The Vegan 2016 Issue 4 by The Vegan Society

The Vegan 2016 Issue 4

The Vegan Society magazine

ON TOP OF THE WORLD The first known vegan to summit Everest

PLANT-POWERED ATHLETES Compassion is strength

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Editor’s Letter & Contents

Editor’s Letter

ike most people, I kept my eye on the Olympics this summer. But instead of cheering on team GB, I was more interested in following the vegan athletes. And I wasn’t disappointed – we had some great ambassadors for plant-power, in categories ranging from powerlifting to sprinting.

This issue, we have featured some amazing athletes who all prove that strength and compassion go hand in hand. On page 10 you can read some stories of Vegan Olympians, past and present. These inspiring athletes see veganism not as a challenge but as an essential part of their success.

Speaking of inspiring, look out for On top of the world (page 18), our exclusive piece from Kuntal Joisher, the first known vegan to summit Mount Everest. Louise Hopkins also explores Athletic activism (page 33), featuring vegans raising awareness of animal rights through physical exertion, from mountain runners to plane pullers. Yes, you read that right – some vegans got together and pulled a Boeing 737 in the name of charity. Has going vegan dramatically improved your health, or given you the drive to get into sport? I’d love to hear your stories – email editor@vegansociety.com.

Contents 03

Achievements

Media highlights

Vegan Olympians

Recipes

On top of the world

Nutrition

Margaret’s legacy

Active vegans

Athletic activism

Shoparound

Membership

Essential updates on Vegan Society news

The Vegan Society in the press

Past and present plant-powered athletes

A Mexican fiesta

The first known vegan to summit Everest

Dietary guidance for athletic vegans

A very special gift

Keeping up with our amazing volunteers

From mountain runners to plane pullers

New vegan products to look out for

Important member consultation Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 1

From the CEO Editor Elena Orde Art Director Lia Cumming Contributors Liam Garrett, 3.bunnies, Kuntal Joisher, Louise Hopkins, Charlotte Willis Cover image: Mingma Tenji Sherpa 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 Pierson Web & Digital Communications Officer Ali Ryland Communications & Campaigns Officer Elena Orde Campaigner Tom Kuehnel Office Manager & Fundraiser Sarah Cook Sales Assistant Dean Bracher Business Development Officers Paul Philbrow, Sally Murray-Fella & Laura Faliveno Trademark Relations Officer Abigail Stevens Business Development Assistants Rhiannon Delo, Charlotte Bracken & Emma Blockley Business Operations Manager Paul Tomlinson Finance Officer Allan Oakes Research Officer Dr Lorna Marques-Brocksopp Dietitian Heather Russell 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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From the CEO Make your voice heard

t’s been a busy season here at The Vegan Society. Summer brought a team of amazing volunteers to our office. Will Gildea was with us for a month, assisting the Campaigns team with our Grow Green campaign. Michelle Schellberg joined us from Germany for several weeks, helping out with tasks from transcription to translation. We greatly appreciate the contribution of everyone willing to give up their time – you all play a very significant role in our successes. Our media outreach continues to reach new heights. Media Manager Jimmy Pierson made an appearance on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff, where he expertly made the case for vegan diets for children, transforming the panel from sceptical to sympathetic. Gaining more national TV coverage is now a renewed focus for us. Our Grow Green campaign has also been gathering momentum. Campaigner Tom Kuehnel has made several trips to Parliament, fostering a relationship with MPs who have an interest in the environment and sustainability. These links are crucial in helping us to have an influence in encouraging positive policy change in the future. Meanwhile, the Vegan Trademark is taking over the high street, and is soon to be found on menus in all branches of Italian restaurant Zizzi and pub chain Wetherspoon. As members of The Vegan Society, you can help us to increase the number of vegan options available in restaurants and supermarkets. You can do this by contacting manufacturers to demand more vegan options, or asking them to remove non-vegan ingredients from existing products. Make your voice heard, and help us to have the biggest impact possible. On page 39 you can find details of an important member consultation. We want to increase your involvement in The Vegan Society as members, and to make the society more effective than ever. Please take this chance to communicate your views. George Gill, Interim CEO

Staff updates Our much-appreciated Spencer Harris, Merchandise and Sales Manager, left us in October to follow another exciting career opportunity. We thank him for all that he has done over his four years at The Vegan Society, and wish him all the best with his future endeavours. We have been pleased to take on Tom Kuehnel in the role of Campaigner. Tom’s political expertise has been a great help in keeping our campaigns on track.

Donald Watson House 21 Hylton Street Birmingham B18 6HJ UK

0845 45 88244 0121 523 1730 info@vegansociety.com www.vegansociety.com

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Achievements

Achievements Great education at Just V Show The Just V Show in London is our biggest outreach event of the year, and 2016 was busier than ever. Visitors were up by 20% over the threeday event, proving that public interest in veganism is showing no signs of slowing down. We received a steady stream of people to our stall, many eager to ask us questions about going vegan. Over the course of the show we gained 50 new members and signed up almost a hundred people to take the Vegan Pledge. We held our very first Vegan 101 workshop in the completely packed-out V Theatre, which was a huge success. After a presentation providing the vegan-curious with all the essential knowledge needed to go vegan, the audience took part in a vegan-themed ‘pub quiz’. The whole workshop was fun and interactive, with plenty of audience participation. Prizes went to the winners, the team with the best name (‘Tiny Tempeh’), and no one went home empty handed. No other organisation is providing education and engagement of this kind, and it was definitely very much appreciated. We had some great volunteers, including people who were new to volunteering and some well-known faces. Thanks to everyone who helped out, including Aleksandra who was our event photographer and makes an appearance on page 30!

A new Vegan Society member signs up

Kerry McCarthy MP reads Grow Green report

Grow Green Our Grow Green team were invited to attend a parliamentary event raising awareness of 2016’s status as the International Year of Pulses. The event aligned perfectly with the aims of our Grow Green campaign, which calls for a transition to sustainable plant protein grown in the UK. It was organised by the British Edible Pulse Association and co-sponsored by our ambassador Kerry McCarthy MP. The event gave the Grow Green team an opportunity to speak with MPs and peers, key stakeholders including suppliers and growers of pulses, as well as environmental and health NGOs, about the benefits of transitioning to a more plant protein-centred farming industry. We have also been updating the Grow Green report with the latest scientific findings from various reviews. Volunteer Will Gildea, who was with us for the whole of August, helped hugely with this. The new and updated report should be finished by the end of the year. We have recently created a petition which calls on the government to stop the subsidisation of the livestock sector and support environmentallyfriendly vegan farming instead. Sign the petition at petition.parliament.uk/petitions/167589. Grow Green also now has its own Twitter page – follow @GrowGreenTeam for updates. Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 3

Achievements

Trademark taking over In the UK this summer you may have noticed an advertising campaign by Flora, as they promoted their Vegan Trademark-registered non-dairy spread, Flora Freedom. We saw the Vegan Trademark adorning underground stations all over London as well as in bus stops, on the side of roads, in magazines and even on TV. More recently the Vegan Trademark department has been busy working with some major high street food chains, as they seek to improve their vegan offerings. Earlier this year we began work with restaurant chain Zizzi in registering their (now wildly popular) vegan menu. They became the first UK chain restaurant to offer a vegan cheese pizza. Due to the success of the trial run, Zizzi will be extending their vegan menu this November to include new starters, mains and desserts. We have also been working with one of the biggest pub chains in the UK, JD Wetherspoon, to introduce a vegan menu to all of their 956 pubs. They are also planning to expand and develop their vegan options even further. Both chains will be using the Vegan Trademark on their menus by the end of the year, so keep an eye out for our sunflower!

