The Vegan 2019 Issue 4

The Vegan 2019 Issue 4 Winter 2014

The Vegan Society magazine

75TH 70 Years of ANNIVERSARY Marking a milestone The Vegan Society Ripened by human VEGAN AND determination

THRIVING World Vegan Day Introducing our latest Kicking off in style campaign

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Editor’s Letter & Contents

Editor’s Letter

T

his magazine began life in 1944 as a four-page publication called Vegan News. Decades later, our movement is on the cusp of becoming mainstream, and we can only imagine what the founders of The Vegan Society would make of the progress we have made since the word ‘vegan’ was coined.

Today, 75 years on, we are just as committed to the ideals of compassion and connection with non-human animals as we were back then. These values run through all the work we do to make veganism understood and adopted by as many people as possible.

In celebration of this landmark anniversary, we have launched a campaign to highlight the fact

that The Vegan Society has been helping vegans to thrive for 75 years. Read about Vegan and Thriving on page 9 and find out how you can get involved.

We also have recipes from Fearne Cotton’s new book Happy Vegan (page 12), an article about an artist’s profound journey to photograph elderly farmed animals (page 18) and an interview with the UK’s first vegan cricket club (page 20), alongside all of our usual features.

Please get in touch at editor@vegansociety.com to share how you celebrated The Vegan Society’s anniversary!

Elena Orde, Editor

Contents 03

Achievements

06

Media highlights

09

The Vegan Society turns 75

12

Recipes

18

Allowed to Grow Old

20

Sport

23

Research

27

Fundraising

28

Volunteer Hub

33

Nutrition

36

Shoparound

09

Essential updates on Vegan Society news

The Vegan Society in the press

Celebrating a milestone

From Fearne Cotton’s Happy Vegan

12

Powerful photography featuring ageing

The world’s first vegan cricket club

Our inaugural Research Day

Celebration fundraising

18

Keeping up with our amazing volunteers

Vegan health in 2019

New products to look out for Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 1

From the CEO Editor Elena Orde Assistant Editor Pedro Fernández Martín Contributors Kristin Heggeli, John Andrews, Staff CEO George Gill Head of Communications Sam Calvert Head of Campaigns & Policy Louise Davies Head of Business Development Chantelle Adkins Research & Policy Advisor Amanda Baker Communications Manager Danielle Saunders Senior Supporter Services Coordinator Stephen Sanders Supporter Services Coordinator Kaya Gromocki Web & Digital Marketing Officer Adam Duncan Digital Communications Officer Jen Jones Senior Communications & Campaigns Officer Elena Orde Digital Content Producer Violeta Pereira Communications Assistant Pedro Fernández Martín Media & PR Officer Dominika Piasecka Fundraising & Partnerships Manager Ruby Jones Campaigns & Policy Manager Mark Banahan Campaigns & Policy Officers Sabrina Ahmed, Tim Thorpe Insight & Commercial Policy Officer Louisianna Waring Office Manager Kat Anderson Sales & Merchandise Manager Dave Nicholson Sales & Merchandise Assistant Beth Dandy Trademark Team Manager Kyla Townsend Trademark Team Leaders Ella Marshall, Natacha Rodrigues Business Development Officers Christopher Ward, Sheridan Rudge, Susan Warren, Rhianna Parsons, Gabriela Chalkia, Hannah Trimble, Sophie Glenn, Zoe Lomas Business Development Assistants Lisa Williams, Kate Petruk Trademark Marketing Manager Abigail Stevens Trademark Events & Communications Officer Neneh Buswell Trademark Digital Marketing Officer Nishat Rahman Finance Officer Allan Oakes Research Officer Dr Lorna Brocksopp Dietitian Heather Russell Vegan Rights Advocate Dr Jeanette Rowley Council Menna Jones (Chair) Jenifer Vinell (Vice-Chair) Stephen Walsh (Treasurer) David Gore (Assistant Treasurer) Salim Akbar, Graham Neale, Ali Ryland, Robb Masters, Eshe Kiama Zuri

The views expressed in The Vegan do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or of The Vegan Society Council. Nothing printed should be construed to be The Vegan Society's policy unless so stated. The society accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. The acceptance of advertisements (including inserts) does not imply endorsement.

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From the CEO

T

his November marks The Vegan Society’s 75th anniversary. It is incredible to think that 75 years ago the word ‘vegan’ did not exist. The change we have seen in this time has been phenomenal. It is a privilege to have played a small part in this and to witness the acceleration that has occurred in the past decade in particular.

In celebration of this important milestone, this November we are launching a campaign to raise awareness that veganism can help people of all ages and stages of life to thrive, and to reassure those who may have concerns about the health benefits of a plant-based diet. As part of the Vegan and Thriving campaign, we shared a high-production short documentary with health professionals at the Royal Society of Medicine’s Food on Prescription conference.

We created 40 new healthy recipes, which you can find on our website, complete with nutritional analysis. This is a very exciting campaign with the potential to make a big difference to how the public views vegan diets, and we hope that you will help us to share the word about it.

Anniversary celebrations aside, we have launched another new campaign called Play Fair with Plant Milk. The aim is to raise the availability of plant milk on government-funded free and subsidised milk schemes.

As part of the Grow Green campaign, we facilitated a day of knowledge-sharing at Tolhurst Organic Farm, where farmers and government representatives learned about the benefits of transitioning towards plant-based agriculture and how this can be achieved.

Thank you for supporting us, whether you have been here for decades or days.

Here’s to another fantastic 75 years.

George Gill, CEO

Staff updates While Will Gildea has left The Vegan Society to return to his studies, we have taken on board two new Campaigns and Policy Officers, Sabrina Ahmed and Tim Thorpe. Louisianna Waring has also joined us as our Insight and Commercial Policy Officer.

Nirdesh Sandhu, our Finance Manager, has left. As has Stephanie Read, our Business Development Officer. We have hired a new Business Development Assistant, Kate Petruk.

Seona Deuchar, our Supporter Services Coordinator, has moved on. We have hired Stephen Sanders for the role of Senior Supporter Services Coordinator.

Andy Fisher, our Sales and Merchandise Assistant, has left. Now taking on the role is Beth Dandy.

Donald Watson House 34–35 Ludgate Hill Birmingham, UK B3 1EH

0121 523 1730 info@vegansociety.com www.vegansociety.com

© The Vegan Society Registered Charity No. 279228 (England & Wales) and SC049495 (Scotland)

Printed on recycled paper

Achievements

Achievements Plate Up for the Planet This year we planned a roadshow to take the Plate Up for the Planet campaign around the country to various large workplaces and environmental organisations. The locations visited included Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the BBC. The purpose of Plate Up for the Planet is to help people to make the connection between the food they eat and its environmental impact.

