I am delighted to announce that a brand new Midlands veggie/vegan forum has been created! Check out Veg Chat Midlands here http://vegchatmidlands.freeforums.org
You can chat about food, friends, TV, books, health, current affairs, sport or just vegetariansim/veganism - chat about anything you like with likeminded people across the Midlands region.
There is also a campaigning section, for those that want to talk about veggie/vegan promotion, animal rights and environmental issues.
And finally, there is a section for your town or local group to have your own public or private forum. Somewhere to chat about anything you like with people in your town. Read more about this on the forum.
Logon today and start chatting - you can remain totally anonymous if you wish! If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, please post a topic in the "About Veg Chat Midlands" section.
I hope you agree that this is a fantastic new resource for veggies/vegans here in the Midlands. If you run a website, MySpace or blog, please display a link to us. Help us to make Veg Chat Midlands a thriving community for veggies & vegans and also somewhere aspiring veggies and the veggie curious can seek advice, ask questions etc.
Please forward this email to all on your mailing list, thanks.
Happy chatting!!
Steve
Veg Chat Midlands Admin
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Please Note: Book your seats on the West Midlands coach asap, details below
Veg*n Climate March 2007 Saturday 8th December in London
On Saturday 8th December, vegetarians and vegans from across the UK will be taking part in the "biggest ever mobilisation of vegetarians and vegans on environmental grounds!!" The annual Climate March & Rally in London is expected to attract up to 30,000 environmentalists. Veg*ns will march in support of the campaign and we`ll add our own message - "Fight Climate Change with your Knife and Fork!!".
Join the march to:
Demand that world leaders stop propping up the farming industries that cause climate change.
The environmentalists will demand that the government curbs air travel (which is actually less damaging than livestock) and that they introduce a strong climate bill, but as things stand, that won`t even mention animal farming!!!
Raise awareness amongst environmentalists and the general public that their choice of diet is critical to the survival of the planet!!
There is an increasing amount of damning evidence regarding animal agriculture and its devastating impact on our fragile planet. In November 2006, the United Nations released a shocking report titled `Livestocks Long Shadow`. This extensive document revealed that livestock farming is responsible for more climate change gas emissions than the world`s entire transport network, including air travel!!!! The report goes on to say that livestock production is at the heart of almost every other environmental
catastrophe confronting the planet - rainforest destruction, spreading deserts, loss of fresh water, air and water pollution, acid rain and soil erosion. You can read the report in full here
Please Note: Pledge your intent to travel on the coach asap or it will not run!
Veg*n Climate March 2007 Saturday 8th December in London
On Saturday 8th December, vegetarians and vegans from across the UK will be taking part in the "biggest ever mobilisation of vegetarians and vegans on environmental grounds!!" The annual Climate March & Rally in London is expected to attract up to 30,000 environmentalists. Veg*ns will march in support of the campaign and we`ll add our own message - "Fight Climate Change with your Knife and Fork!!".
Join the march to:
Demand that world leaders stop propping up the farming industries that cause
climate change.
Raise awareness amongst environmentalists and the general public that their choice of diet is critical to the survival of the planet!!
Midlands Vegan Campaigns intends to organise coach transport to this event, but we need to assess the level of interest before the coach is booked. The coach will pick up at the following locations and times:
8.30am -Birmingham Post and Mail Building, Colmore Circus, B`ham City Centre
9.15am -Redditch Magistrates Court/Shipleys Bingo, Redditch Town Centre
Seats will cost £12 waged and £6 unwaged. There will be a toilet on board but we will also stop at services on the motorway. The coach is currently scheduled to leave London at 5pm, but may be earlier than this. We are not asking for payment at this stage, just an indication as to how much interest there is, so please get in touch as soon as possible if you are interested or if you would like more details. If you leave it too long before getting in touch, you may well find that the coach has been called off - we need to hear from you NOW!!!
To pledge your interest, email info@... or phone 01527 458395.
On Saturday 13th October, Midlands Vegan Campaigns will team up with BirminghamFood not Bombs for a day of action against McDonald`s in B`ham City Centre.
We will meet at 11am at the bottom of the ramp out of The Pallasades Shopping Centre(where Corporation Street meets New Street). From there we will head off for a quick tour of the McD`s within easy walking distance. When the tour reaches the final McD`s, B`ham FnB will set up a stall and distribute free food to the masses!!
Protest & leaflet against everything that's wrong with McDonald's - animal cruelty, exploitation of workers, damaging the planet, promoting unhealthy food, marketing to young children and much more.
Please bring banners, placards, costumes, props, friends etc. Leaflets will be provided. Mobile contact on the day - 07963 606194.
The event is timed to coincide with World Food Day on Tues
16 Oct - the 22nd Global Day of Action Against McDonald`s. Read more about the campaign http://www.mcspotlight.org/
MVC
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Don't know if any of you saw this offer.... just go to this link
http://www.freefivers.co.uk/register.php?n=201363
register, and then you can get cashback and money off at loads of
different online shops...but the one I've been using is
Waterstones..LOL, guess everyone's getting books for Xmas!
