We are pleased to announce that our burger, sosage and hemp mixes now contain half the salt.
And, unlike many other convenient vegan staples, they still contain no palm oil, a source of major concern for the environment, and for the people and other animals loosing their forest homes. Visit saynotopalmoil.com
In fact Veggies Mixes contain no added fats at all, nor sugar or artificial anything.
Our mixes are handmade in Nottingham, in our dedicated vegan kitchen, with organically grown ingredients, including wholewheat breadcrumb, oats (from Cheshire) & soya (from France).
To find out why ours are probably the most ethical mixes available visit our Ethical Burgers & Sosages page.
Yesterday 11 of us gathered to talk about People’s Kitchen and eat together. The talk was really exciting, with loads of ideas, so here are some notes about it…
We reminded ourselves what People’s Kitchen is all about…
Cooking and eating together can be a fundamental way that a social centre can bring people together and organise more stuff, collectively. People’s Kitchen plays a really important role in this.
Lots of people come to eat, but much less come to help make it happen. For People’s Kitchen to be really collective, the people who eat and the people who cook can and should be the same people!
Things we want to see happen with People’s Kitchen…
- Make it a place where those who come to eat are collectively responsoble for making a great meal together happen. This could mean that on weeks where people don’t sign up to help, that Peoples Kitchen doesn’t happen.
- Make it a place to share skills and learn new ones
- Make it a place where you can drop-in and help.
Separate all the different tasks involved so that people can volunteer to:
You are invited to People’s Kitchen Glossop on 13th Feb
Ronny, Jonathan and Anna have been involved in People’s Kitchen projects in other areas, so we’re starting one in Glossop.
The idea is that people come together for an affordable, tasty, healthy and ethical communal meal. We’re keeping it vegan and not-too-spicy, to be inclusive, and can cater for allergies and special requests with advance notice. There will always be gluten-free options.
When and where?
The first one will be Monday 13th Feb at The Oakwood on High St West, from 6.30 to 8.30pm. (We’ll have the pub to ourselves as it is closed Mondays.)
Food served from 6.30 until it runs out, so either get there on time
or book via: peopleskitchenglossop@gmail.com
or call 0782 861 7933 to reserve portions and seats.
Cost?
£2.50 for plate of food. Optional dessert is extra. Bottled drinks for sale (or bring your own).
We’ll have live background music from Quiet Loner and Steve Roberts. If the event is a success, we’ll consider running them monthly and publicising in the local press.
How can you help?
1. Book, so we have an idea of numbers.
2. Spread the word.
3. Donate any surplus vegetables and (vegan) ingredients earlier in the day, or the day before. Unwanted kitchen equipment also gratefully received.
4. Volunteer as a chef or server. Help clean and tidy the place on the night.
Twitter co-founder, Biz Stone, went vegan in 2001 after visiting Farm Sanctuary.
Biz Stone is also lobbying for vegetarian meals in school lunches. He sent a letter to Rep. George Miller, chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, writing: “Hundreds of thousands of students across the country don’t eat meat, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study. However, these young vegetarians often can’t find healthy, meatless meals in the school cafeteria.”
Biz Stone obviously believes in the power of lunch, because Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters provides free vegan lunches to its employees.
Compassionate Derby, a showcase of healthy, environmentally friendly and cruelty free food and lifestyle products, was held in the Darwin Suite of the Assembly Rooms, right in the heart of the Derby, on Saturday 5th November 2011.
Co-organiser DavidO writes…
A huge well done to all those involved in Compassionate Derby A.K.A. the East Midlands Vegan Festival.
We ended up with over 30 stalls, engaging speakers (that included MP’s, Buddhist teachers and highly regarded vegan cooks) and most important of all, around 700 curious members of the public wandering through – only a tiny fraction of whom were vegan.
There has been a great deal of positive feedback from stallholders and public alike, and a veritable chorus of “Please that we do it all again next year and in a BIGGER VENUE!”
The highlight for me was when a young teenager who having been persuaded to have a look around (by a giant rabbit with sparklers) came back along the same busy high street where she had been leafleted and called out “that vegan food is GORGEOUS!” to her mates (and everyone else within a wide radius).
A massive thank you to everyone who donated their valuable time to achieve such a success and in particular to the half dozen or so committed Derby Animal Rights activists who somehow brought a big idea to life in six weeks flat..
I just wanted to say a huge WELL DONE to Dave O and the band of merry men (& women) who pulled it off perfectly!
I think they day went amazingly. I know a few stall holders were wishing it would be a bit busier, but for a first time I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how many people came through the doors.