With the climate emergency becoming ever more pressing, the burning of the Amazon gaining global coverage and climate strikes picking up momentum, the environmental arguments for giving up animal products are becoming almost impossible to ignore.

With the roadshow at an end, we head into the winter months with over 20,000 people having signed up to eat vegan for a week since the campaign launched.

So far, those who have ditched animal products for a week as part of Plate Up for the Planet have collectively saved the equivalent to the carbon generated by over 1.5 million km travelled on a plane.

The Plate Up crew at ITV

Play Fair with Plant Milk Currently, animal milk is promoted and supported in various nutritional public health initiatives for children, including the Healthy Start Scheme, the EU School Milk Subsidy Scheme and the School Food Standards, which includes a mandatory dairy milk section.

We have launched a new campaign, Play Fair with Plant Milk, to challenge the unfair promotion of cow’s milk where fortified plant milks can provide the same nutritional content. We want to see fortified plant milk recognised on par with animal milk, wherever animal milk is currently supported or promoted.

We are doing this by formally challenging the government and other institutions directly, making the case that the current situations discriminate against vegan individuals along with those who have dairy allergies and intolerances.

Visit vegansociety.com to learn more about the campaign and to get involved by sharing your experience of discrimination.

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Achievements

Vegan Trademark success It’s been a positively packed summer for our Trademark Team, who have been inundated with Vegan Trademark applications. Some particularly exciting registrations have come from the fashion and beauty industries, with big names such as New Look, Gola and Primark reaching out to us.

Clothing retailer New Look registered over 600 (and counting) footwear and accessory items with the Vegan Trademark, with a commitment to register hundreds more. It was our first high street collaboration and was incredibly well received.

Following in New Look’s footsteps with a vegan footwear launch was Gola Classics with a range of trainers for men, women and children.

Elsewhere on the high street, Primark released a Vegan Trademark registered range – their affordable skincare product line PS…Naturals.

Iain Tolhurst gives a tour of his stockfree farm

Grow Green The Grow Green campaign seeks to encourage a shift from animal farming to crop farming, and an important part of this is supporting farmers who are interested in this kind of transition.

Our Grow Green working group met for the first time at Tolhurst Organic farm in Oxfordshire.

Iain Tolhurst has been running the farm for over 30 years, and for over a decade there has been no animal input.

On 6 September, a number of farmers made the journey to learn more about stockfree farming – a method of agriculture which involves no animal input or byproducts. Visitors learned about biodiversity and soil health and received information on building a profitable, ethical business.

In attendance were Jay and Katja Wilde, who made headlines when they sent 73 cows to Hillside Animal Sanctuary instead of the slaughterhouse. Jay and Katja are working towards transitioning their farm into a sustainable vegan business.

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Employee booklet Unfortunately, many vegans face direct or indirect discrimination in the workplace. The growing number of vegan employees means that employers need to be educated around vegan rights and the duties and responsibilities they owe to their vegan employees.

With this in mind, we have created a new publication, Supporting veganism in the workplace: a guide for employers. The booklet makes the case for veganism as a protected belief under equality law and provides practical advice on how to ensure vegan employees feel supported and comfortable at work.

The online version can be viewed on our website from mid-November, where you can also request a physical copy to be sent to you.

Achievements

Eddie Izzard presents The Vegan Society with an award for Best Stand

Party conferences

Animal Hero Awards

September marks political party conference season, and as ever our Campaigns and Policy Team attended several conferences in a bid to raise public awareness of vegan issues and to secure support from decision makers. Despite the incredibly turbulent political climate, we had many very useful conversations with the general public and politicians alike.

We held a large stall at the Labour Party conference in Brighton, where we spoke to attendees about the role that vegan diets and farming practices can play in tackling the climate emergency. We were delighted that delegates voted us their first choice in the award for Best Stand, which was presented to us by Eddie Izzard.

We also attended the Green Party conference in Newport, where we held a fringe event, and the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

We were really lucky to be invited to spend an evening at the star-studded Animal Hero Awards with our friends Jay and Katja Wilde. Jay was the well-deserved winner of the Special Recognition Award, granted to him for giving up his cows from Bradley Nook Farm as he could no longer face sending them to slaughter.

On the night, we heard speeches from Chris Packham, Peter Egan and Rich Hardy, who all championed a vegan lifestyle and congratulated Jay for his compassion and dedication.

Jay and Katja are now ready to transition to vegan organic farming and provide an excellent example to other farmers, but they need our support. To find out more about their story and support the cause, please get in touch with us or visit their Facebook page: facebook.com/BradleyNookFarm.

Animal Rights National Conference This summer we attended the annual Animal Rights National Conference, held in Washington DC, for the first time. The conference attracts hundreds of animal activists and charity representatives from around the world who participate in a programme full of informative talks and workshops. Sessions ran on a variety of topics from recent successes in campaigning against animal testing to how veganism should be considered alongside other social justice movements.

We heard from and connected with people from a multitude of organisations ranging from small farm sanctuaries to worldwide charities such as The Humane League.

The event was an excellent example of how we can strengthen the animal rights movement by bringing together a diverse range of perspectives with one shared mission.

Jay Wilde with his Animal Hero award   Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 5

Media highlights

Media highlights

The Vegan Society in the press

The world’s first vegan cricket club

On the radio

Media and PR Officer Dominika Piasecka helped to promote the world’s first vegan cricket club (see page 20). The story, often featuring a comment from The Vegan Society, was covered by the Daily Mail, the i, the Telegraph, Yahoo, local newspapers and vegan media. It even received some attention from the infamous anti-vegan TV presenter Piers Morgan, who complained about the club on Twitter. The team are due to meet the vegan football club Forest Green Rovers for a plant-based feast, so watch this space for more news!

Campaigns Manager Mark Banahan gave evidence at parliament against the EU proposal to ban ‘meaty’ names such as ‘burger’ for vegan food products. After this he completed a series of seven back-to-back interviews with various BBC radio stations. Mark highlighted the fact that the ban would not just impact vegans, but also all public entities, which would have to unnecessarily spend time and money revising their menus.

Dominika was interviewed by LBC twice in the space of three days to talk about Germany’s sausage tax and the United Nations report. She also chatted in depth to BBC Radio Leeds about vegan fashion.