FoE members vote for more honesty regarding meat/dairy devastation
At the annual Friends of the Earth conference, local group members have voted strongly in favour of a motion drafted by Redditch Vegetarians & Vegans! The motion called for FoE to publish detailed information regarding the massive environmental impact of meat/dairy production, therefore allowing the general public to make an informed choice about their diet.
Any member of the public reading FoE`s literature/website at the present time, could be forgiven for thinking that there is no environmental impact from meat/dairy production, due to a total lack of information available!! It was this disgraceful situation, that encouraged Redditch Friends of the Earth to take action!
Several months ago, RVV helped Redditch FoE to draft a motion for this years FoE Local Groups Conference. The motion survived an attempt for it to be amended and also survived a prioritisation ballot, in which half of the 12 motions put forward were dropped. On Saturday 8th September, the `food production` motion was presented at conference(held at Reading University) by Redditch FoE, in front of approx 300 local group members from across the UK. There was a 15 minute debate in which several delegates voiced their opposition, but many more voiced approval. A vote followed, in which only one member from each local group had voting rights. Out of the 87 delegates who voted, 65 were in favour of the motion, 9 against and 13 abstained.
The motion read as follows:
This conference calls upon the Board of Friends of the Earth Ltd. to consider publishing detailed information via FoE literature and the FoE website, that will explain how the production of various foods have vastly differing environmental impacts, in order to clearly illustrate the many environmental benefits of adopting a plant based diet.
This conference notes that there is an ever increasing amount of research & evidence from a wide variety of organisations, that suggests that meat and dairy production are amongst the most environmentally damaging practices carried out by mankind.
The presentation of this motion involved the reading of a 3 minute statement before the debate started and another minute of summing up after the debate & before the vote. Click here to read the statement in full.
Now that this motion has been passed, it becomes a Resolution for the Board of Friends of the Earth Ltd to integrate within FoE’s policy and strategy. Or at least, that`s the idea!!! Two years ago, a motion calling for the promotion of plant based diets was passed, but as yet, has not been implemented. It read as follows:
This Conference calls upon the Board of Friends of the Earth Ltd to consider recognising the need to promote plant based diets and encourage a reduction in meat, fish and dairy consumption on environmental grounds.
So when it comes to raising awareness of the destruction caused by meat/dairy production, it seems there is a fair amount of resistance at high levels within FoE!! Perhaps they fear that honesty on this subject would result in some meat/dairy eating members leaving FoE or a few less donations from the public, but that really is no excuse. As the "UK`s most influential environmental campaigning organisation", FoE surely have a duty to tell their members, supporters and general public that possibly the single most effective action individuals can take to save the planet, is simply to change their diet!!
Unsure whether or not the previous motion would eventually be implemented, Redditch FoE were keen to submit their own, and with our help, they did! Although it now seems that National FoE are finally conducting research on this issue and are apparently seriously considering a campaign strategy, it remains to be seen whether or not this will go far enough. So the idea behind Redditch FoE`s motion was simply to tie National FoE down to at least make information available via their website/literature, allowing members of the public to make an informed choice. We hope that by clearly asking for something specific, that FoE will struggle to wriggle out of this!!
Even up till now, the motion has had a big impact. Thousands of FoE`s local group members have had their attention drawn to this issue over recent months. The fact that those members prioritised this motion and then voted strongly in it`s favour, sends a very clear message to the Board of Friends of the Earth Ltd, that this is an issue of utmost importance to their members.
In recent weeks, we have seen that the most enlightened environmental groups have long since woken up to this issue. All of the kitchens at the Heathrow Climate Camp were vegan and there were workshops on vegan campaigning. Organisers of the camp even drafted their own leaflet, calling on the general public to "Fight Climate Change, Go Vegan". Read the leaflet here
If implemented properly, we believe the repercussions of this motion could be massive, as plant based diets will be promoted by mainstream environmentalists. Not only will FoE members across the country have access to the tools they need to spread awareness of an issue which they were previously forced to ignore, it is likely that we will see other environmental campaigning organisations follow suit!! There`s no doubt that more and more people are falling over themselves to find ways to reduce their ecological footprint, so we could potentially see a big increase in the number of eco-veggie/vegans!!!
Although this is a big victory, it is by no means the end of the campaign! FoE are still only part way through the consultation process regarding their next 5 Year Strategic Plan. It is essential that FoE local group members all round the country continue to demand that National FoE give the issue of meat/dairy production, the attention it deserves within that strategic plan. Click here for updates on the progress of the strategic plan.
-----------------------------------------------------
Redditch Vegetarian Vegan Society
PO Box 10202, Redditch, Worcs B98 8YT
Tel: 01527 458395
Email: reddiveggie@...
Website: www.redditchveggies.org.uk
I am delighted to announce that Midlands Vegan Campaigns first Free Vegan Food Fair will take place on Saturday 10th November in Kings Heath, a very busy suburb of Birmingham.
Planning is in the very early stages, but the venue is large enough to provide room for lots of veggie/vegan stalls, a cookery demo/talk and masses of free food. The emphasis of the event will very much be on attracting the meat/dairy eating public, in order to show them how tempting and delicious vegan food is, whilst also showing them the many other benefits of veganism!
In order for our first food fair to be a massive success, we will need the assistance of lots of people in promoting the event, preparing food and volunteering on the day itself. Please put the date in your diary NOW if you`re able to help in any way!!
