"Whilst there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields" - Tolstoy

Nottingham Info : Elsewhere : Nowhere

We've been civil; It's time to get disobedient!

See See http://uk.indymedia.org for independent info on actions in the uk.

• Join protests and direct actions to stop war.

• The conflict in Iraq has been presented in the media as a purely human catastrophe. Other animals have been largely ignored. There is no reason to remain silent in the face of the interlinked abuses of all animals - including humans. Until we get rid of cruelty - all cruelty - we will never end animal abuse. We need to stop being abusers, full stop - not just pick and choose our victims. If the world was vegan and we still waged wars we would not have won our cause. The risk we run is that our circle of cruelty rather than compassion will continue to spread and destroy the world that all creatures inhabit.

• Disclaimer: Please don't do anything to stop the indiscriminate killing of men, women, children and animals unless it is specifically authorised by unanimous agreement of the international community.

No War For Oil

• Farming animals for food wastes a lot of energy. Animals are food and energy factories in reverse - most of the nutritional and energy value of what they eat is used by their bodily functions. It takes about 10kg of prime vegetable protein to produce 1kg of meat protein. Oil-based fertilisers are needed to produce crops fed to intensively reared animals. By burning fossel fuel for unnecessary industrialisation world-wide, the human race is causing a change in climate which, if unchecked, will make life on this planet unsustainable.

  
  

• To get a picture of the scale of the oil trade in Nottingham, you should visit the Colwick Oil Depot photo /map here.

  
  

Prevent water wars

• Not satisfied with overconsumption of the world's oil supplies, the affluent west exports its wasteful practices to hungry countries. Factory farming systems are being promoted in hot, dry areas, competing with people for limited water supplies. 200 - 250 gallons of water are required to produce a pound of rice, but between 2,500 to 6,000 gallons are used to produce a pound of meat. Future conflicts are predicted for control of water supplies, whilst inappropriate mega-dam projects benefit western construction companies, whilst displacing local peoples.

Info from Movement for Compassionate Living - see www.MCLveganway.org.uk

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Food Not Bombs

Although Veggies is not formally a Food Not Bombs, consider this description of their work:

"It will take imagination and work to create a world without bombs. Food Not Bombs recognizes our part as providing sustenance for people at demonstrations and events so that they can continue participating in the long term struggle against militarism. We also make it part of our mission to bring our message to other progressive movements. We attend other organizations' events and support coalition building whenever possible. We try to encourage the ... recognition that if we cooperate together, all become stronger."

Veggies has been catering for the anti-war movement since 1984, including the 1985 Molesworth Campaign - Reclaim Molesworth was organised from an office at our then base at Nottingham's Rainbow Centre. We were active during the first Gulf War and have been regulars at Yorkshire CND's events at Menwith Hill, the US spy base near Harrogate.

Activities peaked in 2003 when we were involved with these events:

On February 15th 2003: Veggies Crew rose to the challenge of feeding 1000 of those travelling to London from Nottingham. Food was co-ordinated for 20 (out of 24) coaches departing from 4 different locations, including 3 from Hyson Green / Forest Fields, which left from the Sumac Centre.

This was probably our biggest ant-war catering operation since the heady days of the 1980's when we catered on Nottingham CND's TRAIN to London. During that same period, we also catered in 6 inches of February snow at Molesworth and at the 'Reclaim Chilwell' direct action (events which were co-ordinated out of offices at the Rainbow Centre, the former home of Veggies).

Demo report from Squall website (and much other stop the war news).

An amazing feat of indy photo journalism has been put together by Nottingham based photogapher, Tash. To check out his galleries and slide shows from London, Feb 15th and Nottingham, March 8th [click here].

Saturday 8th March 2003 : Despite the wet & windy weather Veggies turn out as Nottingham Marches Against War in probably the biggest protest seen in Nottingham since the days of the Miners Strike.

Read the report from Nottingham Evening Post website

Saturday 15th March 2003 : Chetwynd Barracks

Chetwynd Barracks, at Chilwell, near Nottingham, was the national mobilisation centre for the TA & reservists. It is where they wew being trained, equipped and receiving medical treatment and innoculations prior to being sent to the Gulf.

It was the focus of several local actions, including the regional/national action on the 15th March at the Toton Main Gate, Swiney Way, Toton, (with catering by Veggies)

This multimap view includes a photo of the base and a route planner, centred on the Toton Gate. You can zoom out to see more of the surrounding roads. There is another main gate on Chetwynd Road on the Chilwell side of the base.

Veggies Catering Campaign gives regular support for peaceful, creative direct action against Menwith Hill, nr Harrogate, the largest US spybase in the world; which played a crucial role in the war on Iraq. After the ‘Foil the Base’ event in March, ‘Independence from America’ on July 4th and ‘Don’t Take the Peace Out of Space’ in October, we continued to travel to the beautiful Yorkshire Moors from 2004 - 2007.

INDEPENDENCE FROM AMERICA DAY - From report from Yorkshire CND

About 400 people came from all over the country - north, south, east and west to the Gatecrasher's Ball at the American base at Menwith Hill calling for Independence FROM America. It was a very good day. The weather was kind - blue skies and sunshine. People rose to the occasion and came dressed in wonderful costumes including beautiful, imaginative ball gowns and masks (some men included!) and top hats and tails.

There was a wonderful line up of artists - musicians and poets which was hosted by Mark Thomas who also spoke in his unique way - a combination of humour and political satire. Food was provided by Veggies.