Event round up- Animal Aid Christmas Fayre 2009
I spent a good proportion of yesterday covered in acrylic wool, glue and paint.
Yup, it was the Animal Aid Christmas Fayre and I was helping out in the children's activity area helping small vegans assemble pompom spiders, toilet roll sheep, pencil people and paint rainforest creatures. I helped out last year and it was alot of fun. Yesterday was no different. All of the kids were well behaved and seemed to have a good time creating different animal themed crafts (and having their faces painted as their favourite animal) whilst their parents shopped at the fair. It was great to have a chat with the Animal Aid education team again, and various parents and others who were passing by. My favourite suggestion for next year was to run biscuit decorating or a kids Christmas party as these are things that vegan kids miss out on in mainstream society.
As the day started slowly I had some time to wander around the fayre. My first stop was the Beanies stall for my usual B'Nice Rice Cream. I get a cone of strawberry or vanilla (or both) one at every fayre and they are most delicious. Also grabbed some shampoo and strawberry and cream lip balm from the Animal Aid stall- sure I could by it from the chemist/health food shop but I'd rather give the profit to a charity if I can.
Saw Gareth from Hipo Hyfryd again, but as I still have half the box nevryn gave me for World Vegan Day didn't buy any lovely welsh chocolate goodness (and yes they *do* mail order!) Did pick up some peanut butter and almond butter chocolate cups (I've only seen them at this fayre) and milled around. There were alot of the usual businesses that attened these events such as Heavenly Cakes, Vegetarian Shoes, Yaoh, Lush, Bourgeois Boheme, Redwoods and Fry's, to name but a few. However apparently stalls sold out really early so groups such as Secret Society of Vegans didn't get a stall and Bute Island Foods didn't make it either (makers of Scheese). I did see Rudy (of SSOV fame) though and will pop into the Camden outlet sometime in the next week or so. The Viva! stall were selling Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and Thingy Person and flufybumblebee bought me a copy as a birthday present! Lots of other animal charities had stalls as well.
There seemed to be less places to get lunch than usual, but whilst I was covered in glue I sent nevryn to get lunch- chickpea curry from Shambu's. He reported long lines and a roaring trade to be had at the food outlets. I was hoping to get a rainforest box from Rainforest Creations to take home for dinner but they had already sold out and packed up by the time I was done helping.
Spent a bit of time chatting to prolificdiarist, Thingy Person and flufybumblebee and nevryn and I walked back to the station with them. I didn't get to see as many friends/acquaintences as I'd have liked and only said a brief hello to most of those who I did see, but I still had a really good day.
Oh and before I forget...
In between the paint drying/coat/storage room and the kid's workshop there was a stall for a cake company I hadn't encountered before. Selling some of the most visually stunning and delicious melt in your mouth cakes Restoration have lovely friendly staff, some of the best cake porn I've ever seen and the most amazing cakes I've ever eaten. They also kept on giving those of us who were working at the activity stall free samples and I bought four of their cupcakes to take home. I am looking forward to eating one of their red velvet cakes after dinner tonight. Check them out and then tell me vegan cake isn't any good.
Yup, it was the Animal Aid Christmas Fayre and I was helping out in the children's activity area helping small vegans assemble pompom spiders, toilet roll sheep, pencil people and paint rainforest creatures. I helped out last year and it was alot of fun. Yesterday was no different. All of the kids were well behaved and seemed to have a good time creating different animal themed crafts (and having their faces painted as their favourite animal) whilst their parents shopped at the fair. It was great to have a chat with the Animal Aid education team again, and various parents and others who were passing by. My favourite suggestion for next year was to run biscuit decorating or a kids Christmas party as these are things that vegan kids miss out on in mainstream society.
As the day started slowly I had some time to wander around the fayre. My first stop was the Beanies stall for my usual B'Nice Rice Cream. I get a cone of strawberry or vanilla (or both) one at every fayre and they are most delicious. Also grabbed some shampoo and strawberry and cream lip balm from the Animal Aid stall- sure I could by it from the chemist/health food shop but I'd rather give the profit to a charity if I can.
Saw Gareth from Hipo Hyfryd again, but as I still have half the box nevryn gave me for World Vegan Day didn't buy any lovely welsh chocolate goodness (and yes they *do* mail order!) Did pick up some peanut butter and almond butter chocolate cups (I've only seen them at this fayre) and milled around. There were alot of the usual businesses that attened these events such as Heavenly Cakes, Vegetarian Shoes, Yaoh, Lush, Bourgeois Boheme, Redwoods and Fry's, to name but a few. However apparently stalls sold out really early so groups such as Secret Society of Vegans didn't get a stall and Bute Island Foods didn't make it either (makers of Scheese). I did see Rudy (of SSOV fame) though and will pop into the Camden outlet sometime in the next week or so. The Viva! stall were selling Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and Thingy Person and flufybumblebee bought me a copy as a birthday present! Lots of other animal charities had stalls as well.
There seemed to be less places to get lunch than usual, but whilst I was covered in glue I sent nevryn to get lunch- chickpea curry from Shambu's. He reported long lines and a roaring trade to be had at the food outlets. I was hoping to get a rainforest box from Rainforest Creations to take home for dinner but they had already sold out and packed up by the time I was done helping.
Spent a bit of time chatting to prolificdiarist, Thingy Person and flufybumblebee and nevryn and I walked back to the station with them. I didn't get to see as many friends/acquaintences as I'd have liked and only said a brief hello to most of those who I did see, but I still had a really good day.
Oh and before I forget...
In between the paint drying/coat/storage room and the kid's workshop there was a stall for a cake company I hadn't encountered before. Selling some of the most visually stunning and delicious melt in your mouth cakes Restoration have lovely friendly staff, some of the best cake porn I've ever seen and the most amazing cakes I've ever eaten. They also kept on giving those of us who were working at the activity stall free samples and I bought four of their cupcakes to take home. I am looking forward to eating one of their red velvet cakes after dinner tonight. Check them out and then tell me vegan cake isn't any good.