Animal Aid launched their Friend or Food tour for Vegan Month, featuring the recently refurbished Veggies Trailer, decorated as a spoof organic and free-range dog meat catering trailer, at various Nottingham locations on Tuesday 2nd November.
…and your town…?
With your help the tour can keep rolling on. The trailer is now back with Veggies in Nottingham. Whilst we love nothing more than campaigning on the streets we can only free up a limited number of days out of our already busy schedule, often giving away actual vegan food rather than fake dog meat!
It is therefore best if you can find a driver, vehicle and towbar to pick up and return to Nottingham.
Vehicle access to markets and town centres has not been an issue as the trailer is very small and can be unhitched at the roadside and rolled into place. Community support officers, traffic wardens and police have not shown any concern once it is made clear that it is a campaign prop for political or charitiable purposes, citing freedom of speech and rights to protest.
Many of the questions raise by the appearance of the Friend or Food Stall have been addressed by the care2.com article 10 Arguments Against A Vegan Lifestyle, Including:
ARGUMENT #7: Animals don’t have feelings.
Professor Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson said in an article about research done for his book, The Pig Who Sang To The Moon, “A pig could be as devoted, as affectionate, as good a companion, as a dog, given half a chance. Chickens, like many birds, could form close bonds with a human who took the time to get to know these fascinating animals. Sheep, who had been dismissed as stupid animals, turned out to have remarkable discriminating powers, allowing them to recognize, know and have feelings about two hundred other sheep. Goats were as individualistic and as mysterious and complex as cats, and when permitted could live in delightful harmony with humans.” …more…
Well done to all the Veggies, Nottm AR and vegan campaign crew for their help with a ‘dress rehersal’ at Clinton Street Market – the original location of Veggies Catering Stall from 1985 – 2002!
From here we rolled around to the nearby McDonalds (just down the road from our friends at Lush) on Clinton Street. From there it was another opportuntity to roll on down the hightway for the official campaign launch at 12 Noon right by the Council House on the Old Market Square.
Having been denied the opportunity to host the 7th East Midlands Vegan Festival at the Council House, it was appropriate to take it to the streets.
Once we had practiced the patter, the feedback ranged from bemusement to shock.
Apologies are due to the woman who was in tears, before we explained that it was all in the best possible taste – ie intended to draw comparisons between the animals who we pet and those who we eat. Pigs are as intelligent as dogs, and like dogs have only one thing precious to them – their right to life.
It was initially difficult to find the right ‘line’, so we were very pleased to have had the ‘dress rehersal’.
When inviting people “try a free sample of Dog Meat” people were often confused and walked away, and those that did stop struggled with the concept. If they were willing to talk it through though, they eventually ‘got it’ and were generally quite supportive.
Another approach was to say that we were interested to know if people prefered pork or beef, claim the dog meat to be as tasty as pig meat and get straight to the point – pigs are as intelligent as dogs, and value their lives just as much.
One lady, who eats ‘little meat’ but cooks it for her familiy, ended up challenging her own daughter to carefully read the displays and herself talked through the issues involved. The daughter’s response “my god, what will they be serving next” was very pertinent as the City Council often invite an ‘exotic meat’ farm to cater on the exact same spot. If people are bored by pig or cow meat, and want to try Ostrich, Kangaroo, Crocodile or Wild Boar, then why not Dog!
Whether organic, free-range, corn-fed or rested on the finest mattresses, at the end of the day it’s all the same for animals farmed for their flesh. They all end up in the same slaughterhouses; they are all alone and terrified; they are all hung upside down by their hind legs and all end up bleeding to death.
Oct 27, 2010: Animal rights group to sell ‘dog meat’ in city centre This Is Nottingham (Nottingham Post) says “An animal rights group will set up a catering trailer in the city centre claiming to sell dog meat. Labrador steaks, leg of greyhound, Afghan burgers, dachshund sausages, and beagle chops are just some of the meats they will tell people.” …more…
The trailer was last seen at Clinton Street Market in 2002, since when it has been laid up at Veggies’ base at Nottingham’s Sumac Centre.
Here’s the trailer at Clinton Street in 1985 with Cathy and a nought-year-old Francis.
Sorry Frank!
Since lying idle for 8 years refurbishing the trailer has been a big task.
We have:
refurbished the suspensing
replaced the wheels
checked and rewired the lights
repainted
replaced the windows
fitted out new locks all around
Before
After
Can you help with some of the costs of this refurbishment?