Also, I’ve not been to many ‘vegan fayres’, but the ones I’ve been to have been so busy you’re restricted to your stall and don’t get to see anything else. It was nice to be able to walk around and actually see stalls rather than be looking over peoples shoulders for a quick glimpse. I even spoke to stall holders and learned a lot!
It went brilliantly and I’m glad I got to witness it.
Can’t wait for next years!
“Find details of similar events all over the UK on the Vegan Outreach Diary, compiled by Veggies Catering Campaign.”
“This year was the sixth year of the Festival’s Green Traders Awards, given by Glastonbury, Greenpeace, The Soil Association, The Fairtrade Foundation and Nationwide Caterers Association (NCASS) to the traders who did the most to help make the Festival greener, fairer and more sustainable.
“Once again this year a team of Greenpeace volunteers trekked across the festival site interviewing traders, quizzing them about everything from: how they arrived on site, what their stall was made of; how much of their stock was Fairtrade, organic or recycled, and any other ethical criteria they proactively used to reduce their impact on the environment.
“… And the final award was given to Veggies Catering Co who received the Greenpeace Award. “For many years we’ve been trying to encourage all Glastonbury traders to be as green as we aim to be.”
Read full story, with details of other Award Winners (and well done to them all) at Glastonbury Festival News. Special congratulations to “the winner of this year’s Gold Award for food … last year’s runner-up No Bones Jones, who do vegetarian and vegan food”.
Veggies has been shortlisted in the Green Trading Standards scheme at previous Glastonbury Festivals and are 3-times winners of the ‘Best Vegan Caterer’ Awards.
Whilst we are delighted to have been recognised with this award, our mission is to reflect searching questions back to the festival itself, including…
Q. What are you selling that is Fairtrade?
A. Coffee, decaff coffee, hot chocolate, tea, redbush, herbal teas. For over 25 years we have never stocked other than fair trade teas and coffees, which are also organic where available.
… nor have we ever sold Cocoa Cola products, despite their being the nominated soft drink supplier to Glastonbury Festival.
Q. What other criteria do you look for when sourcing ethical goods?
Many consider Veggies Catering Campaign to be one of the most ethical on the circuit. Our policies are not a flash in the pan, they have been the cornerstone of our operation for over 25 years, drawn from our close involvement is supporting many campaigns for humans, animals and the environment.
Q. “Do you have any other suggestions for improving the sustainability of (Glastonbury) festival as a whole?”
A. Include concerns over the environmental impact of livestock products in all aspects of ethical and environmental planning and monitoring. Livestock products have been held responsible for significant amount of methane & carbon emissions. Whilst there may be debate over the detail, farmed animals compete inefficiently for food/feed, water and land resources, in a way which cannot be sustained if the global population were to adopt western patterns of consumption.
The rest of our submission to Glastonbury Festival Green Trader Awards in 2010 can be seen at our Ethical Policies page.
Anecdotes from 26th years catering at the frontline
Perhaps you were at J18 or M40 RTS street parties, the G8 in Stirling, Glastonbury or on Hatfield Peat Moor? You may even have stood with us in the snow at Molesworth US Airforce Base in the winter of ’85!
What was your favourite Veggies Event?
Recipies from Veggies events.
Have you been fed by Veggies at camps or gatherings, festivals or fairs, weddings or birthdays, or any other events?
Veggies Scoffer includes recipes from…
Climate Camps
Peace News Camp
AR Gatherings
Radical Routes Gatherings
Veggieskool Catering
Peoples Kitchen
Be your own Veggies
- How to set up a Veggies group
- Trailers / street stalls / indoor fairs / event catering
- Cooking with Veggies Mixes
Guest recipies from other campaign caterers, including Anarchist Teapot, Green Garden Cafe, Something Fishy, Fairfoods, Vegan Campaigns, Shambu’s, Screaming Carrot
Veggies Tour Dates – featuring events on our annual itinerary
Join people from across the broad spectrum of the British peace
movement and radical activism for five days of exploration,
celebration and empowerment.
ABOUT PEACE NEWS SUMMER CAMP
Bring your contribution to a hothouse of creativity, a small
self-governed society run by democratic camp meetings, a viable
example of the kind of world we are trying to bring about. The
Peace News Summer Camp helps build a radical movement for the
future by building a living community today.
We are camping in a family-friendly and renewably-powered way
from 28 July to 1 August in the beautiful grounds of Crabapple
Community, near Shrewsbury in Shropshire.
