Veggies

Veggies of Nottingham, also known as Veggies Catering Campaign, is a campaigning group based in Nottingham, England, promoting ethical alternatives to mainstream fast food. It does this by hosting events such as the annual East Midlands Vegan Festival [ [http://www.eastmidlandsveganfestival.co.uk East Midlands Vegan Festival] ] [ [http://tashcamuk.fotopages.com/?entry=649257 Tash Photography Report] , December 10, 2005] , publishing books and leaflets, and maintaining an extensive website, including a Contacts Directory [ [http://www.veggies.org.uk/acd Online Directory] , "Veggies".] of groups with similar aims. As a non-profit worker co-operative it also provides affordable, wholesome, minimally-packaged vegan catering at a wide range of events and protests [ [http://www.veggies.org.uk/vevevents.htm Events] , "Veggies".] using fair trade, organic and/or local food
locally sourced ingredients. [ [http://www.groundworkgreaternottingham.org.uk/fig/downloads/newslettersum04.pdf Food Initiatives Group Newsletter Summer] , "Ground Work Greater Nottingham", 2004.]

Background

Veggies was set up in 1984 by seven animal rights activists who were frustrated at the lack of vegetarian fast food available at the time [Nottingham Trader, December 12, 1984] . They began by selling veggiesburgers to the public from a mobile stall, later also providing locally baked pasties and cakes, and other foods and drinks. The co-op has since gone on to provide both snacks and full cooked meals for many thousands of people at peace movement marches, animal rights demonstrations, festivals, protest camps and reclaim the streets events [ [http://www.myantiwar.org/Channel/id/2/pn/13 My Anti War] , October 17, 2005] .

From 1985, Veggies ("probably the best vegan catering outfit on the planet") [ [http://www.geocities.com/directactionagainstapathy/video.htm Direct Action Against Apathy website] , February, 2004] [ [http://www.vegansociety.com/html/about_us/uk_vegan_week/awards Vegan Society Awards: Best Vegan Catering] , "Vegan Society", 2006.] were based at (and later took on the co-ordinating of) the Rainbow Resource Centre in Nottingham City Centre. In 2001 this relocated in to the Forest Fields area of the city and was renamed the Sumac Centre, part of the emerging UK Social Centre Network.

Projects

There have been many other campaigns and projects set up or supported by past and present Veggies members and volunteers, including "Samosas for Social Change" [ [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/09/323138.html Food Not Bombs Hurricane Appeal] , "UK Indymedia", September 13, 2005.] (supporting, amongst others, the charity Vegfam [ [http://www.veganvillage.co.uk/vegfam Vegfam] , "Vegan Village".] and Food Not Bombs' Hurricane Katrina appeal), the Vegan Business Connection [Arthur Ling. [http://www.veganviews.org.uk/vv100/vv100veganconcept.html Vegan Views 100: The Vegan Concept] , "Plamil Foods", Spring 2004.] , the all-vegan bakery, Screaming Carrot [ [http://www.screamingcarrot.co.uk Screaming Carrot] , "Homepage"] , and vegan catering projects in other towns.

Veggies has been reported to have a "vast and extensive internet capability" [Article by "Kevin Toolis" in The Guardian "Society" section] , used for networking on issues affecting human rights, animal rights, environmental protection, anti-militarism and social justice. Veggies is dedicated to furthering the aims of the campaigning community, with links to organisations such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth [ [http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/public/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=fulldetails&newsUID=e92a8455-b418-4c48-8a34-e9d906a71aee Vegetarian invasion] , "Management Today", March 1, 1999.] , although they increasingly campaign on a more grassroots level, rather than relying on the resources of (inter)national organisations. From 1987 to 1996, and through to the present day, Veggies has been closely associated with the McLibel Campaign [ [http://www.mcspotlight.org/media/thisweek/may29.html McLibel Two's city back-up] , "McSpotlight", May 23, 1996.] [ [http://www.mcspotlight.org/case/trial/verdict/Echr.html#Veggiesagreement "Steel and Morris vs The United Kingdom] , "The European Court of Human Rights", February 15, 2005.] , continuing to help with the co-ordination of Days of Action [ [http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=50 McLibel Days of Action] , "Veggies".] and the distribution of campaign resources.

The publications of the Movement for Compassionate Living, promoting simple living, are printed and distributed by Veggies, who also act as local contacts for Animal Aid, the Vegan Society, the Vegetarian Society and Viva!.

External links

* [http://www.veggies.org.uk Veggies Catering Campaign website]
* [http://www.veggies.org.uk/acd Veggies Directory aka the Animal Contacts Directory]
* [http://www.veggies.org.uk/arc.php Animal Rights Calendar]
* [http://www.ethical-junction.org/member/org-393.html Ethical Junction Listing]
* [http://www.sumac.org.uk Sumac Centre]
* [http://www.veggies.org.uk/vbc.htm Vegan Business Connection]

References