We are currently having a Midlands Vegan Campaigns banner professionally produced. It will be used at the forthcoming `Cut the Carbon` march and rally in Birmingham and at stalls, food fairs etc.
The banner will cost approx £80. If you are able to make a small contribution to help cover the cost, we would be extremely grateful. You may like to know how your money would be spent, take a look at a rough draft of the banner here http://www.veganmidlands.org.uk/images/banner.gif
MVC does not yet have a bank account, so if you can help cover the cost of the banner, please make cheques payable to `Redditch Vegetarians & Vegans` and send to RVV, PO Box 10202, Redditch, Worcs. B98 8YT.
If more money
than we require for the banner is collected, the excess will be ploughed into our first food fair, initial details of which will be announced soon!
WANTED - Compassionate, eco-friendly veggie/vegans to educate masses of "environmentalists" in Brum!!
On Bank Holiday Monday(27th August), many 1,000`s will march and rally in Birmingham.
Organised by Christian Aid, the `Cut the Carbon` event aims to raise awareness of the fact that "climate change is not just a forecast, it is happening now and millions of poor people are suffering."
This event represents a fantastic opportunity to inform masses of environmentally conscious people of the devastating impact that meat/dairy production has on the planet. We will be joining the march and rally with banners/placards/leaflets etc, urging the marchers and general public alike, to change their diet for the sake of the planet, people, wildlife etc!!
Can you
remember who or what turned you veggie/vegan??!! Have you ever thought how much better your life is since you made the change? Wouldn`t it be great to give other people the chance that you were given? To share with others the wonderful new life that you have found?
Join us in Birmingham and share your compassion, share your healthy lifestyle, share your love for our planet and it`s inhabitants. With your help, thousands of "environmentalists" will leave this event far more aware of the death & destruction caused by their meat/dairy habit.
Meet outside St Martin`s Church, near the Bullring Shopping Centre at 11am. Click here for a map. Leaflets and some placards provided, but please make/paint/bring your own banner or placard if possible. Maybe even make some costumes/props, please use
your imagination!!
Download our event poster and leaflet. Please copy and distribute.
This event marks the launch of Midlands Vegan Campaigns. MVC aims to raise awareness of the many benefits of plant based diets in various ways, including food fairs, stalls, leafletting, school talks and events such as this. See our website for more details about us and about this particular event http://www.veganmidlands.org.uk/
If you would like to receive regular updates from MVC and share campaigning news from your veggie/vegan group with others from across the region, please join our email list. Email midlandsvegancampaigns-request@... with "subscribe" in the subject line.
Just searching on the internet, i came across the following email written by Neil back in October 2005. The email clarifies that it was Neil himself that proposed forming Midlands Vegan Campaigns way back then! What Neil outlines below, is exactly what MVC should be and with your help, it will be!! :)
You may recall that for our launch event, we are calling on veggies/vegans from across the region to join a march & rally in Birmingham City Centre to inform 5,000+ people
that "there`s no such thing as a meat eating environmentalist!!" The event takes place on Bank Holiday Monday(27 Aug) from 11am. For more details, see our website where you can download a leaflet and poster about the event - please copy and distribute far and wide!
With your help, Neil`s memory and his vision for a world free from suffering, will live on in MVC. As promised, here is Neil`s email, sent nearly 2 years ago!
MVC
Hello everyone
Some of you may remember that a few months ago I set up a list for the West Midlands area for people interested in campaigning on vegan and vegetarian issues.
Unfortunately due to
a number of things I neglected the list and have done nothing with it. I am glad to see that a few people have been sending a few things through but not for a couple of months.
So the list will be relaunched and starting at the Redditch food fair and the Wolverhampton one I will take the opportunity to encourage more people to join the list.
Very soon I will be organising a meeting either in Birmingham or Wolverhampton to see which people are interested in regularly campaigning on food issues and setting up a coalition like the Vegan Campaigns groups in London.
Ideas I have are to put on more food fairs around the West Midlands, regular street stalls promoting a cruelty free lifestyle, cooking lessons
and pushing the Vegan Buddies scheme Realfood has running via its site www.veganbuddies.org.uk
If you have any ideas post them at *wvv at lists.rbgi.net If you know of others interested in joining the list please pass the details on. Remember anyone interested in pushing forward vegan and vegetarian lifestyles can join the list.
Redditch Vegetarians & Vegans August get together attracted by far the most people ever seen at our meetings. Hardly surprising since it was an Indian Cookery Demonstration and Workshop! Anita Sharma-James of The Spice Trade showed us how to make vegetable pakoras, then everyone had a go themselves and spent all evening sampling the delicious results!
Click here for a full report and see our gallery of photos from the evening.
At our next meeting on Wed 5 September, the new Chief Executive of The Vegan Society, Nigel Winter, will be our special guest speaker. Nigel will talk about the environmental impact of meat/dairy production, basic vegan nutrition and about The Vegan Society`s recent relocation to Birmingham. More details here
If you`re not yet a member of Redditch`s very own veggie/vegan forum, you can join here http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/redditchveggies/ It`s a great way to discuss meetings, share recipes, arrange meals and generally get to know your fellow veggie/vegans in the local area!