Farmer debates It is unhelpful when the media create a division between vegans and farmers; we always remain polite when communicating with farmers and emphasise that as vegans we also rely on them to produce our food. Dominika took part in a BBC Radio Scotland debate with a National Farmers’ Union chairperson who inaccurately insisted that it was impossible to get protein on a vegan diet, which she vigorously refuted. Dominika was also interviewed about the latest United Nations report that calls for less meat and dairy consumption.

She was also interviewed alongside farmers on BBC Radio Kent where she promoted the environmental benefits of veganism.

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Best of the rest Head of Communications Sam Calvert appeared on ITV news talking about a dairy factory closing down. China Global Television Network interviewed Dietitian Heather Russell about vegan nutrition. Sky News covered the successful trial of KFC vegan nuggets in the US, with Dominika appearing on-screen to praise the move into the plant-based market. She also took part in a fierce debate on Russian TV about religious slaughter being banned in Belgium, asserting that all slaughter is inhumane, no matter how it’s done.

Above: Dominika Piasecka speaks on Russian Television about animal slaughter

Anniversary

The Vegan Society turns 75 Celebrating a milestone

S

eventy-five years ago, several members of the Vegetarian Society decided that they could not, in good conscience, continue to eat animal products such as dairy and eggs. A group dedicated to promoting positive change joined together, and the word ‘vegan’ was created – in the words of Donald Watson, it marked “the beginning and end of vegetarian”.

The Vegan Society was founded, and a global revolution began.

There is now more information available than ever before, greatly helped by social media, the flourishing vegan publishing industry and compelling documentaries available on accessible platforms.

Veganism is becoming easier and more attainable than ever as plant-based products can be found in every shop. The Vegan Trademark, launched in 1990, now has over 32,000 products registered worldwide across 1000 companies.

Plant-based progress

Vegan and Thriving

Now, 75 years on, the progress of what was once a movement on the fringes of society is enormous. While the challenges that we face have also grown, it is important to take a moment to reflect on our successes.

From being completely unheard of, the word ‘vegan’ is now recognised all over the world with more people than ever understanding what this lifestyle encompasses.

From the 25 members of The Vegan Society cited in the first ever newsletter, there are now over 600,000 vegans living in Great Britain.

The society now needs to employ over 50 members of staff – a number that has increased from just 10 staff members in 2009.

We are running a new campaign – Vegan and Thriving – to highlight the fact that The Vegan Society has been helping vegans to flourish for 75 years.

The key aim of the campaign is to raise awareness that veganism can be a healthy choice for anyone, no matter their age, stage of life or energy requirements. We want to reassure those who may have concerns around the healthiness of vegan nutrition that they can get everything they need from a plant-based diet – and to give them tips and information on how to get the most from their food.

Working with ITN, we created a short documentary to showcase the health benefits Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 9

Anniversary

of eating a vegan diet. The film was first shown at the Royal Society of Medicine’s Food on Prescription conference, where health professionals gathered to hear the latest in nutrition news and research.

The documentary features four-time world record breaker Fiona Oakes, who speaks about her ultramarathon triumphs. Also interviewed are dietitian Duane Mellor, David Harriman – a vegan who has donated blood over 100 times – and Vegan Society Communications Manager Danielle Saunders, who spoke about the society’s commitment to providing reliable nutritional information and her experience being vegan while pregnant.

Collaborating with health professionals is very important to us. We want to show that it’s not just The Vegan Society who sings the praises of plantbased diets – plenty of dietitians and doctors do too! Throughout November we are releasing a series of short videos that feature dietitians dietitians busting myths and providing information on vegan nutrition.

On our website you can also find a bank of over 40 fantastically delicious plant-based recipes with a particularly healthy theme. All of these vibrant and tasty recipes contain at least two portions of your five-a-day, as well as being high in fibre and low in salt, sugar and saturated fat. We have recipes that are gluten free, high calcium, quick to make and some fancier options for impressing your friends and family. Visit vegansociety.com/ thriving to find the recipes and let us know what you think! We would love to see your creations tagged with #veganandthriving on social media.

Finally, you can find some case studies from truly inspirational vegans on our website, from world renowned athletes to people who have found that a plant-based diet has helped them to manage the symptoms of their health conditions.

Fiona Oaks and other Vegan Runners

Anniversary plans Also marking our 75th anniversary will be a ceremony to put up a plaque to commemorate Vegan Society cofounder Donald Watson. Donald grew up in Mexborough, Yorkshire, in the UK, and the local council is keen to recognise his important contribution.

Vegan Society staff and members, as well as locals interested in their town’s history, are meeting to witness the plaque being installed and to enjoy some vegan food.

On page 27 you can read up on how to fundraise for The Vegan Society in honour of our 75th anniversary. Please do get in touch at editor@vegansociety.com and let us know how you celebrated this important date!

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Tofu tikka masala from Fearne Cotton’s Happy Vegan (credit p 13)

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Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 11

Recipes

Happy Vegan Easy plant-based recipes to make the whole family happy

12  The Vegan | Issue 4 2019

Recipes

Indian-spiced potatoes and raita on toast Ingredients 800 g baby new potatoes Olive oil, for frying 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved 1 onion, chopped 3 tsp ground cumin 3 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 5 garlic cloves, crushed 5 spring onions, finely sliced Small handful of mint, leaves only, roughly chopped 200 g soya milk yoghurt 4 slices of sourdough or white bread 2 avocados, halved, stoned and thinly sliced Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Eating a little bit of spice in the morning always makes me feel like I’m on holiday, so this recipe is great for weekends or days where there is no rush. The potatoes are easy to cook and should be enjoyed in a leisurely manner as you enjoy every flavour that dances across your taste buds. Spice up your life with these vegan darlings.

Directions Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly and cut into large bite-size pieces.

Coat the bottom of a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and set over a high heat. Add the potatoes, tomatoes, onion and 2½ teaspoons each of the ground cumin and coriander and ½ teaspoon of the dried chilli flakes. Fry for about 12 minutes, flipping the potatoes every now and again, until golden and crispy in places. Reduce the heat, add most of the garlic and fry for another minute until aromatic. Remove from the heat and stir in the spring onions. Season to taste.

For the raita, mix together the yoghurt and most of the mint with the remaining garlic and spices, and season to taste.

