettuce at a local farm and getting plant-based baked goods at a local bakery, knowing that these choices did not harm animals.

Jack is picking a small pot with young lettuce at a local farm.

Jack is standing with his crutch in a local bakery and choosing a pastry to buy.

Jack is sitting in a kitchen and breaking a plant-based sandwich into two halves.

Vegan cinnamon buns at Jack’s local bakery.

3. Playing guitar

Community

Being surrounded by like-minded and passionate people gives Jack hope. Participating in animal rights community events and having support of friends are some of the biggest sources of motivation for him to keep going and focus on purpose rather than pain.

Meet-up for plant-based initiatives in London

Jack is sharing a smiling moment with a friend

Street activism with friends

Feedback screening of Jack’s documentary with friends

Jack is smiling and having dinner with seven people, who just gave feedback about his documentary.