Day 273 - 03 Jul 96 - Page 25

     
     1        abroad.  The campaign work and educational work includes
     2        running a resource centre that local groups and individuals
     3        can use that addresses issues of human and animal rights,
     4        environmental issues, peace and conservation.  We also give
     5        support to lots of local groups including the vegetarian
     6        group, campaign against the arms trade, local trading
     7        schemes, and all sorts of things.  Very diverse.
     8
     9   Q.   Does it include a shop as well?
    10        A.   It includes a small campaign shop that sells the sorts
    11        of products associated with the campaigns that we are
    12        involved in.
    13
    14   Q.   Okay.  If I read your statement, if there is anything that
    15        is incorrect, please stop me, or anything that needs
    16        clarification, tell me at the end of the paragraph.
    17
    18        " Statement concerning threatened libel action against
    19        Veggies by McDonald's.  Veggies Limited was formed in 1984
    20        and was registered on the 18th of October that year under
         the Industrial and Provident Society's Act 1965.  Initially
    22        run entirely by volunteers.  The aim of the company were
    23        and remain to provide foods using no animal ingredients and
    24        to inform the public about their health, their relationship
    25        with animals and the environment and the part that diet
    26        plays in the distribution of food worldwide.  Since 1985
    27        the cooperative has donated by covenant 100 per cent of its
    28        profits to the overseas development charity Vegfam 'to feed
    29        the hungry without exploiting animals'.  The first
    30        full-time worker was employed in 1988."
    31
    32        Was that you, by any chance?
    33        A.   No, it was somebody else.
    34
    35   Q.   "Since its formation, Veggies Limited has encouraged groups
    36        elsewhere to develop the provision of outside catering
    37        services using no animal ingredients whatsoever and to give
    38        financial and other support to groups and individuals
    39        working for human and animal rights on environmental issues
    40        and for peace and cooperation worldwide.  Since 1985
         Veggies have supported and drawn inspiration from
    42        Greenpeace London and its wide ranging campaign for the
    43        well-being of people, animals and the planets.  As the
    44        'business' part of Veggies work promote soya based
    45        Veggiesburgers as a healthy, humane and economic
    46        alternative to those made from cows, it was natural that
    47        Veggies should back the Greenpeace London information
    48        campaign against the multinational burger corporation
    49        McDonald's, especially in that it highlights for more
    50        issues than simply the cruel and wasteful use of animals
    51        for food.  In support of the campaign, Veggies Limited
    52        reprinted the Greenpeace London fact sheet, adding an
    53        additional page highlighting the conditions in which cattle
    54        are slaughtered and a page of information about the work of
    55        Veggies.  The fact sheet otherwise contained exactly the
    56        same information as that published by Greenpeace London,
    57        which we understand to be basis of the current libel action
    58        by McDonald's Hamburgers Limited against London
    59        Greenpeace."
    60        A.  There is one small clarification there.  Because of the