User Groups
User Groups
Many campaigns
and groups are based at, or can be contacted through, the Sumac Centre, including:
The 'group' (there is no formal membership - to 'join' simply join in) can be contacted at the new 'Sumac Centre' and meets from time to time to network activities, to provide a social gathering and often to learn about the work of a guest speaker. Phone 0845 458 95956 for details of meetings and other events.
Local demos, fundraising and information-based activities are arranged, and trips are organised to demos and other events out of town.
We compile a national Animal Rights Calendar and a diary of local activities.
Details of local contacts can be found from the Animal Contacts Directory which is also complied in Nottingham by members of the group.
As well as welcoming your ideas for activities to match your concerns, your help is also needed in keeping up-to-date the information on animal rights held at the Rainbow Centre's Library.
Contact: Nottingham AR, Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham, NG7 6HX or email
Critical Mass is ultimately just a group of cyclists riding from A to B as
a sort of organised coincidence. Everyone has their own reason for being
there. Some people want more bike lanes, some want a car-free city centre.
Others want to confront a bankrupt system and see Critical Mass as part of
the struggle.
Why are people compelled to organise their lives around the pointless and
demeaning exploitation we call work? Why do we worship the automobile? What
would an alternative future look like? Any answers?
Contact: Critical Mass, Box CTM, 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX . criticalmass@veggies.org.uk . Ride-on.
As part of an ongoing campaign against Tarmac, EF! held a national Action on the 17th July 1999 to try and occupy and shutdown a Tarmac Quarry in the peak district.
We were housed on Friday night in a squat in the centre of Sheffield, where people ate, drank and discussed the plan for the following day. It was decided that this action was to be a peaceful shutdown and that we were not going with the intention of destroying the quarry and that we would get up at four in the morning with the intention of getting to the quarry at Stoney Middleton before 6 when the workers arrive. The location of the quarry was at this point still secret. However, as people were to rise at 4 we decided to have an early night and went to sleep.
Then the problems began. We were quickly woken up by the police arriving to try and investigate the squat and the people still arriving outside. They tried to prevent people from entering the squat and in the struggle, put through one of the ground floor windows. This put pay to the idea of us all being able to sleep that night and some people needed to stay awake to keep an eye on the police's movements. People rose at four and were served breakfast, while a drivers meeting happened, where drivers were briefed as to were we were going, and given briefing sheets for all in their vans. People tatted down and everyone was ready to leave by 5.
We all left the squat on mass and climbed into our vans. As we were all leaving a queue of police vans pulled us over to conduct a " routine vehicle check". Which delayed most of the vans for about an hour. A few pigs then stuck their snouts through a window of the squat and claimed to be able to smell drugs. Which was their excuse to bust the squat and search all left inside.
Once the vehicles had got away they split up and headed for the target. As they approached the target the was another police roadblock, who stated that a section 60 was in force in the area and they had the power to stop and search all vehicles and people they believed were to be involved in violent disorder or criminal damage activities.
After the search which took about an hour, some vans drove down the road only to be stopped and searched by another roadblock 100 yards down the road. Some of the vans were even searched three times, twice by the same group of police officers.
Despite this, a small group of protesters managed to get on site were they were quickly headed off by police, who stopped all work in the neighbouring two quarries, incase people were in there. Two people were arrested after the search, one for a tiny blim, she didn't even know she had on her and another for possession of an offencive weapon, the baseball bat in the sports kit, that was part of the entertainment for the day.
Due to the over whelming police presence, there were over 40 vans in the area, people retired to the back up meeting point. From there some groups went off and occupied the Tarmac work site at Manchester Airport, and only left after management guarantees that all workers would be paid in full for the day, whilst others went home and a few went to meet some Tarmac Workers, who had come along for the action.
The Workers are on strike and are picketing against Tarmac, for sacking their safety officer after he tried to improve the condition at on of the sites where over 300 men have 3 loos between them. Tarmac have the worst Health and Safety Record of any construction company in the country, with 54 convictions last year for breaches of regulations. They also killed 13 of their workers last year.
The day however was a success as Tarmac closed down most of their sites throughout the country, and we were only trying to close down one. We successfully managed to close another site. Links were made with the workers and local residents of Stoney Middleton, have since stated their support for what we tried to do. The campaign will continue.
Credits on our scheme are considered as green pounds called 'Acorns'. These credits are put into the schemes central accounts and there is no obligation to work for others in return. There are a variety of services offered in the schemes directory.
Nottingham LETS is not like a bank; the 'Acorn' is different to money in many ways. Being in acorn debt is not like being in money debt, so don't be afraid to be overdrawn. In fact, spending acorns is encouraged as like all economies, this one needs a regular flow of acorns to survive.
For more information, on the LETS scheme, details of services offered and
to take part in the review of payment methods, please contact:
Nottingham LETS, c/o 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX . phone:0845 458 9595
Veggies & Rainbow volunteers gave practical & court-room support throughout the McLibel Trial, and continue to co-ordinate the distribution of the world's most famous leaflet, 'What's Wrong With McDonalds', through the 'Adopt-A-Store' network.
For comprehensive details see : http://www.mcspotlight.org
Free Information Networks grew out of the Traveller/Free Festival scene and developed into more city/community based papers providing information of subcultures and fightback against this earth-raping, repressive and exploitative system.
Nedd Ludd's News is just one of a network of FINs and other publications around the country. Although we glean much information from this network, we also rely on you writing and sending us stuff, particularly about local issues.
Contact: NottFIN, c/o 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX . fin@veggies.org.uk
It can offer a list of empty properties, advice on the law, getting into empties and details of solicitors. So come on and recycle the empties.
The details the medical profession give out concern the risks of not having the vaccinations prescribed and very little coverage is given to the potentially devastating side-effects of actually having them. Our aim is not to frighten anyone, but just to make them think more deeply about what they are doing and to provide them with enough information to be able to make an informed vaccination decision.
Having been established at the Rainbow Centre, VAN now have thir own premises.
Contact: Vaccination Awareness Network UK, c/o 347 Baker Street, Alvaston, DERBY, DE24 8SJ
Ph: 0870 444 0894 . Fax: 08707 418 415 . enquiries@van.org.uk
Veggies Guide to Nottingham, listing Restaurants, cafes, shops, hotels and b&b's catering for vegans and vegetarians, is available from the Sumac Centre.
Recipe & information leaflets and books are available from the Sumac Shop, with many more in stock in the society's office (by appointment).
Members, supporters and their friends get together for a meal about 10 days before Christmas, during National Vegetarian Week (in June) and on World Vegan Day (November 1st).
Contact: Wild Things, c/o 15 The Square, Bestwood Village, NOTTINGHAM, NG6 8TS
Phone: 0845 458 4727 . Fax: Phone first . info@wildthings.org.uk
