Since 1985 there has been a Veggies snack stall at Clinton St in Nottingham City Centre, promoting environmental concerns, vegan food, sustainable lifestyle and animal rights/welfare, but it is a sign of our success that Veggie food is now so common there is no longer a demand for our services on the street.
To ensure that it is easy to find veggie places, one
of our first new project will be to put together a Veggies Guide
to Nottingham. Since we published the last one in 1997 so many
places have come (V1, Squeek, Return To Eden, Sumac Centre) and
gone Hiziki shop & cafe, Salamander, Maxines, Rainbow cafe,
Veggies @ Clinton Street) that a complete new edition is required,
frequently updated, probably web-based and cheap enough to give
a way on street stalls. First though we need feedback. In reply
to this message please nominate at least one cafe,
restaurant, pub and shop that you recommend in the City and beyond.
We have plenty more to do too:
Our first priority is to find a replacement for the Veggies Minibus, which came to the end of its' valiant service a month or so ago. An immediate need is to collect Veggies catering trailer from the city centre - do you, or anyone you know, have a vehicle with a tow bar. The trailer is light and the distance to tow is only 1.8 miles - can you help???
Instead of the catering stall we are committed to doing regular street information stalls, opposite Marks & Spencer near St Peters Church, on any Saturday when we are not away on an event. If you are interested in helping email your details. We hope now to be able to work on campaigning opportunities such as Veggie Pledge Month in March, National Vegetarian Week from 8th July and World Vegan Day, November 1st, in addition to school talks and stalls at events.
The main reason for stopping the Clinton St stall, apart from the £1400 license fee, is that we are too busy with outside events to be able to give a reliable service there. Glastonbury is back on and already wants our trading application. Three other big green gatherings are also confirmed and there are plenty of meetings, demos and fairs to cater for, including Newchurch Guinea Pigs rally in Lichfield on Sat 12th Jan and the national ARC Gathering, in Nottm, on Sun 13th Jan and the EF! Winter Moot in Manchester on 26th/27th Jan.
Some of Veggies volunteers are also involved with Nottingham's
new Independent Community and Social Centre, the Sumac Centre on
Gladstone Street. Perhaps as early as Febuarary the (pure vegetarian)
Sumac Cafe will be opening here. In the
meantime we may be able to cater at lunchtimes from one of Veggies
trailers in the yard.
The move from our Mansfield Road address after 17 years
and other projects, caused a break in the annual publication cycle
of the Veggies' Animal Contacts Directory. This 200-page, 5000
entry national/international directory finally goes to print on
January 10th. Soon afterwards we have to beg, steal or borrow
£2000 to pay the printer, so as ever offers of loans, donations
or trading opportunities are welcomed.
Meanwhile as a source of day-to-day income we need to expand the frozen foods side of our work. Our distributors, Lembas, will be wanting a big supply of our burgers and sosages next Tuesday, so that will keep us busy too.
We also hope to be able to cater for a wider range of small local events in the Nottm area, (often delivering by bike & trailer!). We welcome opportunities to cater at meetings, conferences, fairs, car boot sales and other charity/campaign events.
Hopefully that is enough to ensure that we don't get
too slack by giving up the daily market stall, but feedback on
these, and any other ideas, is welcomed.