Here is the rundown of many of the events with which we were involved during 2000. With your help, we hope to expand the archive to include reports and reviews of more past events, including independent reports, campaign links and pictures (where available). You may be able to help by sending reports, or getting involved at Nottingham's Rainbow Centre where we are based.
Calling all Veggies Volunteers
If you have been involved with Veggies at at time since 1984, (and who hasn't?), your help is needed. We have only just started building this archive, which will grow into a historic diary of the frontline struggle for social change in the UK. Please send your recollections of past events, or reports of ongoing activities that you might clip from emails or other websites. Email us at info@veggies.org.uk; or write to Veggies at the Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham, NG7 6HX. Photos would be particularly welcomed, which we will scan onto the site, and immediately return. If anyone has a digital camera, why not become our 'staff photographer' at any of the forthcoming events shown on the diary.
Sunday 16th : Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs demo.
18th - 19th : Smash Genetix Trial
22 defendants, including some from Nottingham, appeared at Lincoln
Magistrates Court for an expected two-week trial
relating to the 'Smash Genetix' action in Spital-in-the-Street,
Lincolnshire, last July. The defendants, who originally faced charges
of conspiracy to commit criminal damage, were expecting to face
charges of Aggravated Trespass and Section 4a Public Order Act, with
drivers and passengers of vehicles facing additional charges of
criminal damage. The defendants were offered a plea bargain of having
all other charges dropped if they accepted the charge of Section 5
Public Order Act (disorderly behaviour). Defendants pressed for
bind-overs instead and a compromise was made with twelve defendants
selflessly pleading guilty to disorderly behaviour, in order to let
the other nine accept bind-overs for the duration of one year. One
defendant's case was dropped due to mitigating circumstances.
Report from Issue 31 of Think Globally - Act Locally - the
place to read about campaigns and direct action in North East
England.
Sunday 30th : Jill Phipps Anniversary Vigil. Demo against live exports, Yorkshire.
On Sunday 30th January we held a vigil in memory of Jill Phipps outside of M Yates and Sons in Fridaythorpe E Yorks.
This vigil was well attended by many people from Yorkshire and the Midlands. The police and the Yates family think it is now time we gave up these vigils, needless to say we will be back again next year.
While holding the vigil shots started to ring out and birds started falling from the sky. Someone thought it would be the right time to start shooting birds. Several people pointed out the error of this action and a heated argument took place. The shooting stopped because the gentleman had to change his flat tyre before he could go home.
We then all decided to pay a call on B&K. Now we have been trying to persuade Gerald Bantin to use the art of Feng Shui (to help his luck flow). But for some reason he has always declined out help in this matter, but we decided to do it as a bit of a surprise. Because that’s the sort of caring people we are. Despite the objections of two men in uniforms, we adjusted quite a bit of his security and other equipment. And some vans and cars were ‘rearranged’, we feel sure old Gerry will be pleased when he saw the results and we feel his luck for the future will definitely change.
[ report from ArcNews ]
Saturday 12th : Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty. National Demo in Cambridge.
Quote: "A wonderful sight in Cambridge on Saturday - in the middle of all the mayhem - the Veggies' Food sign! well done!"
[Justice & Freedom for Animals]
Saturday 12th : Clarion Choir - Evening Cabaret at Sherwood Bus Depot.
Tuesday 22nd : Support the Nestle 16 at Halifax Magistrates Court.
Sixteen people protesting against the WTO conference in Seattle on November 30 were arrested in Halifax, Yorkshire, during a protest at a Nestle factory and are in court on this day. To show support and solidarity check here.
Stop Press : Charges Dropped!
Saturday 26th : Close Down Harlan Hell. National demo against vivisection. Loughborough.
Sunday 27th : Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs (breeders for vivisection). Newchurch Village
Tuesday 29th : Notts Green Network Annual Meeting.
Shamrock Farm To Close!
In the meantime, please help stop the proposed monkey farm in Spain which will hold up to 3,000 animals and
supply labs across Europe. Join us for a protest outside the Spanish Embassy, Wed 26th April, 12 noon,
20 Draycott Place, London, SW3.
email rcvd 28 March 2000 from:Save the Shamrock Monkeys.
