The Vegan 2016 Issue 3

The Vegan 2016 Issue 3

The Vegan Society magazine

VEGAN COMEDY Featuring Vegan Sidekick and comedian Chris Stokes

HOW MANY VEGANS IN BRITAIN? The survey results are in!

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Editor’s Letter & Contents

Editor’s Letter

H

ave you ever been accused of not having a sense of humour, just because you don’t laugh at jokes about bacon?

Unfortunately many of us have – but this issue of The Vegan sets to rest the idea that vegans lack a funny bone.

I believe that humour can be a great way to get our message across. So does Richard Watts, AKA Vegan Sidekick (page 8), whose comics have taken social media by storm. His trademark wit and logic has given so many vegans new ways to counter anti-vegan claims.

This quarter I interviewed vegan stand-up comedian Chris Stokes. Turn to Stand up for Animals (page 19), where you can hear how Chris uses comedy to dismantle preconceptions of vegans while his audience’s guard is down. He also reveals his favourite condiment-themed insult.

Alongside this, you can learn about our recent successes, read up on vegan recipe hacks and hear what our amazing volunteers have been up to. We also feature an analysis of the results of our How Many Vegans survey (page 36). Find out how many vegans live in Britain, alongside some fascinating stats and demographics.

Contents 03

Achievements

06

Media highlights

08

Vegan Sidekick

12

How Many Vegans

15

Recipes

21

Stand up for animals

26

Reviews

30

Active vegans

35

Nutrition

36

Shoparound

38

The perfect partnership

08

Essential updates on Vegan Society news

The Vegan Society in the press

Richard Watts, vegan cartoonist

How many of us are there in Britain?

15

Our favourite recipe hacks

Interview with comedian Chris Stokes

Four reviews, including a new vegan film

Keeping up with our amazing volunteers

21

Up-to-date info on vitamin D

New vegan products to look out for

Fry’s Family Food are taking action Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 1

From the CEO Editor Elena Orde Art Director Lia Cumming Contributors Richard Watts, Nancy Morris and Joshua Parkinson, Niki Trenbath, Derianna Thomas, Kim Stallwood, Tammy Fry Cover illustration: Vegan Sidekick Print kingsdown.uk.com Submissions We welcome articles on a range of topics relating to veganism, as well as photographs, images, and illustrations.

Please email editor@vegansociety.com for more information.

Staff Interim CEO & Head of Business Development George Gill Head of Communications Peter Smith Chief Finance Officer Stephen Hirst Senior Advocacy & Policy Officer Amanda Baker Volunteering & Engagement Manager Alex Douglas Supporter Services Officer Andy Davidson Supporter Services Assistant Debbie Latham Admin Assistant Katherine Anderson Media & PR Manager Jimmy Pierce Web & Digital Communications Officer Ali Ryland Communications & Campaigns Officer Elena Orde Office Manager & Fundraiser Sarah Cook Merchandise & Sales Manager Spencer Harris Sales Assistant Dean Bracher Business Development Officers Paul Philbrow & Laura Faliveno Trademark Relations Officer Abigail Stevens Business Development Assistants Sally Murray-Fella, Rhiannon Delo, Charlotte Bracken, Emma Blockley Business Operations Manager Paul Tomlinson Finance Officer Allan Oakes Research Officer Dr Lorna Marques-Brocksopp Dietitian Heather Russell

From the CEO Big challenges, big rewards

W

e have been going through a period of change here at The Vegan Society. Our CEO, Jasmijn de Boo, has left after serving for four and a half years with outstanding commitment and dedication. I would like to wish her good luck for the future, and thank her for all she has done for the society, which has gone from strength to strength under her leadership.

I would also like to thank our council of trustees for appointing me as interim CEO. Having completed seven years as Head of Business Development, I am confident that I can meet the requirements of this role. Although I am sure it will be challenging, it will be rewarding too. With a great staff team behind me and with the support from both the board and our members, I am sure that together we can progress the work of The Vegan Society.

During my period as CEO, I would like to ensure that everything the society does takes us closer towards our goal: ending the exploitation of other animals.

I look forward to the society launching new campaigns for improving education, public policy, advocacy and awareness, thereby taking veganism into the mainstream.

I was delighted to attend our Annual General Meeting at the end of May, and for the opportunity to introduce myself to the members who were present. Members elected our new council: Salim Akbar, David Gore, Constantin Imbs, Menna Jones, Graham Neale, Sagar Shah, Patricia Tricker, Jenifer Vinell and Stephen Walsh. Stephen Walsh is Chair, Jenifer Vinell Vice-Chair and Menna Jones Treasurer. Edward Daniels and Felix Hnat stood down from council. We thank them both for their dedication to veganism.

Staff Updates Katherine Anderson joined us in June to fill the post of Admin Assistant. She has already alleviated the workload of many members of staff while treating us to amazing chocolate cupcakes.

Heather Russell took up the post of Dietitian in July. Her friendly demeanour and expertise in plant-based nutrition is an invaluable asset to our team.

Paul Tomlinson has also joined us in the role of Business Operations Manager, and will be ensuring the smooth running of systems and operations in the Business Development department.

Council Stephen Walsh (Chair) Jenifer Vinell (Vice-Chair) Menna Jones (Treasurer) Salim Akbar, David Gore, Constantin Imbs, Graham Neale, Sagar Shah, Patricia Tricker 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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0845 45 88244 0121 523 1730 info@vegansociety.com www.vegansociety.com

Š The Vegan Society Registered Charity no.279228 Company Reg. no.1468880

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Achievements

Achievements Educating health professionals On 30 April The Vegan Society hosted Dr Michael Greger – bestselling author and physician – for a free invite-only event targeted at health professionals. Endorsed by our partners at the British Dietetic Association, the event was created to spread awareness about the benefits of plantbased diets in preventing and treating disease.

The night was a great success, with over 40 attendees including students, dietitians, GPs and fitness coaches. Dr Greger was coming to the end of a long four-month tour but still delivered his talk and Q&A session with enthusiasm and his trademark charisma.

Feedback from the event was resoundingly positive. Guests gained valuable knowledge about how plant-based foods can play an important role in aiding their patients and clients. Guests were also pleasantly surprised by the array of tasty vegan nibbles, as well as the wine from our Vegan Trademark holders.

Bristol Food Connections panel Jasmijn de Boo was invited to appear on a panel debate as part of Bristol Food Connections festival. The question to be addressed was: how should we eat to reduce our carbon footprint and save the planet? As such, it fitted perfectly with the vegan vision. The panel was recorded and played on BBC Radio 4’s Costing the Earth.

Jasmijn was the only expert who made the case for plant-based food, easily rebuffing the counter-claims made by pro-meat speakers and backing up her points with solid evidence.

Each panellist presented a proposed meal which aligned with their environmentally-friendly vision. Audience members were asked to vote on their favourite, and the vegan menu came out second despite the non-vegan audience – a good result!

Taking Grow Green to the next level

Dr Michael Greger, vegan physician

In May, Jasmijn de Boo and volunteer Tom Kuehnel travelled to Brussels to meet Paul Brannen MEP’s team. Paul Brannen requested this meeting after hearing of our Grow Green campaign, and showed a keen interest to be involved and move forward with it.

Post-referendum, we still plan to push forwards with Grow Green at an EU level. We are currently contacting European environmental NGOs with the view to garner support and work together in the future. There is a possibility of hosting an EU parliamentary breakfast meeting later in the year, which would be a fantastic opportunity to showcase the Grow Green report. We will also look towards possibilities to conduct more research which would further validate the claims of the report.

Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 3

Achievements

Bristol Vegfest In May, Alex, Andy and Elena travelled down to Bristol to represent The Vegan Society at Bristol Vegfest. An exciting show with a festival vibe, this event attracts a great audience, including many non-vegans who are open to making positive lifestyle changes.

One of the aims of the event was to encourage visitors to email their MPs, asking them to support our Grow Green campaign. Volunteers Tom and Sahra did an outstanding job, encouraging dozens of people to send out the template email then and there.