Best wishes,
RVV
-----------------------------------------------------
Redditch Vegetarian Vegan Society
PO Box 10202, Redditch, Worcs B98 8YT
Tel: 01527 458395
Email: reddiveggie@...
Website: www.redditchveggies.org.uk
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Some people have had problems subscribing via this link, but if you email mvc94@... with "subscribe" in the subject line, your address will automatically be added to the list.
Don`t forget, our first meeting will take place a week today, Thursday 9th August, at FoE, Allison Street, Digbeth, Birmingham,
from 7.30pm. All interested in campaigning for veganism are welcome to attend.
MVC
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BcCov
A new reading group, just started.
Our first meet will be on September 4th, 7pm, in Liquid, Coventry
Arcade.
We will be discussing To Kill A Mockingbird
However we will be handing out free copies of the book on Tuesday
August 7th, 7pm again in Liquid, Coventry Arcade.
So if you fancy a free book, or have a spare copy you'd like to
donate to other readers, just pass it on to me via Liquid.
If you can't make that time, then I know the owners of the bar, and
they would be quite happy to keep any books for me behind the bar.
If anyone's interested, our next couple of books will be
Good News Bad News by David Wolstencroft
101 Reykjavik by Hallgrimur Helgason
The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller
so if anyone has those lying around, either join us, or if you
wouldn't mind, pass the books on to others who would like to read
them.
BcCov reading group will meet once a month, on the First Tuesday @
7pm in Liquid. Coventry Arcade.
There are ALWAYS free books to pick up!
We have heard from several people that have had difficulties subcribing to our email list. If you would like to subscribe for announcements & discussions about vegan campaigning in the Midlands, simply email mvc94@... with "subscribe" in the subject line and you will be automatically subscribed to the list.
REDDITCH residents are invited to an Indian cookery demonstration and workshop which will take place at the next meeting of the Redditch Vegetarian & Vegan (RVV) Society, this Wednesday evening.
Anita Sharma-James, of The Spice Trade, Bromsgrove, will demonstrate how to make delicious Indian food such as vegetable pakoras and samosas.
A workshop will provide an opportunity for everyone to get stuck in and have a go and then sample the delicious results.
The Spice Trade offers Indian cookery courses and demonstrations as well as catering for dinner parties and special occasions, allowing clients to sample and try their hand at home-cooked Indian food.
The demo will take place at St George's Community Hall, St George's Road from 7.30pm. Refreshments will be available, as will a range of recipes, nutrition factsheets, magazines etc.
Admission is free and everyone is welcome. People planning to attend should book by calling 458395.
For more details, see the RVV website at www.redditchveggies.org.uk
-----------------------------------------------------
Redditch Vegetarian Vegan Society
PO Box 10202, Redditch, Worcs B98 8YT
Tel: 01527 458395
Email: reddiveggie@...
Website: www.redditchveggies.org.uk
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Join us in Birmingham to tell 1,000`s of people "there`s no such thing as a meat/dairy eating environmentalist!!!"
On Monday 27th August(Bank Holiday), between 5,000 and 8,000 people are expected to march from Birmingham City Centre to a rally & concert in Cannon Hill Park. Organised by Christian Aid, the `Cut the Carbon` march & rally aims to raise awareness of the fact that climate change is not just a forecast. It is happening now and millions of poor people are suffering.
This event represents a fantastic opportunity to inform masses of environmentally conscious people
of the devastating impact that meat/dairy production has on the planet. We will be joining the march and rally with banners/placards/leaflets etc, urging the marchers and general public alike, to change their diet for the sake of the planet, people, wildlife etc!!
We are calling on veggies/vegans from across the West Midlands to join us in Birmingham for this exciting event! If you`re part of a local veggie/vegan/animal rights group, please do all you can to encourage your fellow members to join us. Perhaps your group could paint/make your own banners/placards to carry! Maybe you could even make some eye catching props, costumes etc! Please use your imagination!! :)
We will meet outside St Martin`s Church, near the Bullring Shopping Centre at 11am where we`ll have some spare posters(if you can`t bring your own) and leaflets(from Viva, Vegan Society etc). See a map here
From there, we`ll move off to gather with the Christian Aid marchers who are meeting in Bradford Street at 11.30am. Feel free to go direct to Bradford Street if you wish, but bear in mind that thousands of marchers are expected, so you may have trouble spotting us in the crowd!!
The general public are being encouraged to `Go Green` everywhere they look. Increasing numbers of people are falling over themselves to reduce their personal impact on the planet - their ecological footprint. We commend people for taking up recycling, saving energy, buying eco cleaning products, switching to renewable energy suppliers, cycling to work, saving water etc. But what most people do not realise is that meat/dairy production are quite
possibly the most environmentally damaging practices carried out by mankind!! As ethical, eco-friendly, socially responsible veggies/vegans, we should make it our business to pass on the shocking facts to anyone that will listen. Why on earth should we want to keep the ugly truth to ourselves?!!! If you doubt the environmental impact of meat/dairy production, see http://www.viva.org.uk/guides/planetonaplate.htm
This march and rally is the launch event for Midlands Vegan Campaigns. If you would like to join discussions about the event, or about MVC in general, please subscribe to our email list https://lists.rbgi.net/mailman/listinfo/midlandsvegancampaigns
You may also, like to attend our first meeting which will take
place on Thursday 9th August, 7.30pm at Friends of the Earth, Allison Street, Digbeth, Birmingham. This is just 5 minutes walk from New Street Station. See map
The `Cut the Carbon` march will be one of several issues on the agenda. Anyone interested in getting involved with MVC in any way is welcome to attend.