VEG1 – new and improved The Vegan Society’s multivitamin VEG1 was developed in 2005 to provide a convenient way for vegans to include extra vitamin B12, iodine, vitamin D and selenium in their diets. Its success shows that consumers appreciate a vegantailored supplement which has not been tested on animals and contains no animal byproducts. We are always looking for possible improvements and have recently made some changes. VEG1 now contains vitamin D3 rather than D2, as this is the form produced in our skin when exposed to the sun. The vitamin D content has now also been increased in line with official UK and North American recommendations. The vitamin B12 content has also been increased. To order VEG1, please go to vegansociety.com/shop or call 0121 523 1731.

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Newsletter readers increase Readers of our newsletter are always first to know about the great competitions we run with our Vegan Trademark holders, so it’s no wonder that our newsletter readership has been growing exponentially. With up to 900 new readers each month, we currently boast a readership of 40,000, all of whom enjoy our monthly blog catch up, event listings and, of course, prizes. Many of our readers are new vegans or have yet to take the plunge, and regular updates are an important way for them to keep contact with everything vegan. Join our newsletter today: vegansociety.com/newsletter.

Achievements

The most colourful stand at the Green Party Conference

Green Party Conference

Grants

At the beginning of September, The Vegan Society attended the Green Party Conference at the University of Birmingham. The event provided an opportunity for us to talk to Green Party members about our Grow Green campaign, as well as highlevel decision makers within the party. We believe that the Green Party should be taking the lead on calling on the government to incentivise sustainable farming post-Brexit. This aim would be perfectly in line with a great many of their manifesto policies, and the overarching agenda of the party. Discussions with outgoing leader Natalie Bennett, London mayoral candidate Sian Berry, and newly appointed co-leader Jonathan Bartley resulted in great interest in the campaign. The catering for the weekend provided very well for vegans, with an all vegetarian menu for the evening section. It was great to see that a high proportion of attendees were already vegan, but we still had plenty of opportunities to sign up members to our 30 Day Vegan Pledge. Members understood the links between the livestock industry and climate change, with many taking the opportunity to write to their respective MPs about the initiative. If you have not done this yet, please visit vegansociety.com/whats-new/ campaigns/grow-green.

Our grants programme, Engaging New Audiences, offers up to ÂŁ500 for new or innovative projects that encourage people to go vegan and stay vegan. Over the past few months we have funded several great activities. One of these was VegaFest in Ljubljana, Slovenia, an academic conference on vegan theory which brought together people from many countries and backgrounds. We also funded a vegan food day for refugees run by the Nigerian Vegan Society. We provided a grant for ANIMUS, an exhibition of vegan artists at award-winning vegan venue Kabaret@Karamel. The exhibit was free to attend, and included work from a range of vegan artists including photographers, painters and digital artists. Running for several weeks, the show raised the profile of vegan artists and brought the vegan message home to all visitors. We also supported an environmental play at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Cosmic Fear by international theatre company Empty Deck featured Brad Pitt trying to save the world from eco-disaster. Our money paid for outreach alongside the show, which ran throughout August. If you have a great idea for engaging new audiences, you can apply for a grant via our website. Visit vegansociety.com/take-action/grants. â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Issue 4 2016 | The Veganâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;5

Achievements

Vegan Passport

Abigail highlighted the growth of the vegan sector

Free-from and Vegan In June two members of the Vegan Trademark team, Laura Faliveno and Abigail Stevens, attended the Free From Food Expo for the second year running. This year the event was held in Amsterdam and featured many well-known companies from the free-from sector. We partnered with the show organisers to increase exposure and knowledge of vegan products in the free-from market. As part of this, Abigail held a session with key brands and buyers, where she highlighted the consumer demand for vegan products. She quoted a variety of publications which predict even further growth for vegan products across Europe. The session also covered how to make the most of the trend, by developing new products or reformulating existing ones, and implementing effective labelling.

Fundraising with Follow Your Heart Our Trademark holders Follow Your Heart very generously donated hundreds of boxes of their new VeganEgg product to help us raise funds. Our very enthusiastic volunteer Amy ran a stall for us at the growing Great Yorkshire Vegan Festival, selling 100 boxes and raising £417 in donations. Follow Your Heart donated a further 300 boxes of VeganEgg for Colchester Vegan Fair, allowing us to raise even more donations. This will go towards funding our outreach work, helping us to support existing vegans and those looking to make the change.

6 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

Our new and improved Vegan Passport was out in time for summer, and we’ve received some great feedback. For those who don’t know, the Vegan Passport was created to make life easier for globetrotting vegans who are looking for vegan food in different countries, including countries in which they may not speak the language. The book includes a page of information about veganism, and what vegans can and can’t eat, all in a very accessible and engaging way, translated into 78 languages – the highest number ever. In fact, the book includes languages which cover 96% of the world’s population. We’ve added several new languages including Hausa, Igbo, Xhosa and Zulu. The book is also now available to buy as an app, for the first time. Find the Vegan Passport on our webshop or call our offices to speak to our sales team. Bon voyage and bon appétit!

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Media highlights

The Vegan Society represented on national television

The Wright Stuff

On the radio

Our spokesperson Jimmy Pierson appeared on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff, debating both the panel and callers on the topic of raising children as vegan. For 15 minutes, Jimmy expertly handled an array of tricky questions about the suitability of a vegan diet for children. His own personal story, along with some humour, ended up persuading one of the panellists to go vegan! It was a resounding success, especially given that the question up for debate (‘Is it abuse to put children on a vegan diet?’) was so inflammatory. The show was viewed by 225,000 people.

The stories coming out of Italy kept us busy – and on the air waves. Jimmy Pierson spoke twice on leading Irish station NewsTalk FM, and also on BBC Three Counties, to discuss the issues around the case in Milan. The subsequently proposed Italian law to prevent children from being raised vegan brought more airtime as Head of Communications Peter Smith was interviewed on national station TalkRadio and BBC Radio West Midlands. On the same topic, Jimmy was invited onto the LBC Breakfast Show. He then featured on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Norfolk to discuss new research about the benefits of plant protein.

More Independent success Elena Orde, Editor, has written one of the most widely read vegan-related articles this year in the UK. Her piece for The Independent was in response to the news that a malnourished vegan child in Milan was taken into care. The article rebutted claims that vegan diets were inherently unsuitable for children and stated ‘Raising a child to eat meat is more extreme than veganism’. The article has been shared over 35,000 times on social media – an extraordinary number and a fantastic achievement. Our previous most popular article had been shared 6,000 times. Elena’s piece was also published in the International Business Times, Huffington Post, The London Economic, Yahoo News, Women UK and the Bournemouth Echo.

Best of the rest Popular glossy OK! magazine prominently featured the Vegan Trademark in a piece about cruelty-free makeup. We were quoted in two different articles in The Times, the first about vegan athletes, the second about the sustainability of the vegan diet. Jimmy wrote an article in the Green Party’s official magazine, making the case for veganism. Another of Jimmy’s pieces, about the overpopulation of farm animals, was published in Farm Week and the Scottish Farmer as well as the Birmingham Post and Belfast Telegraph. Elena’s Huffington Post blog dispelled many of the myths about milk, and also proved a big hit.

