ISSN 0307−4811 02
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in this issue This issue has a travel theme, with articles about the easy availability of vegan food in both Egypt and Ethiopia. We also feature an article about Jeffrey Masson,who is giving a series of talks in the UK. Jeff is a very inspiring and witty speaker. The following website video clip will give you an idea of his style www.vegsource.com/articles2/masson_booksoup.htm
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On an intellectual note, you may find the articles relating to media bias and ecofeminism interesting. Dr Matthew Cole and Dr Karen Morgan have made a systematic review of media articles and found a disappointing level of anti-vegan bias. Dr David Eaton explores the body of observational evidence suggesting that most children have a natural empathy with nonhuman animals which is socialised out of them. Meanwhile, Stephen Walsh offers information on Meat and Mortality. We are very happy to welcome five new members of staff. Claire Burrows is our new Sales and Membership Assistant, Charlotte Roberts (Charley) is a new Information Officer, George Gill is our new Head of Business Development and Diana and Howard Knight will be with us for a year or so (jobsharing the Finance and Office Manager role) while Fiona Sylva is on maternity leave. Rosamund Raha Editor
The Vegan Society
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HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS/FROM THE CEO INTERNATIONAL NEWS LOCAL NEWS A VEGAN IN EGYPT ANTI-VEGAN BIAS IN THE MEDIA ELECTIONS AND AGM NOTICE JEFFREY MASSON GROW VEGAN NEWS AND INFORMATION MORE REASONS TO BE VEGAN MEGAN THE VEGAN MEAT AND MORTALITY RECIPES ETHIOPIA VEGANS ANONYMOUS: STUDENT PAGE INTERVIEW WITH MOBY POSTBAG REVIEWS VEGAN SOCIETY BOOKLETS/LEAFLETS YOUTH PAGE SHOPAROUND EVENTS LOCAL CONTACTS LIST STAFF AND COUNCIL LISTINGS CLASSIFIEDS NUTRITION GUIDELINES CROSSWORDS
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Local rate 0845 45 88244 l Tel. 0121 523 1730 l Fax. 0121 523 1749 l e-mail: info@vegansociety.com l www.vegansociety.com Editor Rosamund Raha Design www.doughnutdesign.co.uk Front cover photo © flavourphotos.com Printed on Recycled paper by Cambrian Printers
© The Vegan Society Registered Charity no. 279228 Company Registration no. 1468880 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 Vegan Society 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. The inclusion of product information should not be construed as constituting official Vegan Society approval for the product, its intended use, or its manufacturer/distributor. Contributions intended for publication are welcomed, but unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a SAE. Contributions will usually be edited.
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VEGAN SOCIETY SPRING 2009 HIGHLIGHTS
Annual Jain Festival Vegan Society group contact Nitin Mehta and Trustee Stephen Walsh supported the expanding Jain Vegan movement by speaking at this two-day event attended by about 3,000 people from all over the UK. For the first time ever, chai (spiced Indian tea) with soya milk was available and all meals were vegan, thanks to the efforts of Mahersh and Nishma Shah of Shambu’s Catering in developing and publicising non-dairy versions of traditional dishes. The Vegan Society information stall attracted much interest from Jains of all ages and backgrounds, helped by the revered and highly energetic Jain leader Gurudev Chitrabhanuji, 87 this year and a vegan of many years standing, who inaugurated the event and, as ever, exhorted all Jains (who already avoid meat, fish and eggs) to give up milk products in pursuit of the concept of ahimsa or compassion for all living beings. School Success! Getting Vegan Options onto the Menu A keen Vegan Society supporter is exchanging emails with The National Trust (enquiries@thenationaltrust.org.uk) about ‘Vegan Catering for All’, encouraging them to provide good vegan options. Could you do this too? We have had an enthusiastic response to Vegan Catering for All at Trade Shows from caterers this Spring. Please contact Amanda for more tips on getting good vegan options onto menus everywhere: media@vegansociety.com We have sent 450 sets of VCfA literature to the Vegetarian Express Ltd catering supply company for them to distribute to their clients during National Vegetarian Week 2009.
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We recently led some sessions at Ninestiles School in Birmingham, during their Aspire Day. Tony West, the Catering Manager, even put some vegan meals on the school restaurant menu for the day as a healthy option. Tony said “they sold very well, we ran out of the soya wraps! This shows that these foods will be bought by the students”. Let’s hope more schools will follow suit!
British Medical Journal Online Vegan Society Trustee and GP Dr Philip Bickley got an article questioning the effectiveness of animal experiments published in the British Medical Journal online.
Vegan Society Trustee Alex Claridge appears on Truetube Alex puts the vegan case to a sceptical meat eater: www.truetube.co.uk/media.php?do=detail&mediaid=1105
Spreading the Word As previously reported, copies of our Plant Based Nutrition booklet were posted to every GP surgery in the country. When health worker Colette Harris saw one in her local health centre she immediately got in touch with the Society to ask if we could give a talk to the large Adventist community in Watford. As a result, a series of alternating talks by Stephen Walsh and cookery demonstrations by Nishma Shah of Shambhu’s was arranged throughout the early Spring and Summer. Adventists are often vegetarian already and provide a well informed and health conscious audience. On each occasion we have been invited to share a delicious, healthy vegan meal with the community before the event begins. It is likely that the current series of events will lead to others in other parts of the country – and all the result of one booklet falling into the right hands at the right moment. Natural & Organic Products Show International Food and Drink Exhibition Staff attended the International Food and Drink Exhibition at ExCel in London and talked to many companies offering exciting vegan products. There were plenty of new leads to follow up.
It was excellent to meet new companies at Olympia who are interested in producing vegan products and to meet existing companies who are now considering taking the Vegan Society trademark. Individuals also came up to the stand for information on veganism. We have great new leads to follow up.
FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Nigel Winter
There is a great deal of behind-the-scenes work done by the Society which members and the general public don’t often hear about. We meet with manufacturers, retailers and caterers to encourage them to better cater for the needs of vegans and help them promote their products to vegans. I recently met with several people at Sainsbury’s head office and they were keen to find ways to meet the requirements of vegans. Attending exhibitions is also an excellent way to meet people from a large number of organisations within a few days. At the International Food Event at Excel in London we spoke to people from major companies such as Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Northern Foods and Pret a Manger as well as chefs from hotels, prisons, hospitals and schools and a number of journalists. We provided advice on recipes, how to promote their products to vegans via the Animal Free Shopper, our magazine and our trademark, and also answered questions on where to source particular ingredients. Staff in the office then follow up specific queries. For example, one event caterer wanted further advice on providing good quality vegan canapés. One chef who trains product development chefs asked us to provide 450 packs of information for all the chefs that he trains - and this will be a great way to publicise our information to a wide audience. This type of work gradually improves the understanding of veganism and leads to improved availability and labelling of products. As it becomes easier to find vegan products, we hope this will encourage more people to become and stay vegan and in time veganism will be accepted into the mainstream.
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Piqued by the meat eater on a bicycle getting so far ahead of the car-driving vegan (The Vegan, Spring 2009), travel plans for the European Veg Union event in Zagreb (www.euroveg.org) brought on a severe attack of ICD (International Coordinator’s Dilemma) as I agonised over whether to take a cheap flight – wiping out the environmental benefit of seven months on a vegan diet – or go by boat and train at three times the cost and ten times the travelling time but a third of the cost to the environment. And that’s nothing compared with a return flight to the International Vegan Festival in Brazil (www.svb.org.br/12veganfestival/english), outweighing more than three years of veganism and with no realistic overland option. What to do? A purist would probably say don’t go at all, full stop. But these trips are not just joyrides: they are opportunities to promote veganism in areas where it is much less well known and activists much thinner on the ground than here. Besides, I’m still well ahead of the meat eater on a bike, having lived in a no-car household all my adult life – an ongoing saving about three times that of my vegan diet. Nor have I produced any extra people to produce further unwanted emissions – an estimated 80 years’ worth each at current Western life expectancy rates. So doesn’t that entitle me to a bit of joyriding in my old age? Well, no, not really: the aim is not simply to be holier than the average punter, nor even the average vegan, but to do the best one possibly can and improve on one’s own performance as much as one can. Which brings me back to that cheap flight. I didn’t mind the two days’ extra travelling time, but paying an extra hundred pounds for the privilege didn’t seem necessarily the most useful thing to do with that amount of money, and I was not about to be fooled by the airline’s invitation to salve my conscience by “balancing” the carbon cost of my flight with a piffling sum barely equal to their baggagehandling charge. No one is perfect, least of all me, and only the most uninteresting problems have just one obviously correct solution, so in the end I decided to take the cheap flight and use the money saved to buy a couple of acres (just under one hectare) of rainforest in Brazil through the World Land Trust (www.worldlandtrust.org).
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Pro rata, the flight to Brazil would come to a lot more than that, but even one acre is more than the airline would contribute, so worth considering by anyone planning to attend. You could even visit the reserve, which is just 50 miles from Rio. When we went to India the elephant corridor in Kerala offered a good home for what still seems like conscience money in a way but is surely better than nothing. Breast beating aside, I’m really looking forward to seeing fellow vegans from Animal Friends Croatia as well as visiting at least two and hopefully three other countries (by bus and train, of course) where the concept of veganism is still almost unknown outside the major cities. I shall be taking as much VeganSoc literature as I can carry, not to mention the ever-popular Vegan Passport – look out for Slovene in the next edition – and VEG 1 multivitamins. (If I went by train I could carry much more, of course...) I am also delighted to announce that a Portuguese translation of the Society’s Plant Based Nutrition booklet is ready to join the English, German and Spanish versions in good time for the festival in Brazil. Back here in the UK, recent house guests have included Gabrielle Christen, who is involved in setting up a vegan society in Switzerland. Next came Sebastian Zoesch from Germany, who arrived with several pages of questions that he put to as many people and organisations as he could manage to visit; we look forward to seeing the results of his research. And in June we welcome Jeff Masson and his family from California for the launch of The Face on Your Plate (see pages 12,13 and 32). I look forward to seeing or hearing from anyone with comments or queries about international/multicultural aspects of veganism or an interest in helping with this fascinating side of the Society’s work. Have a great summer everyone. Vanessa Clarke, International Coordinator 17 Kingston Street, Cambridge, CB1 2NU
Sadly, Sarah Richards, one of our Manchester Contacts, died in February. She had been having treatment for breast cancer but her death was still sudden and unexpected because apart from being tired she had been very much her normal self. Her sister told me at the time, “I’ve been trying to make a ‘With Sympathy’ card. I got out the blacks and deep purple scraps of card and fabric but it doesn’t feel right. When I think of Sarah I think of bright colours and warm pinks, the colours that she loved.” Sarah was a delightful person, so cheerful, outgoing, friendly and lively and always ready with a witty (and frequently wicked!) quip. Local Contact Cathy Bryant writes more about Sarah on p.18. We have four new Local Contacts since last time – Donna & Mark in Worthing, Linda in Manchester and Ann in Powys (not to be confused with Anne elsewhere in Powys). There are two new groups – Border Vegetarians & Vegans run by the aforementioned Ann and Donegal Vegans run by Julia. It is especially gratifying to have a group in the Republic of Ireland once again. South-East Scotland Vegans has joined forces with Edinburgh Vegetarians and is now Edinburgh Vegetarians & Vegans but David assures me that the emphasis will continue to be on veganism. Anna has taken over York Vegan Families, Linda is now running the Manchester Vegan Society and Stephen Gregory has moved from Dorset to Cheshire. Jade is leaving Reading University so if anyone would like to take over as Contact please let me know. Even if no Local Contact or Group is listed for your area you will certainly not be the only vegan around, quite apart from the fact that the list may be out of date by the time you see it, so if you’d like to be put in touch with others don’t hesitate to get in touch with me (by e-mail if possible, but if you have
to ring then please not before 8 pm: remember that Trustees are not Society employees but volunteers and all but two of us have ‘normal’ jobs). Don’t forget one of the biggest and best vegan events of the year, Bristol Vegan Fair, over the whole of the weekend of 30 and 31 May. Tim puts a huge effort into organizing the Fair so please support it. Lesley Dove, who runs the Vegetarian and Vegan Families Group, has organized a special event in central London on the afternoon of Sunday 21 June for vegan and vegetarian parents. There will be a variety of speakers and a food demonstration and of course everything will be vegan. Contact Lesley for details (see under Groups on p.42). This year’s North-East Vegan Gathering was a huge success, with vegans travelling from as far away as Bristol and Brighton. I can personally vouch for the high standard of the accommodation and suitability of the venue, near Morpeth, including child- and dog-friendliness. Local Contact Mark has already booked it for 2010, for the week starting on Good Friday. You can reserve your place now on mark@vegne.co.uk or 0191 236 8519. Finally, a reminder to all members that you don’t need to be a Contact to encourage other vegans to join the Society: the more members, the more influence we have – on Local Authorities to provide vegan meals in schools and care-homes, on the NHS not to inject babies with cow-bile ……. Patricia Tricker National Contacts’ Coordinator Cottage 3, Arrathorne, Bedale, N. Yorkshire, DL8 1NA vegan@phonecoop.coop
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Grocery shops in tourist areas sold soya milk, peanut butter and tinned hummus. The most difficult places to find vegan fare were westernized restaurants and hotels, which focused on meat dishes. The snacks brought from home helped during long road trips across Sinai, where most rest stops included petrolstation shops with nothing for vegans.
A Vegan in
Egypt By Julia Feliz
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ot knowing what to expect I packed a bag full of fruit bars, nuts and home-made snacks. However on arrival I was pleasantly surprised to find that vegan food was easy to find. Breakfast usually consisted of falafel and fuul, which is a bean stew. Flat breads and fresh fruit were always available. Kushari, a delicious national dish made of chickpeas, lentils, pasta, rice, tomatoes and spices and usually vegan, was available at most restaurants. Hummus and other bean pastes, along with white rice and plain pasta, were also staples on most menus.
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Interestingly, the best meals on the trip were on dive boats on the Red Sea, where some 8 out of 10 dishes were vegan.
