Being a Campaigner for Viva!

As a Viva! campaigner, there are all sorts of things you can do to actively campaign against animal cruelty and educate the public about all things veggie/vegan. It’s up to you how much you take on and you can choose the activities which you find most effective. These are the sorts of things which Viva! contacts are involved with:

STREET STALLS: Setting up a stall on your high street is a brilliant way to attract new support and talk to the public about campaigns. You can focus on a specific campaign eg. duck factory farming or cover a whole range of veggie issues. Using Viva!’s eye-catching posters and campaigns materials it’s easy to attract people’s attention and many people will come to talk to you, sign your petitions and find out more. Stalls can also be set up at fetes, fairs and other similar gatherings. For more information and advice on running a stall, click here

LIBRARY DISPLAYS: Library displays are a very effective way of educating the public. Why not call your local library and talk to them about booking some space for a display? It’s good to ‘theme’ your display - it could be on vegetarianism or on a specific Viva! campaign. We can supply you with colourful posters and leaflets. If you’re feeling creative, you can add to the display by e.g. using your own photographs or pictures (or pictures from children), word processing information or signs and pinning up eye-catching magazine articles/newspaper cuttings.

STREET COLLECTIONS: Street collections are a great way of raising money for Viva! and raising awareness about animal abuse. You will need to apply for a permit from your local council - find out which days are available and be prepared to wait for up to 12 months for a free date! Once you have set the date, please contact Viva!’s fundraising department for advice on organising the day. We will advertise your collection date in Viva! LIFE and ask other supporters to help you.

LETTER-WRITING: Don’t underestimate the power of the pen! Local newspaper letters pages are read by thousands and published letters from Viva! supporters always generate a good response. Contacts also write protest letters to local companies and restaurants if they are concerned about products which they sell and they regularly have success. Viva! provides standard letters to help you and our leaflets and guides are also a good source of information. Click here for campaign resources and guides.

Many campaigners also do things to attract the attention of the media – a story in the local paper or on local radio can reach tens of thousands of people.

Address list

Here are some addresses of companies you may find useful.

PROTESTS AND MEDIA PHOTOCALLS: When Viva! launches a campaign we often co-ordinate nationwide actions when contacts organise protests and media photocalls outside high street shops, supermarkets and other venues. We can provide all the resources you need for a successful action eg. model press releases, banners, leaflets and animal masks. If we’re co-ordinating actions across the country, we’ll often provide you with a pre-written press release if you want. All you need to do is cajole a few people into turning up on the day!

Campaigners organise demos about local issues too and Viva! is always here to provide advice and support. For more information about dealing with the media, including how to contact them and writing press releases, click here

SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA: Many people feel nervous about speaking to the press but it really isn’t difficult to do. Despite their reputation, reporters are usually polite, helpful and accommodating – after all, they need you to help them fill their airwaves or the pages of their paper. If you’re organising a protest they’ll often want a quick quote which you can prepare beforehand – and which Viva! will always be happy to help you with if you like.

Sometimes we receive calls her in the Viva! office from regional media (newspapers, radio, television) who want to speak to somebody in their town about a specific campaign, a local issue, or vegetarianism in general. A newspaper journalist will typically only want a quick quote and a radio journalist may just want to record a few ‘soundbites’ for news bulletins. We keep a list of people willing and able to talk to the media and if you’d like to be on that list, find out more by clicking here.

Remember, there may already be someone active in your area who’d be grateful for your help – check out our Contacts List

If you’d like to become a Viva! campaigner, get in contact with us here.

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Thank you for your support. Happy campaigning! Good luck!