£5 would buy a tin of paint; £25 would pay to fix the windows, £50 would pay for locks; £170 would pay for suspension, wheels and electrics!
You can support our work with a donation by credit card or paypal here:
Vegan Catering Trailer Seeks Active Campaigners
Once the tour is over the trailer will be available as a ‘loaner’ unit for any group or event requiring vegan catering, along with Veggies Catering Campaign, operating out of Nottingham and Something Fishy, based in Manchester.
LUSH CAMPAIGN – GREYHOUNDS NEEDED ON OCTOBER 13th!
We are delighted to announce that Lush Cosmetics is launching an in-store campaign “to highlight the cruelty that is going on in greyhound racing”.
The campaign, which will run in more than 90 Lush stores throughout the UK and Ireland from October 11th – 17th, is aimed at helping Greyhound Action in their mission to educate the public about the problems with betting on greyhound racing and going to the tracks.
Lush’s most important date and time for the greyhounds is Wednesday, October 13th at 12 noon, when the media will be invited to stores that are running the campaign. Lush shop assistants will be wearing running numbers and carrying placards saying “Don’t bet on it! Help end greyhound racing!” and customers will be invited to join in and try to win a small prize by participating in a human race. Where possible, Lush would also like rescued greyhounds to be present.
** If you intend taking greyhounds along on October 13th, please tell Greyhound Action as soon as possible, to give Lush some idea of how many dogs will be at each store.
If you can’t make it along to a Lush store on the 13th, but can do so on other days during the week (with or without greyhounds), your support will still be appreciated, as each store will have hundreds of leaflets for distribution to customers and passers-by.
In an amazing show of solidarity and compassion many hundreds marched across the west end of London on Saturday 2nd October, to highlight the plight of farmed animals.
The rally was independently organised by grass roots campaigners, “Animal Rights Coalition”, supported by Animal Aid, Viva!, Veggies Catering Campaign and many other groups.
This is the first time that we have held a march for farmed animals in London, and it was a lively day, in solidarity of the millions of animals killed for meat, dairy and eggs, every day.
Speech by Richard Deboo
“Did you know that in the UK alone, around 1000 million animals are killed for meat, dairy and eggs every year? And, that number does not include the fish that are trawled out of the water in their tonnes. None of this is necessary – we do not need to consume animal products.”
Animal Aid Director, Andrew Tyler, spoke of the negative human health and environmental impacts of animal farming but declared: ‘My own argument against meat, milk, eggs, fish and all other animal products arises from my knowledge of the vile cruelty that is integral to these animal product industries. I have seen it for myself during numerous visits to farms, markets and slaughterhouses.” [video] More at Animal Aid’s rally report.
In Viva!’s media release, founder and director, Juliet Gellatley, said: “Viva!, together with many supporters, will be at the forefront of the event, calling for a move away from the reliance on livestock farming, for the sake of animals, people and the environment. It is unbelievable in this day and age that such barbaric and outdated practices, under which animals suffer, are allowed to continue.”
In her speech at the rally, she added: “If one person is unkind to an animal it is considered cruelty, but when a lot of people are unkind to animals, especially in the name of profit, the cruelty is condoned and, once large sums of money are involved, will be defended to the last by otherwise intelligent people”. [video]
Saturday October 2nd saw the National March for Farmed Animals take place in London.
Speeches kicked off at approximately 12.30 and saw Juliet Gellatley of VIVA! give the first, before Andrew Tyler of Animal Aid, Richard Deboo, Louise Wallis, the former president of the Vegan Society and Kevin White, founder of Midlands Vegan Campaigns, who has just been awarded Veggie Achiever Of The Year.
The march itself began around 1.30 and saw animal lovers from around the UK walk up the busy Regent Street, down through Cockspur Street, down Whitehall, along Embankment, finally into Horse Guards Avenue, carrying placards, banners and leaflets, spreading the word to the general public about the cruelty that happens to farmed animals.
At every McDonalds or Steakhouse the marchers stopped to focus on that location for a few minutes, letting them know that they’re far from pleased at the companies for making a living out of the slaughter of animals, chanting ‘Stop the Slaughter, Meat is Murder’. Although what started out as a sunny day eventually saw rain drizzle, it couldn’t dampen the marchers’ passion.
After the two hour long march, a few more speeches took place including one from Chrissy Leyland, one of the founding members of Pogo Cafe, one of our fave vegan cafes (in London), Marion Eaton of F.R.I.E.N.D. Animal Rescue and Patrick of Veggies (vegan catering campaign).