We signed up over 50 new members and dozens of Pledgers, almost sold out of recipe books, and enjoyed live music from our ambassador Macka B – a great weekend all round.

Event volunteers do a fantastic job

Pledge increases We now regularly receive over 1500 new signups to our Pledge each month – that’s an 82% increase from last year, or a 415% increase from two years ago. As we know, the majority of Pledgers surveyed stay vegan afterwards, so we’re happy to welcome many new vegans to the fold each month. Many have been impressed with our inclusion of a balanced weekly vegan meal plan, as well as our new information on how to handle plant milk in hot drinks. Encourage your nonvegan friends and family to head to vegansociety.com/pledge today to sign up for 30 days of emails containing support, tips, advice and recipes.

Over the past few months we have been present at several outreach events across the UK. One notable highlight includes the first Viva roadshow event in Birmingham, which had an incredible turnout. Volunteers Phoebe, Stephen and Debbie were an amazing help, signing up 18 new members and speaking to many people who weren’t vegan yet and were keen to learn more.

Volunteers Andy, Jude and Michelle represented The Vegan Society at the LABL (Live a Better Life) fair in the beautiful St George’s Hall in Liverpool. With 120 stalls, there were cookery demonstrations, talks and workshops, and lots of friendly people keen to learn more about our work and living an ethical lifestyle.

“Having been vegetarian for over 30 years, I’d always thought being vegan was extreme. Your help and guidance has made me realise how wrong I was, and that with just a little more thought it can so easily become an ordinary way of life, saving the suffering of animals, the environment and with the added bonus of personal health benefits. THANK YOU.” Chrissie

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Andy, Jude and Michelle talked to hundreds of visitors

Achievements

New leaflets

Business Development Assistant Rhiannon at NOPE

Natural Organic Products Europe The Natural and Organic Products Europe Show occurred in April, and was as much of a success for The Vegan Society’s Trademark team as ever.

Our Vegan Pavilion has significantly expanded, and featured 20 stallholders who all carry The Vegan Trademark.

Mark at Bute Island Foods commented, “It’s great being in an area where everyone knows the products are suitable for the market. People can enquire about the products with confidence.”

There are exciting things in store for the future, as the show organisers intend to create a much larger vegan area in the show next year to accompany the Vegan Pavilion.

Here at The Vegan Society, we are keen to do all we can to support vegan activists. With this in mind, we have been reviewing and updating our educational materials and have now added two new leaflets to our stock.

‘Vegan for the animals’ lays out the reasoning behind veganism as an ethical standpoint in an accessible and straightforward way. Offering a bite-sized introduction to the mindset of an ethical vegan, it will challenge the preconceptions of non-vegans and direct them to our website to find further information.

‘Vegan for the environment’ is a 4-page booklet which covers the topics of pollution, resource scarcity and waste which is rampant in animal product industries.

If you would like to distribute either of these leaflets please email us on leafets@vegansociey.com. We do not charge for the leaflets or for postage, but if you are able to give a donation this will be gratefully received.

Vegan for the environment Saving our planet with plant-based diets

Vegan the an for imals

A righ t to life and fre edom www.vegansociety.com Tel: 0121 523 1730

Increase in Twitter engagement At the start of summer we reached over 120,000 Twitter followers: a massive increase, the amount having doubled in the last year and a half! Twitter remains a great place to ask us vegan-related questions – even if we don’t know the answer, the ready and willing vegan Twittersphere are eager to help out.

We’re not afraid to stir a little controversy for educational purposes, as our post featuring a vegan chicken drumstick recipe – made with jackfruit and cauliflower – demonstrated. Some non-vegans were perplexed with the fact that vegans don’t want to eat meat but can enjoy meat substitutes. Well, we’re here to educate and that’s just what we did! You can follow us on Twitter by heading to twitter.com/thevegansociety and to chat, just @TheVeganSociety and we’ll get back to you. Don’t forget to invite your friends too.

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Media Highlights

Media highlights

We generated over 100 pieces of coverage in May alone – another record!

Prostate cancer research

Jammie Dodgers

A major independent study found that vegans have a 35% reduced prostate cancer risk. We wrote a press release using these stats which formed the basis of news stories on ITV and STV and in The Independent, The Daily Mail, The Huffington Post plus dozens more websites.

These stories all included quotes from Media Manager Jimmy Pierson, who called for an end to the outdated notion that eating meat is macho and somehow enhances masculinity or virility. He commented that the negative health effects caused by eating animal products are killing thousands of men in the UK every year, so it is now time to embrace plant-based living regardless of gender.

Web and Digital Communications Officer Ali Ryland created a petition in response to the announcement that Burton’s Biscuits were to add milk to their vegan-friendly, much loved Jammie Dodger biscuit. With almost 8000 signatures asking for the biscuit to remain dairy-free, the story stirred plenty of media interest, and was covered by BBC Newsbeat, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Daily Mail among others.

All articles included Vegan Society quotes questioning the commercial sense of this change, given the growing number of vegans, dairy reducers and people with lactose intolerance.

Jasmijn de Boo also appeared on BBC Radio Wales to discuss the issue.

Independent Voices

Best of the rest

Elena Orde, Editor of this magazine, is now a contributor on leading comment website Independent Voices. Her first piece, an open letter to vegetarians encouraging them to go vegan, proved very popular with over 2000 shares on social media during National Vegetarian Week.

Elena then wrote about the vegan climber who died on Everest, directly addressing the media’s irresponsible insinuations that the climber’s diet had contributed to her death. This piece was an even bigger hit, shared over 4000 times. Expect more positive vegan content from your editor on Independent Voices soon!

Jasmijn de Boo performed exceptionally well as a panellist on the BBC Radio 4 programme Costing The Earth, where she made the case for veganism as the most sustainable diet. We contributed significantly to a string of vegan pieces in The Guardian, who published a top 10 vegan-friendly restaurants list and a guide to eating vegan on the high street compiled by us. They also tastetested a number of Trademarked products which we recommended. Jimmy has also become a contributor to The Huffington Post Blog. His first two pieces, about the dairy and egg industries, were both selected as Editor’s Pick.

Read about the coverage from our survey results on page 13 6 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

Comedy

Vegan Sidekick Creating new vegans, one comic at a time

8  The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

Comedy

R

ichard Watts, AKA Vegan Sidekick, has produced hundreds of comics debunking arguments against veganism with his trademark logic and wit. Here he speaks about social media activism, meeting fans and the future of Vegan Sidekick.

I went vegan in 2000. I’d previously been vegetarian for a long time on the basis that it’s wrong to kill animals, and I didn’t buy leather or animal tested products. After a little thought, I came to realise that breeding animals into captivity for our purposes is unreasonable. It’s exploitation no matter what.

Introducing Vegan Sidekick I make comics that deal with the kinds of justifications that people give for harming animals, the situations vegans find themselves in, and the general attitude or mental process that goes on when people try to weigh up their own views on animal rights against how they actually treat animals in reality. The point is to get people to rethink what we’re doing to animals, and realise it’s totally unnecessary.

There are a lot of great resources out there already, which just give the straight facts about animal product industries. It’s obviously really

good to have that, but then as a result you often get the typical nonsensical excuses from people who don’t want to accept it. I like to think that’s where I come in, to provide handy rebuttals for people who have been told what’s going on, yet still want to fight.

Humour and vegan outreach I think that including humour in my work makes people want to share it. So non-vegans end up seeing my comics and reading them before they know what they’re getting into. I wouldn’t say that my approach is the only one that works or should exist, or that I get it right every time. I’m not a perfect advocate – I screw up, either in the comics or how I speak to people.

There are some people who criticise or even hate what I’m doing, and that’s alright. There are other forms of outreach which may appeal to them, whether it’s a video about animal rights, a documentary, a vegan athlete, vegan chef or even a vegan musician.

It’s not simple to know what will shake someone out of their routine. So I like to think of my page as a single tool, but not the only one that anybody should use. You have to say what is appropriate for the person you’re talking to, and if my work is just annoying them, then try something else.

Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 9

Comedy

Creating new vegans I’m frequently told that my comics have changed how someone thinks. Generally people say that they used to make the same silly excuses that I cover and they hadn’t ever had it spelled out in such blunt terms as to why it’s wrong to think that way. There are other people who just say they never realised what went on in the egg and dairy industries.

It’s surprising when people I’ve been talking to have been putting forward nonsensical arguments for days, and then go vegan after that. It’s rare – I do a double-take when it happens. Certain people are so argumentative and cling to what they’ve been doing all their lives, they’ll say pretty much anything at the time when confronted. But I think once they have been told what happens to animals and that there is an alternative, and they’ve had their excuses dispelled, then when they are alone with their thoughts, that is the time they truly reflect and make the decision for themselves. A lot of people see conversations as a battle, and they don’t want to lose that battle at the time – even if they know their side isn’t even worth fighting for.

Meeting fans

What’s next?

Since I began having stalls at vegan events, the reaction has been pretty mind-blowing. Sitting at home in my pants drawing a silly stickman, and then having people ‘like’ it on social media is one thing. But face to face (fully dressed), people talk to me like I’m a celebrity. I won’t get used to that.

It’s nice to know that I’m making a difference for a lot of people but I really try not to let it change how I see myself.

I feel out of place at big events, and to me I’m just another person attending – but other people are there to speak to me as if I’m something special. I just try to be myself and answer people’s questions. I worry sometimes that people build me up too much like I’m some kind of superhero, but I’m just me, another everyday person like anyone else.

It’s fun to see people react to the comics for the first time. You see them frowning in confusion because they don’t realise it’s going to be humour or sarcasm. But once they flick through a few pages or pick up a couple of stickers, you see them start to smile and show their friends. So far I’ve only had one person react negatively, and all they did was read some of the comics and say “Okayyyyyy” and then walk off. Can’t win them all.

In terms of the page itself, I think I’ll be making another book of comics soon, as I’ve got so many piled up since the third volume. Also, people have been asking me to make T-shirts for a long time, and for a couple of reasons I haven’t done it. But in the near future it seems like it could be a thing.

I am still considering doing animated stuff but I’m hesitant because as soon as you put a voice to it, you risk altering the whole feel. So it might be that I do something fresh which has the same principle, but would have unique characters separate to the comics somehow, so I don’t detract from the comics.

Honestly I don’t really know what I’m doing.

I just try to keep up with the demand for the comics and I get round to answering the sweet e-mails and messages people send me when I’m feeling vaguely organised. Whatever it is that works about the comics, I hope to keep it alive and make the best of this opportunity to reach so many people.

10 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

By Richard Watts Visit vegansidekick.com. Some people may find the language used in some comics offensive.

Comedy

Vegan Sidekick’s top omnivore arguments “What about microorganisms?”

“Killing is part of life, you can kill my entire family and me if you want, as long as you found a use for our bodies.”

“Giraffes would run factory farms if they could.”

“I don’t see a distinction between a mammal and a skin cell.”

“You say that plants don’t have a central nervous system, but neither does a sausage.”

“Lions would use the internet if they could.”

“Animals probably want to be killed because their lives in factory farms are miserable so it’s fine.”

“I would have eaten my own dog before I adopted them, but now that I have, that would be unreasonable.”

Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 11

Campaigns

How many vegans live in Britain?

The answer we’ve all been waiting for

O

ver the years, The Vegan Society has received hundreds of requests from people all wanting the answer to the same question. From journalists to entrepreneurs to activists – everyone wants to know the number of vegans in Britain.

Ten years ago, we estimated this number to be around 150,000. Due to the amazing successes of the vegan movement, we all knew that this number would now be much higher. However, it was important for us to conduct this research professionally, in order to ensure that the data was as reliable and representative as possible.

Thanks to a very generous donation from Vegan Society member Roger Roberts, from Vegan Life magazine, and from people who donated to our crowdfunding campaign, we reached our fundraising target. After receiving advice from our Research Officers and Research Advisory Committee, we approached leading researchers Ipsos MORI, who took on the project.

A large sample size was necessary in order to capture the most accurate picture of the vegan population. In total, Ipsos MORI spoke to almost

12 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

10,000 people aged 15 plus from all over England, Scotland and Wales. Interviews were carried out in respondents’ homes so we did not accidentally miss those people without access to the internet or a telephone.

The core data Drumroll please!

There are 542,000 people in Britain who follow a vegan diet. These people said they never eat any form of meat, fish or shellfish even in dishes that contain these in small amounts, and never consume any other products produced from animals such as milk, cheese, eggs, honey and gelatine.

There are 360,000 people in Britain who follow a vegan lifestyle. These people avoid all products derived from animals or that include animals.

Our research also uncovered a lot of other extremely valuable data regarding motivations and demographics. For example, half of all vegetarians surveyed would like to cut down on their consumption of animal products. This could mean over a million vegans in Britain before too long!

Campaigns

Age The growth of the vegan movement is being driven by young people, as close to half of all vegans (42%) are in the 15-34 age category. Only 14% are aged 65 and over.

Education 38% of vegans are educated to degree level, compared with 30% of the general population.

Gender

Marital status

There are almost twice as many vegan females (63%) compared to males (37%).

39% of vegans are single, compared with 27% of the general population.

Location London and the Midlands show a greater proportion of vegans than other areas, with Northern England and Scotland having fewer vegans.

88% of vegans live in urban or suburban areas, compared to 12% living in rural areas.

Maximising our impact This research will be vital for our future outreach and campaigns. We now know which groups are predisposed to a vegan diet, and the reasons others have for not going vegan. By tailoring our messages with this information in mind, we can be more effective going forwards.

Now we know that over 1% of the population of Britain follows a vegan diet, we have greater legitimacy when campaigning for change at a policy level. This should make the government more receptive of our campaigns for better provision for vegans in places such as hospitals, schools, prisons and care homes.

The size of the vegan market may also surprise people in the business industry, and lead to more vegan products being made available. Greater provision for vegans will make it easier for more people to go and stay vegan.

When we repeat this survey in the future, we will be able to see how fast the vegan movement is growing. We can then measure our activism more accurately, and gauge the effect of our campaigns.

Making headlines From TV to print and online to radio, the media response to our research was quite extraordinary.

Jasmijn de Boo was interviewed live on Sky News. She appeared in the studio with Eamonn Holmes discussing many aspects of veganism. A representative in Scotland also appeared on STV news on our behalf.

The story was covered as a news item or longer feature in virtually every major publication: the Guardian, Telegraph, the Independent, the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, the Sun, the Scotsman and the Herald. On top of this, at the time of writing, around 85 other publications have commented on the news. We also discussed the findings on radio, including BBC Radio 5 Live, plus five other regional stations. The spin-off features will continue to roll in for months to come. It is impossible to estimate our possible reach on this project though it will amount to many, many millions.

  Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 13

Recipes

Recipe hacks Surprising ways to veganise your old favourite recipes

F

or many people, going vegan means becoming more imaginative in the kitchen. Last summer, we dedicated the whole magazine to celebrating vegan culinary creativity. The recipe for vegan meringues made with aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) was particularly well received. We vegans are problem solvers – and we love ingenious ways to replace non-vegan ingredients. So this issue, we’re bringing you four similar recipe hacks. Wow your non-vegan friends with them – and see if they can guess the magic ingredients.

Ingredients Flesh of 2 ripe avocados ½ cup chocolate chips or cocoa powder ¼ cup to ½ cup plant milk of choice 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/8 tsp salt 2-6 tbsp sweetener of choice

Chocolate avocado mousse The best part about this avocado chocolate mousse is that it tastes so decadent that you completely forget you’re getting so many health benefits at the same time. The mousse will only take you a few minutes to make, and yields around four servings.

Directions You have two options for this recipe. The version with the chocolate chips will be richer, while the version with the cocoa powder will be lower in fat and sugar.

