by SAF (Show email address.)

Over fifteen people turned up for Sheffield Animal Friends monthly meeting yesterday which was excellent. Please click on title to find out what they are doing over the next few weeks and contact them to come and join in helping to stop animal suffering – the more who attend the greater the power!

Hi, Thanks to everyone who came to this month's meeting. To start with, the excellent turn out has forced the issue of an appropriate venue. I (Olly) feel that we have outgrown the Blue Room and I'd like us to look elsewhere, for somewhere more private and where there isn't such an emphasis on buying things (this is another issue I think, I believe it's a matter of time before the Ble Moon staff ask us to leave when there are a number of people not buying anything). This is a positive thing though! It shows we're growing. So, if anyone has any ideas about a large, warm, private, preferably central venue, please let it be known.

So as a result of this month's meeting, the following is planned:

Thursday 7th February, Kashmir Curry Centre, 121-125 Spital Hill, Sheffield, 7:00pm - We're having a curry social this week at the wonderful, cheap and vegan-friendly Kashmir. Just turn up if you'd like to come.

Friday 8th February - Various activists from around Sheffield have established the Sheffield Activist Network. The network is intended to co-ordinate larger-scale actions, with different groups taking part. There will be a meeting this Friday for anyone who wants to get involved. Get in touch for further details.

Friday 8th February (& every Friday) - There are ongoing demos in Nottingham against restaurants selling foie gras. Get in touch if you'd like to go to any of them. A few places have been discovered in areas around Sheffield, we shall be writing to them before we arrange any demos. If you'd like to contact them yourselves, get in touch for contact details. Whenever you are out and about, please look on restaurant menus for other offenders! Take a look at the great new website for co-ordinating foie gras action across the north: www.foiegrasfreenorth.co.uk/

Saturday 9th February, Newark Showground, Winthorpe, Newark, 1:00-2:30pm - The 'Great' British Circus is unfortunately coming to Newark (near Nottingham) this month. They use various animals in their shows and we will be joining other groups to welcome them with a large demonstration on the opening night this weekend. There will also be evening demos which we will be going to also. We only have a five-seater car which we are taking to the circus. If you have access to transport for this or any other of the circus demos (or any demo for that matter), PLEASE get in touch, it would be so valuable as at present willing people are not always able to get to demonstrations for lack of transport. If you can definitely come on any circus demos, it's first come, first served on seats in the car, so please get in touch. We'll be leaving Sheffield at 11:30am.www.captiveanimals.org/letters.html - Write to your MP over this issuewww.greatbritishcircus.co.uk/ - See them boast here about being 'Britain's Biggest Animal Circus'

Saturday 9th February (& every Saturday) - SAF members join with other Hunt Sab groups every Saturday, if you'd like to get involved, let us know and we can let you know more.hsa.enviroweb.org/hsa.shtml

Wednesday 13th February, Newark Showground, Winthorpe, Newark, 7:00pm-8:00pm - Another circus demo in Newark. We will be leaving Sheffield at 5:15pm. Please let us know if you'd like a space in the car.

Sunday 17th February, Oxford, 10:00am-5:00pm - The next Animal Rights Coalition (ARC) meeting will take place in Oxford this month. We aren't taking the car down as we'd previously hoped to have been able to. There are good rail and coach links to Oxford though. The meeting is to promote co-operation and to spread information between the various groups and individuals working throughout the UK to stop animal abuse.

Wednesday 27th February, Newark Showground, Winthorpe, Newark, 7:00pm-8:00pm - Another circus demo in Newark. We will be leaving Sheffield at 5:30pm. Please let us know if you'd like a space in the car.

Saturday 1st March, Fargate, Sheffield City Centre, 11:00am-4:00pm - There is a national day of action being organised by Viva! to highlight the vile reality of dairy farming. We'll be having a stall on Fargate, let us know if you want to join in or if you have any novel ideas to grab the attention of passers-by!

A further reminder that anyone under 24 is eligible for help with money (transport etc) from the Millennium Volunteers. Not only does this save money for you but it saves money for SAF, so get in touch for details on how to apply. Also, a benefit gig is being arranged for early March for Sequani prisoners, if you have any experience in putting on or promoting gigs, please let us know.

A final point to mention is that if you ever have ideas, time or resources which will mean further animal rights actions, please don't wait for something to happen! If you want to schedule a stall, a demo or anything at all, just let us know the details and we'll promote it. We can also get materials to you or offer support in any way we can.

Strength in numbers, SAF