It's been just over 2 weeks since Shamrock announced its closure and the clearing out processed started almost immediately. Cages were hosed down and shipped out on lorries, staff cleared out their desks and drove past demonstrators for the last time (some so distressed that they chased protestors with lock de-icer) and offers to rehome the monkeys on sanctuaries and wildlife parks came flooding in.
Shamrock were, unsurprisingly, refusing to say where the monkeys are going. When asked by STSM the Home Office's original response was that some were pre-allocated to labs and the rest were none of their concern as they were not lab animals. But last week Norman Baker MP took the Home Office to task and asked in the House where Shamrock's monkeys were going. The answer is disappointing but not surprising. All of the monkeys at Shamrock are being sold to labs. Some were imported on prearranged contracts with labs and the others were allocated to labs after Shamrock's decision to close.
Shamrock's statement that their closure date would depend on the time taken to "humanely relocate the monkeys" was just another lie from the mouths of animal abusers.
As heartbreaking as it is to know what these monkeys now face, we must remember how many more monkeys, tens of thousands in fact, we have saved by closing Shamrock down. Claims that labs will now import them directly from breeding centres in China, Mauritius and the Philipinnes are unfounded as most labs do not have quarantine facilities and are unlikely to waste the resources building them when the number of monkeys used in research is declining rapidly. We are chipping away at the vivisection industry with every supplier that we close down. The more difficult and costly we make it for labs to get their hands on animals, the less animals they will use. Profits motivate them, it's that simple.
Sat 4th Menwith Hill (US Spy base) : CND Demo
Saturday 4th : Friendly picket of Tarmac truck drivers in support of the campaign to protect Nottingham's Bestwood Park.
Sunday 5th : Bantin & Kingman Anti-viviection Demo, nr Hull.
Saturday 18th : Africa Jam at University. Fundraising for to Oxfam's "Cut The Conflict" campaign.
Monday 20th : Covance Laboratories, Harrogate.
Tuesday 21st : One World Day at Nottingham University. Nottm Veg&Vegan Soc, Rainbow Centre, Veggies etc.
Saturday 25th : Benefit for Oxfam Mozambique appeal with Clarion Choir at Sherwood Bus Depot.
Sunday 26th : Bantin & Kingman Anti-viviection Demo, nr Hull.
Saturday 1st : Harlan UK. National demo against vivisection. Leicestershire.
Sunday 2nd : Vegan Children's Celebration Party. Stanford Hall, Loughboro.
Saturday 8th : Beagle Day. Parkers Piece, Cambridge. Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty.
Sunday 8th : Protest to Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs.
Friday 14th : Food Initiatives Group . Launch of network of groups concerned with sustainable, local, organic food production, health & environment initiatives in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. Groundwork Greater Nottm : 0115-979-9227.
Saturday 15th : National Anti-Vivisection Society World Day for Lab Animals march. 1pm, Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, London.
Saturday 22nd : Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty World Day for Lab Animals Demo at (& inside) the research centre gates. [report]
Tueday 25th : Seattle:N30. Video show & exclusive on-the-spot feedback.
Sat 29th - : - World Day for Lab Animals demo to Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs. Burton on Trent & after at Guinea Pig Farm.
Saturday 29th - : - May Day cabaret with Clarion Choir, Lord Biro & much more - 7.30pm at Sherwood Bus Depot. Fundraising for Jubilee 2000 Debt relief fund.
Sunday 30th - : - 'A30' : Protest against the Terrorism Bill
Monday 1st - : - 'M1' Protest Against Capitalism. London.
"Reclaim the Streets organised a mass Guerrilla Gardening action in Parliament Square, London. After a carnivalesque procession with samba band, and Critical Mass bike ride from Hyde Park, thousands of Guerrilla Gardeners occupied the square and planted vegetables and flowers. A maypole was erected around which many of the gardeners danced. Banners hung in the square read; 'Resistance is Fertile', 'Let London Sprout', 'Capitalism is Pants', and 'The Earth is a Common Treasury for All', the latter being a quote from the seventeenth century Digger Gerrard Winstanley. An Indymedia public access terminal was set up in the new allotment, and the statue of Winston Churchill was given a green turf mohican.