Activities include: workshops and discussions, practical skills
sessions, delicious vegan food cooked by Veggies of Nottingham,
music, film, fun and participatory entertainment, a bar,
campfires, and activities and facilities for kids and families.
NB Dogs (except guide dogs) are not allowed on site – sorry.
TICKETS & FOOD
The camp costs £15 – £65 depending upon income. Payment can be
made by cheque, online or by phone:
- http://tinyurl.com/summercamptickets
for on-line purchases
– 0207 278 3344 for purchases by phone
– Send cheques (payable to “Peace News” to Peace News, 5
Caledonian Rd, London N1 9DY), explaining how many tickets you’re
purchasing and which rates
Food (3 meals a day and drinks) will cost £6 – £11 a day for
adults, depending on income, and should be ordered before the camp
starts. Individuals meals will be available to buy at the camp.
“Wonderful workshops and a wide range of people with which to
exchange ideas”
“Safe, friendly, interesting, happy, useful, accepting, great for
networking, well thought out and set up. Thank you for organising
and creating a lovely village”
“It was a great holiday for me and I loved meeting new people. To
become aware of the work that people are doing all over the country”
We are delighted to have received the following message:
Subject: Vegetarian Website Award – Congrats!
From: “Vegetarian Awards”
Date: Wed, June 8, 2011 4:23 pm
To: info@veggies.org.uk
—————————————————-
Dear Veggies,
We at VegOnline.org are pleased to present you with the Vegetarian Website Award for excellence in vegetarian information!
We understand the value of free, accessible information regarding vegetarian and veganism: great recipes, insightful articles, and tips to make people’s diets that much healthier.
Veggies helps further the vegetarian cause, and we think you should be honored as such.
Thank you for everything Veggies does to increase food awareness – your service is highly valued.
We are pleased to add the Vegetarian Website Award to our bulging trophy cabinet, which includes:
Best Vegan Caterer - 3-time Winner – Vegan Society Awards
Best Vegan Catering Service – UK Vegan Awards 2010
Mahaveer Award (2010)
Mahaveer Millennium Pledge Award (31st December 1999)
Eco Veggie Award Winners
Best Place To Eat in the 2010 Eco Veggie Awards!
… and …
Best Vegan Campaigners in 2008 Vegan Environmental Award
… and …
Veggies Burgers : Runner-up in 2007 Vegan Environmental Award
As Three Times Winner of the Best Vegan Caterer award we have declined nomination that category – after 27 years we are delighted that there are now many more vegan caterers deserving credit.
However there is a category for Best Vegan Society Trademarked food product … and Veggies famous Veggies Burgers do carry the Vegan Society Trademark …!
The Vegan Society Awards will be made for World Vegan Day, Tuesday 1 November 2011 and all the categories can be found on the Nominations form.
Like the Sumac Centre, Veggies’ Nottingham home, Pogo Café in Hackney, London is an autonomous, non-hierarchical 100% vegan space run completely by volunteers.
Pogo aims to encourage veganism and animal liberation by providing delicious, affordable food and useful information to the local community and beyond. They host regular film nights, plus one-off gourmet dinners, raw food parties, poetry nights etc…
Like Veggies and Sumac, they are always looking for new volunteers.
If you would like to get involved in this exciting, unique café please get in touch.
You may not have visited Pogo yet, but they are in the middle of a crisis. There is a shortage of people to take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the cafe, coupled with a gaping hole in the finances, threatening to force Pogo to close once and for all.
Now, more than ever, Pogo needs you!
Please tell your friends in London
Send this message out on your email lists or social networks
Donate a pound or two via their website
If you can’t get to Hackney, you could donate the price of a coffee!
If you really care about animals, the best way you can help is to stop eating them!
Each year in the UK alone approximately 1,000 million animals are farmed and killed for food – and that figure doesn’t include fish.
The average meat-eater consumes around 11,000 animals in their lifetime (including fish and shellfish). Think of all the lives YOU will save simply by turning vegetarian or vegan!
As well as being more humane, an animal-free diet is healthy, environmentally friendly and a better way to use the world’s precious resources.
There are many reasons to go veggie including animal welfare, health, environmental protection and cost. If you are concerned about one or more of these issues, why not take the opportunity to try some more meat-free meals during March or take the veggie challenge?
And, unlike many other convenient vegan staples, they still contain no palm oil, a source of major concern for the environment, and for the people and other animals loosing their forest homes. Visit saynotopalmoil.com
“… And the final award was given to Veggies Catering Co who received the Greenpeace Award. “For many years we’ve been trying to encourage all Glastonbury traders to be as green as we aim to be.”