Toast the bread and top with the spiced potatoes, sliced avocado, raita and remaining mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Happy Vegan by Fearne Cotton is out now in hardback (Orion Spring) Photography: Andrew Burton (for the Orion Publishing Group Ltd)

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Recipes

Broccoli katsu curry Ingredients 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, cut into 1 cm pieces 3 garlic cloves, crushed 3 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 tbsp mild curry powder 1 tsp garam masala ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tbsp white spelt flour 400 ml vegetable stock 2 tbsp soy sauce 350 g Tenderstem® broccoli 100 g fresh breadcrumbs 3 spring onions, finely chopped Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Brown rice, to serve

Serves 4

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This is weirdly simple. It sounds and looks like it might be time consuming or complicated, but once you’ve tried this recipe, you’ll see just how easy it is. I adore roasted broccoli and it works so well in this curry. The more veg the better and you’re certainly getting your fill with this dish. The sauce will make your taste buds dance and you’ll feel full, yet not sluggish in the slightest, after devouring this incredible dinner.

Directions Put half the oil into a pan and place over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic and ginger and cook gently for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, taking care not to let anything burn.

Add the curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and flour and stir-fry for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Gradually stir in the stock and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened and the carrots are cooked through.

Using a handheld or upright blender, blitz the sauce until completely smooth, adding in a little water if it is too thick. Season well, to taste.

Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C fan/400 °F/gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with foil or baking parchment.

Toss the broccoli in the remaining oil, to coat, and season well. Roll in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated, transfer to the lined baking tray and roast for 10–15 minutes until the broccoli is cooked through and golden.

Divide the sauce between your plates and top with the katsu broccoli. Scatter the spring onions on top and serve with rice.

Recipes

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Recipes

Date and almond cake with caramel sauce Ingredients For the caramel 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp sunflower oil 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp white miso paste 4 tbsp coconut milk yoghurt For the cake 3 tbsp ground flaxseed 130 ml boiling water 100 g pitted Medjool dates 75 ml non-dairy milk 200 g ground almonds 100 g desiccated coconut 150 g coconut palm sugar 150 g coconut oil, melted Zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp sea salt 1 tsp vanilla extract Non-dairy yoghurt, to serve

Makes 1 x 23 cm round cake Special equipment needed 23 cm springform round cake tin

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This cake almost feels regal. It’s rich, luxurious and packed with fibre from the flaxseed and the dates. It feels so moist due to the almonds and coconut oil, too. Topped with the sauce it’s as close as it gets to pure heaven. I love making this sauce as it can be used in so many ways. Pour it over cakes, swirl into yoghurt or let your kids dip fruity kebabs into it as a little treat. The miso gives it such warmth and a dreamy richness.

Directions Preheat the oven to 180 °C/160 °C fan/350 °F/gas mark 4. Line the cake tin fully with baking parchment.

For the caramel, combine all the ingredients together in a bowl until completely smooth, cover and refrigerate.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed and water. Set aside for 2 minutes.

Place the dates in a food processor and add the flaxseed mixture.

Blitz to form a sticky paste. Add the milk and blitz until combined, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the remaining cake ingredients to the food processor and mix until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and use the back of a spoon to level the surface. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35–45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with foil. Remove and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When ready to serve, remove the caramel from the fridge, stir and then drizzle over the cake and serve with some yoghurt on the side.

Keep any leftovers for up to three days in an airtight container.

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Photography

Allowed to Grow Old Isa Leshko’s touching portraits of elderly animals

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hen Isa Leshko met Petey, a 34-year-old Appaloosa horse with cataracts, stiff movements and a gentle demeanour, she was captivated. She rushed for her camera and spent hours photographing him. She wasn’t sure what drew her to him so strongly, but when Isa reviewed the negatives, she realised she might have found a way to catharsis.

animals needed to be relaxed – comfortable in her presence and in their own space. This was especially important for animals who had been abused and who might be uneasy around strangers. Isa approached them on their own terms. She used minimal equipment and spent countless hours unobtrusively waiting for them to accept her presence.

Photography: copyright Isa Leshko, Allowed to Grow Old, University of Chicago Press (April 2019)

Isa had cared for her mother, who had Alzheimer’s disease. This experience affected her profoundly. She realised that photographing elderly animals could help her to examine her grief and confront her deep fear of ageing and mortality.

Winslow Farm In the autumn of 2008, Isa made several trips to Winslow Farm, a sanctuary in Norton, Massachusetts. She photographed senior residents, including two severely arthritic Finnsheep named Isaiah and Zebulon, who found comfort napping together. She thought about how ever-present animal-derived products are in our society but how unseen farmed animals are. Determined to learn more about them, she decided to visit other farmed animal sanctuaries across the US. The focus of her project changed from examining and confronting her own fears to passionately advocating for animals through powerful portraits, recently published in her book Allowed to Grow Old. Isa wanted to “reveal the unique personality of each animal”. She knew this wouldn’t be possible if she entered their homes unexpectedly and started snapping photos. Most of us would certainly be alarmed if that happened to us and unlikely to look our best on camera. These 18 The Vegan | Issue 4 2019

1 Violet, a pot-bellied pig, age 12 2 Abe, an Apine goat, age 21 3 Handsome One, a Thoroughbred horse, age 33

1 Inspired by grief Isa befriended animals who touched her deeply including Melvin, an angora goat. Melvin suffered terrible neglect in his past, but he was still relentlessly cheeky. He pawed at Isa, demanding to be petted, and chewed her hair. Isa says, “Many of our photo sessions were not terribly productive, but at least we had fun.” She was struck by the affection of animals who “had every reason to fear humans, yet they had come to trust, and even love, their caregivers”.

The bonds Isa forged inevitably came with a price. Many died within months or even days of her photographing them. Having also suffered painful personal losses during this period, Isa says, “Grief inspired this work, and it has been my constant companion as I have worked on this book.”

Photography

Life altering The individuals Isa met during this project were a tiny minority of farmed animals because, unlike most, they had lived to old age. Globally, roughly 50 billion land animals are factory farmed every year. Most are not allowed to see their first birthday, let alone allowed to grow old.

Isa had been a vegetarian for most of her adult life, but she decided to go vegan after she met Valentino, a Holstein cow and survivor of the dairy industry. Male calves don’t produce milk, so they are considered worthless and killed. This would have been Valentino’s fate had he not been surrendered to a sanctuary. Isa describes photographing him as a “life-altering experience”.

The short, miserable lives of non-human animals exploited for meat, dairy and eggs are in stark contrast to the lives of those in sanctuaries.

Here they can carry out their natural behaviours and express themselves as individuals. Pigs wallow and chickens bask in sunshine. They form lifelong bonds with friends and nap to their hearts’ content. They are cared for while they live. They are mourned when they die. As Isa says, “Nothing is expected from them.”