‘MAYDAY BLOODBATH ORGY - END OF CIVILISATION AS WE KNOW IT - HALF CHEWED BABIES RIPPED APART BY ANARCHISTS FROTHING AT THE MOUTH.’
More rabid reporting here! ... and Broadband 800x600 Streaming Slideshow by Tash.
Thursday 4th - : - Campaign Against the Arms Trade . Picket at Heckler & Kock Arms Factory, Queens Drive, Nottm. 6.30am and 3.30pm.
Saturday 6th - : - Bantin And Kingman . National March & Rally against vivisection. Noon at Cenotaph opposite Railway station in Hull.
Friday 12th - : - Fundraising Gig at Sherwood Bus Depot, with DJ Earthpipe / Sweet Potato Sound System; Boot Hill Toe Tappers; and Sam & James (from Diddly Squatters). £200 raised towards painting / refurbishment of the Rainbow Centre. HUGE THANKS to the performers, organisers and all who helped or attended. Now we just need your help with the actual task of painting our 7-unit 3-floor block! Look out for similar benefit events coming soon, and check out the Sweet Potato site.
Sat 13th - : - Harlan Demo, in Loughboro, against animal breeding for vivisection.
Sun 14th - : - Fur Trade Week of Action. Demo at Onneley Fur Farm, Staffordshire.
Sat 21st - : - Lucia Karpesea-Jones' "Naming Day". Veggies Food
Saturday 27th - : - Demo at 11am at St Peters Gate, Nottm against Council restrictions on free speech / campaign / leafletting / fundraising street stalls.
27th & 28th - : -the more than musik festival. Two days of music & info for action at Queens Walk Community Centre. Fundraising benefit for Nottingham Rape Crisis and The Rainbow Centre. Veggies Food.
Mon 29th - : - Kingston Green Fair. 11am - 9pm. Veggies Food.
Sat 10th - : - Big Green Do. Networking for green groups, info for action and skills sharing at Wollaton Hall, Nottingham.
Sat 10th - : - Save The Newchurch Guinea Pigs.
Thursday 15th - : - Sweet Potato / Love Grocer gig, featuring Zion Train Brass section, with DJ Earthpipe, at The Maze, 270 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham. 10pm-2am. £5 waged; £3.50 members/nus/unwaged; Veggies/Rainbow voluntary workers:free. with proof only!
Saturday 17th - : -
Mon 19th - : - McLibel: Anniversary of 1997 High Court Victory.
23rd - 25th - : - Glastonbury Festival. Veggies Food - 24hrs daily in the Green Futures Fields from Wednesday 21st.
Saturday 8th - : - Fylingdales - National / Yorkshire CND Demo
Saturday 8th - : -
Saturday 15th - : - Sneinton Festival . 1000 years of Sneinton People . Veggies Food.
Saturday 15th - : - Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs demo.
Sat/Sun 22nd/23rd - : - Goddess Camp, Nottingham. Women's Environment Network & others. Details from Christine : 0115 913 3029.
Sunday 23rd - : - Freshfield Animal Rescue Open Day . Ince-Blundell, nr Liverpool. ph:0151-931-1604
26th - 30th - : - Big Green Millenium Gathering, on the Wiltshire Downs.
28th - Aug 2nd - : - War Resisters International conference. 4 days in Oxfordshire.
Sat 29th - : - Huntingdon Campaign. National Demo at the labs.
Thurs 10th - Tues 15th - : - Northern Green Gathering . Camping, workshops, recycling, sustainable energy, permaculture, kid's space, low impact dwellings, organic vegan food, crafts, campaigns, healing, music and more. For next year's details contact 1 Brookfield Road, Headingley, Leeds LS6 4EJ. ph:0113 224 9885.
Saturday 19th - : - Cambridge in August : Day of action for social justice.
Sunday 3rd - : - Nottingham Green Festival. Trent Embankment. Over 100 stalls: local crafts, campaigns for social justice, entertainment, food by Veggies. For details of next year's Green Festival call 0115-934-8458/7
8th - 10th - : - Energy 2000 . Western Park, Leicester (off A47). Free Admission 10am - 6pm. A celebration with natural power. Details from Environ 0116 222 1596.
