Congrats Bristol, This is the way to go - there is such a thing as a free lunch, and the public love it.

We love it too in Nottingham.
After many years trying to thrust leaflets into the hands of the unwilling, we find folk crowding around for food AND info on stalls like this. On one occasion everything was gone in less than 30 minutes, but this was great, we had engaged with far more genuinely interested people than if we had stood behind a windswept leafletting stall for many hours.

If one person goes Vegan For Life they will save 4022 animals' lives (ref Viva!), and enable all the world’s peoples to receive a Fair Share of the world’s resources.

They will also save 1.5 tonnes CO2 every year, as globally livestock farming has as great a damaging effect on the climate at the entire transport infrasturucture (ref UN FAO).

The Vegan Free Food Giveaway stall idea can be adapted to fit with any other campaign you choose.

We've set up outside the University during freshers week, outside Tesco on a Food and Climate Day of Action. We've cooked up Veggies Burgers with a small camping cooker right alongside McNasties windows on the last October 16th World Food Day / Worldwide Day of Action Against McDonalds.

Many other groups do similar work, in particular Vegan Campaigns in London, who have published a Guide to Vegan Campaigning, which outlines various different methods of campaigning for and promoting veganism, including food giveaway tips: download a copy from  http://www.vegancampaigns.org.uk/resources/factsheets.html

Last September we invited others interested in food issues, 'Food Not Bombs', 'Food & Climate Change' etc to a Vegan Campaigning Skilllshare at the Sumac Centre in Nottingham, which we hope to repeat at the end of this year's summer tour. See  http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1347

This Skillshare discussed Free Food Giveaways, but took the idea further through (free) vegan food fairs and vegan festivals (where many exhibitors also sell there wares), to running food stalls to sell vegan cakes and savories at other events from school open days, to green fairs, fair trade fairs etc, right through to setting up a full-on operation like Veggies Catering Campaign - now in it's 25th year!! See all the kinds of events to which Veggies gets it's vegan message at  http://www.veggies.org.uk/vegevents.htm

Veggies, and two other new vegan catering campaigns, Fair Foods from Devon and Green Garden Cafe from Coventry, will be providing sustenance at the Rally for Animals in Laboratories, gathering in Hyde Park from noon on Saturday 25th April. Come and chat to us there:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/03/425186.html


See also Notts Indymedia Feature at  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/07/403315.html
and Veggies Free Food Giveaways - main links page:  http://www.veggies.org.uk/page.php?ref=1400

Other reports:

3rd June Food Climate Change Day of Action:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/06/400106.html

National Vegetarian Week Giveaway:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/05/399158.html

Viva Roadshow Preview Giveaway:
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/07/402884.html


Note relating to Free Info Stalls
Many groups do street stalls regularly without restriction, so long as nothing is sold and no donations are taken.
See the 'addition' to the Indymedia article at  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/10/352444.html which makes it clear that permits are not required for distribution of printed matter (a) by or on behalf of a charity within the meaning of the Charities Act 1993, where the printed matter relates to or is intended for the benefit of the charity; [in practice including unregistered 'charitable' groups], or
(b) where the distribution is for political purposes or for the purposes of a religion or belief. [eg belief in the promotion of vegan diet].

See also the briefing on Free Food Stalls and the Law (pdf file):
 http://www.veggies.org.uk/recipes/FreeFoodLaw.pdf