Tourists are usually advised not to drink nor even brush their teeth with tap water in Egypt so as an environmentally conscious vegan I found it quite difficult to have to buy bottled water, especially when the bottle ended up in the bin. However we soon found out that bottled water wasn’t a luxury when my husband forgetfully rinsed his mouth with tap water. To avoid creating so much waste try to find a hotel that recycles, otherwise buy one five-litre bottle instead of several smaller ones. Plastic bags were given away in shops and often ended up covering the desert and beaches and floating across the clear skies like birds to land in the open sea. Most restaurants, tour operators and even hotels served drinks in disposable plastic cups, which would also make it across the desert and into the sea. So, to help the environment and local wildlife, bring a reusable shopping bag and a cup.
The conditions in which camels and donkeys were often kept were quite distressing to witness. To avoid their wandering off camels had their front legs tied together and often the rope was then tied to their necks so that they were in a permanent sitting position until a tourist requested a ride. Donkeys and camels were whipped with long sticks. You could help to avoid exploitation of these animals and set an example to other tourists, not by trying to argue with the owners, which will lead nowhere, but with a simple la, shukran (no, thank you).
Despite its up and downs my trip to Egypt provided me with a lifetime of memories. The pyramids, the Red Sea, the desert and the people can all be described in one simple word – amazing! If the opportunity to visit Egypt arises, take it!
Registered charity Animal Care in Egypt runs a 24 hour care centre for working animals in Luxor, see www.ace-egypt.org.uk or call Julie on 01732 700710.
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“…a faddish, fanatical i diet cult” Anti-vegan bias in UK newspapers Dr Matthew Cole and Dr Karen Morgan
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s vegans, most of us are regularly used to dealing with stereotypes. Ask an unsympathetic or uninformed non-vegan what they think of us and we may well hear one or more of the following clichés: that we are weak, ill, ‘crazy’, afraid of the harsh realities of nature red-in-tooth-and-claw, or self-righteous preachers. It is entirely possible that occasionally vegans may fit some of these traits, but there is no reason to believe that they are any more prevalent among vegans than they are among the non-vegan majority. So how is it that these unflattering images of vegans and veganism achieve such common currency? One likely culprit is the mass media, which has a long history of stereotyped reporting of minorities in the UK. As sociologists, we were interested to find out whether vegans and veganism really are negatively stereotyped in the UK media. To test our intuition, we researched newspaper reporting of vegans and veganism in the UK national press throughout 2007. Sadly, we found that newspaper coverage was, on the whole, extremely negative. From the 383 newspaper stories, columns and letters we reviewed, we found only a handful that we could fairly classify as being ‘positive’ about vegans and veganism.
Usually, these were letters to newspapers from vegans themselves, either as private citizens or as representatives of organizations like The Vegan Society, Viva! or Animal Aid. Usually these letters were in response to previous unfavourable coverage of veganism. In other words, there was almost no original positive coverage of veganism to be found. In contrast, we found that there were six common ways of writing negatively about vegans and veganism, which often overlapped and reinforced each other to create powerful negative impressions.
Describing veganism as difficult or impossible to sustain The supposed difficulty that vegans have in resisting temptation to eat animal-based foods is often subtly used to imply the normality, and therefore the acceptability, of mainstream omnivorous habits, as in this example: “…he is vegan, unlike her – she still cannot resist occasional dairy products”.iii
Ridiculing veganism Ridicule often involved deploying a ‘humorous’ stereotype of vegans in order to undermine arguments for veganism. This example is typical: “Global warming maniacs say cattle produce methane gas which damages the ozone layer, therefore we must all switch to eating lentils. Haven’t they ever sat next to a vegan?”ii
Describing veganism as a fad Newspapers seize on the behaviour of vegan, or allegedly vegan, celebrities as a way to discredit veganism as being insincere. One prominent example from 2007 was the accusation that Heather MillsMcCartney’s veganism was a jealous imitation of the ethics of Linda or Stella McCartney: “WHY can’t Heather Mills see that she will not endear herself to the public by copying Paul McCartney’s former wife Linda by going vegan and producing beauty products to rival former step-daughter Stella?”iv
Characterising veganism as a kind of fanatical self-denial Adjectives like ‘staunch’, ‘fervent’ or ‘ardent’ are frequently appended to descriptions of vegans, while vegan diets are almost always described with unappetising terms like ‘punishing’ or ‘strict’.
Characterising vegans as oversensitive The stereotype of the meat-phobic ‘oversensitive vegan’ is a fiction conjured up in bad jokes, as in these typical examples: “…looks about as comfortable as a vegan in an abattoir”v; “…they will spit him out 4 like veal at a vegan dinner party”.vi
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Characterising vegans as hostile This was the rarest negative stereotype, and was almost exclusively reserved for coverage of the tragic death of a baby in the USA, wrongly attributed to the imposition of a vegan diet by his parents: “Strict vegans guilty of murder”.vii In a sense, the hostile vegan is an extension of the image of the ascetic vegan, taking their ‘fanaticism’ to tragic extremes. The relentless barrage of similarly negative portrayals of vegans is uncomfortable to read, but are they essentially harmless? Are we at risk of living up to the vegan stereotype of oversensitivity if we complain too loudly about our depiction in the mainstream media? Our answer is an emphatic ‘No!’ We believe that it is not only appropriate, but vital, to challenge our misrepresentation in the media. Vegans and their ethical positions deserve fair representation and respect.
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There is a further reason why we feel that negative stereotypes need to be combated. One of the most striking features of newspaper coverage was the absence of references to veganism in the context of debates about the ethics of the human use of other animals, which is a leading motivation for many, if not most, vegans. We suggest that this is because of the discomfort felt by many non-vegans about animal ethics. Our existence as members of a vegan movement pricks the conscience of the non-vegan mainstream, so the most convenient response is to write animal ethics out of the mainstream account of what veganism means. If veganism is really nothing to do with fundamentally challenging our relations with other animals, but is instead all about eccentricity, weird diets and monkish abstemiousness, then it can be safely and easily marginalized as a cultural oddity.
In a sense, then, the negative stereotyping of veganism is a tribute to the success of the vegan movement in troubling the status quo of routine animal exploitation. Becoming vocal dissenters to media stereotyping ought to play an important part in our tactics in shifting commonsense understandings about who vegans are, and what veganism means. We are very interested in hearing from readers of The Vegan about your own experiences of media coverage. If you have any examples of stories about veganism in your local press, in magazines, on TV or on the radio, please do get in touch with us: matthew.cole@vegatopia.org i Daily Mail, 24 May 2007 ii Daily Mail, 1 June 2007 iii The Sunday Times, 20 May 2007 iv Sunday Mirror, 14 January 2007 v The Guardian, 26 March 2007 vi The Sunday Times, 10 June 2007 vii The Times, 10 May 2007
VEGAN SOCIETY ELECTION AND AGM 2009 The next Annual General Meeting of The Vegan Society will be held on Saturday 21 November at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL.
Candidacy is open to all members of the Society meeting the criteria outlined above. Members with relevant professional skills and qualifications are particularly invited to consider nomination.
PROPOSALS FOR RESOLUTION
Essential trustee qualities are a cooperative and team-spirited work ethic, an understanding of good governance (see governancehub.org.uk and www.charitycommission.gov.uk/publications/cc60.asp) and a strategic way of thinking to advance veganism.
Proposals for resolution, to be considered by Council for inclusion on the AGM agenda, must be received at the Society’s office (The Vegan Society, Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 6HJ) not later than Friday 24 July. For your guidance Ordinary Proposals should: n be proposed and seconded by paid-up full (not supporter) members n in the interests of economy and clarity, not exceed 200 words, including any supporting material n propose some form of action n propose one single action i.e. they must not be composite proposals n not simply comprise a statement of opinion. Members considering submitting Special Proposals (those seeking to change the Memorandum or Articles of Association) are advised to contact the Company Secretary (Nigel Winter) or the Chair (Graham Neale) c/o the Society’s office. Special Proposals must not exceed 200 words. Proposers are requested to limit their proposals to two. NOMINATIONS FOR COUNCIL The Vegan Society needs high-calibre individuals on its Council of Trustees. Being a Trustee is a practical unpaid post (although genuine expenses can be claimed) and requires skill and ability to be effective. Trustees are ultimately responsible for the charity and are also directors of the Vegan Society as a limited company. The Society will pay for a one day induction course for new Trustees. Each candidate must: n have been a full (not supporter) member of the Society for 12 months or longer (as at 21 November 2009) n not be disqualified under company or charity law from being a Trustee/Director n submit a written nomination duly signed by a proposer and seconder who are paid-up full members n submit a profile of him/herself stating in 100-200 words his/her full name (and any previous names), skills, experience, views and intentions if elected.
Ideal attributes that Council will find helpful to move the Society and veganism forward include the following: business acumen (particularly project management and business planning), campaigning strategy, financial skills, fund-raising, charity law, journalism, TV or radio production and human resources expertise. Having time to give is a key factor with up to 10 meetings a year and time between to contribute to governance and strategy via email/post/telephone. Candidates need a clear understanding of the difference between the role of staff and trustees. Being a Trustee is about nurturing an environment in which staff and volunteers can fulfil the Society’s strategy effectively. A Council of Trustees is there to provide oversight, policy and strategy. Past minutes of Council meetings can be read here: http://www.vegansociety.com/forum/. You will need to register to access the minutes. We look forward to your applications for election. Please address the above needs of Council that are relevant to your abilities in your personal statements as well as giving a glimpse of your personal vision for the future of promoting veganism. If your skills are suited to wider outreach activities, please consider becoming a Local or Group Contact, training to be a School Speaker or volunteering to help on stalls or in the office. Nominations should be sent to The Vegan Society, Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 6HJ to arrive not later than Friday 24 July. For further details ask for a ‘Prospective Candidates’ Nomination Pack’ by sending an A5 SAE marked ‘PCNP’ to Council Elections, The Vegan Society, Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 6HJ or by emailing info@vegansociety.com.
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Jeffrey Masson Vanessa Clarke
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f I had to choose one word to describe Jeff Masson (pronounced Mason), it would be ‘enthusiastic’ – definitely a Tigger rather than an Eeyore. If he likes what he sees or hears, if he finds a new idea fascinating or important, he will make it clear in a very straightforward way – which may be why animals like him and why his many books are so popular with his human audience. If he likes you, you will almost certainly like him. The other side of the coin – I won’t call it the downside because it is equally important, if not more so – is that if Jeff sees something he believes is wrong or cruel or dishonest, he will say so equally fearlessly. Not surprisingly, this has led to a few interesting career changes, not to mention the occasional witch hunt, though never a change of heart: a lifelong champion of the underdog, whether on two legs or four, his compassion for the victims of abuse is as strong now as when he was dismissed from the prestigious Freud Archives for seeing too much too clearly and, worse still, shouting about it, just as Joan Court (see page 17) sacrificed a brilliant career at the NSPCC by highlighting the reality of child abuse when those in authority were unwilling to do so.
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“ ...in his latest book, The Face on Your Plate, Jeff turns his formidable investigative powers on the extent of the denial practised by the purveyors and consumers of animal ‘products’ and the way people manage to avoid the truths that are staring them in the face.”
When I first introduced Jeff and family to Nitin Mehta at the Young Indian Vegetarians celebration in Hyde Park on Millennium Eve and watched Nitin’s two young daughters (now gifted adults) zooming Jeff’s toddler son across the frosted grass in his buggy, I had no idea that Jeff himself had been deeply immersed in all things Indian virtually from birth, having been raised as a disciple of Paul Brunton – at that time regarded as an enlightened guru rather than the purveyor of fantasy (he claimed to come from another planet) and woolly mysticism that Jeff eventually realised him to be. Brunton declared that Jeff’s father was a reincarnation of a medieval Kabbalist called Althodas (Jeff’s great-grandfather Shlomo Moussaieff had actually been a Kabbalist in Bukhara, Uzbekistan) and Jeff’s own education was virtually handed over to this man, including fasting and meditation from the age of five, plenty of chanting, numerous trips to India and the promise of magical powers – a heady mixture for an impressionable child. Brunton exerted an extraordinary power over his followers, persuading many of them (including Jeff’s parents) to seek refuge in South America to avoid an imminent Third World War.
By the time Jeff reached university age, he had seen through Brunton and denounced him enthusiastically, to the mortification of his parents who may well have reached the same conclusion by then but were too polite to say so. Equally enthusiastically, he bounced up to a bemused Professor of Sanskrit at Harvard University and asked for the name of his guru. It had not occurred to him that anyone could study and teach this wonderful ancient language without having a spiritual master to guide them. Nevertheless, he persevered with his studies, obtained a PhD and became Professor of Sanskrit at Toronto University from 1970 to 1980. During this time he underwent psychoanalysis and trained to be a psychotherapist himself. As Projects Director of the prestigious Freud Archive, he met Anna Freud and other big names in the movement, gained access to many of Freud’s unpublished letters and began to question the Master’s change of direction on child abuse. Why had Freud suddenly recanted and proclaimed that the abuses which surfaced in analysis were not true memories but fantasies, the all too real traumas mere Träume or dreams? Did he fear the loss of patients and patronage if he continued to insist on the existence, nay ubiquity, of child sex abuse in face of the denial of middle-class Vienna? Jeff had no such fears: he spoke his mind and lost his job, as Joan Court had lost hers at the NSPCC a decade earlier.
Books by Jeff Masson include: On his early life: My Father’s Guru. On psychoanalysis: The Assault on Truth; Final Analysis. On animal emotions: DogsNever Lie About Love; When Elephants Weep; The Pig Who Sang to the Moon. On veganism: The Face on Your Plate.