Saturday 9th - : - Harlan Campaign. National March in Leicester.
26th - 28th - : - Prague 2000 - Mobilisation Against Economic Globalisation.
Friday 13th - : - Oh No! More Roads day of action in London - a show of strength to stop the latest road building madness. Preceeds the Anarchist Bookfair, with possible party in the evening - make a weekend of it! Contact: 961 517324
Saturday 14th - : - 19th Annual Anarchist Book Fayre . (poster)
Mon 16th - : - McDonalds Campaign. Worldwide day of action . Everywhere.
Wed 18th - : - Veggies 16th Anniversary.
Tuesday 31st - : - pre-World Vegan Day party
Tuesday 7th - : - Congratulations to Moira and Karl on the birth of their
Saturday 11th - Permaculture Event.
Sunday 12th - Bantin and Kingman Campaign - National Demo.
Monday 20th - Save The Newchurch Guinea Pigs Campaign
Sunday 26th - Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs.
Wednesday 29th - Benefit Gig for New Rainbow Centre.
ONE WORLD CHRISTMAS FAIR
Fri 1st + Sat 2nd - . - Focus Do-All
Saturday 2nd - . - Clarion Choir Benefit Concert
Sat 2nd Dec - Benefit Punk Night.
We believe this law seriously undermines the civil liberties and political
rights of ordinary people in this country, and will redefine many protest
group, and political organisations supporting protest in other countries,
as 'terrorists'. It represents a new authoritarianism in the UK, and gives
the armed forces in particular extended and unprecedented peace-time
powers, powers that are usually only found under condiditions of
dictatorship and martial law.
More at www.indymedia.org.ukMay 2000
Monday 1st - : - Nottingham May Day 2000 / Nottingham Carnival Against Capitalism.
March from forest at Noon, to Rally in Market Square.
Veggies supports London Animal Action Free Burger Give-away at McDonalds on the Strand, and provides gurrilla catering at Parliament Square!
Review from Wikipedia. See also www.guerrillagardening.org
'Justice In The World' cartoon from the Labor Cartoons of Gary Huck & Mike Konopacki.
ALSO - : - Trip to British Aerospace AGM in London - : - Full details.June 2000
Sat 10th - : - "Taking Control" Gathering, Birmingham - Radical Routes and others.
We appologise to all those left disappointed by the lack of Veggies Food due to theft/damage of Veggies Minibus and breakdown of replacement vehicle.
Meet noon at services on M1:J26/25 southbound, or M42/A5 (Junction10). Veggies Food. . Transport details:01902 564734, or from noon on the day on 0772 062038
Critical Mass Bike Ride. Market Square. 1pm. Music, Food by Veggies, Picnic in the Park.July 2000
1st-2nd - : - Winchester Hat Fair, Hampshire. Free Festival of Street Theatre. Veggies food at Saturday Evening 'Street Continental' party and Sunday 'Picnic in the Park'. Ph:01962 849841 or email
Fylingdales is on the North York Moors, on the A169 north of Pickering. Fylingdales is a large radar base (sort of pyramid shaped - see picture) but is not on any maps. We assembled nearby at Ellerbeck Bridge, where people gathered to enjoy Veggies Food!. Full Demo Report.
Insurrection 2000: Organisation and Disorganisation. Nottingham. Email nasa13@veggies.org.uk
From 1994 to 1998 the Big Green Gathering established its reputation as Britain's largest and
liveliest Green event. It is a festival of Green Awareness, Green Ideas, and Green Campaigning. Bringing together over 7,000 environmental activists, campaigners and supporters. It takes place over 5 days at an open-air site on the Wiltshire Downs, hosted by one of Britain's largest organic farms, and is completely powered by wind, solar and pedal power.August 2000
Sat 5th - : - National Demo against Live Exports in Cheltenham.
Meet noon by Marks&Spencers. Speakers from CIWF & Viva! Followed by demo at Gilders. Also demo in Hull against Bantin and Kingman - breeders for vivisection
Two days before the event four people from the Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty campaign had their offices raided and their computers, literature, merchandise and information confiscated. They were subsequently arrested, remanded in custody and charged with conspiracy to incite criminal damage, GBH and conspiracy to disrupt traffic on the A1 into Cambridge!