Visit our new media page on our website: vegansociety.com/whats-new/media-coverage 8 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

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Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 9

Athletes

Vegan Olympians Meet the plant-powered athletes proving the strength in compassion

ith the Rio Olympics fresh in everyone’s minds, what better time to explore the world of vegan Olympians? We’re in no doubt that vegans can excel at all sports, from those requiring explosive strength to endurance, skills and stamina. Here is a glimpse into the world of just a few of our favourite vegan Olympians, past and present.

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Athletes Games in mixed coxed rowing. He then swapped boat for bike and achieved ninth place at the final Para-cycling Road World Cup of 2015. David went vegan initially because he wanted to improve his performance, but has since said that he has also come to appreciate its ethical importance. He says, “As more athletes realise the benefits of this lifestyle and the positive impact it can have on your health, we will hopefully see more switches.” Unfortunately David required further surgery early this year, which left him unable to compete in the Rio games. He was planning to represent Great Britain in cycling.

1 Kendrick Farris competing in the US Olympic Team Trials 2 Just four of Carl Lewis’ nine gold medals 3 Morgan Mitchell values animal life over success - but luckily doesn’t have to choose

Cam Awesome

2 Carl Lewis An American track and field athlete with nine Olympic gold medals to his name, Carl Lewis attributes the best of his successes to his vegan diet. He says, “My best year of track competition was the first year I ate a vegan diet.” In that year, Carl reclaimed the record for the 100m. Setting world records in sprinting and relays, Carl’s record for the indoor long jump has stood since 1984. Among his achievements include the titles ‘Sportsman of the Century’ and ‘Olympian of the Century’. In the introduction to the cookbook Very Vegetarian, Carl writes, “Most of us are not aware of how much damage we do to our bodies and to our world by the way we eat. Your body is your temple. If you nourish it properly, it will be good to you and you will increase its longevity.”

Undoubtedly the vegan athlete with the best name in the business, Cam started boxing in 2005 in an effort to lose weight. He then went on to win 18 consecutive matches in the super heavyweight class. Cam has been known to box wearing pink to show his commitment to and involvement in the Breast Cancer Awareness programme. He is also multi-skilled, being a comedian and motivational speaker alongside boxing. Cam decided to go plant-based after being inspired by the success of another boxer at his gym. After taking a 28-day vegan challenge, Cam says he “fell in love” with the diet and now boasts a shorter recovery time.

Morgan Mitchell An Australian runner specialising in the 400m, Morgan represented Australia in the 400m and 4x400m relay in the Rio Olympics this year. Morgan allegedly went vegan after watching a documentary on animal cruelty, after which she had a meeting with her dietitian and planned how she would fuel her training going forwards. She says, “The life of an animal and the wellbeing of the environment means more to me than any amount of money or the career path I wish to take.” Morgan achieved her personal best in 2016 and is confident that her diet helps her to get all the vitamins and nutrients she needs.

David Smith David was born with clubfoot, and in 2010 had to undergo life-saving spinal surgery that left him temporarily paralysed. Following a period of rehabilitation, he won gold at the 2012 Paralympic

3 Kendrick Farris Kendrick has been vegan since 2014, documenting his transition on Twitter with the line: “I’m happy to report my life has changed for the better. I feel like a new person.” The only male weightlifter the USA sent to Rio, Kendrick champions the redundancy of animal products in order to be strong. A seasoned Olympian, Kendrick has also competed at the Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 11

Athletes

4 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and the 2012 games in London. Since then he has moved up a weight class, and during the Olympic trials broke a US record.

Sally Eastall Sally became interested in veganism after working as a veterinary assistant, where she discovered the unimaginable day-to-day cruelty towards cows and other animals. She joined The Vegan Society in 1984 and has been vegan ever since. She has represented Great Britain in the Olympics as a marathon runner. She placed 13th in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, with a marathon personal best of 2 hours 29 minutes, and placed first in the California International Marathon in 1991. Sally is now unable to run properly due to a foot problem, but still keeps fit and is also closing in on 50 blood donations – a very impressive and worthy feat!

Alexey Voyevoda A Russian bobsledder, Alexey was a two-time champion of the 2014 winter Olympics in the two-person and four-person bobsleigh events. He is also a professional armwrestler and his Championship success has been documented in the film Pulling John. 12 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

Alexey states that he has seen numerous benefits to his health since going vegan, including feeling physically lighter and more clear-headed, being more flexible, and improving his immunity to colds and flu. In addition to going vegan, he also eats a raw food diet. Alexey says, “At first I approached [veganism] from a scientific standpoint. However, I then came to have some ethical views about this diet. I love happy, living animals!”

Meagan Duhamel A Canadian pair skater, Meagan went vegan overnight after a book at an airport caught her eye. She woke up the next morning, cleared her fridge of all animal products, and learned how to gain her nutrients from vegan sources. She discovered a whole range of benefits to her athletic performance, and chooses the best food for stamina and reduced recovery times. Meagan competed at the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi, where she placed seventh and brought back a silver medal in team skating. She and her current partner Eric Redford also placed first in the 2015 and 2016 World Figure Skating Championships. By Elena Orde and Liam Garrett

4 Meagan Duhamel, pair skating champion

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Recipes

A Mexican fiesta! Vegan couple and Instagram sensation Christina and Raymond share a few of their favourite recipes

exican food makes for great vegan dishes because it is full of flavour and satisfaction. We took it upon ourselves to make a fiesta that everyone can enjoy – and our non-vegan family definitely approved. In each of these recipes we recommend using pink Himalayan salt, but if you don’t have any available, regular salt will do. We hope you and your family can have a fiesta of your own, so break out the piñata - it’s time to get started. For more vegan goodness follow us on Instagram @3.bunnies.

Ingredients 400g sugar 175g all-purpose flour 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp vanilla extract ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp salt ½ tsp of baking powder 220ml coconut oil 120 ml almond milk 4 chia eggs

Mexican brownies Directions Combine all of the dry ingredients into one bowl, and mix until well combined. Then add the wet ingredients and stir well. Pour the batter into a baking pan and bake in the oven on 175°C for 25-30 minutes. Then take them out, let them cool, cut into squares, and enjoy. Chef’s Tip: Make 4 chia eggs by mixing 4 tbsp ground chia seeds with 180ml water and letting it sit for 10 minutes.

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Ingredients 1 avocado 350g soaked black beans 200g sweetcorn 200g diced tomato 30g chopped red onion 30g chopped spring onion ½ tsp salt 2 tbsp lime juice ¼ tsp pepper ¼ tsp chipotle powder

Black bean salad Directions It’s pretty simple … combine all ingredients into a large bowl and stir well!

Chef’s Tip: If you don’t have any chipotle powder, try subbing smoked paprika

Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 15

Recipes

Ingredients For ‘minced beef’ 200g cooked lentils 100g chopped yellow onion 2 cloves garlic Drizzle of olive oil For queso 200g boiled potato 150g soaked cashews 2 ½ tbsp nutritional yeast 3 jalapeno peppers (less if desired) 120ml water 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar 1 ¼ tsp of salt ½ tsp of chili powder ¼ tsp of tumeric 1/8 tsp chipotle powder For layers 200g cooked wild rice 200g soaked kidney beans 150g fried peppers (whatever colour you desire) Tortillas

Ingredients 400g tempeh 60ml soy sauce 60ml maple syrup ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp paprika Salt and pepper to taste ¼ of a red cabbage head (sliced) ½ a pineapple (diced) ½ a small red onion (diced) 2 avocados (diced) Coriander (chopped) Spinach 12 taco shells

16 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

Burrito lasagne Directions Preheat the oven to 175°C. For the ‘minced beef’, combine all of the ingredients into a pan and stir until the onions are soft. Set this aside. For the queso, combine all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until it’s creamy smooth. In an ovenproof glass dish, lay out the tortilla, cut to fit the pan, then add layers of rice, beans, ‘beef’, peppers, and queso. Repeat the process until you’ve run out of ingredients. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Once the time is up, garnish with fresh avocado, tomato and coriander.

