Heart of England Vegan Festival 2005

[gertvegan]

I dont have any excuses really tho do i as i am a brummie!

And the Birmingham Vegetarian and Vegan Group are also going to be there George.

[gertvegan]

hopefully will be at the festival with my mum

pixeequeen and pixeequeen mum, Briiiiilllllllliiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnntttttt!

[gertvegan]

Hopefully we will have a really unique fundraiser to announce soon. Here is a hint. You cannot eat it!

gert

[Love]

See you there GV
With love from Love( R and L )XXX.

[gertvegan]

I’m still looking forward to seeing you lot in June

Anyone else going who hasn't posted so yet ? Gwan, you know you want to.

[gertvegan]

We have just had it confirmed that the Perfumers Guild, a completely vegan and cruelty free business in the UK, are producing a "his and her" twin set of signature perfumes for the Heart of England Vegan Festival . They will be up as a prize raffle, and are seriously limited edition stuff. The gentleman who makes them is very passionately against any form of cruelty and completely pro vegan. Though he cannot attend he has kindly offered us the perfumes as a prize.

I will get his details up on the site later.

[Yam]

looking forward to going.

If anyones looking for cheaper accomodation, theres loads of hotels on the Hagley Road, Edgbaston/Bearwood. This is one of the main routes into Brum and you can get some accomodation for £20 a night. It will mean a bus into town which is 5 mins tops, but they run every other minute, then a short walk across town. If your asking directions on foot, everyone knows Toys R Us, the Carling is opposite.

[gertvegan]

Thanks for the tips Yam.

[gertvegan]

Neil just designed the leaflet, poster, etc. It is up on the WEBSITE if you want a look. We will have stacks of these for people to distribute around their area in the next week or two, so contact us if you want any.

The venue has mail outs all over the midlands, and wants 3000 off us asap, for mail shots, to include in music magazines that go out in the area, and also including leaflets and posters to plaster the venue with in upcoming months. They are also going to put up huge letters for us over the door on the day, and are giving us a sound booth to make announcements from. They are going to set up radio interviews for us, and seem to be looking forward to the day as much as we all are.

Check out the leaflet HERE.

It will be a bit bigger in real life...

[snaffler]

Still not sure if I can make it yet for two reasons - the first is personal finances and the 2nd, the charity I work for may still being doing the disabled access work at Glastonbury this year......dam hippy festival

[artur_dz]

Will try to be there too!

[Trendygirl]

Yeah you should. It's well easy to get to Brum from London! By they way, welcome to the forum!

[TinyGirl]

Well, I'm new to VF and newish to veganism... but this looks like fun! Plus my family live in Birmingham so there's really no excuse.

I'd like to advise everyone planning to attend, if you're walking or driving, make sure you have good directions! The Academy is a pig to get to even if you know the area - I saw Snow Patrol in November and we spent at least 20 minutues doing circiuts of the ring road.

[gertvegan]

this looks like fun! Plus my family live in Birmingham so there's really no excuse.

None at all.

[gertvegan]

We have a few more stalls confirmed, including Yorkshire Hemp , who are booking a double, and hoping to bring along their protein powder. Also gluten free condiments and sauces and other goodies. Dr Gillian Mckeith is putting out a tv show about the benefits of hemp products the week before the festival (it has already been recorded) but it should help to pull in more local interest.

We are also keeping our fingers crossed that the Bishop of Birmingham, who is a vegan, as well as the first black Anglican vicar in the UK, will put out the word to his congregation. We'll let you know... He was on telly recently talking about veganism, while doing a charity walk over lent. He said he was delighted that people supported his moral choice and that everywhere he went he was greated with lovely vegan food.

[VeganMum]

Im gonna go to this with my daughter, which means I'll no doubt spend a fortune
Will stay overnight I think and make a weekend of it

[Kathers]

I will come too

[gertvegan]

What is everyone looking forward to at the festival ?

I'm looking forward to the talk by Fiona Oaks, the Marathon running, firefighing lady behind Tower Hill Stables Animal Sanctuary. And another by Geoffrey Thomas of Dr Hadwen Trust.

Oh and whilst I'm here, I couldn't miss a plug for Billy's Vegan Gourmet Dog Biscuits, with all profits going towards Tower Hill Stables Sanctuary.

[PinkLogik]

Hi Gerts,

I'm looking forward to the whole thing, I guess I'm just happy about having an opportunity to meet up with some like minded souls. I'm looking forward to meeting you and Gorilla especially!

[PinkLogik]

Dr Gillian Mckeith is putting out a tv show about the benefits of hemp products the week before the festival (it has already been recorded) but it should help to pull in more local interest.