The afternoon concluded with a couple of numbers by Mártin the Livewire, vegan hip-hop / rapper.
Full report and photo gallery by Shari Black Velvet at Save-A-Scream website.
Shark Friendly Nottingham plans to campaign at restaurants currently selling sharks fin soup and talk to managers/owners etc in the hope that they will adopt a policy not to sell sharks fin soup again in the future, we will also hold demonstrations at restaurants selling the soup to bring awareness to the public about this cruel so called delicacy.
Every second, 3 sharks die at human hands. The vast majority are “finned” so that their fins can be used for shark fin soup. Sharks are becoming extinct and it is affecting all ocean life.
Every year tens of millions of sharks die a slow death because of finning. Finning is the inhumane practice of hacking off the shark’s fins and throwing its still living body back into the sea. The sharks either starve to death, are eaten alive by other fish, or drown (if they are not in constant movement their gills cannot extract oxygen from the water). Shark fins are being “harvested” in ever greater numbers to feed the growing demand for shark fin soup.
Not only is the finning of sharks barbaric, but their indiscriminate slaughter at an unsustainable rate is pushing many species to the brink of extinction. Since the 1970s the populations of several species have been decimated by over 95%. Due to the clandestine nature of finning, records are rarely kept of the numbers of sharks and species caught. Estimates are based on declared imports to shark fin markets such as Hong Kong and China.
Sharks have been around for 400 million years. Are we going to let them die out because of ignorance about the origins of what we eat and because of human arrogance? Would this still be going on if the soup was made with tiger paws instead of shark fins? Act now and find out what you can do to help save sharks.
Meanwhile Sumac veteran and Veggies associate, Wietze, announces launch of The Black Fish, a new European ocean conservation project, at recent Nottingham Animal Rights meeting.
The Black Fish is an organisation set on a mission to change attitudes towards our precious oceans and work to protect the unique life within them.
Lush have supported Veggies in supporting grassroots campaigns for humans, animals and the environment, by funding outreach at the Glastonbury festival. With their help, Veggies Catering Campaign created an exhibition to provide insight into work of the included groups.
At the 2010 festival the display was positioned next to the Veggies catering stall, allowing for pre/post food perusal. Two volunteers were stationed in the exhibition marquee, engaging with revellers and providing information about the various causes.
A Splash from the Charity Pot
In addition to a display of posters and leaflets from 25 participating groups, visitors were introduced to the Veggies Directory, also funded by the Lush Charity Pot. This project aims to improve networking between individuals and a wide variety of movements supporting social change.
Visitors to the space were very impressed with the diversity and availability of literature on offer. Many flyers and brochures were taken. The Sailboat Project, for example, later thanked Veggies – mentioning a significant increase in web traffic after Glastonbury.
A particular favourite with visitors was “Meat Free Monday”, a project promoted by Animal Aid. After running out of the info/recipe pamphlets, Veggies were able to put visitors in touch with Animal Aid, via the listing on the Veggies Directory.
In order to attract attract attention to the exhibition, we were grateful for the additional help of supportive festival-goers, who enthusiastically took quantities the exhibition program, listing all the groups, for distribution across the Greenfields area of Glastonbury Festival. For example, information was provided at various Speaker’s Forum presentations, and at performances by artists such as Sieze the Day. In this way, this project could have been extended with the involvement of more exhibition crew.
We were lucky to have made contact with a member of Ecotrip, who gave valuable assistance with the effective layout of the display. With his support, we wish to continue developing dedicated boards for each of the groups. The project would also benefit from a larger banner on the entrance, giving the space a stronger identity.
Inspired by the effectiveness of the project at Glastonbury, Veggies have incorporated the Charity Pot exhibition into their campaign networking space at numerous other events such as Peace News Camp, Earth First Summer Gathering and events such as local community festivals and even a school reunion.
Overall the project was successful. Growing from their years of experience in direct grassroots campaign networking, Veggies look forward to extending and developing the project into the future.
We’ve been busy rolling out the exhibition of groups featured in Veggies Directory to many more events.
Veggies has always had a ‘Free Information Exchange’ alongside the catering stalls at many of the events that we attend. With support from Lush Charity Pot we put together a more organised display which was launched at Glastonbury Green Futures Field..
Other events featuring the exhibition have included:
The NGG Crew did not hold an event of their own in 2011, but provided workshops and information at several other events. They utilised the information exchange to get a good selection of up-to-date information and leaflets for these events.