Chef’s Tip: If you don’t have any chipotle powder, try subbing smoked paprika

Tropical tacos Directions Combine the tempeh, soy sauce, maple syrup, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl and let marinate for 5 minutes. In a pan on medium heat, fry the tempeh for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the taco shells, add spinach followed by tempeh, sliced purple cabbage, pineapple, red onion and avocado. Garnish with coriander and enjoy.

Recipes

â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 17

Mountaineering

On top of the world

Kuntal Joisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission to be the first known vegan to summit Mount Everest 1 18â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

Mountaineering

The journey to vegan I went vegan 14 years ago in late 2002. It has been an awesome journey, and one which has changed my entire life. I was raised vegetarian, but this was for religious reasons rather than choice. When I went to university, my roommate exposed me to the horrors of the dairy and leather industry. I could not reconcile my thoughts with my actions – as a vegetarian I always thought I was taking care of the animal world. However, once I realised about the cruelty, I quickly went vegan. I donated all my leather and woollen items to a homeless guy living near my place. I replaced all my dairy products with vegan versions, and stopped eating non-vegan food. For the next few months my life was a bit of a struggle, however compared to the cruelty towards billions of animals every year this was no struggle at all – just an adjustment phase. This was the first time in my life when I took a strong stand on a major issue, and this opened the floodgates of change.

In the next few years, I got rid of prejudices I held such as homophobia, racism and sexism. These introspective years were some of the most fruitful of my life, and made me the person who I am today. It all started with taking a stand for animals!

The Everest dream I’ve been fascinated by Everest since I was a teenager. At that point I had no clue what it takes to climb Everest – I just wanted to stand on top of the world. One day in 2009 I was on a chance trip to the Himalayas with my super-supportive wife. We hiked to the summit of a small peak called Hatu Peak. That was it. I realised that mountains were my calling. And since that day, I haven’t looked back. That was when I decided to start training hard to achieve the dream. I have no reasonable answer to the question I get asked often: “Why climb Everest?” I cannot describe why. But this quote by Scott Jurek, the famous vegan

Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 19

Mountaineering

I had lived this day in my dreams for eight years, and then it became reality

2 ultra-marathoner, may answer your question: “The longer and farther I ran, the more I realised that what I was often chasing was a state of mind, a place where worries that seemed monumental melted away, where the beauty and timelessness of the universe, of the present moment, came into sharp focus.” This is a state of mind I effortlessly attain when I’m climbing mountains.

Physical and mental I understood that climbing the tallest mountain in the world would be one of the toughest challenges, and that I needed to be in the best physical and mental shape of my life. I trained hard six days a week, using a mix of cardiovascular training, strength and functional training, and high intensity interval training. Examples of workouts I did were climbing flights of stairs 300 floors up and down, running 20km and hiking for 18 hours. A big aspect of succeeding in mountaineering is mental toughness. I think the key to attaining mental toughness is to put yourself in difficult 20 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

situations to confront and overcome your fears. So I spent a significant portion of the year climbing mountains in the Himalayas, but at home I continued doing mental training. For example, I went on long hard treks without drinking any water or eating any food. The idea is that things can go wrong when climbing a mountain such as Everest. You can get lost, or run out of food and water, so it’s smart to train for these situations. To begin with, I lacked the mental fitness to get to the top. My biggest weakness was homesickness. I would go on a climb, and about halfway through I would think about my father or my wife and come up with excuses to come home. In order to make it to the top of Everest, I had to emotionally detach myself from my family and friends to some extent. I would go on climbs and rarely call home. Even when I was at home I would switch off from family life. I had zero personal life. Now that I have climbed my dream mountain I realise the cost I have paid. I didn’t die. I didn’t lose fingers. I didn’t even burn my face. But now that Everest is no longer in my life, there’s a huge amount of emotional emptiness, and that’s the price I paid.

The very top I remember realising I was just 20 metres away from the summit. I could see climbers taking photos, prayer flags fluttering in strong wind, and Mingma Tenji Sherpa, my dear friend, standing and waiting for me to step foot on the summit. For the first time in 40 days I felt emotional. I felt relieved. And then I have no idea what happened – I just started crying out loud. And for the next ten minutes as I made my way towards the summit I couldn’t stop crying. I had finally made it to the top of the world. I had lived this day in my dreams for eight years, and then it became reality. The hardest part was to stay focused and come back down safely in one piece. In the end, a successful mountain climbing expedition is a round trip. It is not a one way mission. Reaching the top is optional, however getting back down alive and in one piece is mandatory.

1 Kuntal’s team ascending step by step 2 “In this journey I transformed myself, and became a better human being.” 3 Reaching the top is optional, but getting down alive is mandatory 4 Nights under the Himalayan stars

3 Raising awareness My climbs are a way of spreading the vegan word, of showing that it is possible for vegans to climb big mountains, and to break stereotypes about plant-based diets. However, I also want to raise awareness of dementia. About 15 years ago my father was diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia – a form of dementia that shares degenerative characteristics with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Even though my dad is alive today, he doesn’t recognise me or even remember my name. He doesn’t have the ability to make new memories. Ten years ago I became his primary caregiver when the disease finally stole the last of his independence. After experiencing the effects of the illness on my father, and the rest of our family, I decided to use my journey to Everest as a platform to raise awareness for this crippling disease. All through the hardest times on my Everest journey, at points when I had not an ounce of energy left in any cell in my body, I never lost sight of my goal. I had a limitless source of strength and inspiration to tap into: I was climbing for those who no longer could. Every time I’m in a difficult situation in life or on the mountain, I always think about my dad, and all the dementia patients in the world, and all the caregivers, and that inspires me to go beyond all limits. By Kuntal Joisher Photography by Kuntal Joisher and Mingma Tenji Sherpa

4 Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 21

Nutrition

Nutrition for athletes Plant-based diets for high-energy lifestyles

egular activity is essential to get the most out of your vegan lifestyle. For some vegans, sport is a fundamental part of their identity. Athletic vegans show the world that a plant-strong diet and effective training can be a winning combination.

Train hard, eat well

Stay hydrated

At every level of competition, getting enough energy and nutrients will help you to unlock your potential. Ensure that your diet is balanced and varied, and based on plenty of whole foods. Pay particular attention to omega-3 fat, vitamins B12 and D, iron, calcium, iodine, zinc and selenium.

Dehydration will have a negative impact on performance. Water is the best option unless training lasts longer than an hour. In this situation, you may benefit from a drink containing carbohydrate and electrolytes. You can make your own sports drink by mixing 800ml water and 200ml squash (not low-sugar versions), along with a pinch of salt.

Fuel Energy demands depend on many factors, including your level of activity. Women need to maintain menstruation. Children and adolescents need to fuel growth and activity, and meal-sized snacks may be required. If your daily routine is demanding, include energy dense options in your diet, such as cereal, sandwiches, pasta, homemade flapjacks and muffins, smoothies, rich sauces, avocado, dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Eat regularly throughout the day to maximise your calorie intake.