If using the chocolate chips, carefully melt them before beginning. For both versions, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Use less milk for a thicker mousse and more for a thinner/creamier result. If using chocolate chips, use only 2-3 tbsp sweetener of choice. If using cocoa powder, use the higher amount of sweetener. (If you must, you can try mashing everything together without a blender. It just won’t be nearly as smooth.)

Image and recipe from chocolatecoveredkatie.com

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Recipes

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Recipes

Ingredients 1 cup soaked raw cashews 1 cup boiled carrots 1/2 cup water 2 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast 1/8 cup green chillies 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Cashew-carrot nacho cheese Directions Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and mix until creamy smooth.

Serve with your choice of chips or veggies and top with sliced green onion, diced tomatoes, chopped red onion, and sliced jalapeños.

Enjoy!

Image and recipe by 3bunnies. Find them on Instagram @3.bunnies or visit threebunnies.com.

Ingredients For date caramel 200g dates, pitted and soaked until soft Splash of vanilla essence Pinch of salt For base and topping 150g vegan plain biscuits 30g vegan spread 100g vegan chocolate

Date caramel millionaire’s shortbread Directions To make the caramel, blend your soaked dates in a food processer until they form a thick, smooth paste. You could also use a hand blender.

Add a generous pinch of salt and the vanilla essence.

With a rolling pin or food processer, grind your biscuits into fine crumbs. Melt your vegan spread and add to the biscuits. Press the mix into a clingfilm-lined shallow rectangular dish approximately 7 inches square, pushing down firmly. Refrigerate until set.

When set, spread the date mixture evenly over the top and put back in the fridge. Melt your chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, then spread this over the date mixture. When cool but not hard, score the chocolate with a sharp knife into squares to make cutting easier. Serve when the chocolate is set.

Recipe by Sarah Cook

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Recipes

Ingredients For the BBQ jackfruit 2 cans young green jackfruit in water ¼ cup BBQ seasoning (2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp chili powder) ¾ cup vegan BBQ sauce Avocado slaw 2 cups shredded cabbage and carrots ½ ripe avocado 1 tbsp maple syrup Juice of 1 lemon or lime Salt and pepper to taste For serving 4-6 wholegrain vegan buns ½ cup roasted salted cashews

Barbeque jackfruit sandwiches with avocado slaw This texture of this magical ingredient makes it the perfect meat replacement. You can find tinned jackfruit in Asian supermarkets or online – just make sure it’s in water rather than brine or syrup.

Directions Rinse, drain and thoroughly dry jackfruit. Chop off the centre ‘core’ portion of the fruit and discard. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Then mix together the BBQ seasoning and add to the jackfruit. Toss to coat.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 1-2 tsp oil of choice, and the seasoned jackfruit. Toss to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly coloured. Then add the BBQ sauce and thin with enough water to achieve the desired consistency.

Stir and reduce the heat to low-medium and cook for about 20 minutes, or up to 35 for a deeper flavour. Remove the lid and stir occasionally. For a finer texture, use two forks to shred the jackfruit as it cooks.

In the meantime, make the slaw by adding all the ingredients except vegetables to a small mixing bowl, and whisk to combine. Thin with water until a thick sauce is made, then add veggies and toss to coat.

Set in the fridge until serving.

Once the jackfruit has been properly simmered, turn up the heat to medium-high and cook for 2-3 more minutes to get a little extra colour/texture. Then remove from the heat.

Place generous portions of slaw on the bottom buns, top with a generous serving of BBQ jackfruit, and cashews.

Image and recipe by minimalistbaker.com.

18 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

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20  The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

Interview

Stand up for animals

Comedian and friend of The Vegan Society Chris Stokes speaks to Elena Orde about subverting vegan stereotypes and using humour to create change   Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 21

Interview

Tell me about your experience going vegan.

I went vegan about nine years ago and it was very much, “That’s it.” That isn’t to claim some outstanding amount of will power on my part, it’s just that I’d been thinking about it for a long time and made the decision to do it.

Had I decided to go vegan straight away, I daresay it would have been a lot harder, so I’m not saying I have an Iron Will or anything like that.

As you well know, we vegans all have severe iron deficiencies, or so we’re told.

As for what inspired it, I assume that it must be the same for all vegans – the cruelty to animals, and the inherent guilt implicit in contributing to it.

How did you get into stand-up, and how would you describe your comedy? (That last is a bit of a naff question – feel free to ignore it!)

I’ve always wanted to work in comedy but not necessarily as a comedian. When I was in my teens, I discovered that stand-up comedy was a thing. What appealed instantly was that it seemed a really streamlined, immediate way of getting what you’ve written in front of an audience while retaining complete control over it.

But I never really wanted to perform stand-up.

I didn’t see myself as a performer. It just stayed lodged in my brain as the most autonomous art form around. But I kept watching it, and discovered so many brilliant comics that naturally I started feeling the urge to give it a try. I figured I’d always regret it if I didn’t.

As for what kind of comedy I do – I suppose the short answer would be – funny stories from what looks like an ineffectual, introverted vegan schoolboy that dismantle social misconceptions while you’re not looking... or something.

Vegan stereotypes are often the butt of jokes.

Do you prefer to acknowledge or refute these?

I find it best to acknowledge their existence, if not their validity. Once you tell someone you are a vegan, especially audiences, it instantly paints a picture because it’s come to be such a loaded word. If you can acknowledge the stereotypes, maybe even play up to them initially, then it puts you in a much stronger position to then subvert or refute them, which I think is important to do.

More important is to refute or subvert them in a humorous and engaging manner. There really is little reward in simply tearing apart the stereotypes in a charmless way. By playing up to the stereotypes initially (weak, thin, wasting away, horrible food), it takes ownership of them in a way that you can then play around with. Then you’re in a position to point out how ridiculous a lot of them are.

22 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

What’s the strangest or funniest way someone has reacted to you being vegan?

I once got asked if that meant I could sleep on carpet.

The funniest one I saw, though, was online. I had gone looking for a recipe for vegan haggis and I found quite a good one on the Guardian website. In the comments someone had written, “Cayenne!? Nutmeg!? Cinnamon!? What IS it with you lefty spice freaks!?”

Would you agree that there are a high proportion of vegan comedians?

As a proportion it’s still very small. That said, there are definitely more vegan comedians around than there were a few years ago. Whether there are more vegans getting into comedy or some comedians who decide to go vegan I don’t know, but I’m glad there are more of us. It’s nice that there seems to be a kind of ‘subcategory’ of comedian. ‘Comvegian’.

Can you think of another comic who has a great routine about veganism?

With deference to everyone else, I’d have to go for Lou Sanders, Carl Donnelly and Sara Pascoe.

They all weave veganism into their stand-up in a way that is really funny and that doesn’t alienate audience members who may not be vegan.

As for a great routine about veganism specifically, Lou has a fantastic joke about the guilt vs the lack of willpower of somebody trying to go vegan.

Comedy obviously serves to make people laugh – but how important is it to you to also use it to draw attention to important issues?

Being funny is the most important thing because people are there to laugh first and foremost. But personally, I like to use comedy to highlight things I care about, or to challenge received wisdom.

But I don’t think comedy has to do that per se.

Some of my favourite comics don’t go near anything like that. Likewise, not all of my own material tackles important issues, but I do have a personal preference for comedy that does.

Comedians have a platform from which we offer our own view of the world, its people and their lives, so our own passions and opinions are going to run through whatever we say. Not only do I see no harm in sprinkling in a little ‘polemic’ where it fits, I also see it as our duty to not waste that opportunity. If there’s a routine where I can highlight something important alongside the jokes but I choose not to do that, then that can’t be anything but a waste.

Interview

I see no harm in sprinkling in a little ‘polemic’ where it fits. If there’s a routine where I can highlight something important alongside the jokes but I choose not to do that, then that can’t be anything but a waste

Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 23

Interview

What do you think are the merits of using comedy as a vegan outreach tool – either in a professional or personal capacity?