Given this background, it is not surprising that in his latest book, The Face on Your Plate, Jeff turns his formidable investigative powers on the extent of the denial practised by the purveyors and consumers of animal ‘products’ and the way people manage to avoid the truths that are staring them in the face. ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ is a powerful facilitator of the worst of human behaviour, from bombing nurseries and hospitals to incarcerating and torturing humans and animals in conditions most people find it upsetting to think about, let alone to witness. Hence the pictures of smiling pigs, happy cows and fluffy brown chickens giving the lie to the way in which the anonymous packets of flesh on display actually lived and died. Nor is it possible nowadays to claim that ‘they’ (slaves, women, animals, whoever it is we want to treat as objects rather than equals) don’t have the same feelings as ‘us’, the fortunate minority. Jeff has seen to that with his numerous and popular books on animal emotions – Dogs Never Lie About Love, When Elephants Weep and The Pig who Sang to the Moon are perhaps the best known – and science has increasingly vindicated the view that we are not so very different from those whom we choose to regard as food rather than friends. Just as we visited Farm Animal Rescue Sanctuary (www.farmanimalrescue.org.uk) to meet the late, great Wiggy in pursuit of material for The Pig who Sang to the Moon, we hope that when Jeff and family come to visit in June it will be possible to take time out from his busy schedule of talks to visit Hugletts Wood Farm, a vegan cow protection sanctuary in Sussex (www.huglettswoodfarm.com). It would be a pity not to spend at least some time with the non-human animals whose rights and welfare Jeff has defended so powerfully over the past two decades. And who knows, after communing with the very special Hugletts herd, he may just feel another book coming on...
Meet Jeff in person at a free Vegan Society sponsored event Saturday 20th June 2.30-5 pm, Dragon Hall, 17 Stukeley Street, Covent Garden, London Official UK launch of Jeffrey Masson’s new book The Face on Your Plate (see review page 32). Talk by the author, questions, book signing. Food by Vegan Campaigns. Admission free. Sponsored by the Vegan Society.
Sunday 21st June 2.30-5.30 pm, Friends Meeting House, 43 St Giles, Oxford. Garden party, talk, questions and book signing. Admission free. Bring vegan food to share. Organised by OxVeg/VERO
Monday 22nd June 7.15-9 pm The Bath House, Gwydir Street, Cambridge (short walk from station). Talk by Jeffrey Masson, discussion and social. Food by the Granarchists. Admission free. Organised by CamVeg/CAR.
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Graham Burnett
FLOWERS: GROW ‘EM, PICK ‘EM, EAT ‘EM Flowers don’t just enhance the aesthetic dimension of the vegan-organic plot; they also attract pollinators and ‘pest’ predators such as bees and hoverflies. Apart from this, many are delicious to eat, especially in salads, and have medicinal as well as nutritional value. Even if space is limited it needn’t be a case of ‘either/or’ – why not integrate flowers, fruits and vegetables to create polycultural plant ‘guilds’ that are at once productive, wildlife friendly and beautiful? After all, nature does not artificially compartmentalise her landscapes with ornamentals in one place, vegetables in another and fruit trees in yet a third location. Of course, all are easy to grow using vegan-organic methods. The day lily (Hemerocallis sp), for example, will fit into a perennial planting scheme, and has crisp and juicy petals with a mild sweet flavour. Other perennials include the three cornered leek (Allium triquetrum), an abundantly growing allium at home in sun or shade that has a mild garlic flavour and white flowers that can be added to the salad bowl, and its close relative chives (Allium schoenoprasum), whose purple flowers have a distinctive mild onion flavour similar to the leaves. Mallow (Malva sylvestris) has a somewhat glutinous texture, whilst the blue or pink flowers of chicory (Cichorium intybus) have a slight taste of coffee. Often considered as a ‘weed’, all parts of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) are in fact edible – the roots can be roasted as a coffee substitute, the bitter leaves used in salads as a counterpoint to blander lettuce flavours, and the bright yellow flowers are an attractive garnish or can be made into wine. Violets form spreading clumps and provide excellent weed-suppressing ground cover. Sweet violet (Viola odorata) in particular has an attractive flavour, often flowering in late winter to early spring, and is often the only edible flower available at this time of the year. Rose (Rosa spp.) petals can be crystallised in caster sugar or used to make rose petal jam – I even came across rose petal doughnuts on the internet the other day!
Grow Vegan Puzzler Question; which is often the only edible flower available in late winter and early spring? Send your answer on a postcard to: The Vegan Society (address on page 1) by 8 July 2009.
The winner receives a copy of The PETA Celebrity Cookbook The answer to the Spring Grow Vegan Puzzler is: Roots, Brassicas, Solanaceae. Winner: Joan Meehan
Many annuals are self seeders – pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) will spring up all over the place without needing to be invited, attracting beneficial insects and cheering up any garden all year round with its saffron imparted yellow and orange petals. Borage (Borago officinalis) with its delicate blue cucumber flavoured flowers and similarly flavoured leaves is another plant that you won’t get rid of once you’ve got it, although why would you want to?
Not only are they good in salads, but they are suitable for stuffing – try a filling of gently sautéed onion and mushrooms. These are just a few edible flowers – there are many more, so why not experiment? Don’t dig up wild plants – many are endangered. Instead source seed from a reputable company such as Suffolk Herbs. Also be aware that some very familiar flowers such as laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides), foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), daffodil (Narcissus spp) and hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) are poisonous, and that sufferers of asthma or hay fever may have extreme allergies to ingesting any flowers, so make sure you know exactly what you can and can’t eat! Graham is a permaculture designer and teacher, and the author of Permaculture A Beginners Guide and Well Fed Not An Animal Dead. See www.spiralseed.co.uk. Resources: A new product, Co-operative Society peatfree compost (‘for use in organic systems’), a multi purpose type made from coir and bark with no animal ingredients, is available in many larger Co-op stores countrywide. If not in stock you should be able to order it. Ring free-phone 0800 0686 727 for stockists and more information. VON members can access a free gardening advice service by phone, letter or email.
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) is a spreading annual that tolerates most soils, though it prefers a rich light well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. It has peppery flavoured leaves that can be eaten in salads along with the flowers. Nasturtium seeds can also be pickled as a substitute for capers. Squashes and courgettes are of course popular vegetable crops, but as anybody who has grown them will testify, they can produce a little too prolifically in some years. So to avoid gluts, why not use some of their flowers?
Joining Vegan-Organic Network is an excellent move for the vegan-organic gardener and for anyone interested in animal rights and the environment; the twice-yearly VON magazine is packed with helpful information. Remember there is a world of difference between vegan-organic (stock free) and conventional organic – support VON and help get real vegangrown food in the shops. Write to: VON, 80 Annable Rd, Lower Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2DF; phone 0845 223 5232 (local rate, 10am to 8pm); or email info@veganorganic.net. Visit the VON website and join online at www.veganorganic.net
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n LOOK OUT FOR FALSE CLAIMS If you see a media story or advert from a well-known source (such as the mainstream local or national press, TV or radio) that you think makes a false claim about the benefits of animal products, on human health, animal welfare, or environmental grounds, and / or that defames vegans and veganism, please send full details to info@vegansociety.com. We will pursue strong cases with the Advertising Standards Authority, Press Complaints Commission or Ofcom, as we did successfully when Nestlé wrongly claimed that dairy products were ‘essential’ for bone health (as described in The Vegan Winter 2005 page 2). Cases that make general anti-vegan comment rather than specifically inaccurate or offensive statements will be kept on file for monitoring purposes.
n SPREAD COMPASSION WITH FREE VEGAN FOOD! n JOAN COURT CELEBRATES HER 90TH BIRTHDAY WITH A NEW BOOK Friends and admirers from all over the country arrived in Cambridge for a surprise party to celebrate Joan’s 90th birthday on Easter Monday. In addition to her animal helpline, frequent letters to the press and public hunger strikes against primate research in Oxford (thanks in large measure to Joan, similar plans for Cambridge were abandoned long ago), Joan has just completed the second volume of her autobiography. In the Shadow of Mahatma Gandhi dealt with her years as a nurse/midwife in India and her whistle-blowing activities in relation to child abuse in the UK. The Bunny Hugging Terrorist covers the decades since official retirement, which she has devoted to fighting animal abuse as passionately as she defended vulnerable humans in her professional career. So much for the claim that animal rights people don’t care about humans: Joan is living proof to the contrary, and long may she continue to be a thorn in the side of all who abuse the weak and the vulnerable. Happy birthday Joan!
How many times have you gone to a fundraiser or event that has a compassionate mission but serves food that promotes violence and environmental degradation? Now there is a cost-free way to promote compassion for all beings! VegFund provides funding to groups and individuals who want to provide free vegan food at events. Recipients of the funding aren’t the event organizers, but rather serve vegan food and distribute free educational materials at a booth. VegFund covers the cost of all food, serving supplies and booth/table fees for events such as Rescue/Shelter events, School Events, Farmers Markets, Art Openings, Religious Socials/Events etc. For more information and an application form visit www.vegfund.org Decisions are made on a case by case basis.
n VEGAN SOCIETY VOLUNTEER EVENINGS If you live in or near Birmingham and would like to volunteer in The Vegan Society office, we shall be having a volunteer evening once a month when a group of volunteers come in and put together information packs and help with other essential activities in an informal atmosphere. If you are interested please e-mail info@vegansociety.com
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n A TRIBUTE TO VEGAN SOCIETY LOCAL CONTACT SARAH RICHARDS 1962-2009 I clicked with Sarah as soon as I met her some years ago. Both bookcrossers, (the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise) both cat-lovers and of course both vegans, we found lots to chat about straight away and she soon became one of my closest friends. I was privileged to accompany her to the chemo sessions at Christie’s Hospital. It may sound crazy – though perhaps not, Sarah being Sarah – but we had a right giggle, munching our vegan BLTs and Organica Couverture chocolate, comparing craft projects and books we’d read recently. It was really good fun, apart from the sad side of it. The staff and other patients loved her too and they were interested in her veganism, which as always she never thrust down people’s throats or preached about: it was more along the lines of, “Yay! Bourbon biscuits! You know how to make a vegan happy!” with a big grin. Sarah ran MVS (Manchester Vegan Society) which with 114 members is very large for a veganonly group. She co-organised some fantastic events with MVVG (Manchester Vegetarian and Vegan Group) which with 236 members is pretty big too! Events included an all-vegan chocolatetasting which introduced the concept of luxurious vegan chocolate to many meat-eaters and vegetarians who’d had no idea that vegan food could be so tasty. Sarah also helped with the I Can’t Believe it’s Vegan evening at the 8th Day Café, which was another tremendous success, and the joint MVS/MVVG picnic at Platt Fields where there is an annual mass picnic event with over 3000 people. We definitely had the best food, and many strangers stopped to chat and partake. Sarah died on 13 February of breast cancer. Hundreds of people have expressed their love for her and there are tributes all over the internet. I’m so grateful that Sarah was nominated for an Unsung Vegan Heroes award last year: she really was one of those people who do loads of the work and take very little of the credit. We’ll never forget her. The vegan community has lost one of its staunchest and loveliest supporters. Cathy Bryant Local Contact, Manchester
n LONDON VEGAN PLEDGE 2009 The second London Vegan Pledge saw 40 people going vegan for a month from 18 January to 15 February 2009. This event, organised by Vegan Campaigns, included a question and answer session with a panel of vegan experts, cookery demonstrations and advice on vegan living. Dr Mike Hooper, who assessed the before and after health of the group, reported that the group experienced some positive health changes. The women’s waist to hip ratio (an indicator of risk of heart disease) changed from borderline to within ideal range. The participants also lost 1kg in weight each on average. The three pledgers with high cholesterol saw their cholesterol levels drop to normal, after just one month of following a vegan diet! The great news is that 23 of the participants (almost 60%) have decided to stay vegan, and most of the others will increase the amount of vegan food they eat. For a more detailed report on the pledge see http://www.vegancampaigns.org.uk/campaigns/veganpledge09
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n VEGAN RUNNERS NEWS
As I write in mid-March, Anna Finn is halfway through her running programme of at least 10 marathons or ultras by the end of May. As a warm-up, Anna completed the Hastings Marathon on 14-Dec in 4 hours 20 minutes, along with Karen Horsler in 4.24. That one did not count so far as Anna is concerned: the programme started on 17January with a 45-miler (the first 20 miles or so off-road) from Wendover to Central London taking 8 hours 46 minutes.
NEWS FLASH!