It must be noted that the protagonists in her book had not always been this fortunate. Most of them suffered severe neglect, abuse, physical and psychological trauma. Many animals in sanctuaries need expert care for the rest of their lives, especially in old age. The stories of these survivors are all different. Some escaped from trucks on the way to slaughter; some were abandoned after farmers couldn’t afford to feed them, and others were rescued from “backyard butcher operations that got out of control”. What they all have in common is that they found safety, love and respect – despite the incredible odds.

2

Louder than words Isa’s raw, intimate portraits reveal testaments to dignity, courage and endurance. She strongly believes that these animals should not be looked on with pity. They are remarkable survivors with something to say. Isa gives them the chance to speak to us loudly and clearly. She hopes her book “invites reflection upon what is lost when these animals are butchered in their youth”. What makes this book unique is that their portraits, frozen in time and silence, convey this message more powerfully than words ever could.

By Kristin Heggeli

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Sport

World’s first vegan cricket club Earley Cricket Club adopts veganism on the grounds of inclusivity and compassion

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ary Shacklady, chairman of Earley Cricket Club in Reading, UK, went vegan several years ago along with his wife. After beginning with a gradual transition, Gary says, “I was getting there, then I watched Earthlings and that made my mind up for me – once I had seen that, I couldn’t eat meat any more. I stopped seeing it as food.”

Gary realised that overhauling his cricket club’s menu would be a great way to make it more inclusive, as well as being in line with his vegan beliefs. Prior to the switch, Muslim and Hindu players and visitors were often unable to eat the meal provided between innings.

The committee voted in favour of replacing the traditional platter of sandwiches and cake for fully vegan catering. “It was pretty much an overnight switch,” Gary says.

Plates piled high Inspired by Gary’s transformation, four of the club’s players have now fully adopted vegan lifestyles.

Gary says, “The teas have been well received as our players understand and support the reasoning behind the decision. Many of them do not follow a vegan lifestyle away from the club but are increasingly aware of the issues around meat, dairy and egg consumption and have made efforts to reduce it. Visiting teams have praised our food and the plates tell the full story – each week they are piled high, then emptied very quickly. The only complaints are about the need to resume a cricket match with a stomach full of delicious vegan food!”

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The catering is done by Gary himself, who simply makes bigger batches of the kinds of meals he eats at home. Among the offerings have been curries, pizzas, stir-fries, spaghetti bolognese, tortilla wraps and the old favourite of sausage and mash with vegetables and gravy. In the summer months, the club hosted barbecues featuring vegan burgers, sausages and grilled vegetables.

The impact has been wide ranging. Gary says, “We have saved money by serving plant-based food, rather than expensive meat and cheese.

This has enabled us to offer a wide range and large quantity of food economically.”

Earley Cricket Club have plans to meet up and share ideas with Forest Green Rovers, the first football club to serve an all vegan menu.

Inspired by Gary’s transformation, four of the club’s players have now fully adopted vegan lifestyles Not just food After the success of changing their menu, the club has now turned its attention to the equipment it uses, as cricket balls are currently made from leather. Earley have been trialling synthetic leather balls, but Gary says that there is still a way to go. “The main cricket ball manufacturers are interested in the suggestion and keen to listen to ideas and research alternative ‘leathers’, for example pineapple and

Sport

We have received messages of support from all over the world

mushroom leathers. Apparently, it has not been easy to find a synthetic product that replicates the behaviour of the hide on the ball. The polyurethane balls we have used in training are good but a long way from being league standard.”

Earley have enjoyed success this season, with both of their teams earning promotion. The numbers of spectators are growing, and Gary’s players are improving greatly. Gary says, “We are all looking forward to the challenge of the higher divisions next season. Hopefully, we will be able to build a pavilion in time for it.”

Media success Since The Vegan Society first shared a story about the club, they have received a huge amount of press interest. Gary says, “It seemed the whole world was interested in our small club. The main newspapers ran the story, as well as local and national radio. Plus, we were covered by the BBC and ITV. We have received messages of support from all over the world. It seems there are plenty more clubs who will be going vegan in the near future.”

Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 21

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Research Day John Andrews reviews The Vegan Society’s first ever Research Day, which took place in July in Newcastle-upon-Tyne

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hat happens when you bring several dozen academics and researchers together to talk about veganism?

For one thing, you get an incredibly varied set of discussions, on everything from car manufacturing management technologies through to Lady Gaga’s ‘meat dress’, via criminology, political philosophy, nutritional science and more.

Below is just a flavour of the proceedings of The Vegan Society’s first ever Research Day, which brought together members of its Research Advisory Committee and Researcher Network to discuss their work and share ideas.

Consumption change A recurring theme was how to encourage people towards plant-based diets, and what the barriers are. Dr Niki Rust highlighted the range of possible interventions to influence dietary behaviour, from lighter-touch approaches that involve simply giving people better information, towards more interventionist measures such as restricting consumer choice. Ruth Buckley-Salmon suggested more work is needed to understand how the public might receive different types of interventions.

Part of the challenge lies in the gap between people’s professed attitudes towards non-human animals and their actual consumption behaviour.

In that context, Lynda Korimboccus looked at the ‘meat paradox’, in which people profess to care for the wellbeing of animals yet continue to eat meat, while Dr Beth Clark presented survey work highlighting that people may not feel responsible for issues of welfare, and that factors such as price, the availability of alternatives and unclear labels may act as barriers to change.

Agricultural change Consumption change has its counterpart in production, and several speakers therefore looked at agricultural transformation. For instance, Emily Holmes highlighted the complexities of farmers’ decision-making, with everything from government policy and market opportunities through to personal identity and circumstance (for instance, how close someone is to retirement) influencing attitudes towards change.

Ekaterina Gladkova’s work meanwhile took us to Northern Ireland, exploring the attitudes of local communities towards an increasingly intensive pig meat production sector and showing how perceptions of the place of animal agriculture in the local landscape influence the type of change people think is desirable.

Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 23

Research

Vegan identity Several speakers took us into questions of what it means to be vegan. Dr Eva Haifa Giraud looked at the implications of veganism moving into the mainstream, particularly in terms of the debates that this has brought around ‘purity politics’ and ‘lifestyle veganism’, parts of which appear to depoliticise veganism and shift it away from more radical traditions of activism.

Also on the theme of vegan identity, Emilia Quinn explored how camp aesthetics (in Susan Sontag’s sense of a love of artifice, stylisation and extravagance) might provide a coping strategy for vegans living in a non-vegan world, as part of an effort to step outside the otherwise relentless confrontation with the horrors of non-human animal suffering.