Humour is a great communication tool.

Unfortunately, a lot of people make the same big mistake, which is thinking that if something is spoken about humorously then it isn’t being spoken about seriously. That is absolute rubbish.

It’s why comedians get in trouble sometimes for causing offence. A lot of the time, they are using comedy as a conduit for communicating ideas and thoughts about very serious issues.

The merits of using humour for outreach are huge, both in the context of being a comedian on stage as well as in everyday situations. People respond very well to humour. That’s one of the reasons friendship groups thrive on in-jokes.

Another reason using humour is great is because it totally destroys the assumption of vegans as being aggressive, defensive or humourless. Because it’s such a disarming and unexpected way to talk about it, it can do more for promoting veganism than, in my opinion, is often done.

How do you react to people making jokes at the expense of vegans/veganism?

As a comedian, I would be a massive hypocrite if I told people what they could and couldn’t joke about. If I wanted to get serious about it, I think there are worthier targets for ridicule out there than a group of people who want to treat animals nicely, but I’m not going to kick up a fuss about it to the extent that I think people should stop joking about vegans.

Truth is, we’re an easy target to a lot of people and if it invites debate then we get to talk about what we want to talk about, gifting us an opportunity to educate others about our beliefs. Or to have a joke back and dispel some preconceived ideas about how vegans are such miserable do-gooders. No, we’re FUN do-gooders.

Do you plan on talking about veganism more in your shows in the future?

Yes, as it’s such a part of who I am. I write a new hour of stand-up every year and take it to the Edinburgh Fringe. I was very close to calling my current show ‘6½ Stone of Vegan Fury’ but it’s come to include a myriad of other topics. So it’s now called ‘The Man Delusion’ – you can see it at the Edinburgh Fringe throughout August (find tickets at tickets.edfringe.com). You can also find my other tour dates on my website: chrisstokes.comedy.com.

24 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

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Please remember The Vegan Society in your will For a Legacy Guide please call us on 0121 523 1730 www.vegansociety.com

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Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 25

Reviews

Reviews

1 Yorica! ice cream parlour

By Nancy Morris and Joshua Parkinson from vegview.co.uk Welcome to vegan, allergen-free ice-cream heaven!

Frozen yoghurt, milkshakes, ice creams, cones, marshmallows, jelly sweets, chocolate sauce, sprinkles... whether you are vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free or all of the above, you can enjoy whatever sweet dessert combination takes your fancy.

Located on busy Wardour Street in Soho (no.

130), it’s a great place to pop in to when you’re in Central London and in need of a not-completelysinful sweet treat. Yorica! says that all of their ice creams are made from rice milk, and boasts that they are “Better and healthier than regular ice cream, and 100% delicious and groovy all the way.”

There are an incredible variety of vegan icecreams to choose from, including cookies and cream, salted caramel, raspberry, moringa, melon and more. There are also four different flavours of Fro-Yo (frozen yoghurt): chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and matcha, along with multiple milkshakes and smoothies.

To accompany the impressive selection of flavours you will also find a vast range of toppings including fresh fruits, jelly sweets, marshmallows, popcorn, sprinkles and a myriad of sauces – you need never have the same dessert.

There are three cup sizes available and you can also enjoy your ice cream from a gluten-free cone should you wish. The shop’s interior is fresh, young and clean and staff were enthusiastic and happy to help us choose our flavour and offer samples to try.

A great concept well executed, and a definite must-try if you have a sweet tooth.

26 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

2 Vegan: Everyday Stories Reviewed by Niki Trenbath What do a tattooed ultra-running ex-addict, the wife of a fourth generation cattle ranch farmer, and an eight year old girl all have in common?

That’s right, they’re all vegan. Compassion comes in many forms and from many walks of life, and the film Vegan: Everyday Stories explores this through interviews and anecdotes (and the occasional song).

The project is the donation and volunteerdriven brainchild of Northwest Veg; a Portland, USA-based non-profit organisation that focuses on the “vegan, vegetarian, and veg-curious community.” ‘Community’ certainly is the word that springs to mind – the small cross-section of vegans featured continuously surprise with their endearing and enduring support. Interviews touch on the three main arguments for veganism: ethical, health, and environmental factors, and vegan celebrities are utilised well, adding colour but not overshadowing the ‘everyday’ vegans.

The film doesn’t use shocking imagery, and instead prefers to share heart-warming stories of the love and respect between humans and animals. This fluffy approach may be less hardhitting compared to films such as Earthlings, but I, for one, find it a refreshing and comforting watch.

As Moby states, the time for screaming and throwing fake blood is over, giving way to a more gentle approach to raising awareness.

The film comes across as quintessentially American and perhaps a touch too sentimental for my British palette, but I admit I was left with a soppy smile on my face and a sense of pride that I share the same spirit of compassion with such an inspirational mix of people.

Find out more at veganmovie.org.

1 So many options, so little time...

2 You may recognise Genesis from last Autumn’s issue!

3 A personal memoir of one person’s journey to veganism

Reviews

3 The Pig in Thin Air by Alex Lockwood Reviewed by Derianna Thomas

The Vegan Option Reviewed by Kim Stallwood

The Pig in Thin Air is a beautifully written biography of Alex Lockwood’s own personal journey from meat-eater to animal advocate. It is clear from the outset that the book is a result of a huge amount of research on the part of the author. Alex brings in many areas of interest, including psychology, philosophy, and feminism, to explain the struggles we all face in our own vegan journeys Unlike other such books, I have found this one very easy to identify with. Lockwood taps into every emotion through his intellectual, yet simple and enlightening, exploration into finding his best self. Through this he finds the love and respect to stand up for our fellow beings in every way he knows how. Just one outstanding example is his impressive 66km run to bring awareness to factory farming.

All aspects of everyday life are brought together in this must-read: from sleeping to social media, pets to pigs, community to climate change, we are shown how changing a poor habit can start us on a life-changing path, for both you and the world around you.

Although both environmental activism and animal advocacy have been brought together, human rights advocates are only hinted at, which to me only enforces that we still have a way to go in creating a more compassionate world for all who live in it.

There’s something for everyone in this eyeopening life story – whether you are looking for a way to improve your wellbeing or need support in the steps towards animal advocacy, this is not a book to miss out on.

We live in digital times. Our phones nowadays are less about making calls than about new ways to access media, including podcasts. Podcasts are digital audio files downloaded from, for example, the BBC website of favourite radio shows.

Increasingly, podcasts are self-produced episodes specialising in different subjects.

One such podcast that will be of great interest to vegans and aspiring vegans is Vegetarianism: The Story So Far. The show is produced by Ian McDonald, a BBC-trained radio producer and host of The Vegan Option. I particularly like the production quality of each 30-minute episode and the use of actors to bring the people and their story to life.

Vegetarianism: The Story So Far looks back at the history of today’s vegetarian and vegan movements. Episodes explore non-violence as it was preached in Iron Age India by vagabond philosophers such as the Buddha to the vegetarians in the secretive fringes of the Greek world. Another tells the story of India’s lost Buddhist emperor, who issued edicts forbidding animal slaughter.

Ian took a sabbatical from paid employment to record interviews with world-leading experts, research obscure volumes in the British Library, and travel to the countries where the story unfolded. The expenses for the project were raised in a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Ian generously volunteers his time and expertise.

The UK’s leading art radio station, Resonance FM, broadcasts Vegetarianism: The Story So Far on the first Tuesday of each month. This 15-part story does not conclude until 4 April 2017. To learn more, visit Ian’s website: theveganoption.org.

Read more at alexlockwood.co.uk.

Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 27

Buy Online

Buy Online New Books The Little Book of Wonder Foods and Juices

by April Chandler (paperback) RRP £9.99 – Our Price £8.49 Meat- and dairy-free diets needn’t be boring and bland, and you don’t have to give up all your old favourites. Let us inspire you and tantalise your taste buds with our collection of organic vegan baking recipes, wonder juices and raw meal ideas that don’t compromise on flavour.

