Veggies of Nottingham

{{Short description|Vegan catering campaign and worker co-operative in Nottingham, England}} {{EngvarB|date=October 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} [[File:Veggies of Nottingham 2019 Glastonbury Festival 06 crop.jpg|thumb|Veggies of Nottingham, Glastonbury Festival, 2019]]

'''Veggies of Nottingham''', also known as '''Veggies Catering Campaign''', is a worker co-operative and 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,<ref>[http://www.eastmidlandsveganfestival.co.uk East Midlands Vegan Festival]</ref><ref>[http://tashcamuk.fotopages.com/?entry=649257 Tash Photography Report], 10 December 2005</ref> publishing books and leaflets, and maintaining an extensive website, including a Contacts Directory<ref>[http://www.veggies.org.uk/acd Online Directory], ''Veggies''.</ref> 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 using fair trade, organic and/or locally sourced ingredients.{{Citation needed|date=May 2015}}<ref>[http://www.veggies.org.uk/events/ Events], ''Veggies''.</ref><ref>[http://www.groundworkgreaternottingham.org.uk/fig/downloads/newslettersum04.pdf Food Initiatives Group Newsletter Summer], ''Ground Work Greater Nottingham'', 2004. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518075244/http://www.groundworkgreaternottingham.org.uk/fig/downloads/newslettersum04.pdf |date=18 May 2015 }}</ref>

== Background == Veggies were set up in 1984 by seven animal rights activists who were frustrated at the lack of vegetarian fast food available at the time.<ref>Nottingham Trader, 12 December 1984</ref> They began by selling veggieburgers 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.<ref>[http://www.myantiwar.org/Channel/id/2/pn/13 My Anti War], 17 October 2005</ref>

From 1985, Veggies were based at the Rainbow Centre in Nottingham city.{{Citation needed|date=May 2015}} They later took on the day-to-day running of the centre.<ref name=indy25 /> In 2001 this relocated into 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''<ref>[http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/09/323138.html Food Not Bombs Hurricane Appeal], ''UK Indymedia'', 13 September 2005.</ref> (supporting, amongst others, the charity Vegfam<ref>[http://www.veganvillage.co.uk/vegfam Vegfam], ''Vegan Village''.</ref> and Food Not Bombs' Hurricane Katrina appeal), the Vegan Business Connection,<ref>Arthur Ling. [http://www.veganviews.org.uk/vv100/vv100veganconcept.html Vegan Views 100: The Vegan Concept], ''Plamil Foods'', Spring 2004.</ref> the all-vegan bakery, Screaming Carrot,<ref>[http://www.screamingcarrot.co.uk Screaming Carrot], ''Homepage''</ref> and vegan catering projects in other towns.

Veggies has been reported to have a "''vast and extensive internet capability''",<ref>Article by ''Kevin Toolis'' in The Guardian ''Society'' section</ref> 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,<ref>[http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/public/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=fulldetails&newsUID=e92a8455-b418-4c48-8a34-e9d906a71aee Vegetarian invasion], ''Management Today'', 1 March 1999.</ref> 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 and London Greenpeace,<ref>[http://www.mcspotlight.org/media/thisweek/may29.html McLibel Two's city back-up], ''McSpotlight'', 23 May 1996.</ref><ref>[http://www.mcspotlight.org/case/trial/verdict/Echr.html#Veggiesagreement ''Steel and Morris vs The United Kingdom''], ''The European Court of Human Rights'', 15 February 2005.</ref> continuing to help with the co-ordination of Days of Action<ref>[http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=50 McLibel Days of Action], ''Veggies''.</ref> 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!.

==Awards and criticism== In 2004, Direct Action Against Apathy zine called Veggies "...probably the best vegan catering outfit on the planet".<ref name=planet />

List of awards: * 2006 - Vegan Society - Best Vegan Catering<ref name=vs2006 />

==See also== * List of animal rights groups

== References == {{reflist|30em|refs= <ref name=indy25>{{cite web|last1=Watcher|title=Rainbow Centre 25th Anniversary|url=http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/334|publisher=Nottingham Indymedia|accessdate=8 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518073125/http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/334|archive-date=18 May 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> <ref name=planet>[http://www.oocities.org/directactionagainstapathy/video.htm Direct Action Against Apathy website], February 2004</ref>

<ref name=vs2006>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930232631/http://www.vegansociety.com/html/about_us/uk_vegan_week/awards/ Vegan Society Awards: Best Vegan Catering], ''Vegan Society'', 2006.</ref> }}

== External links == * [http://www.veggies.org.uk Veggies Catering Campaign]

Category:Vegetarian organisations based in the United Kingdom Category:Companies established in 1984 Category:Worker co-operatives of the United Kingdom Category:Organisations based in Nottingham Category:Vegetarianism in the United Kingdom