That sounds interesting.... I do sometimes watch that Gillian McKeith programme.

[Trendygirl]

Hey there Neptune_Girl! Good to see you chatting on the forum. It’s real crazy at the moment with uni and all but I luck forward to finally meeting you at the feyer. Well must get back to my work or I won’t be getting a decent degree! It’s so frightening!

[PinkLogik]

Hi Trendygirl!

I'm looking forward to finally meeting you too at the vegan festival! I hope uni is not too 'crazy' (I sympathise )

Well must get back to my work or I won’t be getting a decent degree! It’s so frightening!

You'll be fine, I'm sending you positive (get the work done etc...) vibes.

xx

[gertvegan]

The leaflets were held up at the printers for a bit over bank holiday related problems. (They lost six shifts...) Should be here next week. Also, we should soon have leaflets translated at least into Punjabi, though they will be a bit more "punk" when they are done up, as a Sikh friend is doing them for us by hand.

[cedarblue]

of course im looking foward to making a few purchases there , food, toiletries and many other things i expect i'll find that i just cant live without (as well as making some contributions to worthy causes) - but mainly im looking forward to meeting folk from this forum - it will be luvverly to put faces to names

[gertvegan]

There are still coach tickets to be snapped up to travel between London and Birmigham and Manchester and Birmingham on the day of the Festival , and back, for just £1 each way. Check out www.nationalexpress.com and look at funfares.

And www.megabus.com for Manchester - Birmingham also. HTH.

Or do you want to organise transport from your area? Are you looking for someone to travel up with? Check out the Festival website to see an up to date list of local contacts, that will be constantly changing.

[soyabean]

I don't know what I'll be doing by then, but if I can make it, I'd certainly like to go

[snaffler]

Looks like i cant either I have some commitments that I can not do anything about have fun everyone and maybe I will see some of you at Bristol in October.

[gertvegan]

We have a vitamin company coming. Here is their write up.

Lifeplan are a UK owned company who produce a variety of high quality food supplements which are based on scientific research. Since 2002, we have registered 65 vitamin, mineral and herbal products with the Vegan Society. Come along to our stand to see our extensive range and special show offers.

[gertvegan]

Good news folks! Tim from YAOH has definitely confirmed a stall, even though they are doing another show that day in London. Either he or his partner will run their stall for us on the day while the other is in London.

[gertvegan]

Hello's

Dr Gina Shaw , who is one of the speakers, needs a lift to the Heart of England Vegan Festival from Bristol, do you know of anyone who can oblige?

If so, do let Realfood know.

[gertvegan]

We have asked the veggie manager of the Academy to send us a list of what beers etc he is selling, so we can let him know which are vegan that he can sell on the day. He does have some vegan beers in, and he is looking to see if he can get in a vegan beer that they sold by the barrel in the past. Fingers crossed...

[gertvegan]

A nice vegan beer, and a vegan cake. I know someone(other than me) who would struggle to resist.

[Realfood Mary]

Hello all! Thank you to GertVegan for starting this thread, and letting me know it is here.

A couple of questions which popped up along the way on this thread.

Why did we pick the Carling Academy? Because it is the only place in Birmingham that is big enough and in the centre, and because the stage manager is veggie and dropped the price to a mere (ha ha!) four and half thousand pounds for the day. Normally it is twice that. He has been advertising extensively to his mailing list since January, and wants to pack the place out.

As Gertvegan says above, we are getting a list of what is suited for vegans on his list, and he will get that in.

Somewhere back along the thread there was an Australian who wanted to know whether there was any plans on doing a festival in Australia. Could you pm me? I can send you advice on how to do a festival if you are interested, and you will be in a better position than me to know who else might help in your neck of the woods. You don't actually need that many people to organise a festival - you just need a game plan. There are only two of us doing this festival - Neil, who is the organised one, and me who is the gobby one. Neil has been organising festivals, gatherings, demos and campaigns for about sixteen years now, and between us now we can get the work done. The other festivals are similarly organised - Robyn and Alyson did the first festivals pretty much on their own, while Tim from Yaoh organised the Bristol one himself. So it can be done. If you know of anyone else in Australia who has the will then get in touch with us, and we will send you a game plan!

Any other questions, let me know on this thread, and I will stick my head in and say hi. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Oh yes, if anyone is coming from a certain area, drop us a line and let us know. We might know of someone else travelling from your area, and you could share petrol costs, whatever.

[silver82]

Heart of England Vegan Festival

The festival will be held at the Carling Academy, Birmingham on Sat June 18th.

The venue is about the same size as the one the Bristol Vegan Fayre (worlds biggest) 2004 was held in so it should fit at least 80 stalls and all the catering will be done by Realfood. It has 3 bars, a good area for a crèche, a stage and an area for speakers which should be quiet.

