Milk campaigners to picket awards

Protestors are set to gather outside the Perrier Comedy Awards ceremony tonight to protest at what they say is parent company Nestle's unethical standards.

The protest first took place last year, when performers such as Robert Newman and Emma Thompson called on comedians to boycott the lucrative prize.

Campaigners say the gathering, outside Edinburgh Art College, will be light-hearted.

They accuse Nestle of aggressively promoting powdered milk in third world countries ahead of breast feeding.

According to Unicef , 1.5 million babies' lives could be saved each year by improving breastfeeding rates.

Nestle - which made £2.5 billion in the first six months of this year - denies the claims, saying it has cleaned up its act and abides by World Health Organisation guidelines.

But activist andcomedian Mark Thomas said: "Nestle have done nothing but try and rescue their image rather than solve the problem."

An alternative awards ceremony, the Tap Water Awards will also take place tonight, backed by trade unions.

It will highlight the best shows which subscribe to the organisers' viewpoint.

This year's Perrier nominees are:

• Jimmy Carr: Bare Faced Ambition
• Omid Djalili
• Noel Fielding: Voodoo Hedgehog
• Adam Hills: Happy Feet (pictured)
• Daniel Kitson: Something
• Phil Nichol: Things I Like, I Lick
  
  

Published: 24 Aug 2002