A fortnight later, on 1 February, was the ‘Tring 2 Town’ (approx. 38 miles) along the Grand Union Canal taking 6.05. She had a couple of falls but avoided the canal! With hardly time to recover and during the severe weather, Anna was running a week later (7 February) in the Thames Trot 50 miles along the riverbank from Oxford to Henley taking 10.05. The morning after each race, Anna would go out for an early 4-mile warm-down jog! She then had a fortnight’s rest before the Draycote Water Marathon near Rugby where in the exposed, windy conditions she ran her third best time of 4.01. A week later it was the Cambridge Boundary Marathon in 4.13. HALFWAY - PHEW! Anna’s full report can be read on her blog http://annakatfinn.blogspot.com/ Our biggest turnout during the period was at the Watford Half Marathon on 1 February, where we were represented by Colin Braybrook who finished in 1hour 24, Peter Simpson 1.40, Verna Burgess 1.48, Frances Humphries 1.59 and Laurence Klein 2.07. On the same day Isabel Hoskins (improving with every race) ran the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon in 2.00. In the Sussex Beacon (Brighton) Half Marathon (22 February) Wolfgang Kunst ran his first race for VRUK in 1.33.57. The fastest half marathon time was achieved by Ed Banks 1.17.08 in the Silverstone Half Marathon. At the Plymouth Hoe 10 miles Cris IlesWright achieved 1.15 and in the Salisbury 10 miles Sid Delara 1.12. Over the 10
kilometres distance, Dave Arnold ran 39.56 at Stubbington only days after a horrific bike crash while abroad, sustaining head injuries. Meanwhile, Sid Delara achieved 42.18 and did better at the Winchester 10K at 41.12. In the Cardiff Valentine’s 10K, Ruth Newman achieved 48.52 and Hannah Shelley in her first event at the Goring 10K achieved 56.26. Over 5 miles on New Year’s Day in Coventry, Stewart Boulton achieved 32.32. In the Cardiff 5K series Helen Watkinson achieved 24.24 and Cedric David 24.35. The main event of the cross-country season was the English National Championships at Hampstead Heath, London. Running in the men’s event over 12K were James Meldrum 274th / 1455, Colin Braybrook 490th and Peter Simpson 1076th. In the South of England regional champs over 15K, Colin Braybrook 235th / 672, Peter Simpson 520th and Sid Delara 592nd. In the Bedfordshire/Buckinghamshire county champs Peter Simpson finished 80th / 101 in the men’s event and in the Salisbury XC at Wilton House Sid Delara finished 6th. Peter Simpson Club Secretary Vegan Runners UK E-mail: veganrunners@talktalk.net Website: www.veganrunners.makessense.co.uk Blog: http://veganrunnersuk.blogspot.com/ 01908 503919 / 07967 589663
has beaten As we go to print we have just discovered that vegan runner Fiona Oakes Fiona! done Well hour. an than Gordon Ramsay in the London Marathon by more
n IT HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER TO USE A DIGITAL CAMERA Most vegans use digital cameras to avoid the gelatine that coats all photographic (light-sensitive) films and papers, and the good news is that there is now a digital photo frame on which to view the images if you don’t have a computer. If you do not possess a printer it is possible to print your photos at the Kodak kiosks at Boots. Boots state that these kiosks do not use any products containing animal ingredients (confirmed Jan. 2009). Take your memory card to the kiosk or put the photos on a memory stick. Printing out digital photographs Light-sensitive photographic paper always contains gelatine. However, animal-free inkjet photo papers are available for printing digital photographs. They have the high-gloss finish of photographic paper but are not light sensitive so do not require the gelatine-based emulsion. The following papers are suitable for vegans n Epson: All papers n HP: HP Tri-fold Brochure paper, matte; HP Everyday photo paper, semi-gloss n Post-it: All products n Verbatim: All paper except numbers 38995, 38999 and 39005 Heavy uncoated paper is usually suitable for vegans. Important note: Product information has been supplied by the manufacturers, who may change the ingredients without informing us. Do check first. The Vegan l Summer 2009
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Dr David Eaton photo © 3DWiki
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here are many compelling reasons to become vegan. In approximately the last 30 years, a growing branch of academic philosophy has been adding to this list. Tom Regan and Peter Singer – both magnificent champions of animals – have produced theories rooted in the logical traditions of philosophy.1 They argue that animals should be recognised as having rights similar to those that humans are usually held to have, or alternatively should be included in utilitarian calculations to establish whether practices such as eating meat are morally acceptable or abhorrent. However philosophers from the expanding ecofeminist tradition have also argued for a radical transformation in our ways of treating animals.2 They argue that compassion and caring are the main reasons why most people become vegetarian or vegan and this, they suggest, is a fundamental part of being human. Imposing logical concepts such as formal rights theory upon these responses as an apparent justification is dangerous and undermines our relational capacities – as individuals and as a society.
A much overlooked (but finally back in print) gem of a book by Gene Myers is, I believe, absolutely crucial in doing this. In Children and Animals: Social Development and our Connections to Other Species 3 Myers presents the results of his observation of a class of American nursery school children and their interaction with animals over the course of a year. Myers discovered that from an early age children naturally developed their sense of their own self through their contact and their relationships with animals.
So there is a clash about the best way to represent the philosophical foundations of the change in attitude. The ecofeminist view can seem rather rose-tinted about the possibilities of achieving widespread social change, since the majority of adults seem to experience little obvious conflict about their eating of meat or other use of animal products. But moving away from strictly philosophical debates, social science is beginning to uncover some important details of the journey that many individuals might go on before they reach this level of obliviousness. These insights deepen the ecofeminist perspective and uncover more reasons to value it.
they reach this level
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“ ...social science is beginning to uncover some important details of the journey that many individuals might go on before of obliviousness.” This observation contradicts conventional thinking - which holds only relationships with other humans as significant and tends to concentrate on development through the use of language. Myers emphasises the importance of what he calls animate relatedness, which takes place through children’s ability to gauge the meaning of body posture, movement, levels of excitement, facial expressions, etc.
Myers amasses evidence of children being intensely fascinated with the sameness and difference of animal bodies and animal communication through animate forms. One of the ways that this fascination is expressed is through imitating animals in pretend play, during which the child attempts to take on the feeling of being another animal – existing in that different embodiment. Myers shows that play such as this (and interacting more directly with animals) strengthens a child’s sense of her human identity. But it does so in a way that also builds a feeling of connection and kinship with other animals and leads to the development of caring about their wellbeing and their freedom. An ability to take on the perspective of another (usually human) is often considered a crucial component in the development of a strong moral sense. As children mature, however, they are socialised to accept the traditional Western view that (despite Darwin) there is an intrinsic or categorical difference between humans and animals – and that humans are inherently superior. The means by which this view is taught are subtle, involving negative evaluations of animal behaviour in such matters as manners or personal hygiene. Although children often at first seem to dispute the creation of this artificial boundary between human and animal, eventually they seem to accept it. Perhaps most disturbingly, Myers presents evidence that one of the factors contributing to this gradual acceptance is the children’s discomfort with the issue of meat and where it comes from. By seeing animals as categorically different from humans, the connection and kinship that they had developed naturally was suppressed. This reduced the psychological discomfort that they initially seemed to feel about the origin of meat.
Myers’ account ties in interestingly with other theories of psychological development that emphasise the desirability of developing children’s independent moral sense rather than their blind obedience to rules. The philosopher David Levin, for example, draws on the father of clientcentred psychotherapy, Carl Rogers, to stress that we are all born with a natural bodily-based source of moral judgement. This is founded on the ability to take the perspective of another, but it is vulnerable because as children we have no choice but to depend on adult support, love and approval.4 Quite often, in order to obtain this love and support, children abandon their own moral direction and internalise the views of significant adults. Levin argues that this process is destructive of a child’s inherent potential for moral development, but concedes that he knows of no existing culture in which this potential is truly allowed to flourish.
Nevertheless, the idea that the wholeness of our being as humans is to some extent suppressed by development within Western culture is a surprisingly common one in humanistic psychology, and the account of child development that we find in Myers tells us several important things. It suggests that a sense of real connection and kinship with animals is one aspect of this potential wholeness, and it also suggests that this sense is a casualty of the cultural means by which our society avoids psychological discomfort about the issue of meat. While we might never undo all of the damage, there is evidence that abandoning practices such as meateating allows us to recover some of this wholeness. It does this by asserting our ownership of our own moral decision-making and by removing the need to create a sense of artificial distance between us and the other animals. While the ecofeminist
philosophy is less logically compelling than the older moral theories, it does allow us this growth rather than remaining tied to a view of humanity as essentially selfish until constrained by rules. 1 See classics such as Tom Regan, The Case for Animal Rights, (1984), London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, and Peter Singer, Animal Liberation: A New Ethics For Our Treatment of Animals, (1975), New York: Avon Books 2 See books such as Carol J. Adams, The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist Vegetarian Critical Theory, (1990), Cambridge: Polity Press, or Greta Gaard (Ed.), Ecofeminism: Women, Animals, Nature, (1993), Philadelphia: Temple University Press. 3 Gene Myers, Children and Animals: Social Development and our Connections to Other Species, (1998), Boulder: Westview Press. 4 David Levin, The Body’s Recollection of Being: Phenomenological Psychology and the Deconstruction of Nihilism, (1985), London: Routledge, p.230-233.
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Meat and mortality: the latest evidence Stephen Walsh
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ost evidence indicates that on average Western vegetarians and vegans are at least as healthy as people who eat meat. The relevant results up to 2002 – based mainly on two UK studies, two US studies and a smaller German study – are discussed in the Vegan Society’s book Plant Based Nutrition and Health. Since 2002 there have been some updates on the earlier studies. The updates show a general pattern of lower mortality for vegetarians compared with non-vegetarian participants in the US studies, but no such advantage in the UK and German studies. In all the studies, the participants (whether vegetarian or not) showed around half the death rates seen in the general population (equivalent to living about six years longer). Low prevalence of smoking in the study participants probably explained about half this advantage. The rest of the difference in death rates is probably due to other aspects of healthy lifestyles shared by all the participants in the studies, including lower rates of obesity, higher fruit and vegetable intake and lower meat intake compared with the general population. The updates show no consistent difference between the health of vegans and other vegetarians: the small German study showed vegans behind other vegetarians while a report from the US studies showed vegans just slightly ahead. Separate results for UK vegans have not been published. Two large new studies focussing on vegetarians – EPIC-Oxford and the Adventist Health Study 2 – are in progress. EPICOxford started earlier and has begun to report results on health outcomes.1,2 The results on overall mortality in EPICOxford, like the earlier UK studies, found no significant differences between non-vegetarians and vegetarians. Results comparing meat-eaters, fish-eaters and vegetarians also showed no significant differences. Both fish-eaters and vegetarians had slightly lower overall incidence of cancer than meat-eaters (17% and 11% respectively), but vegetarians showed 40% higher risk of colorectal cancer. This is surprising in view of independent evidence linking red meat and processed meat to colorectal cancer. The two earlier UK studies of vegetarians found neither an advantage nor a disadvantage in terms of colorectal cancer deaths, so the latest result may simply be due to chance variations in cancer rates. However, the results of the three UK studies in combination clearly point to no advantage for UK vegetarians in terms of colorectal cancer or in terms of overall mortality compared with the meat-eating participants in the studies.
The lack of advantage on colorectal cancer may reflect the relatively high fibre intakes of all dietary groups in these studies, with even the meateaters meeting UK guidelines. Evidence from the overall EPIC study (covering many European countries) suggests that high fibre intake may reduce the adverse relationship between red and processed meat and colorectal cancer. The Adventist Health Study found a similar effect from regular legume consumption. It is also noteworthy that the meat-eaters in EPIC-Oxford ate much less meat (about 70 grams per day) than the UK average (about 140 grams per day) and that as much fish and poultry was eaten as red and processed meat. A recent US study of half a million people looked specifically at the health associations of red meat and white meat (including fish).3 In both men and women, red meat was associated with an increase in overall death rates of about 30% per 100 grams per day even after other factors such as smoking and exercise were taken into account. In contrast, white meat was associated with a much smaller decrease in overall mortality (about 8%). Diet has an important role to play in health, but this involves much more than just the amount of animal products eaten. The earlier US Adventist Health Study found that avoiding doughnuts was associated with a similar benefit to avoiding meat while eating nuts regularly gave even more benefit. The Harvard Nurses Study developed a healthy eating index taking account of red meat consumption and trans fatty acid consumption (low intake best) and fruits, vegetables, polyunsaturated fat, cereal fibre and nuts/soya (higher intake best). This combined index was associated with about five year difference in life expectancy between the top and bottom fifths of the study group. Not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight (neither scrawny nor fat), keeping active, healthy diet, access to good quality healthcare and a supportive social network are all very important in promoting good health and longevity. Although the evidence indicates that simply measuring how much meat someone eats tells us relatively little about how healthy they are likely to be, the available results are more than sufficient to dismiss any suggestion that vegetarian or vegan diets are inherently unhealthy. 1 Timothy J Key, Paul N Appleby and others (2009) Mortality in British vegetarians: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford). American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (First published ahead of print March 18, 2009 as doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736L) 2 Timothy J Key, Paul N Appleby and others (2009) Cancer incidence in vegetarians: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Oxford). American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (First published ahead of print March 11, 2009 as doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736M) 3 Rashmi Sinha, Amanda J Cross and others (2009) Meat intake and mortality: A prospective study of over half a million people. Archives of Internal Medicine 2009; vol. 169(6): pages 562-571
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TAHINI FRIED CAULIFLOWER By Helen Edwards Serves 4 1 medium head cauliflower 200g dried farfalle pasta 4 Tbsp tahini 2 lemons 2 dstsp rapeseed oil 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4 dstsp rapeseed oil 1 medium chilli, sliced 120g peas, frozen Cut the cauliflower into florets. Place in a large saucepan of boiling water and cook, covered, until just tender. Remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon, and place aside to drain. Remove 4 tablespoons of the cooking water and reserve for later use.
WARM MUSHROOMS AND SWEET POTATO SALAD Serves 4 500g/1lb sweet potatoes, peeled 250g pack large flat mushrooms, sliced 1 red pepper, deseeded, cut into chunks 1 red onion, sliced 2 unpeeled garlic cloves 45ml/3tbsp pine nuts 30ml/2tbsp olive oil the juice of 1 lemon 2.5ml/1⁄2tsp Dijon mustard a pinch of sugar 1 (95g) bag baby salad leaves salt and ground black pepper
Place the pasta in the saucepan containing the remainder of the boiling water. Return to the boil, then simmer, uncovered, until al dente (approximately 10-12 minutes). Drain the pasta, and rinse with freshly boiled water to remove excess starch. Set the pasta aside. Mix the tahini into the 4 Tbsp of reserved cooking water. Finely grate the rind of the lemons, and set aside. Squeeze the lemon juice into the tahini. Stir to mix. Heat the oil gently in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and the reserved lemon rind to the frying pan, and fry gently for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool slightly, then stir into the tahini mixture. Wipe the frying pan clean with kitchen roll, then place the oil in the pan and heat. Add the drained cauliflower to the pan, and fry, turning frequently, until lightly browned. Add to the pan, and fry for 1 minute. Add the drained pasta and the tahini mixture to the frying pan. Stir until the sauce covers the cauliflower and pasta, and is heated through. Meanwhile, place the peas in a small saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Drain. Divide the pasta between four serving dishes, and top with the peas. Serve immediately.
Preheat the oven to 200°c/Fan 180°c /Gas Mark 6. Cut the sweet potatoes into evenly sized large chunks. Place in a large roasting tin and drizzle over half the oil. Roast for 10 mins or until just tender. Add the mushrooms, pepper, onion, garlic and pine nuts to the roasting tin. Toss well to coat in oil, season with a little salt and plenty of ground black pepper and roast for a further 15-20 mins. The potatoes and mushrooms should be tender. Remove the tray from the oven and take the garlic out of the tray. Slip the papery skin from the garlic and crush to a pulp with the back of a spoon. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining oil, garlic pulp, lemon juice, mustard and sugar to make a dressing. Season to taste. Empty the salad leaves onto a large platter, top with the roasted vegetables then drizzle over the dressing. Serve warm.
