North East Vegan Runners added a dash of green to the first parkrun weekend of 2017 by staging a Veganuary takeover.
Members donned club colours to volunteer as race marshals, host a vegan feed station at the finish line, and chat to runners about veganism and running at the Rising Sun Country Park parkrun in North Tyneside.
Plant-based cafe Pulp Fiction in Whitley Bay donated fresh smoothie bowls, juices and cake bites, and club members also took along their own offerings to create a colourful and tasty vegan spread.
Local contact and Vegan Runners chair Kerri Turner supplied information leaflets, and t-shirts from the Talk to Me I’m Vegan campaign to help get the message out.
The t-shirts are available to others who wish to use them for events to promote the campaign.
Kerri has also managed to secure free Vegan Runners stall places at several vegan festivals organised Farplace Animal Rescue, which is a good opportunity to promote the club to potential new members.
Anyone who is available to man one of the stalls at a festival in their area can get in touch with Kerri at chairpersonveganrunners.org.uk or contact her via Facbeook.
Festival organisers are also looking for anyone willing to distribute leaflets to promote the events, and volunteer to help at the festivals. Volunteers will get free entry to the festivals in return.
Anyone interested can contact Kerri.
Festival dates for 2017
Saturday 28th January 2017 – WEST YORKSHIRE VEGAN FESTIVAL – Dewsbury Town Hall
Saturday 4th February 2017 – GREATER LONDON VEGAN FESTIVAL – Camden Centre, London
Sunday 12th February 2017 – NORTH EAST VEGAN FESTIVAL – Stadium of Light Sunderland
Sunday 5th March 2017 – SOUTH WEST VEGAN FESTIVAL – Motion Bristol
Saturday 25th March 2017 – OXFORD VEGAN FESTIVAL – Kassam Stadium Oxford
Sunday 9th April 2017 – SCOTTISH VEGAN FESTIVAL – Corn Exchange Edinburgh
Sunday 16th April 2017 – AMSTERDAM VEGAN FESTIVAL – Radion Amsterdam
Saturday 13th May 2017 – IRISH VEGAN FESTIVAL – New Waterfront Belfast
Saturday 10thJune 2017 – GREATER LONDON VEGAN FESTIVAL – Camden Centre London
Saturday 24th June 2017 – SOUTH EAST VEGAN FESTIVAL – Pyramid Centre Portsmouth
Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd July 2017 – CUMBRIA VEGAN FESTIVAL – Rheged Penrith
Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd July 2017 – WELSH VEGAN FESTIVAL – Tramshed Cardiff
Sunday 3rd September 2017 – NORTH EAST VEGAN FESTIVAL – Gateshead International Stadium (confirming details soon)
Saturday 14th October 2017 – IRISH VEGAN FESTIVAL – New Waterfront Belfast
Sunday 22nd October 2017 – SCOTTISH VEGAN FESTIVAL – Corn Exchange Edinburgh
Sunday 12th or Sunday 19th November 2017 – NORTH EAST VEGAN FESTIVAL – Stadium of Light Sunderland
Sunday 26th November 2017 – BRIGHTON VEGAN FESTIVAL – The Grand Hotel Brighton
By Ross Robertson