Wonder Cocktails by April Chandler (paperback) RRP £29.99 – Our Price £23.99 Have you ever wondered how to make a healthy cocktail that tastes heavenly? Did you know that you could? This beautiful collection of 350 top cocktails includes the classic and the contemporary, the fun and the fruity.

Essential Vegan Cookbook by Vanessa Almeida (paperback) RRP £10.00 – Our Price £8.00 Essential Vegan Cookbook is a visually stunning collection of over 60 delicious recipes inspired by the author’s colourful life experiences. Satisfying her desire to educate and inspire others in the kitchen, Vanessa likes nothing more than combining healthy ingredients to create delicious recipes, proving that vegan food needn’t ever compromise on flavour.

The Essential Vegan Travel Guide by Caitlin Galer-Unti (paperback) RRP £9.99 – Our Price £7.99 Want a stress-free, meat-free vacation? The Essential Vegan Travel Guide will teach you how to find vegan food anywhere – from Tacoma to Timbuktu! Now you can stop wasting your precious time off and start enjoying it (with delicious vegan food to boot).

Salad Samurai by Terry Hope Romero (paperback) RRP £15.99 – Our Price £9.99 100 cutting edge, ultra-hearty, easy-to-make salads vegans and non-vegans will love.

Award-winning chef and Veganomicon co-author Terry Hope Romero knows her veggies. In Salad Samurai, she’s back to teach you the way of the veggie warrior, rescuing salads from their bland, boring reputation and ‘side’ status with more than 100 vibrant, filling entrees.

28 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

Offer Buy any of these books between 1 August and 31 October and receive 10% off by simply entering the code ISSUE3BOOKS2016 at checkout (or quote over the telephone when placing an order). Please note that this offer only applies to purchases made through our online webshop at vegansociety.com/shop or through our telephone sales line – 0121 523 1731.

Discount List

Discount List The Vegan Society’s Discount List is a network of vegan and veganfriendly businesses who offer a discount to Vegan Society members and The Vegan subscribers.

Over the coming months new businesses will be joining us, so check back regularly to see the latest offers available to you. For full details, please visit us online at vegansociety.com/resources/discount-list.

Our newest participants include: Clothes • Avesu Vegan shoes – Vegan footwear and accessories • Luca Chiara – Specialises in fine vegan accessories for men and women

Cosmetics • Argital UK – Products made with marine green clay • Earthzest Organics – Vegan body, spa and baby products • Fair squared GmbH – Ethical cosmetic and hygiene products

Food • Ennoblement Ltd – Importers of macadamia nut oil • Quinola Mothergrain – Quinoa specialist • Testa Omega 3 – 100% plant-based, vegan Omega-3 supplement

Holidays • Vegan Surf Camp – Located in Moliets-Plage, France, its magnificent white sand beaches perfect for surfing and sunset yoga

Magazines • Ethical Consumer – Magazine providing the resources to make choices fitting your personal ethics

Restaurants and Shops • 3 Three’s Coffee Lounge – Veggie coffee lounge in central Birmingham • Give Kitchen – New vegan restaurant in Liverpool • Planetwise – Vegan food shop and yoga studio in Bridlington, Yorkshire • Raw Restaurant at La Suite West Hotel – Tasty vegan food based in London • Shallot Café – Vegan bistro in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire

Services • Life after hummus – Instructor providing nutrition and cooking classes in London

Other • Christies Direct ltd – One of the widest ranges of dog grooming products available anywhere

Do you have a great vegan-friendly business near you? Why not ask them to join the Discount List? They can find out more at vegansociety.com/your-business/discount-list or email us on discount@vegansociety.com

Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 29

Volunteers

Active Vegans Alex Douglas, Volunteering & Engagement Manager We have a new addition to Active Vegans, as each issue will now include an interview with a vegan group or organisation who are doing what we are in favour of – animal advocacy and vegan outreach! This issue, we’re featuring Vege Polska – the Polish Vegan Society.

I believe that there is a lot to be gained through talking to other activists. We can all learn from each other as active vegans. As a big fan of vegan outreach (check out my recent blog post on vegansociety.com/blog), I’m excited to learn from these groups too.

Awakening compassion Once a month I organise an event in London called ‘Awakening Compassion’. In April, we had the biggest turnout ever! During the three hours we spent at Trafalgar Square we had more than 50 people join us. Some of them were even there from the beginning to the end. Awakening Compassion is unique in many ways. We do not show any graphic photos. For the first time we brought laptops and we asked people to watch a vegan video for a vegan cake. The videos showed the hypocrisy of eating meat, in different ways.

One of the organisers said one person who watched the video was a vegetarian, and after watching said he is going vegan!

Beata Ciupinska, Local Contact for Handsworth and Feltham

VegSoc bake-off One sunny March day, Royal Holloway’s very own VegSoc got together to host a unique event – the college’s first totally vegan bake-off. Members of the society made a total mess of the President’s kitchen, but it was all for a good cause, so she didn’t mind too much. After a long night of baking, the delicious snacks were presented to students as they walked to lectures. “A vegan bake sale?” one said, “I approve.”

Vegsoc even managed to make it onto the campus app YikYak. The app features Tweetstyle information published by anonymous users.

Someone posted: “Shoutout to Vegsoc for the 30 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

vegan brownies, you helped me get through my morning”. Students were delighted that they were finally able to enjoy some vegan home cooking/ junk food, as choice for vegans is usually either salad or soup.

The cookies and brownies sold at an alarming rate, and by the end of the day we had raised £125 for FRIEND Animal Sanctuary in Kent, a haven for rescued farm animals. A number of Vegan Society leaflets were also distributed, and it was fantastic to see so much interest in veganism!

Here’s hoping next year’s Bake Off will be just as good.

Alice Barnes-Brown, president of Royal Holloway, University of London’s VegSoc

Vegan chalk challenge On a sunny (but chilly!) spring day six of us participated in the Vegan Chalk Challenge. We went to one of Norwich’s parks and wrote vegan messages on the paths in chalk, handing out Vegan Society leaflets to interested passers-by. It went well and we are planning on doing it again and making it a regular thing. As the weather warms up I’m sure there’ll be more park visitors and thus more people to read the messages and chat to. Hopefully our signs were read by a lot of people before the rain came!

Melissa Caals, Norwich

Edinburgh Napier Diversity Event Earlier this year, GreenLeaf Society, Edinburgh Napier University’s Veg*n Society, attended a Diversity Event at Leith Academy in Edinburgh.

There were a variety of stalls from organisations such as Amnesty International, the school’s LGBTQ+ group and SeeMe for ending mental health discrimination.

Both students and teachers talked to us about veganism, and it seemed as if a few of them reconsidered their attitude towards animal products. What mostly got them to reconsider their current lifestyle was the ethical side and possible consequences for the planet. We also got the usual questions about protein, iron etc., but were able to show them that it’s absolutely possible to meet one’s nutritional needs on a vegetarian and vegan diet.

Franziska Baumann, GreenLeaf Society President

Volunteers

1 Vege Polska society were inspired by their visit to Vegan Society HQ 2 Royal Holloway students appreciated their free vegan brownies 3 Chalktivism – the latest outreach trend.

Why not try it in your area?

2

1

3

Inspiring vegan organisations: featuring Vege Polska Society A group of our volunteers visited The Vegan Society in February. It was very inspiring to meet people who are dedicated to sharing the vegan lifestyle with others. We hope to learn from their experience and implement some of the activities in Poland.

Vege Polska Society is a non-governmental organisation which was formed by a group of friends – vegans who wanted to share the pro-health knowledge about the plant-based diet. As part of our work, Vege Polska runs a project in primary schools in collaboration with plant-based dietitians. In each workshop the children hear a speech on highnutritional food. Under the supervision of the chef the kids prepare a green shake, a juicy salad and a healthy dessert. So far we have run about 350 workshops across five towns.

Vege Polska is a co-organiser of the annual event called ‘Henschke Festival’ – it combines the concerts of Polish alternative music with broad culinary presentations. Visitors can taste vegan food, buy vegan products and take part in workshops.