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TRIO OF TEMPTING TREATS By Terry Woolcock (Vegan Catering Challenge finalist) Serves 4 1 sheet of Jus-roll puff pastry 120g soft brown sugar 90g icing sugar 90g pistachio nuts (peeled and finely chopped) 90g hazel nuts (peeled and finely chopped) 240g buckwheat flour Rapeseed oil 4 small cooking apples Half a punnet of blackberries 240g plums Quarter pint of coconut milk 4 small conference pears 1 punnet of redcurrants Stock syrup Mint Warm Baked Apple Mille Feuille with Glazed Hedgerow Blackberries Pin out Jus-roll puff pastry thinly, make small holes in it and bake at 180°c. When golden brown, remove and set aside. Peel, core and shape the apples. Lay them out on the tray with a little oil, spices and brown sugar. Bake in a moderate oven until soft and cooked through. Add the blackberries and allow to cool. Cut and shape the pastry for the Mille Feuille. Dredge the tops with icing sugar and glaze using a gas gun. Assemble the Mille Feuille and place on parchment paper.
A Shot of Plum and Coconut Syrup Stone the plums and poach them in stock syrup until soft. Remove the skins and puree the flesh. Adjust for sweetness and two thirds fill the shot glasses. Just before service, add the coconut cream and decorate with toasted coconut strips. Buckwheat, Pistachio and Hazelnut Blinis with Poached Pear Blend together the buckwheat, nuts and a little soya milk and set aside. Peel, core and shape the pears and poach in stock syrup with vanilla and cinnamon. Cook 12 blini. Heat some olive oil in a small frying pan and add a little of the mix. Shape and cook both sides. Set aside to cool and use a cutter to attain a uniform size for all 12. Slice the pears horizontally, assemble alternately with the blini. Set aside ready to warm for service. Plating and Decorating Warm the Mille Feuille and blinis in the oven. Put the completed shot glasses on the plates first, then add the Mille Feuille and blinis. Add decorations and serve. DĂŠcor Pear crisps. Toasted coconut. Crystalised blackberries. The plum shot provides the sauce for the desserts.
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Ethiopia Cathy Ratcliff
C
athy is a vegan who lived in Ethiopia for two years, in the capital, Addis Ababa, with her partner Andy and their daughter Isla, who are vegetarian. Cathy was mostly working for WISE (Women In Self-Employment, www.wise.org.et helping low income urban women.
Ethiopia is not most people’s idea of a tourism destination, but in fact it has some of the most amazing tourist sites in the world, including the 12th century rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the ancient and huge standing stones of Axum, the so-called Queen of Sheba’s palace and bath near Axum, the chapel in Axum which allegedly holds the biblical Ark of the Covenant, the 17th century ruined palaces of Gondar, the monasteries on the islands of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, the Blue Nile Gorge, several National Parks, an abundance of endemic species and the fourth highest mountain in Africa. The climate is pleasantly warm in the Highlands. Even more amazing, Ethiopia is great for vegans. The reason for this is that about half the population of Ethiopia is Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. Strict observers of this religion eat only vegan food every Wednesday, every Friday and for several weeks before major festivals such as Easter, Christmas and St. Mary’s Festival. All in all, they are vegan for 208 days of the year. Ethiopians call this vegan diet “fasting”, indicating that it is supposed to be a hardship. And it’s true that the strictest
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The traditional snacks of roasted barley (called kola) and crunchy cooked and dried chickpeas are also, of course, vegan. And freshly made fruit juices of locally grown mango, papaya, pineapple, avocado and orange are cheap, abundant and delicious.
Ethiopian Orthodox Christians eat nothing from getting up in the morning until about 3 p.m. on fasting days. The fasting days are chosen to represent the day when Christ was betrayed (Wednesday), when he was crucified (Friday) and times of purification before (sad to say) great feasting on chickens, sheep and goats at the long-awaited festivals. But when you look at the variety and tastiness of the “fasting” food on offer, fasting periods are not really a hardship at all. And for visiting vegans, the food on offer is a delight. Equally importantly, the country-wide understanding of offering dishes with no animal products means that you can order fasting food almost anywhere and anytime, and when you do so, you can be confident that it contains no animal products. The staple food in Ethiopia is “injera”, a large pancake made of an indigenous Ethiopian grain called teff. The teff is ground, mixed with water and yeast, fermented for 2 or 3 days, boiled with more water, cooled and left to rise, and then finally poured onto a special heated circular injera-making plate and cooked. An injera is about 40 cm or more wide and has a pleasantly bitter and savoury taste. It is served on a large plate with several sauces piled separately on top of the injera, and with extra injera served rolled up at the side. Traditional dishes with injera are eaten with the right hand and no cutlery, tearing the injera by hand and using it as a utensil with which to scoop up the sauces. A common dish is “beyayenatu”, an assortment of vegan sauces served on top of injera.
These vegan sauces include yellow split peas, spinach, kale, spicy lentils, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, braised green beans, salad and another staple food called shiro which is vegan when it is presented as a fasting food. Eating out in restaurants serving nontraditional food is also easy. Ethiopia was an Italian colony pre WW2 and has many pizza restaurants which feature some vegan pizzas on their menu. And since they are made deliberately as complete stand-alone fasting pizzas, rather than ordinary pizzas just missing the cheese, they are delicious, featuring all the usual ingredients in quantities sufficient to make the pizza satisfying. The Italian influence is felt not only in the pizza restaurants, but in the names of the coffees served in cafes, some of which offer fasting macchiatos and fasting cappuccinos, made with soya milk. Tomoco, on the Italian street called Piazza, is famed for its coffees to drink on the premises and freshly ground and packaged for taking home as a souvenir. The best bakeries and cafes also make an array of fasting croissants, brioches, sponge cakes, biscuits and extravagant cream cakes. Fasting ice cream is also widely available, and during prolonged fasting periods such as Lent, the best ice cream parlours (such as Bruno’s, near the Bole Medhane Alem church) offer several tempting flavours of fasting ice cream.
There are some drawbacks. Food hygiene is not great, and tap water, though apparently it passes all the tests of cleanliness, doesn’t suit the unaccustomed foreign stomach, and so the novice to Ethiopia has to beware of salad that might have been washed in tap water and to do what they can to ensure tap water has not been added to their fruit juice. Most sickness that visitors contract is a simple sore stomach and diarrhoea, but my family has also had more debilitating food poisoning lasting two or three days, and one of us even contracted amoebic dysentery, which is easily treated if you can afford it but a cause of death amongst Ethiopians who can’t afford the treatment. Ethiopia deserves to be much better known for its beautiful historical and natural sights, and for its cuisine. For more information about travelling in Ethiopia you can contact Cathy
If anyone can supply an Amharic entry (language of Ethiopia) for the Vegan Passport, please get in touch with George Rodger, c/o the Vegan Society office. Remember that the Vegan Passport is available from The Vegan Society price £3.99.
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So...
. here we go again lurkers, lettuce-munchers and lovely vegans. As the first sunny days (and perhaps the last) of British summertime break through the clouds, it’s a nice time to seize the day and do something new. In this edition of Vegans Anonymous, our guest columnist will be exploring vegan burlesque. Intrigued? Read on. As ever, you can expect a top recipe and, new to this edition, reader’s problems. ‘Til next time, take care and keep safe, GUEST FEATURE: Peace, Love and Tofu, Alex
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k.com “TO:alex@veganslovein &£.com FROM:*@&£^£%@*£&& WTF Grow ?? Peace Love and Tofu??? Up.”
internet acronym ‘WTF Grow Up.’ This writer is probably suggests to me that our on the computer, spending too much time on spelling ng and too little time worki and grammar.
So, I am not entirely certain pizzarella is a word but these are adorable and sufficiently pizzaesque to warrant such a comparison. They are perfect for those days when you’d like something a little bit special, but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. If you can’t get preprepared pastry rounds, you can use regular puff-pastry but you’ll want to make sure you leave the border to rise as your ‘crust..’
, therefore I You can't spell sandwich think I win.
a Eat It. “You Know You Wann KE” CA EF mmmmmmm BE ' appears with KE CA 'mmmmmmm BEEF but assume you no clarification, so I can que. Thanks, desire my muscular physi but no thanks…’
con sarnie’ is AND Your picture of a ‘ba e thing I’ve possibly the least attractiv would NOT let I de, asi ever seen. Ethics r my mouth; it that thing anywhere nea boring a multitude looks like it could be har itted Diseases). of STDs (Sandwich Transm Thanks for writing, Your pal, Alex
Serves 2 Ingredients: 2 x pre-prepared puff pastry rounds (Jus-Roll all the way) 3 – 4 tbsp your favourite vegan tomato pasta sauce (or at a pinch, tomato puree) 1 handful of spinach 3 - 4 medium chestnut mushrooms (you could substitute for whatever mushrooms you have to hand) sliced thinly 1 – 2 tbsp pine nuts 3 tbsp grated Cheezly SuperMelting Mozzarella-Style STEP ONE: Get your pastry out of the freezer as it will need 10 minutes to thaw a little. STEP TWO: Pop your spinach in a pan with 1 – 2 tbsp water and place on low-heat for 3 – 4 minutes ‘til it starts to wilt.
Drain, squeeze excess moisture and set aside. STEP THREE: Spread sparingly your tomato sauce over each pastry round, leaving about a cm border around the edge. STEP FOUR: Place a couple of spinach leaves artistically on your rounds. Then your mushrooms, and you might like to add a few pinches of vegan cheese too. Sprinkle pine nuts (untoasted) over your pizzarella. STEP FIVE: Pop it in the oven at around 220C for 8 – 10 minutes, or until the pastry has risen and is nicely golden and the ‘cheese’ has melted. STEP SIX: Serve with a nice simple salad, and possibly garnished with some freshly chopped basil. Voila!
by Vanilla Rose (Katharine A Gilchrist)
Burlesque is an “exotic dance craze”, according to the flyer circulated by my dance teacher. Once upon a time, vegan women were excluded from such crazes because of feather boas, whalebone corsets and fishnet stockings. (Okay, not the stockings…). You probably know the boning in modern corsets is plastic or even steel (more durable and, I am assured, surprisingly flexible). However, you may not have encountered the non feather boa...… until now! They are wonderfully soft and fluffy and suitable for loan to friends with feather allergies. I am not an active person, and have the proverbial two left feet, so I was astonished to find myself at the second burlesque class! To find myself still attending regularly after a year and a half is still amazing - I even choreographed a routine for a Christmas show. I would recommend burlesque to anyone who had the opportunity to try it. It is both fun AND funny! Women attending the class range in age from 16 to 61 so all are welcome. Although I bought my boa on ebay for £12.99, they are currently sold by manicpanic.biz, in various colours. The cost is $42.05 – although alas about two-thirds of which is postage from the USA. For those who might want to try before making the investment, I would use a long scarf … or tinsel at Christmas!
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“As we know, animal production is one of the leading causes of deforestation, climate change, water pollution and general environmental degradation. We need to let people know that eating animal products has grave personal and global consequences while also being good ambassadors for veganism..”
Amanda Baker puts a few questions to Vegan Society Patron and multiaward-winning musician Moby. Amanda: There is a growing sense of crisis in the world - people and animals are suffering more than ever due to food shortages, the effects of climate change and so on. Famous ‘green’ meat-eater George Monbiot recently said, “A vegan Britain could make a massive contribution to global food stocks.” How do you think we can best use this growing awareness and help people experience for themselves the benefits of choosing vegan lifestyles? Moby: A combination of education and example. As we know, animal production is one of the leading causes of deforestation, climate change, water pollution and general environmental degradation. We need to let people know that eating animal products has grave personal and global consequences while also being good ambassadors for veganism. Amanda: The Vegan Society project, ‘Vegan Catering for All’, is piquing the interest of omnivore chefs. How would you persuade mainstream caterers to put good vegan options on their menus? Moby: Vegan ingredients are less expensive. Vegan ingredients last longer. Many omnivores are happy to have healthy meals and cooking vegan is a really fun challenge for many chefs. Amanda: When you read The Vegan magazine, what is your favourite part and why? Moby: The overall goal of promoting veganism in all of its facets.
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Amanda: What would you say to people who think that being vegan is too hard, and that it’s easy for celebrities to be ‘vegan divas’? Moby: I was a vegan long before I was a celebrity diva... Amanda: What do you think about vegan-sexuality (where vegans only date other vegans)? Moby: I personally date vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. I’d love to have a relationship with a vegan woman, but I need to accept people where they are, not where I want them to be. Amanda: What do you think of the current animal rights scene? Moby: It’s growing and healthy. I could do with fewer ads wherein a naked celebrity is covered in blood, but in general I think that the animal rights movement is in a really good place. Amanda: What do you think has been the greatest step forward for veganism in the past five years, and why? Moby: News and research. The constant barrage of news pieces pointing out the ways in which animal products degrade health and the environment have done wonders for making veganism seem less ‘fringe’. Amanda: What are your hopes and fears for the vegan movement? Moby: My hopes are that we all work hard without burning out. My fear is that the enormity of the task (ending human use and consumption of animals) will lead to people burning out. The work is important, but so are we; and we need to take care of ourselves.
Contributions to Postbag are welcomed, but accepted on the understanding that they may be edited in the interests of brevity or clarity
I was interested to read Roger Merenyi’s article on pearl production in the Spring 2009 issue of The Vegan. For my last birthday my husband bought me a lovely necklace with a delightful silver Celtic knot and a shiny ‘stone’ which I realised was abalone. We took it back to the shop immediately and, as in your article, we exchanged it – in this case for an identical pattern but with a pretty little amethyst.
My husband had given me a watch three weeks ago as a gift. Thankfully its strap was too long for me so I hadn’t yet worn it. Then I read in The Vegan an article by a man who had unknowingly bought a mother of pearl watch for his wife. He discovered it almost immediately after returning home and exchanged it for a Guess watch (devoid of non-vegan stuff). This had led him to write a detailed article about how cruelly the mother of pearl is extracted from the sea creatures.