Anyone looking to do a stall please contact REALFOOD.

I know I know its not for 7 months but its a date for the diary, if you've booked your hols - cancel em.

Could this be the fayre for the biggest veganforum meet up yet ?

i am come too if any wone come from london please live a messeg nir265@yahoo.com

[Realfood Mary]

Hi there!

We have a contact in London who is organising transport. You can either phone Brendan on 0789 9775493 or email him at fairdean@yahoo.co.uk

Looking forward to seeing you there. Where are you from?

Mary

[silver82]

Hi there!

We have a contact in London who is organising transport. You can either phone Brendan on 0789 9775493 or email him at fairdean@yahoo.co.uk

Looking forward to seeing you there. Where are you from?

Mary

hii and thanks
for now i am live at harrow
i am new here

[snaffler]

Don't get me wrong I think this festival is amazing, the organisers must have good reason for choosing this venue, but Carling is not even a vegan product ? not that it is the main issue here.

Any one know why? just curious no other reason and no I am not being picky.


Thanks

Jays

[Realfood Mary]

Don't get me wrong I think this festival is amazing, the organisers must have good reason for choosing this venue, but Carling is not even a vegan product ? not that it is the main issue here.

Any one know why? just curious no other reason and no I am not being picky.


Thanks

Jays

No, you are not being picky, but yes, you are right, we had good reasons. We would have sooner had the event somewhere completely vegan. But there is no such place that is big enough to hold 2-3000 people, other than the academy. The manager is a sympathetic veggie who is doing publicity for the event, sending out mailouts to all the people on the Academy's list, and advertising it on local radio, in the papers. We could have picked a venue outside of the city centre, and filled it with vegans, but we want to pull in meat eaters - as we did in Manchester last year. There is no point in preaching to the converted. Nobody asked us last year why we held it at Sacha's hotel, which sells animal products on its menu - same thing.

On the day the bar will be serving vegan drinks. If they are contractually obliged to sell Carling they will put up signs letting people know that it is not vegan, and they will also have a list of vegan beverages so that people can make an informed choice. To be honest we could have held the event in the completely vegan World Shop, but we would only have fitted twenty people in!

If you find any totally vegan non animal abusing venues anywhere in the country that will fit 3000 people in, and are in the middle of the town right on the main shopping drag then let us know, and we will have our festival there next time.

[TheOtherHand]

Myself, My husband, along with our 8 month old in carrier are planning on going!

[snaffler]

Hi Mary,

Thanks I understand now practical reasdons etc, and that is really cool the owners are going the extra mile for you and of course you want to get the vega nmessage to non-vegans, no growth in the movement preaching to the converted.

Thanks for the answer though and it's really cool they are going to sale vegan drinks as well.

I am trying my hardest to sort i#out money to make and am really looking forward to it if I can get their.

Best wishes & thanks

Jays

[tails4wagging]

Are we all meeting up and where in the hall?. Are we using mobiles to link up??

[bittersweet]

Good question...I want to meet people!

[gertvegan]

Are we all meeting up and where in the hall?. Are we using mobiles to link up??

I don't know what time others are gonna get there, but I'll be there mid morning (ish). Swapping mobile numbers with a few people has worked in the past at other vegan fayres as we'll all be arriving at different times. Just text/call em when you get there and you're laughing.

Is anyone interested in going for something to eat after the Festival ??

[boomer]

Is anyone interested in going for something to eat after the Festival ??

Always up for yummy vegan eats, that is, if we have room after the munching all day.

[Realfood Mary]

Hello All!

Gina Walsh is still needing a lift to the festival, but she is wondering whether anyone will be at the Vegan Gathering in Swansea, and going to the festival on the Saturday.

If so let us know and we will put you in touch.

I know that the Birmingham group are thinking of having a nice meal at Rooty Frooty later - which I would love to attend, if I am still standing by then!

And if people want to meet up then a good place in the festival itself would be by the main stage - you can't miss it! Or perhaps the small stage upstairs where a lot of the eats will be would be good as well.

Looking forward to seeing you all there.

[gertvegan]

We've got a leaflet translated into Gujurati, Hindi and Punjabi, if anyone wants some to distribute around the Midlands. Thanks!

Beat you to it Mary.

[Realfood Mary]

lol

[tails4wagging]

Mary, are you having a stand there, if so we can perhaps all meet up there??

[Realfood Mary]

Yes, ourselves and the Vegan Society will be by the main door as you come in. Looking forward to seeing you all!

[Glen]

Me and my mum will be there! I will try and drag my girlfriend along too