No doubt some of you have heard of Vegan Campaigns, the London group that holds regular stalls, food fairs etc. See http://www.vegancampaigns.org.uk/
We are delighted to announce the formation of Midlands Vegan Campaigns!! Still in the very early stages, little has been decided about exactly what MVC will do. But it is hoped that the main focus of MVC will be free food fairs, either supporting the groups in the Midlands that already organise such events or co-ordinating them ourselves.
No doubt there are many other things that MVC could do, such as info stalls, McD`s pickets, free food giveaways etc. Perhaps an annual really big event - a Midlands Vegan
Festival!! MVC will work closely with The Vegan Society, who are now based in Birmingham.
We envisage that the group will be centred around Birmingham, and stretch out all round to Wolverhampton, Lichfield, Coventry, Leamington, Solihull, Redditch, Bromsgrove, Worcester, Kidderminster etc. But probably not stretching any further than that because we don`t want to take on too much!!
Yesterday, vegan and animal rights campaigners from across the country(and some from Europe) converged on Manchester for the woodland burial of Neil Lea. Neil, who lived in Wolverhampton in recent years, was without doubt, one of the most active, determined and influential campaigners the movement has ever known. Neil started the Animal Rights Coalition(ARC) meetings, published ARC News for many years, started the Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs campaign and he was responsible for many very
popular websites including www.realfood.org.uk and www.isitvegan.info . And it was Neil that established the revolutionary concept of free vegan food fairs, an idea which has been adopted by groups across the UK and beyond, and has helped countless thousands of people to convert to plant based diets. Neil did all this despite suffering from spina bifida and several other major illnesses!! He was a truly incredible individual and will be greatly missed.
It is in Neil`s memory that Midlands Vegan Campaigns has been formed.
In order to be the success that it could and should be, MVC will need the support and involvement of more people from across the region. If you would like to get involved in any way, please join our email list where you will be able to find out what we`re up to and discuss veganism/vegan campaigning with others.
To sign up, see https://lists.rbgi.net/mailman/listinfo/midlandsvegancampaigns
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From Windows 95's Active Desktop to Vista's UAC, a loving tribute to
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Our July newsletter is now online and includes lots of recent news and forthcoming events. We`ve dedicated this newsletter to the memory of Neil Lea, a friend & vegan campaigner who died on Tues 10 July, aged just 49. Despite being born with spina bifida which caused various other serious health problems, Neil totally devoted nearly 20 years of his life to campaigns for animals & veganism. In recent years, Neil created several popular websites including www.realfood.org.uk & www.isitvegan.info. It was Neil that established the revolutionary concept of free vegan foo!
d fairs, which have helped many 1,000`s of people to change their lives for the better. Thanks to Neil`s constant support & encouragement, we held our first food fair in 2005 when RVV was formed. He was truly inspirational & is such a sad loss, but we`re glad he`s no longer suffering. RVV will endeavour to continue Neil`s fantastic work. RIP Neil. You can read more about Neil here http://www.veggies.org.uk/page.php?ref=1107
To download the newsletter in PDF format, simply click here. Feel free to copy and distribute it to your friends, or amongst members of your community group, church, work colleagues etc
Best wishes,
RVV
-----------------------------------------------------
Redditch Vegetarian Vegan Society
PO Box 10202, Redditch, Worcs B98 8YT
Tel: 01527 458395
Email: reddiveggie@...
Website: www.redditchveggies.org.uk
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Please forward across the UK and particularly to members of Friends of the Earth.
FoE Under More Pressure on Meat/Dairy Production
RVV have recently helped Redditch Friends of the Earth to draft a Motion which will(hopefully) be presented at the FoE Local Groups Conference in September. The Motion urges National FoE to publish detailed information about how plant based diets are infinitely more eco-friendly than meat/dairy based diets. If you`re a member of a local FoE group, you can help make sure this Motion is passed!
Currently, the national environmental campaigning group Friends of the Earth pay very little attention to the fact that the production of meat & dairy products is one of the biggest causes of global warming. Livestock production is also at the heart of almost every other environmental catastrophe confronting the planet - rainforest destruction, spreading deserts, loss of fresh water, air and water pollution, acid rain and soil erosion (all detailed in a report titled `Livestock’s Long Shadow`, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).
Despite the mounting and indisputable evidence, the FoE website totally ignores the issue and neither do they produce relevant literature, which would both help FoE members and the general public alike to make an informed choice regarding their diet. With a little help from RVV, Redditch FoE are seeking to address this disgraceful situation, by drafting and submitting the following Motion for the FoE Local Groups Conference, September 2007:
This conference calls upon the Board of Friends of the Earth Ltd. to consider publishing detailed information via FoE literature and the FoE website, that will explain how the production of various foods have vastly differing environmental impacts, in order to clearly illustrate the many environmental benefits of adopting a plant based diet.