I really don’t understand why it is that we have to exploit animals simply for jewellery along with all the other cruelty. I would also like to point out to your readers that there are still shell shops in which you can buy all kinds of exotic shells which have often been culled from living creatures. And every necklace, ornament, and trinket made from shell or mother of pearl not only hides cruelty but also denudes the beaches of the essential materials that keep our marine environment healthy.
After reading this, I thought of having a second look at my watch and to my horror I realised that it too did have mother of pearl! I told my husband I wouldn’t be able to wear it ever and we almost gave up on the matter totally because we neither had its receipt nor was it unopened from its original packing. None the less I decided to try to return it to the shop. Fully armed with my Vegan magazine, I went to the store and presented my case. I told them that being a vegan I cannot wear the watch. Voila, they refunded my money. So, the point is: in cases related to animals’ misery we must make an effort.
Julie Roxburgh, Co-ordinator, The Shellfish Network www.shellfishnetwork.org.uk
Sonal London
On 6th August last year, I gave birth to a very healthy baby boy, 8lbs 3oz. I have been vegan since 1996 and take my health very seriously. Consequently I regularly read up on vegan nutrition, as I always presumed most vegans do. I have found that most vegans are the type of people to be interested in health and ecological issues anyway.
Stephen Walsh’s article about a meat eater on a bike versus a vegan in a 4x4 reminded me of a friendly little argument I used to have with an old workmate, Andrew Matthews, at the Greenhouse health food store in Wood Green, London. Andrew was a vegetarian with vegan rabbits, and I was a vegan with carnivorous cats. We’d debate who was least cruel and most environmentally sound. Does anyone have any thoughts? Lesley Jeavons Brighton
Amongst the 20 or so pregnant women I knew at the same time I was pregnant, I am the only one to have had a healthy pregnancy with absolutely no complications, and the active birth with no interventions that everyone had hoped for. At just about 7 months old, my son has just fought off his first illness in only 2 days. No, I am not Superwoman! Just a vegan who practices yoga, and this, I believe, was the key! I am so glad you responded to The Daily Telegraph as you did. I have always been aware of the need for B12 supplements, and of course continued to take them throughout my pregnancy and breastfeeding, as I take them now. Keep up the good work in setting the record straight about the vegan diet. Daisy Bannister Leicester The Vegan l Summer 2009
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CRANKS AND REVOLUTIONS By Mark Gold Green Print, 2008 ISBN 978-1-86425-097-1 Price £9.95 Reviewed by Stephen Walsh
THE FACE ON YOUR PLATE By Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson Published by W.W. Norton & Company ISBN: 978-0-393-06595-4 Price: £18.99 Reviewed by Rosamund Raha The best-selling author of When Elephants Weep, The Pig Who Sang to the Moon and many other good books Jeffrey Masson has written another classic. Many of the themes will be familiar to vegans such as exploring the cruelty involved in farming animals and the environmental cost of eating meat, but he also offers interesting psychological reasons why most people unconsciously deny the connection between the animal in the field or factory farm and the piece of meat on their plate or the glass of milk that they drink.
The title comes from the saying ‘a crank is an important part of an engine that makes a revolution’. This light-hearted novel takes a wry but warm look at protest movements over the past fifty years and the “cranks” who seek radical change in the way we live. The characters in the book (from Arson Andy to the pacifist Elizabeth Plant) are fictitious but many scenes have strong echoes of real people and real arguments. The voice of Kathleen Jannaway, whom many of our older members will remember, seems to ring out at times among the many different voices heard in the course of the story. The book is pleasantly non-judgmental: it neither canonises nor demonises the wide variety of characters who give life to efforts to achieve a better world. Mark Gold succeeds in evoking the spirit of protest movements in a way that goes beyond the immediate focus on animal rights and provides an enjoyable and stimulating read. If you ever protested about anything, from apartheid to live exports, you will find something or someone to identify with here.
A well referenced book, it gives plenty of primary and secondary sources which expose cruel practices and give evidence for animal emotions. The book also discusses food related issues and gives advice about being a healthy vegan. As always with Jeffrey Masson’s work this book is beautifully written and very accessible.
VEGANS CAN’T EAT ANYTHING! By Catherine Greenall Published by Leisure Learning Unlimited, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4092-4150-8 Price: £25.95 Available from http://www.lulu.com/content/4589437 Reviewed by Mark Bateman The first thing that impressed me was the availability of the ingredients used. I found them to be easily accessible, which is great as sometimes more obscure items are difficult to get hold of. The step by step instructions are also very well written and easy to follow, helping to avoid mistakes and disasters. The photos that accompany each recipe are very appetising and really make you want to make the food. I think the book is good for people who have recently decided to follow a vegan/vegetarian diet and also for people who have been following this diet for a while. It offers variety and shows non-vegans that the vegan diet needn’t be restrictive. I believe that the recipes will appeal not just to vegans/vegetarians but to all who appreciate fine food. Altogether an entertaining and useful book that would be an asset to anyone’s collection.
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THE RHINO WITH GLUE-ON SHOES Edited by Lucy Spelman and Ted Masima ISBN: 978-0-385-34146-2 Publishers: Bantam Dell Price: $22.00 Reviewed by Fiona Sylva
The rhino with the glue-on shoes is a collection of true life short stories by vets about their special or most memorable non-human patients and the journey back to health or unfortunately sometimes death. From a deer with a pierced ear and bugs with bugs to cheeky chimpanzees, these stories are guaranteed to pull at the old heart strings. Not always comfortable reading, and we may not all agree with keeping animals in captivity, but I don’t think anyone can deny these vets’ dedication and hard work for their patients. Just how do you anaesthetise a fish? The stories provide a good insight into the unusual relationships and medical situations created in zoos, wildlife reserves and sanctuaries. Cry at the story of ‘Little Guy’ the rhino who had been orphaned and shot at. Hold your breath while a very naïve vet takes a biopsy from a wide awake crocodile. This book is an interesting read and with 28 stories from the around the world it cannot fail to please. Don’t worry you don’t need medical knowledge to enjoy this book – the medical jargon is kept brief and understandable. Who knows? Maybe it could even inspire some future veterinary heroes!
SKINNY BASTARD By Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin Published: Running Press ISBN-10: 0762435402 ISBN-13: 9780762435401 Price: £8.99 Reviewed by Verity Hunt-Sheppard The Skinny Bitches return with their fifth publication to date, but this time it’s aimed at the guys. Skinny Bastard is touted as “a kick-in-the-ass for real men who want to stop being fat and start getting buff”. Once again, authors Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin plead the case for eating an organic, whole-food vegan diet and for exercising daily. All of this is delivered in the brash, no-holds-barred style that they have become famous for. Chapters include “Carbs: The Truth”, “Sugar is for CandyAsses”, “The Myths and Lies About Protein” and “No Girls Allowed”. The section “Soup’s On” includes basic menu plan ideas, but as the book is US authored many of the food products listed are sadly unavailable in the UK. As with the previous books, Skinny Bastard is not just a book about getting healthy but delivers a hard hitting insight into the dubious activities and influences of animal industries. Fans of the series won’t find lots of new information here, but once again the Skinny Bitches deliver an entertaining and informative read on the subject of where your food comes from, how the food industry works and why eating a whole-food vegan diet is best for you.
LIVING IN THE RAW DESSERTS By Rose Lee Calabro Published by Book Publishing Company, Summertown, Tennessee ISBN 978-1-57067-201-9 Price: $16.95 Reviewed by Joy Taft Ever wondered whether you could come up with something really fantastic by throwing ingredients into a food processor? If you believe gourmet puddings and desserts must be full of fat, sugar and lots of hard work – think again! This fabulous recipe book combines ease with nutritious ingredients to create delicious treats for everyone. No sugar or wheat and totally cruelty free, not even an oven or scales are required. All the recipes are raw, encouraging adults and children alike to eat more nuts and seeds, whilst satisfying the sweet tooth hidden in everyone. The easy-to-follow instructions will make party catering stress free and can spice up even the simplest of evening dinners. Whilst some recipes require a dehydrator or juicer, most recipes can be prepared with equipment that even the laziest cooks have in their kitchen. There are several pages of tantalising pictures which can’t help but get you in the mood for rustling up these healthful treats, proving that raw desserts can be just as sumptuous as the naughtiest of puddings. Children can also enjoy creating these simple and colourful desserts without the worries about oven safety. Recipes include decadent chocolate torte, blueberry cheesecake, divine heavenly truffles, lemon fantasy pie, fudge brownies supreme, carob mousse, apricot passion pudding, strawberry parfait, tropical paradise pie and mango sorbet. With over 80 recipes, it’s a real feel-good recipe book.
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VEGAN SOCIETY BOOKLETS AND LEAFLETS r DyIng fo e stuff’ ‘the white
Remember that we have a wide range of booklets and leaflets. Contact info@vegansociety.com 0121 523 1735/6 for free copies: Our Dying for the White Stuff leaflet has been comprehensively updated.
Photo:© C.I.W.F.
hands of the dairy industry. suffer greatly at the Both mother and calf
No calf = no milk
as the calf birth to a calf. As soon the dairy cow must give calf In order to produce milk Yet within two days the bond with her/his mother. is born s/he forms a strong extreme distress. It is well separated, causing them 1 and mother are usually her calf. continuously calls after documented that the cow
.. ..
Our Why Vegan? leaflet is great to hand out to
to leave the calf with industry is inescapable: This aspect of the dairy the calf would a loss of revenue because her/his mother would cause it is not a viable option. wants to sell. Therefore drink milk that the farmer
passers by (costing less to print and post out than the booklets).
Our Vegan Recipes leaflet is well received by non-vegans as well as vegans.
Our Costing the Earth leaflet is great to give out at environmentally themed events.
The Eating the Earth booklet sets out the exact reasons why a vegan diet is better for the environment (now updated).
The Plant Based Nutrition booklet gives all the information that is needed for a balanced vegan diet.
The Vegan for the Animals booklet is a comprehensive and well referenced critique of animal farming.
The Young Person’s Guide to Veganism is great to give out.
The Vegan Catering Guide for Hospitals and Care homes is handy to give to a hospital in advance of a stay.
The Vegan Catering for All Guide is great to give to cafes and restaurants to encourage them to cook more vegan food.
photo © CIWF
Our Why Vegan? booklet remains a firm favourite, giving an overview of vegan issues as well as ‘going vegan’ tips. Street Hockley Birmingham Watson House 21 Hylton om www.vegansociety.c The Vegan Society Donald om Email: info@vegansociety.c T. 0845 45 88244 number 1468880. 279228. Company Registration Registered Charity number
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B18 6HJ
Write to: The Vegan Society, YOUth, Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Birmingham, B18 6HJ Email: youth@vegansociety.com Call: 0121 523 1738 www.vegansociety.com/teach_and_learn
Youth Contacts are aged 16-25 and are here for young vegans to connect with. If you would like to chat to a Youth Contact or if you would like to be one please get in touch with Rob (contact details above). If you are under 16 please talk to your parents first!
Education is always greener on the other side with Green Garden Cafe Green Garden Café believe it is vitally important for young people to learn about where their food comes from and how it grows without using chemicals or methods that are harmful to nature. The newly formed not-for-profit vegan business has proven an educational hit with a local Coventry primary school. The children were taken to visit Green Garden Café’s local community allotment where they were taught about seasonal produce and saw for themselves the enjoyment gardens can give in inner city areas. This visit gave the young people the inspiration for their own school’s vegetable patch. Miss Mallier and the children from Mount Nod School commented “Cathy and Rich have a wonderful rapport with the children and have introduced the club to the wonders of healthy delicious pure vegetarian food. Richard’s frequent cookery sessions have proved a hit and the gardening club are already compiling a list of recipes to include in their forthcoming recipe book. At Christmas we loved tasting the mince pies and hot fruit punch, but the leek and potato soup was definitely a favourite.” Club member Nathanael Harding said “The soup was nice; hopefully we can make it again when our vegetables grow.” As well as providing education For more information contact
offers vegan catering for any event. or www.greengardencafe.co.uk
Bursary for benevolent students Wycliffe College, a private school in Gloucestershire, is offering a 10% discount to sixth-form vegetarian applicants, and vegans are of course welcome too! The school founder, George Silby, was vegetarian and his son William experimented by imposing vegetarianism on one of the boarding houses. 10% of the current students and many of the staff are vegetarian, but there is only one vegan! The students are also supported in growing their own fruit and vegetables on the school grounds. Being vegan wouldn’t be enough to get the bursary, you would also have to be an excellent student – and pay the remaining fees. www.wycliffe.co.uk
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VEG 1 (£4.99 for three months’ adult supply) Specifically designed to benefit vegans of all ages in a safe and effective way. Taken daily, VEG 1 ensures adequate supplies of selenium, iodine, vitamin D, folic acid, vitamins B2, B6 and, of course, B12. Based on extensive research by Vegan Society health and nutrition spokesperson Stephen Walsh, author of Plant Based Nutrition and Health, the supplement is ideal for vegans of all ages. Available only from The Vegan Society
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Verity Hunt-Sheppard
TASTY FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS
SKINCARE WITH ESSENTIAL OILS
AROMAFOODS If you’re in Bristol or Bath then Aromafoods products are a must try. They specialise purely in Animal Free delicacies and are carbon balanced through the World Land Trust. Aromafoods do not shy away from unusual taste-combinations with delights such as Lime & Coriander Aloo, Sesame Samosas, Lemon & Coriander Falafel, Carrot & Orange Cake and Banana & Coconut Slice. Their savoury snacks are free from wheat flour and added nuts too. All Aromafoods ingredients are free from preservatives, colours or flavour enhancers. For more details visit www.aromafoods.org.uk or telephone 0800 074 4876
NATURALEVE Naturaleveís products contain essential oils and extracts and are free from parabens, petrochemicals, sodium lauryl sulphate, artificial preservatives, colours and fragrances. Treat yourself to their Nourishing Therapy Oil and their Oriental Blossom perfume. Naturaleveís Nourishing Therapy Oil contains rosehip, lavender, neroli and chamomile and comes in an easy to use roll on. This fuss free applicator means your skin can get an easy moisture boost wherever you are. Simply roll the applicator over the skin exactly where you need it to soothe and moisturise, perfect for your handbag, office drawer or pocket. Products are priced from £4.99. For more details visit www.naturaleve.co.uk or telephone 01923 249241
DERMATOLOGICAL CLEANSING CLOTHS SKINVAC Skinvac produce dermatological skincare cloths that require only water to use! No harsh chemicals, no plastic bottles and no glitzy packaging are involved in cleansing your face the Skinvac way. Skinvac cloths and are reusable too, up to an amazing 200 washes. They are perfect for travelling or for those on the go. Skinvac cloths are said to retain your natural facial oil instead of stripping it away which can lead to overstimulation of your facial oil and therefore skin problems. There are three Skinvac cloths to choose from: Deep Daily Cleansing, Non-gritty Exfoliation and Acne Control, or have one of each! Products are priced at £5.35. For more details visit www.skinvac.com
PALM OIL FREE SOAP HOWDEN SOAPS Scrub yourself clean with a whole scrummy array of soap bars from Howden Soaps. Based in Yorkshire, Howden Soaps pride themselves in producing traditionally made soaps that are free from palm oil. They also cram in as many natural and locally produced ingredients as possible, with water sourced from the Wolds Water spring in Pocklington. Choose from their Citrus Morning, Lavender, and Oregano with Lime, Oriental Bouquet, Nude, Patchouli, Chamomile & Vanilla and Spiced Red Bush soap bars. Products are priced from £3.80. For more details visit www.howdensoap.co.uk or telephone 01430 434643
Special Offer Howden Soaps are offering all you lovely readers a 12.5% discount on website orders until 1st of October 2009. To take advantage of this offer just type the word ‘vegan’ at the online checkout before stating your payment method.
