Once your group has started, what can you do at your meetings? Well,
your options are only limited by the imagination of your members! Do
get everyone together at least once a year and ask them what sort of
events they want to be involved in.
Events tend to divide into two kinds, promotional and social but do
remember that you can promote vegetarianism in quite subtle ways, it
doesn’t all have to be “in your face” with banners
and posters. A social event with some interesting vegetarian food can
also be an awareness-raising opportunity. Here are some ideas for starters:
Food events are always popular – they can be
anything from a meal out together at a local restaurant, to a BBQ,
party, pot-luck
supper,
picnic. If you have a good cook in your group, he or she might be
willing to organise a cookery workshop where less experienced people
can learn
a few veggie recipes. Or failing that, get everyone to bring their
favourite veggie dish along to a pot-luck supper, together with copies
of the recipe.
Organising an informal social event with food, such as a BBQ or party
with a buffet, and advertising widely on campus can be a good way
to attract new members. National Vegetarian
Week provides a good focus
for food-based events too.
Talks – either give the talks yourself or arrange for speakers
to come in and talk to your group. Other societies on campus might
appreciate a talk about healthy vegetarian eating, for example, or
the impact eating
meat has on the environment.
If you would like outside speakers to come and talk to your group – look
up the local branches of organisations like Animal Aid, BUAV, CIWF,
Uncaged; alternative health practitioners and even businesses like
Lush or The
Body Shop and ask if they give talks. If you want to organise a talk
about going vegetarian for the beginners in your group, check out our
speakers list – we may have a speaker in your area.
Communicate – start your own newsletter, either on paper or
as an e-bulletin; e-group or website forum. (Paper may seem old technology
these days but it has the advantage of being less ephemeral, and is
something
that can be passed around easily.)
Campaign to get better provision for vegetarians on campus – you
could start off by devising a survey to see what a cross section of
students think about current catering provision and how they would
like to see
it changed, then armed with the results, ask if you can have a discussion
with the catering management and make some suggestions - see our caterers
pages for ideas.
Make a point - if there’s a relevant topic in the news, don’t
lose the opportunity to put forward the vegetarian viewpoint:
Write a letter or send an email - see our letter-writing
manual for help
Create a website for your society
Produce a poster or flier
Create a display of leaflets and posters if there is a place on your
campus where these are allowed.
Different individuals in your group might like to take on responsibility
for one area of promotional work so it is spread out evenly and no single
person feels overburdened.