This conference notes that there is an ever increasing amount of research & evidence from a wide variety of organisations, that suggests that meat and dairy production are amongst the most environmentally damaging practices carried out by mankind.
(Please click here to see the background info that has also been submitted with this motion)
In total, 18 Motions have been submitted, but only 6 can be debated at the conference. Therefore, full details of the Motions will be sent to all local groups on 13 July 2007 and groups will be given the opportunity to vote on their preferred top 6 Motions via a prioritisation ballot. If you`re a member of your local FoE group, please urge them to vote for the `Food Production` Motion!
If the Motion gets through this stage, it will be debated and voted on at the FoE Local Groups Conference from 7-9th September in Reading. If passed, it will become a Resolution for the Board of Friends of the Earth Ltd. to integrate within Friends of the Earth’s policy and strategy. So if the motion gets that far, it`s crucial that as many `eco-veggie` members of FoE as possible, attend the conference and cast their vote!
It is vitally important that FoE start to address this issue NOW - for far too long they`ve remained silent. It`s time that the `UK 's most influential environmental campaigning organisation` dealt with mankinds most environmentally destructive habit.
Click here for more details of the FoE Local Groups Conference.
A member of Redditch Vegetarians & Vegans, along with 3 members of other environmental campaigning groups in Redditch, formed a deputation this evening(Mon 25 June 07) at the full council meeting of Redditch Borough Council(RBC).
The deputation, before 29 councillors (and numerous council officials), was aimed at inviting all councillors to attend a special screening of Al Gore`s film `An Inconvenient Truth` to take place in September, and also to remind councillors that RBC has already signed `The Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change` which commits them to taking positive action in tackling this issue, the greatest threat to our planet!
Other groups that took part were Redditch Friends of the Earth and the Redditch Trade Justice Network. Together with these & other local `green` groups, we have formed the umbrella group Redditch Alliance of Greens.
Due to the deputation being specifically related to Al Gore`s film screening and the Nottingham Declaration, there was no intention to raise the issue of the environmental impact of meat/dairy production. But out of the several councillors that asked questions of the deputation, one chose to make an ill informed comment about how soya(health food) production is destroying Amazon rainforests! Of course, he was very quickly made aware that the large majority(perhaps upto 90%) of this soya is actually fed to livestock!!
RVV believe that our involvement in this evenings deputation, and the ongoing project of screening the film, will reinforce our reputation as a well respected `environmental` campaigning group within the town, ie we promote the environmental benefits of plant based diets, not just the animal and health benefits!
As awareness grows of the devastating impact that climate change will have on the planet, more and more people are seeking ways in which they can reduce their personal ecological footprint. There has never been a better time to create awareness of sustainable, climate friendly diets!! How big is your eco footprint?? Find out with this simple questionnaire
We firmly believe that by building strong links with a broad range of local environmental, ethical and social justice groups, we can get our message out to a much wider audience, as we did at the recent Redditch Green Fair. See our report here http://www.redditchveggies.makessense.co.uk/news/1006.html and the dedicated green fair website here http://www.redditchgreenfair.org.uk/
Redditch Vegetarians & Vegans website has been extensively updated with news, photo galleries and forthcoming events. There has been so much going on lately that we`ve got behind updating the website! News articles include the following:
Follow any of the direct links above or go to our homepage here http://www.redditchveggies.makessense.co.uk We have some more, exciting news on the way very soon, watch this space!!
Posted here on behalf of a friend:
It is one year today since veteran animal rights activist Gari Allen
of Coventry Animal Alliance died, aged just 43. Gari had been
involved in the movement for 25 years, and was still very active on
demos, stalls, meetings etc. He is without doubt the one person that
we could say attended more events than anyone else we know!! Coach
trips to events will never be the same again. He could almost
invariably be seen at big marches shaking a tin raising money for
Green Meadow Animal Sanctuary and selling purple lapel ribbons out of
a bucket. In his home town of Coventry, he was heavily involved in
cat rescue, trapping & neutering etc. When Gari died on 18th June
2006, the animals lost one of their greatest friends. Read an
obituary to Gari, written by John Curtin, here
http://www.arkangelweb.org/features/20060706gari.php
GARI ALLEN REMEMBRANCE
Sat 30th June - Sun 1st July
Details taken from http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=925
A memorial event for a great friend of the animals, veteran AR
activist Gari Allen of Coventry Animal Alliance, will be held at
Friend Farmed Animal Rescue near Tonbridge in Kent.
http://www.friendsanimalrescue.org.uk/
The event is intended specifically to remember Gari and his work for
the animals. There will be the laying of a specially engraved hand
picked welsh slate from Gari's favourite holiday location, at 4pm on
Saturday, followed by food and a party, with practical sanctuary work
on Sunday.
Friends are urged to offer support - please get in touch to get
involved in any way, or add to the activities proposed, for example
by bringing fruit trees for the orchard - the rescue's pigs will
thank you!
For further details call 01926 335826.
Coventry Animal Alliance
The Redditch Green Fair, held last Saturday, was undoubtedly a fantastic success, with an estimated 600 people attending, 23 eco-friendly stalls, visited by the Mayor of Redditch and endorsed by the United Nations!! And not forgetting, free, planet-friendly, vegan food galore!!