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Verity Hunt-Sheppard
VEGAN COOKING WINES AND SPIRITS
BAMBOO, HEMP AND ORGANIC COTTON CLOTHING WELL CULTIVATED Well Cultivated sell clothing made from bamboo, hemp and organic cotton. Bamboo cloth is luxuriously soft and more absorbent than cotton, and is said to have anti-bacterial qualities that remain for the life of the garment. Bamboo is a fast growing plant that doesnít need fertilisers or pesticides to grow; bamboos also help with soil stability. Choose from Well Cultivatedís selection of bamboo tops, socks, shirts, scarves, dressing gowns, towels and baby blankets. For more details visit www.wellcultivated.co.uk or telephone 0115 921 2979
MILD, CONCENTRATED MOISTURISERS
GOURMET CLASSIC Gourmet Classic specialise in vegan cooking wines and spirits. Their Eaux De Vie is fruit-based clear brandy available in Cherry, Peach, Pear William, Plum and Strawberry. Cooking spirits include Brandy, Whisky, Gin, Dark Rum and Calvados while their range of cooking wines include Marsala, Madeira, Port, Italian Red, Italian White, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. So whether it is a red wine syrup, a brandy sauce or a rum marinade you wish to make then Gourmet Classic has just what you need. Gourmet Classic products are available at branches of Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrison’s, Nisa and Booth or contact them for details of local stockists.For more details visit www.gourmetclassic.com or telephone 01202 863040
MULONDON MuLondon’s gorgeous organic moisturisers are mild and concentrated. Choose from their Lavender, Hemp, White Chocolate or Marigold, Frankincense & Myrrh moisturising creams packed full of lovely ingredients such as Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Blue Chamomile, Cocoa and essential oils. MuLondon products are available exclusively though the MuLondon website. Products priced from £12. For more details visit www.MuLondon.com
Competition and Special Offer MuLondon have 10 pots of their moisturiser up for grabs. For a chance to win one send your entry marked ‘Vegan Competition’ along with your contact details and stating which cream you would like to win to to www.MuLondon.com/contacts or post to: MuLondon, 64C Evelyn Street, London SE8 5DD. Entries will be drawn on the 1st of July. MuLondon are also offering readers a whopping 20% off their first order until September the 1st. To take advantage of this offer just type the code ‘vegan09mag’ at the online checkout section.
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VEGAN SATIN TIES ADEENA If you’ve ever been frustrated at not being able to find a tie that doesnít contain silk then Adeena have just the range for you. They sell a large variety of luxury satin ties for all occasions. Choose from their selection of patterned, striped, criss cross and slim ties. For more formal occasions choose from traditional greys, browns, black or blues, for something more eye catching try pink & grey stripes, green & silver, maroon & gold or a more contemporary grid box tie. Products are priced from £14.99. For more details visit www.adeena.co.uk
All Shoparound products have been authenticated as
Not all products in a range are necessarily vegan.
SOAPS WITH NATURAL OILS
SKINCARE WITH BAOBAB OIL
JUST SOAPS Just Soaps have an extensive range of soaps crammed with natural oils and butters. There is Kitchen Soap, Gardeners Soap, Soap on a Rope, Loofah Soaps, Liquid Soaps, Soap Cakes, a Shaving Soap and even a Dog Shampoo Bar. Just Soaps donít stop there; choose from bath salts, lip balms, some gorgeous facial moisturisers and hand & body creams. Just Soaps products are free from SLS, Parabens, EDTA and petrochemicals. Just Soaps use only recycled and biodegradable materials for all their packaging and source their supplies such as spring water, oats, lavender and herbs from small local businesses. Products are priced from £2.75. For more details visit www.just-soaps.co.uk
MANAKEDI Manakedi produce skincare products that contain Baobab oil from the ‘upside down’ tree in Africa. Baobab oil has been traditionally used by African women to protect their skin and hair against the harsh African sun and has excellent moisturising properties. Choose from their Active Face and Body Mask, Biolift Night Oil, Biolift Cleansing Lotion, Biolift Daily Nourishing Moisturiser and Amarula Hand Lotion. Manakediís Active E1 Cream and Active E1 Cream Cleanser has been designed for irritated skin conditions and the symptoms of eczema. Due to the use of fresh ingredients, Manakedi products have a shorter lifespan compared to other products. For more details visit www.manakedi.co.uk or telephone 01438 249509
Special Offer Readers can claim a 10% discount from online orders until 1st July 2009 just enter VEGAN10 in the coupon box on their website to receive your discount.
SPREADABLE VEGAN CHEESE LE SOJAMI Le Sojami, founded in France, sell a range of delicious vegan products including cheeses, pâtés, desserts, a mayonnaise, creams and biscuits. Their amazing Tartimi, spreadable cheese comes in four varieties, Basil, Chives, Cumin & Tarragon and Garlic & Mixed Herbs. Le Sojami products are made from organic soya beans grown in the south west of France. All Le Sojami soya products are lactofermented the vegan way (from carbohydrates, not from milk). This process is patented and said to have various benefits that contribute to a healthy body. All Le Sojami products in their savoury and dessert ranges are cholesterol and gluten free too. For more details www.lesojami.com or e-mail blb.le.sojami@free.fr
VEGAN MARKETING, PR AND DESIGN EXCELLART Excellart is a vegan husband and wife partnership that offers a range of services to promote vegan, veggie and ethical businesses and organisations including printing, website design and public relations. They have a policy of no hidden extra costs, of recycling and buying ethically, using local and ethical suppliers where possible and donating 2.5% of their profits to charities or community groups. Excellart offer a 10% discount to vegan businesses and are currently offering a results-only PR service charged at £144 per secured feature. Excellartís clients include Yaoh, Natural Organic Experience, Veggie Vision, and Vegfam to name but a few. For more details visit www.excellart.co.uk, or telephone 01761 413022
Competition To win a goody basket of Le Sojami’s goods, simply answer the question ‘what is okara?’ send your answers marked ‘Le Sojami Competition’ to the Vegan Society Office. Entries will be drawn on the 26th of June.
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THE VEGETARIAN CHARITY Needy young vegetarians up to and including the age of 25 years can receive grants from the Charity which also provides funds to promote vegetarianism among the young. Donations and legacies are most welcome to ensure that we can continue with our important work. For further information, stating where you saw this advertisement, visit our website www.vegetariancharity.org.uk where application forms can be downloaded. Or contact: Grants Secretary, PO Box 473, Crewe, CW3 0WU Registered Charity No 294767
Updated diaries and events information can be viewed at www.vegansociety.com This information has been provided by the event organisers.
MAY 2009 Veggie Pride UK Saturday 16 May, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sponsored by The Vegan Society Birmingham City Centre. Food, music, stalls, speakers, parade. Simultaneous with Veggie Pride events around the globe. Organised by Midland Vegan Campaigns www.veggiepride.org.uk
12th International Vegan Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 July 2009 www.svb.org.br/12veganfestival/english
AUGUST 2009
One World Festival Saturday 23 to Saturday 30 May Galloway, Scotland. www.macrobios.com
Vegan Camp Saturday 1 to Saturday 15 August Newquay, Cornwall. A friendly and enjoyable annual social gathering for singles, couples and families. Come for any length of time from a day to two weeks. www.vegancamp.co.uk
Bristol Vegan Fayre Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May Sponsored by The Vegan Society Organised by Yaoh. www.bristol.veganfayre.co.uk
One World Festival Tuesday 11 to Monday 17 August Monkton Combe, England. www.macrobios.com
JUNE 2009
Veg Festival, Torino, Italy Friday 5 to Sunday 7 June www.vegfestival.org Vegan Beer Festival Sunday 7 June Sumac Centre, Nottingham. Tel. 0845 458 9595 or e-mail nar@veggies.org.uk Jeffrey Masson Book Launch, London Saturday 20 June (see page 13) Sponsored by the Vegan Society. Jeffrey Masson Talk and Garden Party, Oxford Sunday 21 June (see page 13) Veg Parent Support Group Gathering, London Sunday 21 June, 1.30 to 4.30 pm Sponsored by the Vegan Society Talk by State Registered Dietitian Sandra Hood, with paediatrician Leila Masson (wife of Jeff) and nutrition spokesperson Stephen Walsh.
Jeffrey Masson Talk and Social, Cambridge Monday 22 June (see page 13)
JULY 2009
The Incredible Veggie Roadshow Saturday 18th July, 10.30 am to 4.30 pm Crown & Mitre Hotel, Carlisle. Free entry. www.viva.org.uk/events.php
Vegan Venture Course Saturday 22 August, 9 am to 5 pm Vegan cookery day for veg*ns aged 16 to 25 at the Vegetarian Society Cordon Vert cookery school near Manchester,funded by The Vegetarian Charity in memory of the late Maxwell Lee. Application forms from The Vegetarian Charity, PO Box 473, Crewe CW3 0WU or www.vegetariancharity.org.uk
SEPTEMBER 2009 London Vegan Festival Sunday 6 September, 11am to 8 pm Sponsored by The Vegan Society Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8. Speakers, music, stalls, food, a great day out for everyone. Entrance £2, under-16s free www.vegancampaigns.org.uk/festival
Festival of Life (raw food) Saturday 26 September, 10.30 am to 11.30 pm Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1R 4RL. Party from 7.30pm. All-Day tickets £10 (concessions £8), day or evening £6 (£4). Stalls, music, organic market, raw kitchen gadgets, clowns, songs, poets, talks on eco and raw living, meditation etc. www.festivaloflife.net
The Incredible Veggie Roadshow Saturday 26 September, 10.30 am to 4.30 pm Town Hall, Cheltenham. Free entry. http://www.viva.org.uk/events.php
OCTOBER 2009
Leicester Vegan Fair Saturday 10 October Leicester’s largest vegetarian and vegan event. www.leicesterveganfair.co.uk Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November 2nd West African Veg Congress, Accra, Ghana With festival on World Vegan Day www.ivu.org/africa
NOVEMBER 2009 (WORLD VEGAN MONTH) World Vegan Day Sunday 1 November www.worldveganday.org Lincoln Vegan Food Fayre Saturday 7 November, 11 am to 3.30 pm Tel. 07786 618306 lincoln-animalrights@hotmail.co.uk 4th Asian Vegetarian Congress, Batam, Indonesia Friday 6 to Tuesday 10 November www.avc2009.org The Incredible Veggie Roadshow Saturday 7 November, 10.30 am to 4.30 pm Guildhall, Cambridge. Free entry. www.viva.org.uk/events.php Saturday 21 November Vegan Society Annual General Meeting (see page 11)
DECEMBER 2009
12th International Animal Rights Day Thursday 10 December Tel. 0114 272 2220 info@uncaged.co.uk East Midlands Vegan Festival Saturday 12 December Tel 0845 458 9595 www.veggies.org.uk/veganfestival
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VEGAN SOCIETY LOCAL CO THE VEGAN SOCIETY LOCAL CONTACTS Local Contacts are Vegan Society members who act voluntarily as a point of contact for those interested in the Society’s work. They are not official representatives of the Society and their levels of activity and knowledge vary according to their individual circumstances. Some Local Contacts run groups, in which case details are below their names. Groups not run by Local Contacts and non-geographic groups are listed separately. For youth contacts email youth@vegansociety.com or phone 0121 523 1738 Veg*ans = vegetarians & vegans. For details of group activities please check the website or get in touch with the Contact. When writing to a Contact please enclose a sae. If you’ve been a full member of the Society for at least six months and would like to be a Local Contact please get in touch with the Coordinator, Patricia Tricker (see under Yorkshire, no phone calls before 8 pm please).