From creative writing to criminology The day also involved forays into disciplines as diverse as creative writing, criminology, political philosophy and nutritional science.

Several speakers focused on the importance of language. For instance, Natalie Joelle argued that the supposedly ‘green’ language of ‘lean’ management has failed to escape its meat-based origins, while Dr Alex Lockwood led a creative writing exercise that challenged us to think about how our attachment to particular nouns and verbs affects our ability to give ‘voice’ to nonhuman animals.

Dr Melanie Flynn made the case for an expanded ‘green criminology’ with more of a place for non-human animals as victims, as existing approaches to green criminology exclude non-human animal interests, despite otherwise trying to look beyond traditional ‘officially defined’ victims of crime. We also delved into political 24 The Vegan | Issue 4 2019

philosophy, with Dr Josh Milburn inviting us to consider what a vegan state would look like and how we can apply political categories such as citizenship and political schools of thought such as liberalism to non-human animal issues.

Last but not least, and a world away from political philosophy, Elena Holmes guided us through the technicalities of nutritional science with a focus on omega-3 fatty acids, including a discussion of where vegans can get them, singing the praise of foods such as linseed (also known as flaxseed), walnuts and chia seeds.

On the theme of identity, several speakers took us into questions of what it means to be vegan The future As is hopefully clear from the above, the Research Day was eclectic and gave plenty of food for thought. It also promised more to come, with Dr Lorna Brocksopp, The Vegan Society’s Research Officer, highlighting several things we can look forward to, including a continuation of the excellent Grow Green campaign and follow-up research for the Pathways to Veganism project, as well as work on veganism and mental health, and on understanding compassionate behaviour. So, watch this space!

A full-length version of this article is available at vegansociety.com/about-us/research/researchnews/vegan-society-research-day-2019.

Events

Events Chippenham Vegan Fair Sunday 27 October (10am–3pm) Neeld Community and Arts Centre, High Street, Chippenham SN15 3ER veganfairs.co.uk/upcoming-events/chippenham-veganfair-2019 Cheshire Vegan Fair Sunday 27 October (11am–5pm) The Alexandra Stadium, Gresty Road, Crewe CW2 6EB cheshirevegan.co.uk Vegan Nights - Celebrating World Vegan Day & Halloween!

Thursday 31 October (doors open 5pm) 93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL vegannights.uk Southampton Vegan Festival Saturday 2 November 2019 (10.30am–4pm) O2 Guildhall, West Marlands Road, Southampton SO14 7FW southamptonveganfestival.co.uk Parbold Village Vegan Fair Sunday 3 November 2019 (11am–4pm) Parbold Village Hall, 2–8 The Green, Parbold, Wigan WN8 7DN facebook.com/events/2154890194800914 Cirencester Vegan Fair Sunday 3 November (10am–3pm) Bingham Hall, King Street, Cirencester GL7 1JT veganfairs.co.uk/upcoming-events/cirencester-veganfair-2019 Edinburgh Vegan Festival Sunday 10 November (10.30am–4pm) Murrayfield Stadium, Roseburn Street, Edinburgh EH12 5PJ veganfestival.co.uk/edinburgh-vegan-festival-tickets The Welsh Vegan WinterFest Sunday December 8 (10.30am–4pm) Cardiff City Hall, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3ND welshveganwinterfest.org Exeter Vegan Market Saturday 18 January (10am–2.30pm) Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, Exeter EX1 1BW facebook.com/events/3263483763669591

Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 25

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Fundraising

Ways to support us on our 75th Anniversary Make a donation If you’ve donated a gift of any size to The Vegan Society over the last 75 years, you’ve contributed towards the development of the charity’s campaigning and communication work and we’re eternally grateful for your support. Without you, we simply wouldn’t have been able to plan and execute so many amazing activities over the last three-quarters of a century. With your help, we’ve been able to spread the message about the multitude of benefits that veganism brings to millions of human and non-human animals and empower a movement to change the world.

To help us continue our work for many more years to come, to develop our existing campaigns and build on our successes, we need your help.

Making a donation to The Vegan Society will contribute towards our work, helping us to make veganism an easily adopted lifestyle choice that is a widely recognised approach to reducing suffering and damage to the environment.

Donations can be made by sending in cheques to our head office address, donating online via our website or over the phone by calling the Membership Team.

Celebration fundraising If you share a birthday month with us, you can ask people to make donations to The Vegan Society instead of sending you cards or gifts this year. It’s simple to do this through setting up a Facebook Fundraiser, starting a JustGiving page or by asking your friends and family to donate to us by following the directions above.

If your birthday isn’t in November, you can set up a fundraiser for The Vegan Society’s anniversary or use it to hold a celebration event to raise awareness and funds for the organisation.

You can also set up your own birthday fundraiser, whichever month this falls, and donate funds raised to The Vegan Society. If you’re keen to get involved but aren’t sure exactly what you would like to do, get in touch with the Fundraising Team using the details below and we will be able to help.

Charles and Lisa taking on Brighton Marathon 2019

Great North Run September saw a small but powerful team of vegan runners take on the largest half marathon in the world up in Newcastle. Four of our wonderful supporters donned their running vests and trained hard for months to raise sponsorship funds to donate towards The Vegan Society’s work. The 13.1-mile course was lined with supporters cheering the runners on, which was much needed on an unseasonably warm day, and all of our runners finished in brilliant times and raised amazing amounts for the charity.

If you’re feeling inspired to take on a challenge in 2020 and raise funds for The Vegan Society, applications are open to join our team in Brighton Marathon in April. You can apply via the website, by emailing fundraising@vegansociety.com or calling 0121 323 1802.

Ruby Jones Fundraising and Partnerships Manager

Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 27

Volunteers

Volunteer hub Kaya Gromocki, Supporter Services Coordinator

Hello! I have recently taken over the volunteer programme following Seona Deuchar leaving the organisation. I’ve been working in the Supporter Services Team for just over a year now, so I’m excited to use the knowledge I already have of the organisation to support the launch of the Community Network and to get to know all of our wonderful volunteers.

Creating engaging visuals My interest in volunteering for The Vegan Society is born out of the compelling reasons for wanting a vegan world and a passion for communicating data. I work in data visualisation and I’ve been working with the Communications Team to turn a lot of written information into engaging visuals.

I feel it’s important to participate in the conversation about the ideas that govern our lives, especially in a world where there is so much competition for our attention. Technological advances have enabled us to capture and process way more data, as well as generate a lot more noise (think social media). In contrast, our ability to process information has remained static.