TeenVGN is busily preparing for VGN Summer Camp 2016! With that has come an influx of media attention from The Guardian, Metro UK, The Evening Standard and even the BBC. The articles have focused on the rise in vegan teens, which we (of course) are super excited about! Although we’ve been given a lot of credit, we know that it’s down to you young people, and your compassion and determination to make a difference.

We are so honoured to be known as the network that runs solely for you and to support you in your walk of kindness for our fellow earthlings.

Don’t miss out on a summer of a lifetime and check out our VGN Summer Camp this August at teenvgn.com/camp.

We want to hear from YOU! Email us (hello@teenvgn.com) and tell us the story of how you went vegan and what helped you make the connection. We’re featuring your stories on Facebook and Twitter, as well as our website and magazine.

Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 31

Volunteer of the season

Meet Tom Kuehnel, a postgraduate philosophy student who has spent several months helping to drive our campaigns forwards.

Volunteering with The Vegan Society has sparked Tom’s love of campaigning

When did you go vegan?

I have always been veggie-curious, but it wasn’t until I started university, compelled by the freedom that living from home brings, that I decided to give vegetarianism a try. Regarding my journey to veganism, I can actually pinpoint the moment I began to consider it seriously. In my first year at university I chose to write an essay on extending the notion of personhood to great apes. After reading Peter Singer’s The Great Ape Project, a great collection of essays focusing on tackling speciesism, I decided to go vegan virtually overnight.

What kind of tasks to do you tackle in the office?

I’ve been working on multiple campaigns, but I’m especially excited to be working on the Grow Green campaign as it is aimed at institutional change, which has the potential to be incredibly high impact. For too long now the production of the wrong sorts of foods have been incentivised, and it is time for the government and EU parliament to recognise the mounting evidence calling for a greener food production system.

We need them to incentivise food which is better for the environment, our health, and most importantly the animals.

32 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

Working on such an important issue has sparked my love for campaigning. One of the things that I have learnt is that for a campaign to be successful, you need to approach it from as many angles as possible. The great thing is that anyone can help out by lobbying their respective local MP and MEP about the aims of the campaign.

Tell us about your animal rights book club Part of the impetus in setting up an animal rights reading group was to put animal issues on the academic agenda in the philosophy department at my university. Although there is a great vegetarian/vegan society on campus, I think it is important for people to consider, and critically evaluate, the arguments surrounding animal rights.

We cover a great many topics in our meetings, however no animal rights reading group would be complete without looking at the seminal works.

I think Animal Liberation by Peter Singer and The Case for Animal Rights by Tom Regan remain the foundation texts for anyone looking to learn about animal rights theory. Most recently, we looked at Carol Adams’ brilliant book The Sexual Politics of Meat, which charts the intersection between feminism and animal rights. This is a definite must-read!

The group is called BEING (Birmingham Ethical Issues of Nonhumans Group), and we meet fortnightly at the University of Birmingham.

Anyone is welcome to join and newcomers are always welcome. You can find out more about BEING, including the date of the next meeting, on our Facebook group (shameless plug over).

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Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 33

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34 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

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ECO VEGAN VILLAGE Are you interested in helping to build a small eco-village for vegans? Contact Michael: Telephone 0118 9733254 Mobile 07762 904079 Facebook Vegan Eco Village UK Email m.hall68@btinternet.com

Nutrition

D-lightful The lowdown on vitamin D

V

itamin D keeps our bones healthy by helping to control the amount of calcium and phosphate in our bodies.

Vitamin D status also appears to affect muscle health. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition has reviewed research about vitamin D and a variety of health outcomes, including rickets, osteomalacia, muscle strength and function, and falls. There may be enough evidence to suggest that everyone in the UK needs a certain amount of vitamin D in their diet in order to optimise bone and muscle health.

Currently in the UK, there is no recommended intake for vitamin D unless you are at increased risk of deficiency. Taking into account new research and evidence this is likely to change in the future, but for now it is only recommended that some people in the UK supplement their vitamin D. Do you fit into one of the groups to the right?

These recommendations might leave you wondering about sun exposure. Ultraviolet B (UVB) rays are needed to make vitamin D in your skin, but you also need to avoid burning.

Current recommendations suggest that UVB rays are strong enough from April to midOctober. Spending about 15 minutes per day in the sun should be enough for most people with lighter skin.

It should be noted that individual responses to sun exposure and supplementation are variable.

This makes it a challenge to come up with recommendations that will ensure an ideal level of blood vitamin D for most people in the UK. Some vegans will not be getting enough from the sun. So, what dietary sources are available?

Mushrooms exposed to sunlight are a natural source of vitamin D, but unfortunately most mushrooms are grown in the dark. You may already be getting some vitamin D from fortified vegan food and drinks. In terms of supplements, vitamin D2 is always derived from vegan sources.

However, vitamin D3 can be made using lanolin (from sheep’s wool) or lichen (a vegan source).

One example of a product containing vegan D3 is Vitashine, which carries our Trademark. If you use some form of vitamin D supplement, it is currently recommended to take it with your main meal and avoid exceeding a dose of 25mcg/day.

Group

Vitamin D recommendation

Pregnant and breastfeeding women

Supplement containing 10mcg/day

Six months to five years old unless drinking at least 500ml/ day formula*

Supplement containing 7-8.5mcg/day

65 years old and over

Supplement containing 10mcg/day

People who have no or low sun exposure, including people who cover their skin or do not go outdoors

Supplement containing 10mcg/day

People who have darker skin, including people of African, African-Caribbean and South Asian origin

Supplement containing 10mcg/day

*Please note that it may be recommended that a breastfed baby is supplemented from one month old if their mother has not been supplemented during pregnancy

Take-away tips • Check the table – are you at risk of vitamin D deficiency?

• If you are not at risk of deficiency, consider exposing your skin to the sun for about 15 minutes between 11am and 3pm from April to mid-October.

• If you are at risk of deficiency, choose a supplement suitable for vegans and take it with your main meal.

• Currently all UK soy infant formula is fortified with non-vegan vitamin D. However, we would advise parents to use this as the child’s health is the priority.

By Heather Russell, Dietitian Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 35

Shoparound

Siskyn Skincare Oil Range Family-run company Siskyn have launched their range of luxury skincare oils for face and body. With over 11 blends to choose from, the oils have different functions including toning, brightening, moisturising and cleansing. Made from botanical oils and nothing else, Siskyn Skincare Oils feel like superfood for the skin.

Started by two sisters who left their 9-5 jobs to turn their passion into a reality, the Cornwallbased duo strive to promote a more ethical and sustainable lifestyle through their business.

Discover the range at siskyn.com.

Shoparound Shop with confidence for products registered with our trusted Vegan Trademark

Pretty Smart Food RAWCHA® Matcha, a traditional Japanese tea, is making a comeback with full force. Made from green tea leaves which are ground into a fine powder, it retains the nutrients which are usually discarded with the leaves in other teas. Unfortunately many matcha products are treated with a range of chemicals and are sometimes found to contain lead. This is why Pretty Smart Food devoted their time to sourcing high quality, organic matcha from a tea plantation in Japan. RAWCHA® matcha is stone-ground to an artisan grade, and is soil association certified. Visit prettysmartfood.com.

36 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

Incognito Range Spending time in the countryside over the next few months? Have you considered how to keep bugs at bay in the most friendly, cruelty-free way? Vegan Trademark holders Incognito have your back with their range of Insect Repellent Spray, Roll-On Insect Repellent and Citronella Incense Sticks. They provide a harmless, vegan way to stave off mozzies – an ideal way to enjoy your evening meal outside, without becoming the meal! Available from Holland & Barrett, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and other independent stores. Find out more at lessmosquito.com.

Shoparound

Testa Omega 3 Capsules Testa Omega 3 is 100% fish-free, vegan and a high quality Omega-3 supplement.