The following article(accompanied by 3 great photos) filled page 2 of yesterday`s edition of the Redditch Standard. See http://tinyurl.com/3aqknx
Eco-fair success
ENVIRONMENTAL issues were placed firmly on the agenda at the weekend when as many as 600 people visited Redditch town centre to celebrate the town's annual Green Fair.
Around 23 stalls filled St Stephen's Church and surrounding grounds as visitors tested out such things as eco-friendly cleaning products, electric-assisted cycles and wind-up radios.
Environmental and ethical groups represented included Redditch Friends of the Earth (FoE), Redditch Trade Justice Network, Redditch Vegetarian & Vegan Society and Redditch Freecycle, all of whom got together to organise the fair under the banner of the Redditch Alliance of Greens.
Kevin White from Redditch FoE said the fair was a great way of raising awareness of the importance of the environment.
He said: "We were delighted with how the day went, it turned out to be more than twice as big as our first Green Fair last year.
"The fair succeeded in showing hundreds of people we can all massively reduce our individual impact on the planet, just by making a few simple changes to our daily lives."
A DAIRY-free cookery demonstration is being held by the Redditch Vegetarian and Vegan Society on Wednesday evening.
Amongst the food prepared will be lemon and ginger cheesecake, treacle pudding and chocolate fudge cake.
Yvonne Cooper, from the society, said: "Once they've been made, all the mouth-watering culinary creations will be available to sample and the recipes free to take home.
"There will also be general hints and tips on vegan cake making.
"This event will not only suit veggies and vegans, but also those with milk allergies or the lactose intolerant. We aim to show that dairy-free desserts are not only delicious, they're also suitable for all."
The demonstration is at St George's Community Hall, St George's Road, and starts at 7.30pm.
For more details, call 458395 or visit www.redditchveggies.org.uk
WIND-UP radios and electric assisted cycles are just some of the things being showcased by a selection of local 'green' groups at the annual Redditch Green Fair tomorrow (Saturday).
The event is being organised by the Redditch Alliance of Greens, which includes Redditch Friends of the Earth (FoE), Redditch Trade Justice Network, Redditch Vegetarian & Vegan Society and Redditch Freecycle, and will see stalls set up in and around St Stephen's Church in the town centre.
Organisers are predicting this year's event to be the best ever and will be promoting the use of environmentally-friendly items including natural Aloe Vera products, electric cycles, organic produce, wind-up radios, ethical stationary, Fair Trade goods and eco-friendly cleaning products.
Paul Roberts of Redditch FoE said: "The fair will perhaps be twice as big as last year, so there will be a far greater variety of eco-friendly products on sale and more issues covered on the campaign stalls."
As well as being free, there will also be lots of freebies available on various stalls, including eco-books, car stickers and veggie food samples.
Kevin White, also of Redditch FoE, added: "The aim of the fair is quite simply to promote sustainable, eco-friendly ways of living whilst showcasing the town's ever-increasing network of 'green' organisations and companies.
"We all worry about how global warming will affect our children's future, but we can massively reduce our impact on the planet by making a few simple changes to our daily lives."
The fair has been timed to coincide with World Environment Day on June 5 which has been celebrated since 1972, and is aimed at raising awareness of important environmental issues.
The United Nations has also officially endorsed the Redditch event and will be promoting it via its website.
Mr White added: "We believe this is the first time an official World Environment Day event has been staged in Redditch - we're delighted the United Nations are supporting us."
The event runs from 10.30am until 3pm and further information on stallholders can be found on the Green Fair website at www.redditchgreenfair.org.uk.
Wednesday 6 June, 7.30pm @ St Georges Community Hall, Redditch
This is not to be missed!! Liz Hughes of Birmingham Veggies & Vegans will cook various delicious cakes using a selection of the 1,000`s of vegan recipes available. All of these mouthwatering cakes will then be available to sample, and the printed recipes will be free to take home!!:
Lemon and Ginger Cheesecake
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Treacle Pudding
Sponge Cake
Liz will also give general hints and tips on vegan cake making. This event will not only suit vegans, but also those with milk allergies or the lactose intolerant. Why should you have to go without delicious desserts? Now you don`t have to!!
Here`s an update i`ve just received about the green fair this Saturday. I think you`ll agree, that this has all the signs of being a fantastic event. I just hope the weather is on our side!! We seem to have masses of food donations pledged for our stall now, but could still use more volunteers to serve it!! So if you can spare an hour or so after browsing the stalls, that would be great!
Thanks.
Kevin
Here`s a quick update on the Redditch Green Fair, now less than 3 days away!
There is now no doubt that this will be the biggest and best eco fair ever held in Redditch!! Admission to the fair is FREE. On arrival all fair visitors will be entered into a Free Prize Draw*. You`ll have a chance of winning 1 of 20 eco-friendly prizes (worth £200 approx) that have been donated by numerous local and national companies. Full list of companies on our website http://www.redditchgreenfair.org.uk/ (*Prize draw open to adults only, draw to be held at 2.30pm)
There are now 21 stalls booked which will offer all kinds of eco-friendly, organic, Fairtrade goods and information. Products on offer will include water powered clocks, natural cosmetics, electric assisted cycles, wind up radios, eco household cleaning products, ethical stationery, organic produce and lots more... Information stalls will include cycling promotion, a compost clinic and of course Freecycle!! More details of stallholders here http://www.redditchgreenfair.org.uk/stalls.html
There will also be alternative therapists, entertainment and some fun activities for the kids.
