Sumac Centre
Encyclopedia
The Sumac Centre is an independent community
and social centre in Nottingham
, UK, part of the UK Social Centre Network
and Radical Routes
. It provides resources, meeting spaces and skills for groups and individuals campaigning
for human rights
, animal rights
, the environment
, peace
and co-operation world-wide. Established in the mid 1980s as the Rainbow Centre, The Sumac Centre works independently of, but in co-operation with, other groups both locally and nationally. The centre receives no regular funding
, but exists through the work of volunteers.
In the early 1980s, a group of people associated with the Environmental Fact Shop, Friends of the Earth
(FoE) and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
(CND) had an idea for a "Rainbow Centre
". In 1985 the Rainbow Co-operative obtained premises at 180 Mansfield Road, next door to the new FoE Shop in Nottingham
. The Rainbow Centre now existed as an autonomous entity, free to expand its activities. In 1988, Friends of the Earth group closed its Nottingham shop. The Rainbow Centre inherited the FoE library materials and was able to increase the range of stock in its shop to include that previously sold by FoE. During the next few years The Rainbow Centre Co-operative began to join forces with the emerging Veggies
organisation which specialises in vegan catering
. Veggies had started out by working from their members' homes, but now needed its own kitchen
. As the years went by, the original members of the Rainbow Centre began to move on. As Veggies was now employing some part-time workers, they were in an ideal position to take over the day-to-day running of the centre. In 1989, as the lease for the next door premises at Mansfield Road became available, the Rainbow Centre expanded its library
, and once again opened a shop. Over the years there has been turnover among the members, but the Rainbow Centre and Veggies Catering Campaign continue to be active within the community
.
was situated between the Victoria Shopping Centre and Forest Recreation Ground
, on the Mansfield Road junction with Huntingdon Street. A whole row of buildings, rented, very poorly maintained and a drain on the collectives finances and enthusiasm — hence the decision to move on to new premises purchased in the Forest Fields/New Basford/Sherwood Rise area, less than a mile further north. Due to what was perceived as an excessively high rent for an old building, in Autumn 2000 the collective members of the Rainbow Centre and Veggies began to research the possibility of buying a building of their own. In June 2001 they purchased a former Ukrainian
Social Club, in the Forest Fields/New Basford area of Nottingham
. A year later, in June 2002, the renovation of the building was complete and the Centre, having adopted the new name and identity of the Sumac Centre, was opened.
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
and social centre in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, UK, part of the UK Social Centre Network
UK Social Centre Network
The UK Social Centre Network is a grass roots initiative to establish a network between self identified radical independent social and community centres in the United Kingdom. There is no single policy statement but clearly a general desire to improve communication and co-operation between the...
and Radical Routes
Radical Routes
Radical Routes is a United Kingdom-based co-operative federation. The organisation provides support to housing and worker co-operatives as well as social centres. This support is given in the form of mutual aid...
. It provides resources, meeting spaces and skills for groups and individuals campaigning
Political campaign
A political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
for human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
, animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
, the environment
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
and co-operation world-wide. Established in the mid 1980s as the Rainbow Centre, The Sumac Centre works independently of, but in co-operation with, other groups both locally and nationally. The centre receives no regular funding
Funding
Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
, but exists through the work of volunteers.
History
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
(FoE) and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
(CND) had an idea for a "Rainbow Centre
Rainbow Centre
The Rainbow Centre is a voluntary welfare organisation in Singapore. It operates two special schools, the Margaret Drive Special School and Balestier Special School for children with special needs like autism, intellectual disability and multiple disabilities...
". In 1985 the Rainbow Co-operative obtained premises at 180 Mansfield Road, next door to the new FoE Shop in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. The Rainbow Centre now existed as an autonomous entity, free to expand its activities. In 1988, Friends of the Earth group closed its Nottingham shop. The Rainbow Centre inherited the FoE library materials and was able to increase the range of stock in its shop to include that previously sold by FoE. During the next few years The Rainbow Centre Co-operative began to join forces with the emerging Veggies
Veggies
Veggies of Nottingham, also known as Veggies Catering Campaign, is a campaigning group based in Nottingham, England, promoting ethical alternatives to mainstream fast food. It does this by hosting events such as the annual East Midlands Vegan Festival , publishing books and leaflets, and...
organisation which specialises in vegan catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
. Veggies had started out by working from their members' homes, but now needed its own kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
. As the years went by, the original members of the Rainbow Centre began to move on. As Veggies was now employing some part-time workers, they were in an ideal position to take over the day-to-day running of the centre. In 1989, as the lease for the next door premises at Mansfield Road became available, the Rainbow Centre expanded its library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, and once again opened a shop. Over the years there has been turnover among the members, but the Rainbow Centre and Veggies Catering Campaign continue to be active within the community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
.
Moving on
From 1985 to 2001 Nottingham's Rainbow CentreRainbow Centre
The Rainbow Centre is a voluntary welfare organisation in Singapore. It operates two special schools, the Margaret Drive Special School and Balestier Special School for children with special needs like autism, intellectual disability and multiple disabilities...
was situated between the Victoria Shopping Centre and Forest Recreation Ground
Forest Recreation Ground
The Forest Recreation Ground is a recreation ground in Nottingham, England, approximately one mile north of the city centre. This urban space is bounded by the neighbourhoods of Forest Fields to the north, Mapperley Park to the east, Arboretum to the south and Hyson Green to the west.- History...
, on the Mansfield Road junction with Huntingdon Street. A whole row of buildings, rented, very poorly maintained and a drain on the collectives finances and enthusiasm — hence the decision to move on to new premises purchased in the Forest Fields/New Basford/Sherwood Rise area, less than a mile further north. Due to what was perceived as an excessively high rent for an old building, in Autumn 2000 the collective members of the Rainbow Centre and Veggies began to research the possibility of buying a building of their own. In June 2001 they purchased a former Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Social Club, in the Forest Fields/New Basford area of Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. A year later, in June 2002, the renovation of the building was complete and the Centre, having adopted the new name and identity of the Sumac Centre, was opened.