Building blocks In the UK, the daily protein intake recommended for the general population is 0.75g per kilogram of bodyweight. Athletic vegans need extra protein to maintain and repair their muscles. Endurance athletes may need around 50% more protein, and strength athletes may need up to double the amount recommended for the general population. It is best to obtain extra protein from food because of the fibre, vitamins and minerals that come with it. Here are some simple ways of boosting protein in meals:

Timing If you are eating a meal before exercise, allow two to three hours for digestion. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve only got about an hour, stick to something containing plenty of carbohydrate, a little fat and a moderate amount of protein, such as porridge made with soya milk. People who train more than once a day should pay particular attention to how they refuel between sessions. Aim to eat within an hour of finishing your first session. An option rich in carbohydrate and protein would be ideal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example porridge made with soya milk with dried fruit, nuts and seeds, or a hummus sandwich with some fruit.

Expert advice If you are an athletic vegan striving for optimum performance, consider consulting someone on the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register.

By Heather Russell, Registered Dietitian

ADD

SWITCH FROM

beans

salad

coconut milk

chickpeas

soup

oat milk

lentils

stir fries

almond milk

tofu

curry

brown rice

quinoa

nuts

cereal

margarine

seeds

cereal & smoothies

nut butter seed butter

nut butter

smoothies

22â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

soya milk

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Events

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Events Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Festival Friday 4 November – Sunday 6 November, 10am – 5pm The NEC, Hall 10, Birmingham, B40 1NT mindbodyspirit.co.uk/birmingham

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The Allergy & Free From Show North Saturday 5 November – Sunday 6 November, 10am – 4pm Exhibition Centre Liverpool, Kings Dock, Liverpool L3 4FP allergyshow.co.uk/liverpool Wiltshire Vegan Festival Sunday 13 November, 10am – 4pm The Neeld Community and Arts Centre, Borough Parade, Chippenham SN15 3WL facebook.com/wiltsveganfair Dundee Vegan Festival Saturday 19 November, 10am – 4pm Chambers East, Chamber Building, Panmure St, Dundee DD1 1EP facebook.com/DundeeVeganFestival

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

North East Vegan Festival Sunday 20 November, 10.30am – 5pm Stadium of Light, Sunderland SR5 1SU northeastveganfestival.com Compassionate Living Fair Saturday 26 November, 10.30 – 4.30 St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s St, Derby DE1 1SR compassionatederby.com Breckland Compassionate Living Fair Saturday 3 December, 10am – 4pm The Guildhall, Thetford, IP24 2AA facebook.com/events/1705997719667413

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info@vegshoes.com Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 23

Legacies

Margaret’s legacy A remarkable gift from a remarkable person

orn an only child in Manchester during the Blitz, Margaret McKay Bruce was a small but determined figure who grew into a forthright woman with a wide range of interests and passions, including the arts, children, green issues and veganism. She lived in Didsbury all her life, working at Manchester County Hall from the age of 18, then went to study at Northern College in the late seventies. Her small flat was stuffed to the brim with pamphlets, badges, books, press cuttings and postcards. She also kept notes on subjects as diverse as black women poets, the trade union movement in the UK, the work of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, programmes from hundreds of shows and, of course, animal rights and The Vegan Society. Gill Fisher remembers how they used to regularly attend concerts together at the Royal Northern College of Music, and through this connection forged a fast friendship. Margaret suffered from injuries following a car accident that forced her into early retirement. However, Gill remembers that Margaret was never afraid to express her views, especially after she had attended an Assertiveness Course. This forthrightness was particularly present in her veganism, something echoed by Nelly Tomlinson who recalls a time when Margaret (as a passenger) demanded that the car be turned around in the road because of a nearby butcher’s van. Julie Gemmill told us that they worked together in the early 1970s on local activities of the Greater Manchester branch of Breakthrough Trust Deaf-Hearing Integration. She remembers Margaret being an excellent companion in the car on the late drives home from social evenings or meetings. Even later into life Margaret was actively involved in causes close to her heart, including attending a union conference with Julie in Glasgow in 2008.

24 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

Marcia Imola in particular has very fond recollections of Nana Bruce, her fierce pride and independence as well as the strong bond they had with each other during Christmas holidays and summer breaks at their home in Wales. Her strength never eclipsed her very kind and generous nature, especially towards children, who she adored. Margaret enjoyed the beautiful countryside, listening to The Archers and was very definite about lunch being at 12 noon sharp. She always wanted to spend time with the children and her extended, chosen family whether at the seaside, in parks or on a boat. Margaret also loved Scotland, particularly the Isle of Arran and Oban. Everyone we have spoken to has wonderful memories of this intelligent, creative and soulful woman and mourns her loss. Margaret very kindly left a significant gift to The Vegan Society in her will, and we look forward to using this legacy to carry on her life’s work of activism, assertiveness and kindness. If you are interested in leaving a gift to The Vegan Society in your will, or would like more information on Legacy Giving, please call us on 0121 523 1730, visit our website at vegansociety. com/take-action/donate/leave-legacy or email sarah.cook@vegansociety.com.

Margaret and her peers at Northern College, Manchester

Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 25

Buy Online

Buy Online New Books Will Travel For Vegan Food by Kristin Lajeunesse (paperback) RRP £19.99 – our price £9.99 To the shock of family and friends, Kristin quit her job, ditched almost all of her belongings, moved into an old van named Gerty, and set out on the road in an effort to eat at every vegan restaurant in the United States. Join Kristin for the ultimate foodie-inspired road trip, and find out how it led her to unparalleled freedom, love, and amazing self-discovery. Dave Loves Chickens by Carlos Patiño (hardback) RRP £16.99 – our price £9.99 Dave is a quirky monster from another planet who loves animals on Earth and encourages others to appreciate them instead of eat them! This fun, lighthearted book, full of bold colours and friendly illustrations, is ideal for parents who would like to introduce their children to a more compassionate way of treating animals. Lena of Vegitopia and the Mystery of the Missing Animals by Sybil Severin (hardback) RRP £17.99 – our price £9.99 This book is a vegan-themed fairy tale about how one brave little girl stands up for the animal friends of her land and helps rescue them from being eaten. The book promotes messages of kindness, compassion and action. It shows that magical things can happen when you harness the power of veggies. Let’s Eat Raw by Scott Mathias (paperback) RRP £15.99 – our price £11.99 Learn how to make delicious meals that you and your body will love. No cooking involved! All of the recipes in this book are quick and easy to make, and will help you assimilate the many benefits of eating a health-giving diet of nonprocessed vegan foods. Raw Vegan Meals by Scott Mathias (Paperback) RRP £15.99 – our price £11.99 Raw vegan food is entirely plant-based and uncooked so as not to destroy some important nutrients. In this recipe that nature has provided. In this recipe book, Scott Mathias shows you how to create delicious raw, vegan-friendly meals in an easily accessible way. Beautifully presented, these recipes will inspire everyone to try a raw food diet, whether it be for one day a week or for the rest of your life. 26 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

Offer Buy any of these books between 1 November and 31 January and receive 10% off by simply entering the code ISSUE4BOOKS2016 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 vegan-friendly businesses who offer a discount to Vegan Society members and The Vegan subscribers. To see the full list of over 100 discounts, login to your exclusive account area at vegansociety.com/my-account.