It`s all happening in and around St Stephens Church, from 10.30am - 3pm this Saturday, 2 June. We are in the process of finalising arrangements for the newly appointed Mayor of Redditch, Councillor David Hunt, to officially open the event.
Publicity
It`s not too late to get involved in publicising the green fair. Hand out leaflets at work, school, college etc. Display a poster on a noticeboard or shop window. You can download our leaflets and poster via our website here http://www.redditchgreenfair.org.uk/help.html
Feel free to forward this email across Redditch and beyond!
We look forward to seeing you on the day,
Steve
..........................................
Redditch Alliance of Greens
PO Box 10202, Redditch, B98 8YT
Tel: 01527 458395 Email: rag@... http://www.redditch-ag.info http://www.redditchgreenfair.org.uk/ .........................................
## Please forward to anyone who may be interested ##
The Redditch Green Fair on Sat 2 June looks set to be a really fantastic & unprecendented event!! It has been endorsed by the United Nations, donations for the Free Prize Draw are coming from as far as Brazil, and the fair could soon boast a Tai Chi demonstration as an attraction!!
There are currently 16 stalls booked, including of course, Redditch Vegetarians & Vegans, and Benjamin Zephaniah may pop along to try some of our free vegan food samples!! Sadly, as things stand, we only have about 4-5 people that have pledged to make some food for us, so we desperately need more people to get involved!! This event represents a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate that a healthy veggie/vegan diet lies at the heart of green eco-friendly living. With enough food, we can not only cater for the baying crowds inside the church hall, but we can also offer samples outside to entice people in!!
If you can help, we may be able to offer you the cost of your ingredients. Remember, we don`t intend to provide a full meal to all that attend - no plates, knives, forks etc will be provided! We want to offer veggie/vegan tasters in the form of cold finger food. (accompanied by the recipes for people to take home!)
More volunteers are also needed on the day to set up gazebos, tables, banners etc, serve refreshments from the kitchen, wash up(!!), clear tables, hand out food/leaflets outside and pack everything away at the end of the day! Any help you can give, for however long, would be very much appreciated.
If you havn`t done so already, please take a look at the green fair website, where you can find full details of all the stallholders and a report/gallery from last years green fair. You will even find an eco questionnaire to help you measure your ecological footprint! Unlike other similar questionnaires, this one takes your diet into account!! See http://www.redditchgreenfair.org.uk/
Above all else, please be there on Sat 2 June, or i guarantee you`ll be sorry you missed it!! :-)
Is there anyone out there that can prepare a little food for the forthcoming Redditch Green Fair on Sat 2 June?? We are looking for finger food samples which people can put on a serviette(if neccessary). There won`t be plates, knives or forks!!! We want to give people a taste of what veggie/vegan food is like, not provide everyone with a free lunch!! (which will also keep washing up to a minimum!!)
So we`re thinking of sausage rolls, nut roast, `meat` sandwiches, samosas, falafel, onion bhajis, pizza, cheese/sausages on sticks, cakes etc etc. We may be able to help cover the cost of the ingredients. Rather than one person making a small amount of lots of things, it would be better for that person to make alot of one thing. If people see various types of sausage roll, they may want to try each one!! We also hope to have enough food/volunteers to hand some out in the street in order to entice people over!! :)
We have donations of food coming from Redwoods, Beanies, Bute Island, Granovita and possibly more, but not everyone likes fake meat/cheese etc, many would like to taste homemade food, so please help if you can! We want to display recipies for everything, so if you can`t print some off yourself, please let us have the recipe so that we can!
The event is shaping up to be very exciting indeed!! Many stalls will be outside aswell as inside the St Stephens Church hall venue. To give you a little flavour of the huge variety of stalls, there`ll be wind up radios, electric assisted cycles, organic food, natural toiletries, Viva merchandise and Traidcraft products, alongside awareness raising stalls such as Friends of the Earth, Freecycle and of course RVV!
There will be many, many things that need doing on the day!! We are seeking volunteers for the following - helping on the RVV stall, serving refreshments, washing up(!!!), clearing tables, handing out leaflets/food to entice people in, setting up and packing away tables, banners, gazebos, equipment etc etc!!!! We would obviously be very grateful for anything you can help with.
Is there anyone out there that would like to bring a digital camera and/or video camera?? Many of the photos we took at last years event are very dark. We need some good quality photos and would also like to publish a short film of the event on You Tube etc!! If you can help with this, please get in touch.
You can find many more details about the fair, including a report from last year, on the new Redditch Green Fair website, see http://www.redditchgreenfair.org.uk/
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This conference calls upon the Board of Friends of the Earth Ltd. to consider publishing detailed information via FoE literature and the FoE website, that will explain how the production of various foods have vastly differing environmental impacts, in order to clearly illustrate the many environmental benefits of adopting a plant based diet. 