The product contains all of the same active ingredients which promote a healthy heart, eyes and brain function for all ages. Encased in a gelatine-free capsule, each tablet contains 450 mg Omega-3 from algae oil. Algae are rich in DHA and EPA fatty acids, CO2 neutrally-grown and do not contain hazardous substances such as dioxins and PCBs. Testa Omega 3 is highly concentrated and contains more than enough Omega-3 for a healthy lifestyle. Available to purchase on Amazon, read more at testa-omega3.com.

Vivo Life PERFORM Protein Powder Fancy maximising your workout performance and optimising your health in one easy scoop? PERFORM by Vivo Life marries professional grade protein powder with some of your favourite superfoods. The formulation contains 25g of complete protein and 6g of plant-based BCAA, which is scientifically proven to enhance cellular energy and increase muscular strength. Two flavours are available – Madagascan Vanilla and Raw Cacao. PERFORM is also raw, gluten-free, soy-free, contains no artificial flavourings and has no added sugar.

Grab a free sample and find out more at vivolife.co.uk/perform.

Bute Island Greek Style Cheese It’s barbeque season! Salads are a popular staple at barbeques, and this Greek Style Sheese from Bute Island works as a perfect replacement for feta cheese in salads and tabbouleh. The Greek Style Sheese melts in your mouth with a delicate, crumbly texture.

The most recent addition to Bute Island’s dairy free Sheese range, it joins the ranks of other great products such as melty Mature Cheddar Style Slices – perfect for topping your burger with. Available from your local health food shop, visit buteisland.com to see more of the range.

Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 37

The perfect partnership

Tammy Fry shares the story behind Fry’s Family Food, and the continuing work they do to support vegan organisations 1

From goat herder to vegan Wally Fry, my father and the founder of the Fry Family Food Co, wasn’t always vegan. He began in business as a goat trader and at that time was an avid meat eater. My mum Debbie grew up vegetarian, so she really struggled with idea of shipping off goats for slaughter. She became intent on persuading Wally to close the heartless business down, and look for another way to make a living.

Wally then decided to open his own construction company. It was very successful for many years, until a job he was contracted to do changed the family’s lives forever. The last building job Wally ever did was on a huge pig farm. When he returned to carry out further work he witnessed the horror of factory farms, and saw how thoughtlessly and cruelly humans act towards animals. He felt ashamed of his work for the first time. Fiercely passionate about creating change, Wally joined his wife Debbie in choosing a vegan diet.

and burgers. This simple step led them to build the international business they have today.

At the time the company was launched, vegetarianism was shunned as a passing fad.

Despite this, Wally and Debbie had an inkling that their food consciousness would become a worldwide movement. Today, their approach to business has a name – Social Conscious Entrepreneurship. Fry’s Family Foods fits this description perfectly; it is a business that began to fulfil an ideal and give people a way to easily eat more plant-based foods, which in turn offers consumers a small step towards alleviating the environmental issues and animal cruelty issues of factory farming.

We regularly receive feedback from people who are transitioning to a vegan diet after trying our products. We measure our success by the number of animals we save each year – if everyone buying Fry’s is doing so to replace meat, last year we saved 15 million chickens, 15,000 cows and 75,000 pigs from slaughter.

Tasty replacements

Supporting amazing organisations

Spurred on to find alternatives to the foods he once loved, Wally and Debbie began experimenting in the family kitchen. They created tasty meat replacement foods such as sausages

Animals hold an extremely special place in our hearts, which is why we do what we do.

Every day, we work with a number of animal organisations, supporting them and raising

38 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

1 Tammy Fry with her lovely plant-powered family 2 Basil and friends at Fry’s latest trip to Huglett’s Sanctuary

Business

2

awareness about the amazing work they do. For example, we organise visits to Hugletts Farm Animal Sanctuary to raise awareness about their wonderful work and to help people have a greater understanding of what it takes to care for so many animals.

We are also the main sponsor for the Sea Shepherd UK ‘Fry’s Source to Sea’ challenge. For this, six volunteers from Sea Shepherd UK will travel the entire length of the UK’s longest river from its absolute source in mid-Wales to the sea at the Severn Bridge near Bristol. The journey will take six days – two walking and four kayaking.

Their aim is to raise enough money to purchase and equip a small, fast boat. Sea Shepherd will then be able to expand their capacity to protect UK marine wildlife.

Plants on fire We’ve recently launched an exciting campaign, Plants on Fire, which we hope will inspire plantbased barbeques around the world. The barbecue was always traditionally the mainstay of the meat eater – but with more and more people now following a plant-based diet (or having to cater for their vegan friends), Fry’s will show that a BBQ can be more than a boring old veggie burger or vegetable kebab!

Animals hold an extremely special place in our hearts, which is why we do what we do. We work with a number of animal organisations, such as Huglett’s Farm Animal Sanctuary and Sea Shepherd UK, to support them and raise awareness about their amazing work We’ve developed a new cookbook packed full of exciting barbecue recipes such as a falafel and mushroom burger, sticky barbecue sausage skewers and even a pizza you can cook on the grill. You can download this free recipe book at frysfamilyfoods.co.uk, and while you’re there you can sign up for our newsletter. We’ll then enter you into our free prize draw to win a ceramic barbecue worth £300. We’d also love for you to host your own plant-based barbecues and send us your pictures or even a video!

By Tammy Fry Issue 3 2016 | The Vegan 39

Membership

Your views Thank you I’m sitting in my garden enjoying a glass of wine (vegan and fairly traded – thanks Co-op!) and reflecting on being a vegan for around 35 years, and I have realised I’ve never taken the time to say thank you. The majority of this time I’ve been a member and have benefited from your help and support through your publications and more recently, website.

So thank you all, from the CEO to every last volunteer, you’re the best!

Rob Solsticewood

Non-Internet users Ali Ryland is right about the importance of technology when communicating the vegan message (Social media – The Vegan, Issue 2).

However, please have a thought for those who are unable to communicate electronically. Not everyone has IT skills, particularly older people or some people with disabilities, and not everyone has easy access to a PC or digital device.

Social media can help with isolation. But it is also isolating if someone is unable to participate in discussions or have access to goods or services where the only means of communication is electronic. Not only is it isolating but it is discriminatory not to provide non-electronic means of accessing information or services if someone is disabled. The Vegan Society is complicit in this. For example, some of the local contacts only give an email address, some adverts in The Vegan only give a website address and the advertised 10% discount on books is only available for online purchases.

Vegans are routinely discriminated against in dayto-day life. Let’s not discriminate against others.

Terry cared deeply about all animal rights issues

Terry Stringer, 1939 - 2016 Terry Stringer, a long term vegan campaigner, sadly passed away in April this year aged 77.

Terry campaigned tirelessly for animals since the 1980s, dedicating himself to spreading compassion and encouraging others to adopt a vegan lifestyle. Working with groups in the North West, he ran information stalls, handed out countless leaflets, and helped to organise vegan events.

Terry never passed up a chance to spread the word about veganism, whether it was leaving leaflets in a waiting room or simply striking up a conversation with a stranger in a queue. He had a cheeky sense of humour and could convince even the most unlikely non-vegan to reflect on their arguments.

Terry cared deeply about all animal rights issues, and added his voice to campaigns against vivisection, the fur trade, zoos, circuses and blood sports. Compassion spread through every aspect of Terry’s life; he cared for rescued animals, encouraged wildlife into his garden, would gladly help a friend in need, and in his working life always had his customers’ best interests at heart.

Terry will be greatly missed by his family, friends, fellow activists and companion animals.

Joanna Griffiths

Have your say!

Thank you for expressing your valid concerns – these have been heard and taken on board.

Please do feel free to use our discount codes when placing orders over the phone. If you require any information relating to veganism please contact us via telephone (0121 523 1703) and we will be happy to help.

Write Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Birmingham, B18 6HJ Email editor@vegansociety.com Facebook /TheVeganSociety Twitter @TheVeganSociety Comments may be edited for publication.

40 The Vegan | Issue 3 2016

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