Effective data visualisation allows us to be evidence based while removing much of the cognitive load associated with conventional forms of communication by taking advantage of

28 The Vegan | Issue 4 2019

pre-attentive visual processing. It can also be far more aesthetically appealing than plain text.

It surprises me how long it took to come across the information that led to moral clarity on the subject of veganism, yet much of it could have been conveyed to me more powerfully with the appropriate visualisations.

I am very excited to help realise the potential of this medium for communicating our message and, while my job can be demanding, I think this is something I will always find time for.

By Mitchell Hensman

Community activism Living in London means that there are events happening everywhere all the time, but unless you know someone involved or it’s happening down your street, you’d never know about it. This is where social media has been invaluable to me.

It’s how I discovered that I have a local vegan market, how I learnt about the various animal rights marches that happen in central London, and most importantly, how I discovered all the amazing activism that happens even just down the road from me.

Being vegan can often feel like a lonely experience, even in a city of eight million, but through online groups and social media I’ve discovered a community full of welcoming people. I think the vegan movement will continue to snowball, more volunteer opportunities will arise and more vegans will want to take an active role in helping the world become a greener place to live.

By Saiorse Clohessy, Community Organiser

Volunteers

1 Sharing information on veganism at the Climate March 2 Outreach at Aston University 3 4 Volunteer Liem assisted our film shoot with the athlete Fiona Oakes

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Work placement Picking The Vegan Society for my university placement was an easy choice. As a Politics and English Language student, the nature of my degree opens many doors for various industries, which admittedly is both a blessing and a curse.

With such a large variety of options, the prospect of a postgraduate job is often overwhelming.

A sandwich year provides the opportunity for students like myself to understand the working world, obtain new skills and learn what you excel in the most, which is why I am spending eight months volunteering in The Vegan Society’s Communications Team.

I have also had a variety of opportunities during my placement so far, such as my recent experience behind the scenes of a documentary

set featuring world record–breaking runner and Vegan Society Ambassador Fiona Oakes. The filming took place in various locations across Birmingham and also featured members of Vegan Runners, the fastest-growing athletics club in the UK. It was a pleasure to witness a completely different field of work and have the chance to do a variety of activities that are not limited to office work, such as photography.

Exploring different career prospects and industry networking are a welcome bonus to my sandwich year. I chose The Vegan Society, however, as I wanted to work for an ethical charity that was morally aligned with my own beliefs, which I knew I would love working for.

By Liem Doan, Office Volunteer

Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 29

Volunteer of the season

Introducing Annette White, a longstanding Vegan Society volunteer.

When did you go vegan?

I went vegan in 1989. I had been vegetarian for 15 years prior to that, so it wasn’t a massive change to make. For as long as I remember, I had hated cruelty to animals and was never comfortable with the thought of eating them. In the 1980s I ran a vegetarian group and came across very few vegans, but I felt I could no longer use the same excuse for eating eggs and dairy that people used for eating meat. The reasons for being vegan are the same as those for being vegetarian, it is just more consistent. And the importance of being vegan now is even more than ever.

What are your tips for speaking to people about veganism?

On a one-to-one level, people like nothing better than talking about themselves and their own experiences, so the first step is to ask questions.

Make it a two-way process – never be tempted to deliver a long lecture about how terrible other animals’ lives are and what a good idea veganism is. Be prepared to listen to their concerns and have possible solutions ready, either in your head or by referring them to a reliable source (such as The Vegan Society).

30 The Vegan | Issue 4 2019

When did you start running your own vegan group?

The first one was in the 1980s, but the current one started about eight years ago when I moved to a new area. I think the first lesson you learn is that you will most likely get a wide range of people join, and some of them will never turn up to anything or want to help with anything. Don’t be disheartened! Most groups of all types, not just vegan ones, tend to end up being run by a handful of people.

Secondly, I think it’s important to listen to what the group wants to do, in the direction it takes, and allow it to do that. Vegan groups tend not to be the same as animal rights groups – they sometimes consist of people who just want to visit restaurants and swap recipes. I have always tried to achieve a balance of doing outreach and having social events.

What is your favourite thing about volunteering?

I enjoy being able to help people and it is especially rewarding when you hear the success stories.

It’s also especially rewarding to see the progress being made in recent years with so many more vegans compared to 30 years ago, when most people didn’t even know what the word meant.

We never dreamt that veganism would grow as it has, but it still has a long way to go, and the next generation’s job is to keep the momentum going and reach out to even more people.

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  Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 31

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Nutrition

Vegan health and nutrition in 2019

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s we celebrate our 75th anniversary, it’s a great opportunity to take stock of vegan health and nutrition. It’s also a time to consider how we can help to ensure that the road ahead is chock-a-block with healthy vegans.

Research Credible messaging is a crucial part of effective activism and our approach is evidence based.

So how do vegan diets fit into evidence-based nutrition in 2019? Studies suggest that this way of eating can support excellent health. Research has linked vegan diets to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index, which are all risk factors for heart disease. Studies of vegans have also associated totally plant-based nutrition with lower rates of type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.

BDA alliance The British Dietetic Association (BDA) is the professional association for dietitians in the UK. The Vegan Society works with the BDA to share the message that well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages.

Both organisations are passionate about helping people to follow a healthy lifestyle that is in line with their beliefs and values.

An opportunity to eat better The National Diet and Nutrition Survey suggests that UK diets contain too much saturated fat and too little fibre, fruit and vegetables. Normalising vegan food can help people to address these imbalances and become more familiar with veganism. Switching to a totally plant-based diet can make more room for health-promoting plant foods like wholegrains, nuts, fruit and vegetables,

including beans, peas and lentils. We encourage people to eat in a way that’s good for them, good for non-human animals and good for the planet.

The junk food revolution Until recently, vegans often had no choice but to buy basic ingredients and prepare meals from scratch. Over the last few years, the availability of convenience food laden with fat, salt and sugar has exploded. If overconsumption of these products reduces the quality of vegan diets, our community will not be immune to the negative effects of a broken food system that prioritises profit over human and planetary health. The success of the vegan movement is going to be influenced by the wellbeing of the people driving it forward. We need to promote good nutritional planning and reassure people that they can eat well without animal products.

Take-home messages • Research suggests that totally plant-based nutrition can support excellent health • Studies have linked vegan diets to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index; and lower rates of type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer • We work with the BDA to share the message that well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages • We can look after our wellbeing and be great advocates for animals by eating well-planned vegan diets containing plenty of minimally processed plant foods and limiting convenience foods laden with fat, salt and sugar For information about optimising vegan nutrition, check out vegansociety.com/nutrition and our free VNutrition app.