Kerry says: “if we could use any information Veggies have available to share, that would be great. I saw Veggies at Glastonbury and thought the info exchange was a great idea, and would really help us out and spread the campaign messages even further. We are going to Moor Music Fest, then a local one-dayer, Solfest and Eden. So, kids and family music, with some teens and hippies, is the audience, i reckon!”
We’re on the final countdown to the Summer Gathering: below is an update and some important information for those planning to attend. Keep an eye on the website for further updates over the next few weeks, or get in touch for more details.
The gathering will officially start on Friday 27th August after lunch, and will end on the afternoon of Monday 30th (Bank Holiday). You are more than welcome in the days before and after these dates to help set up the site and clear away afterwards, vegan food and camping space will be provided for these volunteers.
This is the national gathering of the grass roots animal rights movement. It’s a chance for activists from throughout the country to get together for a weekend of talks, discussions, workshops and films on a wide range of topics connected to animal rights activism, to take stock of where we are and make plans for the future, as well as some practical and skills based workshops and activities to share and learn new skills.
There will also be plenty of time and opportunities for us to relax and unwind, to spend some time catching up with old friends and meeting some new ones, to try some tasty vegan food and drinks, all in in beautiful rural surroundings.
*Timetable / Workshops*
There are already some great workshops, discussions, talks and entertainment planned, but there’s space for much more, so if you’ve got anything interesting to contribute please get in touch soon with your ideas. This applies also to practical and skills based workshops.
*Camping*
Accommodation on site will be camping. Bring clothing and camping equipment suitable for all weathers if possible. If you don’t have a tent don’t worry, you can stay in one of the big marquees which will be on site throughout. Don’t forget to bring a torch as well if possible!
Getting there.
To enable us to plan facilities and catering etc please let us know in advance if you plan to attend, how many of you and when you expect to arrive/leave. There will be 2 mobile phone contacts if you have any problems, these will be available nearer the time.
Public Transport
If you are using public transport, here are a few tips to enable you to plan your journey. There is a bus which takes you from Northampton (Grey Friars) bus station to the site of the gathering. If you are coming to Northampton by train there is a 10 minute walk to the bus station. The journey time from the bus station to the gathering site is half an hour, the bus leaves the bus station at the following times 07.45, 0900, 1020, 1210, 1405, 1645 and 1800, and there are no buses on Sundays, so please bear this in mind when making connections. If you have to arrive or leave after 1800, or on Sunday (when the bus doesn’t run), contact us and we’ll try to make other arrangements.
*Driving*
If you are driving, the directions depend on which direction you’re coming from, so contact us for details how to get there. The site is fairly central, it is only about 15 minutes from the major junction of the M1/M6/A14.
Car share
If you’re driving to the gathering and can offer spaces to fellow activists either from your area or en route, please get in touch so we can get more people involved. Or if you need a ride, get in touch and we’ll try to put you in touch with others from your area.
Volunteers for Set-up
If you’re free earlier in the week to help set up the site, put up marquees etc, and/or you can stay a few days afterwards to help tidy up the site, you’ll be very welcome, we’ll provide camping space and food, some good company, and as well as some work we’ll have some fun and a bit of entertainment too no doubt! Please let us know if you can do this so we can get an idea of numbers, thanks in advance.
Volunteers will also be needed during the gathering for a variety of tasks such as catering, washing up, getting workshop spaces ready, recycling, driving to pick up activists and supplies, gate duty etc, there’ll be a rota organised at the site for this
Vegan Catering Skillsharing
If you want to get involved with the catering, it’s a great way to learn about vegan catering and to meet new people. We will run two cooking sessions a day as ‘mass vegan catering workshops’, and will also hope to hold cake baking sessions. The start time will be advertised on a board at the kitchen each day, but will generally be about 3 hours before each meal. We will actively encourage people to pass on skills and learn about vegan cooking.
Food
Veggies Catering Campaign will be providing three tasty vegan meals per day at a reasonable price. Plus Veggies d-i-y Cafe will run throughout the weekend with drinks and snacks, as well as stalls offering a selection of vegan goodies.
Vegan Fish and Chips On top of this, the world’s first and only mobile vegan fish and chips caterers will be on hand all weekend if you fancy something different. For more information about “Something Fishy”, visit their website www.something-fishy.org.uk
Children
It would be very useful for us to know how many children are likely to attend, and also whether their parents will provide food for them, or whether they eat alongside adults.
Special diets/allergies
If you have any food-related enquiries such as special diets/allergies, please contact us in advance and we will try to help.
