Tap Water Awards take off - Video clips: Emma Thompson and Steve Coogan support the Nestlé/Perrier boycott 28th August 2001 Over one hundred comedy acts supported the Perrier boycott and entered for the corporate-free Tap Water Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Perrier Award went ahead at the weekend. All entrants to the Tap Water Award received a plug (and a chain). The format of the awards in future will be decided in the coming year. Emma Thompson has offered to present prizes. Emma was in the Cambridge Footlights team which won the first Perrier Award in 1981, before Perrier was swallowed by Nestlé in 1992 . She was present at the fringe and recorded a message for Baby Milk Action. Steve Coogan, another past winner, also recorded a message. See them below. Tally Ho proudly show off their prize as entrants to the corporate-free Tap Water Awards. Emma Thompson gave a message of support for Baby Milk Action after a question and answer session on her new film, Wit. To download and view the clip click on the above image. You need a QuickTime plug in - your browser should locate this for you (if not, see the Apple website). Emma said: "I've just been banging on about the Nestlé boycott which I think is terribly important. It's been important for a very long time. I'm very surprised actually about how many people have been talking about it recently and whoo don't know about it. Don't know about Nestlé's record of extreme violations of advertising standards [i.e the International Code and Resolutions adopted by the World Health Assembly] in countries where we don't live, so of course, we don't know what's going on. And I think that recent events have certainly proved that it's about time we started questioning the big companies and their practices because a lot of these things are just done in the name of big business. I think it's time they started to answer a few questions. So right on, and all power to the boycott Nestlé campaign from me." Steve Coogan, winner of the Perrier Award in 1992, said (click the above image to download and view the clip): "Hi, I'm Steve Coogan and I wholeheartedly and totally support Baby Milk Action and the Nestlé boycott. My opinion is what Nestlé are doing in the third world is abhorrent. I fully support anybody who wishes to boycott Nestlé, I say go ahead and keep boycotting them until they change their policy." Nestlé's marketing policy was exposed as failing to comply with the International Code and Resolutions at a Public Hearing at the European Parliament last year (see Press Release 23 November 2000 and Boycott News 29). Nestlé refused to attend the Hearing where evidence was presented by IBFAN and UNICEF. Baby Milk Action recently put a four-point plan to Nestlé aimed at saving infant lives and ultimately ending the boycott, but this was immediately rejected by Nestlé (see Boycott News 29). Nestlé refuses to accept the position of the World Health Assembly, the policy setting body of the World Health Organisation. The Assembly adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in 1981 as a minimum health requirement for all countries (see Resolution WHA34.22). Companies are required to abide by the Code independently of government implementation (see Article 11.3). Subequent Resolutions have addressed questions of interpretation and changes in marketing practices and scientific knowledge. For further information contact Baby Milk Action on 01223 464420 or Jonathan Dorsett, Campaigns Officer on 07949 180050 or Patti Rundall, Policy Director on 07760 287001. Notes for editors Also see the past press releases 25th August 2001, 15 August 2001 and 31st July 2001. Tally Ho are Charlie Ottley - mob: 07939 327826 tel:01962 732722 and Nicholas Perry mob: 07951 286017 tel: 01832 273973