Heather Russell, Dietitian Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 33

Buy Online

Buy Online 500 Vegan Dishes by Deborah Gray 500 Vegan Dishes is a brilliant collection of animal-free recipes providing tasty recipes for all occasions including breakfast, family meals, food for entertaining and baked treats. Some are vegan adaptations of familiar dishes, while others are specifically created to show vegan food at its very best.

Within these pages you will find 500 recipes that would impress even the most sceptical eater. Each dish is based on a love of tasty food and exploits the natural goodness of fresh fruit and vegetables, beans and lentils. The book is packed with exciting and surprising ways to use tofu and other less familiar foods such as barley and polenta. rCUPs Introducing rCUP – the world’s first reusable coffee cup and travel mug made from recycled paper coffee cups. This is the reusable cup we’ve all been waiting for. The product: • Is 100% leakproof • Is well built, robust and long lasting • Can be opened and closed easily with one hand • Keeps drinks warm or cool • Can be picked up even when the contents are very hot • Gives an enjoyable drinking experience just like a real mug Nutrition chart The nutrition wallchart is now in its 22nd year, and with nearly 200,000 sold, continues to be as popular as ever. It is a handwritten and illustrated table showing some of the best plant-based sources of all the essential nutrients.

Produced in a colourful user-friendly style that appeals to both adults and children, the nutrition chart is an invaluable at-a-glance reference to make sure you and your family are getting enough of the good stuff every day. It is laminated for a wipe-clean surface in the kitchen.

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Buy any of these products between 1 November and 31 January and receive 10% off by simply entering the code ISSUE4SHOP2019 at checkout (vegansociety.com/shop) or quoting over the phone when placing an order (0121 523 1730).

Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 35

Promotional feature

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36 The Vegan | Issue 4 2019

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Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 37

Reviews

Reviews

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Plant-Based Beauty

by Jess Arnaudin Reviewed by Kaya Gromocki

The Game Changers Reviewed by Dominika Piasecka

Plant-Based Beauty is a stunningly illustrated guide to the hows and whys of using and making your own cosmetics from plants. The book is divided into seven chapters exploring the concept of plant-based beauty, how you can apply it to your lifestyle and how you can make the products at home.

In order to help the reader to understand the reasons for adopting plant-based beauty, author Jess Arnaudin explains why what she describes as a “high-consumption ‘fast food’ skincare landscape” is damaging our health and the environment. The author writes that nature provides a rainbow of resources to aid our physical and mental health, and that everyday produce such as lemons, garlic and grapes can provide a surprising number of health benefits.

Once the reader is ready to start making the transition to plant-based beauty, Arnaudin provides a guide on how to clear out your makeup bag. She breaks down daunting tasks such as label-reading by giving transparent descriptions of what some complex-sounding ingredients actually are.

The book wraps up with an exciting selection of recipes. Without a local apothecary or abundant herb garden, some ingredients such as meadowfoam oil or reishi mushroom powder may be challenging to source, but Arnaudin does stress the importance of using your creative license and having fun with the recipes. If you don’t have a specific product, you can still enjoy a rejuvenating facial of your own making.

We all have someone in our life who swears that they will never go vegan. Maybe they have concerns about their health and nutrition on a totally plant-based diet. Well, there’s finally a vegan documentary that they might actually watch. With the underlying message of the health benefits of plant-based eating, The Game Changers is likely to catch the attention of those interested in sports, fitness and nutrition.

The documentary follows martial artist James Wilks as he travels the world in a quest for the truth about meat, protein and strength. The film features record-breaking bodybuilders, runners, cyclists, rugby players and boxers with inspiring interviews from the likes of surfer Tia Blanco and strength athlete Patrik Baboumian.

The film’s strength is in showcasing the triumphs and successes of the incredible plantbased athletes who are proving time and time again that vegans can get everything they need without animal products. Vegan-skeptics who care about their health and fitness will be intrigued by the interviewees’ personal stories of improved recovery times and new personal bests far into what is normally considered later life for an athlete.

Despite this, viewers should be aware that some health studies cited are perhaps not as conclusive as portrayed. In some instances, much stronger claims are made than the evidence supports.

While this makes for compelling viewing, the overall message risks being weakened.

The film is available to watch on Netflix.

38 The Vegan | Issue 4 2019

The perfect gift for a vegan into crafts and skincare 2 Patrik Baboumian – athlete and activist 1

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Issue 4 2019 | The Vegan 39

Your Views

Your views Choline concern I recently read an article about the nutrient choline, in which the author was concerned that it could not be obtained on a vegan diet.

Apparently, choline is essential for the health and development of our brains. I would be interested to know what The Vegan Society’s response would be to this.

I turned vegan 20 months ago for ethical reasons and am now also spreading the word of the health benefits to friends and family. These reports cause them to worry over what little ole me (the non-expert) has to say about it.

There is so much speculation out there that I would rather quote from the reliable source that is The Vegan Society!

Jo Gardener Thank you for contacting us. We have received several queries from vegans in the same position.

While research around choline is limited, UK nutrition experts haven’t set targets for our intakes of this nutrient and it isn’t thought to be an area of concern for people eating balanced and varied vegan diets. If you would like more information on this topic, we have published an article on the ‘News’ section of our website.

Heather Russell, Dietitian

Have your say!

Write Donald Watson House 34-35 Ludgate Hill Birmingham, UK, B3 1EH Email editor@vegansociety.com Facebook /TheVeganSociety Twitter @TheVeganSociety Comments may be edited for publication.

40 The Vegan | Issue 4 2019

AGM 2020 The 2020 AGM will take place at 1pm (with registration starting at 12pm) on Saturday 30 May at The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow G1 3NU.

Election of council members Applications for membership of the board of trustees (council) are invited by 2 March 2020.

Candidates must be full members of the society and aged 16 or over on the date of the AGM.

Members’ proposals We welcome members’ proposals to the AGM. These should: • Be proposed and seconded by full members • Not exceed 300 words, including any supporting material • Propose a single form of action (not be a composite proposal nor simply a statement of opinion) Proposals must be submitted by 3 January 2020.

For a candidate pack or further information about becoming a trustee or submitting a proposal, please contact the Chair of Council, Menna Jones (chair@vegansociety.com), and the CEO, George Gill (ceo@vegansociety.com), by email or by post (Donald Watson House, 34–35 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham B3 1EH).