Our newest participants include: Cafes, health stores and restaurants • Deepalis Ltd – Restaurant in Sparkhill, Birmingham – 10% off • Natural Healthy Foods – Health store in Digbeth, Birmingham – 10% off vitamins, supplements and superfoods • Warehouse Café – Located in Digbeth, Birmingham – 10% off

Cosmetics • Byron Bay Skincare – 15% off using discount code ‘VEGANS15’ • You Dirty Scrub – 10% off this vegan coffee scrub using discount code ‘NATURAL10’

Health and wellbeing • Josetta Yoga – Yoga teacher based in East London. 10% off when membership card is shown

Holidays • B&B Vegan Casa KaRa, northern Italy – 10% off when membership card is shown • Complete Unity Yoga – 10% off retreats and workshops when membership card is shown • Your healthy living coach – 10% off healthy coaching, 5% off vegan retreats

Food, drink and supplements • VeganAge – Online vegan store, free shipping using discount code ‘VEGANSOCIETY’ • Living Better Health Superfoods – 15% off using discount code ‘vegansoc15’ • Vertese – 15% off supplements using discount code ‘VEGAN15’ • VEG1 – 10% off using discount code ‘H5Fm9tE27d’

Services • Bedford Wedding Photography – 50% off for vegan weddings! Show membership card 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 4 2016 | The Vegan 27

Volunteers

Active Vegans Alex Douglas, Volunteering & Engagement Manager World Vegan Month seems to come around more quickly each and every year! After a summer of activity, including working at some incredible outreach events and being inspired by the next generation of animal advocates as a group leader at Teen VGN summer camp, I’m already looking forward to the many events which have been organised for the months ahead. Let me know what activities you are planning by emailing volunteer@vegansociety.com.

Summer picnic, vegan style The Lincoln Vegan Summer Picnic took place in The Arboretum in June. It was a lovely day and between 40 and 50 people turned up. Luckily the ground was dry so everyone could sit on the grass! I asked lots of people if this was the sort of event they wanted and everyone was very keen so we will be doing it again. I am currently looking for a suitable indoor venue for a winter get-together. I was able to make some useful contacts with activists in Lincoln who I had heard of but not met. Altogether a real success! Ann Henderson, Local Contact in Lincoln

Street stalls in Swindon We held our first Vegan Society stall in Swindon recently – it went very well and generated a lot of interest. We encouraged passers-by to sign up to take the 30 Day Vegan Pledge, and planted a lot of seeds in people’s minds. We had many discussions, and convinced several people to switch from dairy to plant milk by giving them tasters of the different types on offer. Because it was such a success we plan on doing street stalls at least every six weeks, in Swindon and hopefully across some other

28 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

Wiltshire towns. We have ideas to both improve engagement and also collect more sign-ups for the Pledge, so hopefully we’ll have even more signatures next time. We’re going to add a second table so that we have more space for leaflets, and we have also decided we would like to have a laptop to invite people to watch one of the videos on The Vegan Society’s website. Sue Taylor, member in Swindon

Sheffield Vegan Approach The Sheffield Vegan Approach event took place in June, and was a great success. We organised a workshop to support people to go vegan, coupled with a free food fair event open to the public in the afternoon. 50 people took part in the workshop. They were given a free goodie bag and signed up to the 30 Day Vegan Pledge. Participants had the opportunity to try a range of different foods at the lunchtime buffet, and were given a presentation with information to help people transition to veganism, including eating at home, eating out and how to meet other vegans. We then put on a film showing of Making the Connection so that participants could understand all the reasons to go vegan. We had another 500 people through the door for the free food fair and stalls, around 75% of which were nonvegan. Films were well attended and the three talks – including one on nutrition – were full. We couldn’t have asked for a better day! We received positive feedback on social media about the event and how it will help visitors to go vegan. Here are a couple: “It was a wonderful day! Thank you so much to all the volunteers. Your cooking, advice, and organisation were outstanding. I’ve got new food ideas and more confidence that I can further reduce animal-product consumption.” “I watched the film Carnism: the Psychology of Eating Meat, which was helpful. I have been vegetarian for years and flirted with veganism in the past but never fully committed. There are just no excuses left for me.” Kelly Slade

Volunteers

1 Picnics make great outreach events 2 Thanks to Follow Your Heart for the donations of VeganEgg 3 The group helped non-vegans find vegan alternatives 4 Happy teens at TeenVGN’s second summer camp

Another VGN Summer Camp has come and gone, and the organisers are making the most of this small amount of down time before planning for 2017. With the hopes of making VGN Summer Camp bigger and better this year, TeenVGN opened its camp doors to an extra 40 teenagers (that’s 72 people altogether!) ranging between 11 and 17 years old. 80% of campers from 2015 made it back this year, with the other 20% too old to make it (boohoo!) TeenVGN were so pleased to welcome back the young campers and see how their views on veganism and activism had developed. We talked about what they’d been doing in their schools and communities, and what their plans were for the future. VGN Summer Camp at Margam Discovery Centre boasted two festival-style days, movie nights, a VGN survival course, as well

as campaigns workshops from some of the biggest activist groups in the world including Sea Shepherd, League Against Cruel Sports, the National Anti-Vivisection Society and so many more. Camp graduates started their own VGN Summer Camp Twitter page which is run by campers, for campers. This is the place where you can find everything you need to know about TeenVGN Summer Camp – visit twitter.com/vgnsummercamp. With the dream of a vegan summer camp for teens well under way, we want to thank everyone who has helped make it happen. As a volunteer run, not for profit organisation we couldn’t do it without our sponsors, supporters, camp leaders and compassionate campers. VGN Summer Camp currently holds the title of the UK’s first and only vegan summer camp for teenagers. We’re so honoured and proud of our vision for a vegan future, with the main stars being our campers and members! The team of volunteers behind TeenVGN and VGN Summer Camp are working against the clock to get a venue and date set for next year, ready to announce soon. Want to be the first to know the details? Register your interest at teenvgn.com.camp and stay tuned.

Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 29

Volunteer of the season

Aleksandra Bigoszewska has been a fantastic addition to our team of specialist volunteers, using her photography skills to help us capture events outreach.

Aleksandra will be helping us out at future events

When did you go vegan? I went vegan on January 1 2014. Something about the way I was eating was disturbing me, so I decided to try to go vegetarian. I read many articles about vegetarianism and veganism. Like many people, the word ‘vegan’ only created images of grass in my head. My curiosity brought me to so many vegan recipes that I wanted to try them all. So I started cooking. And I felt that my body doesn’t need anything more. I think that’s the reason. My body told me that it needed to go vegan. What is your favourite vegan meal to cook? The best meal of the day for me is definitely breakfast! I love creating my own porridge. I don’t have a perfect recipe, but I love experimenting and adding different ingredients. I use combinations of dried fruits, fresh fruits, seeds, nuts, different types of milk and spices such as turmeric, cinnamon and ginger. Sometimes instead of oats I use millet or even rice. There are so many possibilities that, in spite of eating porridge daily for more than two years, I feel that I have never tasted the same twice!

30 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

How did you find out about The Vegan Society? I am very sensitive to animal issues. I wanted to find that I wasn’t the only person who felt this way. So I started searching. That’s how I found The Vegan Society website and applied to be a volunteer, offering my photography skills. What made you want to volunteer for The Vegan Society? I wanted to help change the world for the better, and the opportunity to meet people who think like me. I wanted to get involved, to be a link in the chain of society. Tell me about your background in photography I studied photography in high school. We trained in studio photography, analogue and reportage. Reportage is my favourite – it can be so powerful. The photographer is able to gain people’s attention for important issues. Which photographers do you admire? Will Burrard-Lucas is passionate about wildlife conservation. He has partnered with conservation organisations around the world, photographing to help them with their fundraising activities. I admire his enthusiasm and persistence. He couldn’t find appropriate equipment for his projects so he invented his own! Now he shares his innovations and expertise with other photographers. His use of social media helps him gain wider attention and reach out to others. What’s great is that he focuses not only on supporting others, but also tries to unite a group of artists who want to do the same as him.