First Aid
If you’re a First Aider, let us know when you’ll be there, and don’t forget your First Aid kit! There will be First Aid workshop on the timetable as well.
Sorry No Dogs
Sorry dogs are now allowed because the gathering will be on land where there are rescued farmed animals. However the central location may make it easier for day visits.
Donations.
The gatherings play a vital role in promoting and co-ordinating the movement.
If you or your group can help by making a donation, send cheques/PO’s payable to “ARGathering” and send to the address above, or use the paypal/plastic donation button on the AR Calendar listing at http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1711
2011 Gathering
The next AR Gathering is likely to be around the 12th or 19th August 2011.
We’ve been offered a fantastic opportunity by Lush Charity Pot, the fund that raises money & awareness about charities and campaigns for a better, fairer world.
For over 20 years Veggies has participated in the Green Futures Field at Glastonbury Festival.
As well as providing a vegan catering oasis, we run a ‘free information exchange‘ to feature different projects that we support. In the past we have featured groups such as Indymedia, the Movement for Compassionate Living and the Vegan Society.
This year Lush are sponsoring the space to help promote many campaign groups and charities that we both support. Veggies crew will engage with the public and distribute information for 10 hours a day over 5 days to the greenest of the 200,000 people that attend Glastonbury, i.e those that visit Green Futures at the heart of the Green Fields.
The great thing is that many of the groups are ones with whom we already have a well established direct working relationship.
We are also making connections with other excellent groups with whom we have not worked previously, but who are active at a grass roots level on concerns that we share.
We don’t want to encourage people to abandon their “rubbish” and perpetuate the disposable consumer culture, but if anyone has tat they would like to drop off for the Calais Migrant Solidarity, the AT Collective or Climate Camp, take it to the Climate Camp area in the Dragon Field.
Glastonbury Festival is huge, time is short and there are many distractions, so we hope that ethical festival visitors will welcome the opportunity to find out about many of the finest charitable projects all under one roof. So come on down to the Green Fields!
Lush cosmetics charity support
Lush supports charities and other good causes (we don’t just support registered charities) through a variety of ways; campaigns in our shops and on our website; cash donations through Charity Pot, limited edition charity products and our Carbon Tax fund and through product donations.
We like to look after those who look after others and are committed to supporting small, grassroots charities, non-violent direct action groups and other good causes working in the areas of environment, animal protection and human rights.
We believe we can make the most impact by supporting causes and funding projects that others won’t, therefore we give priority to less popular causes which are more difficult to gain support for. We support non-violent direct action as we feel it plays an important part in bringing about positive social change.
Campaigns
Throughout the year we partner with organisations to run nationwide campaigns in our shops. Our campaigns team, along with the help of our creative design team and enthusiastic shop staff, have run a variety of campaigns over the last few years, including issues such as animal testing, the impact of the palm oil industry on orangutans and indigenous people, vegetarianism, packaging, fox hunting, shark finning, destitute refugees, climate change and an end of torture and the right to a fair trial. We’ve worked with organisations such as Reprieve, Refugee Action, Hunts Saboteurs Association, Animal Aid, Climate Rush, Biofuelwatch and Uncaged.
Our 90 stores around the UK and Ireland are the perfect way of reaching thousands of people; we use our windows to grab people’s attention and lure them in to find out more. Once in the shop we ask customers to take part in the campaign by taking personal action, signing postcards and petitions or simply learning more about the issue.
Funding
In April 2007 we created Charity Pot to raise funds for charities and other good causes. Charity Pot is a hand and body lotion made with fair trade cocoa butter. Every penny the customer pays for the product (less the VAT which we have to give to the government) is put in to the Charity Pot fund and then distributed to various causes nominated by staff and customers.
Charitable funds also come from our Carbon Tax Fund. Our staff do not fly domestically for Lush work and for international flights we charge ourselves a Carbon Tax; for every tonne of CO2 emitted when we fly, we pay £50 in to the fund. The fund is used to support internal and external environmental projects, especially those relating to climate change and sustainable transport, and also discourages staff from taking international flights.
Product donations
We donate stock to charities to help with fundraising (eg raffles) and for direct use by patients and clients (eg homeless shelters, women’s refuge and hospices).
Get in touch
If you know of an organisation that you feel would benefit from Lush’s help please contact Sophie Pritchard on charitypot@lush.co.uk or call 01202 667 830.
This reminds us of a cool poster campaign by the Vegetarian Society some 10-15 years ago.
August 27th to 30th.
Getting there.
Vegan Fish and Chips