The actions and demonstrations were targeting Huntingdon Life Sciences, Europe's largest contract research laboratory where 500 animals are killed every day, and Oakington Detention Centre where 400 Asylum seekers are being held in prison conditions for months at a time.
Reports from events at 'Cambridge In August' from http://uk.indymedia.org/, the independent media centre website.September 2000
Saturday 2nd - . - Save The Newchurch Guinea Pigs
Veggies food and Rainbow Free Info Exchange, on Saturday & Sunday, together with Nottingham EcoWorks solar tea-trailer; AltTech solar & wind power display; Groovy Movie Cinema; solar powered stage & live music; the Eco House; electic cars; milk float race; kite festival; workshops & activities for all ages. Secure bike parking, free buses from city centre.
"Just a quick thankyou - I'm one of the 10 arrested at Loughborough on Saturday. We really appreciated the food you sent in for us - it was brilliant of you - thanks from everybody."
email received 11 Sep 2000
Sunday 17th - : - Vegan Food and Drink Festival, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London. [map] Many food/drink stalls, campaign groups, animal shelters, speakers and music. Info: 0181 670 9585
About twenty thousand of the world's bankers, economists and investors will arrive on 26th September in Prague to take part in the 55th Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group (WB) and the Board of Governers of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The majority (>99%) of the World's population, whom these decisions will effect, will not have any say in the matter. As in the past, their decisions will lead to more oppression, poverty, famine and environmental destruction... An army of organisations opposed to a system which enables a tiny fraction of people to control the entire world are mobilising to protest in Prague.
A number of groups are organising coaches from around the UK, with at least one coach from Nottingham. For more information contact nasa13@lycosmail.comOctober 2000
Saturday 7th - : - National pheasant shooting day of action.
Demos against John Lewis department stores, who treat their staff to shooting days out, on their own estates. Contact Animal Aid on 01732-364546
10am - 6pm. Conway Hall, Red Lion Sq, London. Books, CDs, stalls, meetings, videos, creche, Veggies Food and loads more. Ph:020-7242-8032
Oops, no party this time!
Thanks to everyone for buying us a new activist centre as a birthday present!!
Halloween at the Maze
Benefit Night for the New Rainbow Social and Activist Centre.
9pm til late at The Maze, North Sherwood Street
With Dub Seeker Alliances, Skint Like Jesus and Chunk (on Da Decks)NOVEMBER 2000
Saturday 4th - : - Huntingdon Demo at the Labs. feedback reports
baby daughter, Moira.
Chase Community Centre, Robin Hood Chase, off St Annes Wells Road. Slides and Info on sustainable linging all around the world, and all around the UK.
Mobile day of action at 1pm outside Hull Railway Station.
Picket of Nottingham-based accountants of the notorious vivisection breeders.
Noon at Darley Oaks farm, Newchurch, nr Burton-on-Trent.
Blues Basement (Derby-based Blues / R & B) plus Tightrope, playing Texas Blues at the Horse and Groom, Radford Road.December 2000
Fri 1st/Sat 2nd December - Congregational Centre Church,
Castlegate, Nottingham
If you're looking for inspiration for presents, look no further than the One World Fair, where you'll find a selection of crafts, gifts and foodstuffs from around the world, along with charity Christmas cards. Even if you just need a rest from the crowds, call in and enjoy a free cup of Fairtrade coffee.
Organised by the International Development Forum, the event features stalls from Oxfam, Traidcraft, Central American Solidarity and many other Forum members along with displays, entertainment and world music.
Animal Aid Day of Action against DIY chain re sale of animals on theme of ‘Don’t Buy Animals for Christmas'.
A benefit for the Nottm & Notts Refugee Forum, at 'The Place', the Sherwood Bus Depot Community Centre, with Fieldwork, Jonathan H-Jones, Clarion Choir and Guests and food by Veggies.
At the Old General, Radford Road. With External Menace, Pastime, Egg Raid, Cotton Weary, DJ Little Dub. Record and t-shirt stall, raffle and more...