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32 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

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Outreach

Athletic Activism

Louise Hopkins speaks to the vegans raising awareness through athletic endeavour

ometimes the mention of veganism can provoke scepticism about our athletic abilities. Such stigmas are further fuelled by the media. On the basis of some largely unconvincing rationale, vegans are typically considered at a disadvantage when pushing themselves to physical extremes.

1 â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Issue 4 2016 | The Veganâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;33

Outreach

Perhaps the reason such assumptions prevail is because discussions of veganism are often centred on what we can’t do: we can’t eat meat, we can’t eat dairy, we can’t wear leather… however this most definitely does not translate into a life of restriction and lack of ability. It’s time to talk about what vegans can and do do! But actions speak louder than words. It’s no surprise that some vegans are debunking this myth by putting on their trainers, and tackling some breathtaking challenges.

Photo: ChristianMarcPhotography

V3K Ultra Vegans are weak? Try V3K Ultra, the world’s only vegan mountain ultramarathon! The race was created when a group of vegan friends decided to get together to run all 15 of the Welsh mountains over 3000 feet. When the race grew in popularity, event creator Kirsch Bowker opened it up to non-vegans who agreed to go plant-based for the day – with some great results. The V3K organisers are keen to prove that a vegan lifestyle is not only ideal for animals and the planet, but is the optimum diet our bodies need to thrive. Kirsch says, “All of our runners are extremely positive about going plant-based for the day. People travel from all over the world to take part, even China and New Zealand! People say that the race makes them think about their eating habits. Several have reported becoming vegan as a result of V3K.” Kirsch adds, “We’re connected to a worldwide organisation called Skyrunning, so we have a huge reach. This has ensured that ethical veganism gets a wider audience. We also have one of the very best catering teams of any race. Our ethical message along with the amazing food has been instrumental in our success, along with the proof that vegans are more than adequately fuelled to take on one of the UK’s toughest races.”

Plantbuilt A group of 42 vegan bodybuilders heralding from Texas, Plantbuilt show that their muscles are as big as their compassion. The team is made up entirely of unpaid volunteers, all of whom are ethical vegans sharing a desire to prove how much power plants can provide. The team compete annually at the Naturally Fit Super Show and swept up nearly half of the trophies in their first year of participating, despite making up only 10% of the competition. Such success has invited many more like-minded, plant-fuelled athletes to join the team, and this has only added to their record of achievements. 34 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

The race makes people think about their eating habits. Several have reported becoming vegan as a result of V3K Simone Collins got involved with Plantbuilt in 2010. She says, “Many bodybuilding competitors and enthusiasts are too scared to try going vegan, because the high protein, animal-based diet myths are just so ingrained in the sport. They simply don’t believe that they can get big enough, strong enough, lean enough, or fit enough without animal protein. I like to think that my results – and the results of many fellow vegan athletes from all sports – speak for themselves and say otherwise.” The athletes immerse themselves in media outreach opportunities, taking the time to speak out at local events and conferences. Simone says, “I think there’s definitely strength in numbers, that by competing together we can draw a lot of attention to the fact that we’re all natural vegan athletes, giving us an amazing platform for raising awareness for vegan issues. There’s also many misconceptions and stereotypes we need to battle. Many people (especially males) who work out view eating meat and animal products as something manly, primal and strong – it’s often over-glorified, and they connect with these associations and ideals.”

1 Speed, agility, endurance ... for V3K Ultra you need it all 2 Some of the Plantbuilt team showing off their trophies 3 Simone Collins’ results speak for themselves 4 The moment of truth for Dorset Vegans 5 Dorset Vegans celebrate their achievement

Outreach

Photo: Tim Way and Richard Stevens

We raised £3,500 for Dr Hadwen Trust, who will put the money to excellent use in funding their non-animal medical research into brain cancer Plant-power pulls plane

Photo: Gary Philips

Photo: Tim Way and Richard Stevens

What’s the best way to show off vegan power and raise awareness for a great charity? Pulling all 350,000kg of a Boeing 737 with nothing but muscle, obviously. Lizzi Shaw of Dorset Vegans was determined to raise much-needed funds for the Dr Hadwen Trust, the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charity. She says, “I wanted to find a challenge that was different, exciting and would get people’s attention. The Dorset Plane Pull was the perfect fit! It presented a brilliant opportunity to show people that being vegan doesn’t mean being weak. Plus how many people get to say they’ve pulled a Boeing 737 in their lives?” When it came to the big day, all the squats, lunges, planks and press-ups paid off, and the team managed to pull the plane the required 50 metres across the runway. Lizzi says, “I was so happy to see how many people it brought together; I know lots of new friendships have been made as a result. And of course, very importantly, we also raised £3,500 in the process for Dr Hadwen Trust, who will put the money to excellent use in funding their non-animal medical research into brain cancer. We’re so grateful to everyone who got behind us.” Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 35

Shoparound

HEAVEN + HELLTHY Cookie Kit Who hasn’t craved delicious, vegan chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven? Unfortunately, the reality can be difficult, involving navigating the tricky world of eggreplacers. Luckily HEAVEN + HELLTHY have developed a revolutionary product that includes all the ingredients you need pre-measured. Free from the 14 major allergens such as nuts, dairy, gluten and soya, it makes baking simple and child-friendly. The kits come in a box printed with a bespoke vegetable ink design by London artist Alchem8or, and can be reused or gifted. Available to buy on: heavenandhellthy.com.

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Wyldsson Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread If you’re a fan of hazelnut and want a jar of creamy, vegan goodness to replace Nutella, we have news for you! Wyldsson have produced an alternative containing no milk, added sugar or palm oil. Their Hazelnut & Cocoa spread has double the protein of Nutella and 77% more hazelnut. With a slightly crunchy texture, the spread is sweetened by dates and boasts a rich cocoa flavour. Swirl into smoothies or porridge, smother on pancakes or spread on bread for a perfect start to your day. Wyldsson products are available exclusively on their website: wyldsson.com.

36 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

Tideford Organics Red Lentil, Apricot + Chilli Soup With the colder months taking hold, we’re looking to Tideford Organics to warm us up with their range of wholesome vegan soups. One of our favourites is the Red Lentil, Apricot and Chilli soup. The combination of aromatic spices, sweet apricot and a mild chilli kick is a perfect winter warmer. Filling and nutritious, it is also organic, gluten free, low fat and low salt. Take it to work for a quick lunch, or serve as an evening meal. You can find this soup and more at Waitrose, Tesco, Booths, Ocado, Able & Cole and some independent stores. Visit tidefordorganics.com for more information.

Shoparound

BIO-Extracts @ Home Lab The elements can be harsh on your skin, but if you don’t want to change skincare routine with the weather forecast, BIO-Extracts has the answer. A vegan tailor-made skincare solution, @Home Lab adapts to your everchanging needs. You create your own @Home Lab in three easy steps – simply choose your skin type and concern, and mix and match moisturisers and serums for a bespoke cream. This approach applies science to beauty, producing a high-performance personalised product to suit your skin type. The kits are available on QVC or directly from bio-extracts.co.uk.

Veganicity Digest-Ase We are fast approaching the festive season, when we are often guilty of over-indulging ourselves. If you’ve polished off a pack of biscuits to your stomach’s disdain, Digest-Ase from Veganicity may help. Offering enzyme support to assist with efficient digestion of fats, protein and carbohydrates, these natural peppermint flavoured chewy tablets contain all the major enzyme groups (Amylase, Protease, Lipase and Lactase), together with Lactobacillus Acidophilus for efficient digestion. They are free from sugar, lactose, yeast, gluten and suitable for vegans. Available from: veganicity.com, amazon.co.uk and independent health stores nationwide (UK).