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ONTACTS & GROUPS
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LISTINGS PATRONS Freya Dinshah Maneka Gandhi Rebecca Hall Dr Michael Klaper Moby Gordon Newman Cor Nouws Wendy Turner-Webster Benjamin Zephaniah
COUNCIL Philip Bickley (Nutrition and Health Spokesperson) Alex Claridge (Assistant National Contacts’ Coordinator, Assitant Treasurer and Assistant International Coordinator) Vanessa Clarke (International Coordinator and Information Consultant) Matthew Cole (Information Consultant) Graham Neale (Chair) George Rodger (Vice Chair and Information Consultant) Patricia Tricker (National Contacts’ Coordinator) Stephen Walsh (Nutrition and Health Spokesperson and Treasurer)
STAFF PR/Media Officer Amanda Baker Sales and Membership Assistant Claire Burrows Head of Business Development George Gill Information Officer Verity Hunt-Sheppard Education Officer Rob Jackson Office Manager / Finance Officers Diana and Howard Knight Head of Sales & IT Dave Palmer Head of Information Services Rosamund Raha Trademark Assistant Sandrine Revert Information Officer Charley Roberts Chief Executive Officer Nigel Winter Volunteers Dean Bracher John Davis Lenka Pagan Dave Shortland Shari Black Velvet
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VEGANISM may be defined as a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. In dietary terms it refers to the practice of dispensing with all animal produce — including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, animal milks, honey, and their derivatives. Abhorrence of the cruel practices inherent in an agricultural system based on the abuse of animals is probably the single most common reason for the adoption of veganism, but many people are drawn to it for health, ecological, resource, spiritual and other reasons. If you would like more information on veganism a free Information Pack is available from the Vegan Society. THE VEGAN SOCIETY was formed in England in November 1944 by a group of vegetarians who had recognised the ethical compromises implicit in lacto-vegetarianism (ie dairy dependent). Today, the Society continues to highlight the breaking of the strong maternal bond between the cow and her new-born calf within just four days; the dairy cow’s proneness to lameness and mastitis; her subjection to an intensive cycle of pregnancy and lactation; our unnatural and unhealthy taste for cows’ milk; and the de-oxygenation of river water through contamination with cattle slurry. If you are already a vegan or vegan sympathiser, please support the Society and help increase its influence by joining. Increased membership means more resources to educate and inform.
CLASSIFIEDS (UK) HOLIDAYS CORNWALL
HAMPSHIRE
HOLIDAYS ABROAD
NEW FOREST - The Barn Vegan Guest House. En Suite rooms, evening meals. Perfect for walking/cycling etc 023 8029 2531 or www.veggiebarn.net
Pyrenean mountain village in southern France. Enjoy our vegan B&B. Phone Karen or Matthew on 00 33 56166 9195 www.veganholidayfrance.com Kerala & South India Vegan and vegetarian cuisine, eco-friendly resorts & hotels, beaches, backwaters, wildlife, trekking & camping. Brochure: 01892 722440 Fax: 01892 724913 E-mail: info@keralaconnections.co.uk www.keralaconnections.co.uk
ISLE OF WIGHT
WEST CORK- vegetarian self-catering apartments for singles, couples and families in peaceful wooded surroundings. Organic vegetables & vegan wholefoods available. 5% discount for early booking. Green Lodge, Trawnamadree, Ballylickey, Bantry, Co. Cork, Ireland.Tel: 00353 2766 146, Text: 00353 0861955451. Email: greenlodge@eircom.net or website http://homepage.eircom.net/~greenlodge
PUBLICATIONS CUMBRIA
SUSSEX
DEVON North Devon. Exclusively Vegetarian/Vegan B&B. Large letting room with private bathroom. 01271 816193. www.limetreenursery.co.uk. TBC
WALES Pembrokeshire Holiday Caravan
DORSET
4 berth Our cosy vegan family caravan is situated on a quiet park near the beaches of Amroth, Saundersfoot and Tenby and the start of the National Park Coastal Path. Nearby are beautiful sea and landscapes for the amateur artist. *Tel Jane Jones 01994 230 170*
Alpujarras - Andalucia Attractive, well equipped townhouse. Sunny roof terrace. Wonderful views, birds, walks, mountain villages. Wholefood shops, Restaurants serving veggie food. Sleeps 2-6. (10% discount for Vegan supporters) 01736 753555 Email: suehalfyard@fsmail.net Andalucia - remote mountain village 40 mins sea - walking, wildlife - from £100 per week - 2 persons - £180 4 persons. Tel 01202 431867 www.orgiva.org/alfornon TBC
Vegan Views now has a new Editor: Knut Caspari, Longridge, Bankend Road, Dumfries, DG1 4TP. Tel 01387 265348. Email sjolberg@online.net. Letters, articles etc welcome. TBC
DISCOUNT CARD
people
Donald Watson House 21 Hylton Street Hockley Birmingham B18 6HJ
animals
environment
Tel: 0845 45 88244 Fax: 0121 523 1749 info@vegansociety.com www.vegansociety.com
THE VEGAN DISCOUNT CARD
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CLASSIFIEDS The Christian Vegetarian Association UK (CVAUK) promotes a plant based way of life as it represents good, responsible Christian Stewardship for all God’s creation. For further information on our work or to join us visit www.christianvegetarian.co.uk or
PERSONAL
CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE: Advertisements are accepted subject to their satisfying the condition that the products advertised are entirely free from ingredients derived from animals;
“Jesus was a vegetarian” www.donoteatus.org
that neither products nor ingredients have been tested on animals; and that the content of
THE VEGETARIAN CHARITY Needy young vegetarians up to and including the age of 25 years can receive grants from the Charity which also provides funds to promote vegetarianism among the young.
ORGANISATIONS
Donations and legacies are most welcome to ensure that we can continue with our important work.
Save A Life Adopt A Goat
such ads does not promote, or appear to promote, the use of non-vegan commodities. Books, records, tapes, etc. mentioned in
INTERNET SERVICES
advertisements should not contain any material contrary to vegan principles. Advertisements may be accepted from catering
For further information, starting where you saw this advertisement, visit our website www.vegetariancharity.org.uk where application forms can be downloaded.
establishments that are not run on exclusively vegan lines, provided that vegan meals are available and that the wording of
Or contact: Grants Secretary, PO Box 473, Crewe, CW3 0WU
such ads reflects this.
Registered Charity No 294767
SANCTUARY IN DESPERATE NEED The ideal gift for the person who has everything. We take into care those who have suffered from neglect, abuse and abandonment. Providing a loving home for the rest of their days Buttercup Sanctuary for goats, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 4JU Tel: (01622) 746410 Registered Charity: 1099627
Hillfields Animal Sanctuary, near Bromsgrove West Midlands, has 300 mouths to feed. The owner is battling against almost impossible odds and desperately needs help, both practical and financial. Please contact Website www.hillfields-animal-sanctuary.com
www.Buttercups.org.uk KINDNESS UNLIMITED is a fellowship of vegetarian and vegan Christians of any denomination or none. For further information without obligation write to Kindness Unlimited, Churchfield House, Weston under Penyard, Ross-on-Wye HR9 7PA or telephone 01989 762192.
ADVERTISEMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED BY 8 JULY 2009 FOR INCLUSION IN THE AUTUMN 2009 ISSUE OFTHE VEGAN CONTACT: ADVERTISING@VEGANSOCIETY.COM 0121 523 1733
Divine Frog Web Services www.divinefrog.co.ukWebsites from £100. Hosting and Email from £65. Eco-hosting from £75. Domain name registration from £65. Standards compliant, accessible, quality websites. Vegan owned and operated. Don’t settle for anything less. Already have a website? Contact us about a free website health check. t: Ian on 07981 057697 e: i.nicoll@divinefrog.co.uk The Professional Choice
SHOPPING
The Vegan Society trademark is the authentic international standard for vegan products.
DISCOUNT CARD
This card entitles the bearer to discounts at a range of outlets, restaurants and hotels. A full list of discounts is available from The Vegan Society.
DISCOUNT CARD THE VEGAN VALID FROM
MAY 2009
UNTIL
AUGUST 2009 REFERENCE CODE
Ref:RBS 009
MISCELLANEOUS Speaker available Tim Woodley, ex-fireman now MD of Red Star Soaps available to speak for your group. "A Brief History of Soap, Where it Comes From and How it's Made." Includes a demonstration of how to easily make your own 100% natural vegan soap with high street ingredients. Vegan food and drinks also available. For full details and free information call 01384 873748/07729 121362, e-mail redstar@gn.apc.org or log on to www.redstarnaturalliquidsoaps.co.uk.
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Our logo provides an easy and trusted way to promote your cruelty-free goods and services to the growing number of vegans in the UK and worldwide. Trademark holders benefit from instant recognition, promotion in The Vegan magazine, discounted advertising rates, and a listing on the Vegan Society website. It’s good for you, good for the Vegan Society, and good for vegans. For more information on the trademark, contact George Gill on (0121) 5231733 or email trademark@vegansociety.com. You can also read about the trademark on our website at www.vegansociety.com
VEGAN NUTRITION GUIDELINES To ensure that vegans maintain good health it is important to: Eat plenty of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables including dark green leafy vegetables. Eat plenty of wholefoods (brown bread, brown rice etc). Include in your diet each day at least three micrograms of vitamin B12 from fortified foods or 10 micrograms from a supplement. Expose your face and arms to the sun for 15 minutes per day whenever you can (if your shadow is much longer than you the sun is not strong enough). If your sun exposure is limited (for example in a British winter), or if you are dark skinned, make sure that you get 10 to 20 micrograms of vitamin D2 each day from fortified food or a supplement.
Ensure a source of iodine such as kelp or take a supplement. It is important to take neither too much nor too little, since both overdose and underdose can be harmful. A good iodine intake is 15 to 30 grams of kelp kombu) per year or a daily supplement containing 100 to 150 micrograms of iodine. Try to get at least 500 mg per day of calcium from calcium rich foods or supplements. Consume a tablespoonful of ground flaxseed or a teaspoonful of (uncooked) flaxseed oil each day if possible or consume other omega 3 rich oils. For example you could use two tablespoons of rapeseed oil (which does not have a strong taste) in place of other vegetable oils such as sunflower or corn oil.
MEMBERSHIP / RENEWAL
I wish to become a member and support the work of the Vegan Society. I wish to renew my membership. Membership No. (if known)......................................................................
Name:................................................................................Address:.......................................................................................... Postcode:........................................Tel:..........................................................Email:.................................................................. Date of Birth: (for security purposes)........../.........../..........Occupation:..................................................................................... Please tick this box if you are a dietary Vegan. This entitles you to voting rights in the Society’s elections if aged 18+. Please treat my membership subscription as Gift Aid. I have paid UK income or capital gains tax equal to the amount the Society reclaims. My income is less than £8000 per year and I qualify for the low income discount of 33%.*
A copy of the Society’s rules (Memo & Articles of Association) can be viewed on our website or at our office. Alternatively you may buy
I wish to enrol other members of my household for an additional £7 each.**
a copy for £5.
Please give full names of additional members and specify if dietary vegan and / or under 18. (If more than four additional members please attach separate sheet.)
Membership Individual £21 * Less £7 low-income deduction (if applicable) ** Add £7 per additional household member Under 18 years old £7 Memo & Articles of Association £5 Overseas: Europe +£5 / Rest of World +£7 Payment may be made by credit card, sterling International money order or sterling cheque drawn on a British bank.
Donation Total:
21
How to pay Cheque / PO payable to The Vegan Society Credit / Debit card (enter details below) Direct Debit (phone for details) Website: www.vegansociety.com Please debit my Visa / Mastercard Access / Visa Delta / Connect / Switch Solo card number
Name on card:.........................................................................Signature:.................................................................. Today’s date........./........./.......Start date:......../........Expiry date......../........Switch Issue No.:.....................
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CROSSWORD Kate Sweeney & Vega
QUICK CROSSWORD set by Kate Sweeney Across 1 Most ready to be eaten e.g. fruit (6) 4 Asparagus shoot (5) 9 Red pear-shaped tropical fruit with poisonous seeds; national fruit of Jamaica (5) 10 Plunge, submerge in liquid (7) 11 Blended (11) 12 Do offerings to be eaten by hand (Anag.) (6,5) 16 Eateries (11) 20 Boiled cornmeal (7) 21 Unit of heat (5) 22 Sweet (5) 23 Type of mushroom (6) Down 1 Cook in an oven (5) 2 Chinese white cabbage (3,4) 3 Cook in water vapour (5) 5 Sweet pepper (7) 6 Units of land area (5) 7 Type of flavoured cake, biscuit or house (11) 8 Provides; eats (5) 13 Granulated (7) 14 Pudding (7) 15 Small, juicy green or purple fruit (5) 17 Spicy sauce of tomatoes, onions and chilli peppers (5) 18 Tasting of cashews, perhaps (5) 19 Sandglass or egg _ _ _ _ _ (5)
CRYPTIC CROSSWORD set by Vega
Please send in solution s to either crossword along wit h your na me and address by 8 July 20 09 Prizes next issue for bo th crosswor A Vegan ds: Taste of the Middl e East by Linda Majzlik
Across 1 Suited stinger took in university banker (6) 4 Iris’s emblems? (5) 9 Financial fools shower month (5) 10 Waterfall found by rotter in suit (7) 11 Evergreen perennial confounded wren with integer (6,5) 12 Alpine fruit used in liquor making merry around heartless year and belt worn backwards (6,5) 16 Doris has her scrambled condiment (English wasabi?) (11) 20 Accost ardent aardvarks eating cooking apple (7) 21 Second vegan breaks fast to provide banquet (5) 22 Primate in credit prank (5) 23 Meandering nomads discover plum (6)
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Solution to the summer crosswords (Quick:left/Cryptic:right) The winner of the Cryptic crossword is: Sue Barrett The winner of the Quick Crossword is: Helen Aesa
Down 1 Broccoli, elderflower and nice spinach heads provide a vegan staple (5) 2 Cassowary swapping artist for ship and nothing goes to seed (7) 3 Bactrian camel only eats fruit (5) 5 Re-order galenas into layered pasta dish (7) 6 Winemaker German peel oddly contributes to (5) 7 Real dance company pirouetted with increasing musical tempo (11) 8 Neep in tatters about new pasta tube (5) 13 Adolescent tea gene evolves (7) 14 Ash tree combusts and warms up again (7) 15 Anarchic kibbutz provides home for young bird (5) 17 One follows red, gold and green or a star confusingly (5) 18 Below but may be before red or dig (5) 19 Frequently decapitate to make less severe (5)