Super Eleven The seasons are changing, and so are the foods we crave. Combining chia seeds, goji berries, cranberries and flaxseed with traditional porridge oats, Superfood Porridge is Nutriseed’s signature breakfast option. Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, it’s a sure way to start your day. The versatile blend of ingredients can also be used in flapjacks or overnight oats for a tasty and filling snack. With a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable, they offer health foods up to 50% more competitively priced than the high street. See nutriseed.co.uk for their full range.

Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 37

Membership

Your views Vegan dog thrives on plant-based diet I adopted Tara when she was a six-month-old puppy, and have fed her a vegan diet since then. She is now nearly 17 years old, which is the equivalent of a human living to well over 100. She’s never been ill and we’ve never really had to take her to the vet. I’ve had insurance and it’s been a waste of money! She’s a little wobbly sometimes but she still runs around on the Downs. I don’t like feeding animals to animals, because dogs can survive on a vegan diet. If you can try not to give animals to animals it saves a life. Ann Boyce

Support vegan businesses It is so pleasing to learn that the numbers of vegetarians and vegans in the UK are increasing year on year. Regrettably, however, there are still many areas that are not served with veggie eateries. Of course it is a real treat when on our travels we come across good vegetarian/vegan eateries; even better when they are exclusively vegan! But sadly I have found that they don’t always survive. How disappointing it can be to make a return visit, only to find that the establishment has closed down. Good vegetarian/vegan cafes and restaurants are of course a great advertisement for our cause, and we as vegans should do all that we can to support and promote them. Chris Pope

Fundraising success Last year I signed up to do the Big Birmingham Run in October to raise money and awareness on behalf of The Vegan Society. Frustratingly I developed a foot problem which prevented me from running, so I pushed my fundraising back and aimed to run the Fleet Half Marathon in March 2016. This time I had a bad chest cold, so again I couldn’t run! Good news though – in May 2016 I finished a run at The Keswick Mountain Festival instead, finally completing the task I had set myself and raising just over £210 for the society. I am proud to have run the race donning Vegan Society colours! Siarrad Townley 38 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

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

Membership

Members’ roundup Thank you for your ongoing support. By continuing to be a member of The Vegan Society you are side by side with us in our goal to make veganism mainstream and to end animal exploitation. Have you accessed your exclusive online account yet? If not, it’s really simple and will allow you to access all your rewards and to communicate with other members. If you have never logged in to the website before, you will need to register for an account. Navigate to vegansociety.com/my-account in your web browser. Now either login or click ‘create new account’. Here you can register with

the email address you have associated with your membership. If you have logged in and you cannot see your membership rewards, contact us by email – membership@vegansociety.com. Your membership may not be linked to your online account. We’ll quickly fix that. In your account, you can communicate to members, access over 100 discounts, read our eco magazine and much more. Our new Members’ Voices section gives you the opportunity to communicate to members, give feedback and inspire others. Send your comment, blog or article to membership@vegansociety.com. On the last working day of each month, you will receive a membership roundup email. This will keep you up to date on everything, including the news that members now receive 10% off VEG1. Andy Davidson, Supporter Services Officer

Consultation with members At this year’s AGM the society adopted new Articles of Association, drawing heavily on the Charity Commission’s model articles. A specific change was also made which enabled members to vote on each individual candidate for Council whenever there are not enough candidates for an election. At the next AGM – on 20 May 2017 in Bristol – we hope to complete this overhaul of our Articles by putting forward a number of proposals for members to vote on. The aim is to make the society more effective and better governed. Some possible changes were discussed at the 2016 AGM. Council has since taken expert advice on these. We also consulted staff and a number of experienced members in order to gather a broad range of ideas for wider consultation with members. A consultation document has been prepared which sets out a portfolio of changes currently supported by Council, together with a range of other options that have been discussed but

are not currently supported. As well as seeking feedback on possible changes to the Articles, we are also seeking feedback on how to increase member participation generally. The consultation document can be obtained via the ‘Member only resources’ section of our website (vegansociety.com/consultation), by email from consultation@vegansociety.com or by post (Consultation, 21 Hylton St, Birmingham B18 6HJ). If additional ideas emerge or further information is needed, we will publish an update to the consultation document and notify everyone who has responded. The consultation will end on 3 January 2017. We will then publish a summary of the feedback received and prepare motions for the 2017 AGM. We very much hope that members will take this opportunity to help shape the future of The Vegan Society, and we look forward to receiving all your feedback. Stephen Walsh, Chair of Council

Issue 4 2016 | The Vegan 39

Reviews

SWINE – a Viva! film Reviewed by Louise Hopkins

Raw Vegan Meals by Scott Mathias Reviewed by Charlotte Willis

SWINE captures the viewers’ attention immediately with its dramatic beginning, which features vegan freerunner Tim Shieff’s frantic escape from a pig apocalypse. Despite the fictional premise, the rest of the film deals extremely hard-hitting truths. Part of Viva!’s Face Off campaign, it has been commissioned to expose the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria and the appalling conditions of factory farms. This film is particularly eye-opening when it shows the conditions of an industry on our doorstep, correcting the assumption that the UK has strict farming laws which permit only “humane slaughter”. Slowly the horror-film imitation becomes clear: this global health crisis has been so stifled that if further ignored, it could reap the greatest pandemic yet. SWINE even contains a prediction from the UK chief medical officer that this problem could invite “the end of modern medicine”. The ominous warning that we are “sleepwalking” into a superbug epidemic is hard to ignore, especially after the Guardian’s findings that 9 out of 100 meat samples sold in European supermarkets contained the antibiotic-resistant MRSA. It was disturbing to learn MRSA has been carried over to the skin of farm workers, in their nostrils and throats. So far the film has over 31,000 views on Facebook and over 19,000 on YouTube, and has been discussed by well-known names such as Matt Lucas and Nicholas Hoult. Although extremely graphic and sure to turn your stomach, the feature is a must-watch and should be shared amongst meat-eaters and vegans alike.

Raw Vegan Meals is Scott Mathias’ second venture into raw food cookery. Raw vegan food is a naturally gluten-free alternative to cooked and processed food, utilising plant-based ingredients heated to a maximum of 42.5°C, with the aim of preserving nutritional value. Scott Mathias discovered its healing effects on his gut health, and has become inspired to share his story through food. The author takes inspiration from the traditional Japanese Bento Box. Each recipe belongs to a beautifully photographed and styled menu from different global regions. Impressive savoury dishes include a Mexican Fiesta featuring courgette and corn tortillas, a Raw Vegan Sushi featuring spicy veg wraps with a peanut dipping sauce, and Ravioli with Walnut Cheese. Dessert is not forgotten, with Go Nuts Raw Doughnuts and Banana Ice-Cream Sandwiches stealing the show. Mathias’ food is undoubtedly delicious, with each individual recipe comprising menus that complement taste and texture. Some complex flavour combinations may not suit everyone but each ingredient is relatively commonplace, making them achievable without scouring supermarket shelves. Some of the recipes require planning and use nuts, seeds and pulses which require soaking prior to preparation, but then again, this is not a book that would be used for a quick dinner. Although Raw Vegan Meals is most suited to existing raw foodies, its presentation, use of simple ingredients and clear methodology mean any vegan (with enough time!) can create delightful menus to impress their friends with relative ease.

40 The Vegan | Issue 4 2016

1 Only watch SWINE

if you can handle graphic content 2 Each recipe is beautifully photographed

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