Editor’s letter & contents
Editor’s Letter
D
o you ever feel like opening a sanctuary, and spending your days surrounded by rescued animals? I bet I’m not the
only one. This edition of The Vegan focuses on the wonderful work of sanctuaries that provide loving and stable homes for animals lucky enough to escape the animal product industries. While sanctuaries are only able to care for a tiny fraction of the animal population, their impact goes beyond transforming the lives of their residents, as they do great work changing the public’s perception of the animals they think of as commodities.
In this edition you will find a feature by Wenda from Hugletts Wood Farm Animal Sanctuary, and an article about how to help your local sanctuary. We also include a piece by Gerry Reilly on the exciting new changes made by longstanding nonanimal medical research charity Dr Hadwen Trust, an article on how to get involved campaigning for veganism at government level, and some amazing recipes from Sam Murphy’s new book Beautifully Real Food. I hope you enjoy this issue. Please share your comments, thoughts and stories with me by emailing editor@vegansociety.com.
Contents 03
Achievements
08
Essential updates on Vegan Society news
highlights 06 Media The Vegan Society in the press life 08 Sanctuary The reality of farm animal rescue
12
Recipes
18
Help your local sanctuary
20
Animal Free Research
24
Grants
26
Veganism in politics
28
Active vegans
34
Shoparound
Colourful comfort food from Sam Murphy
12
Five ways to make a difference
Exciting news from the Dr Hadwen Trust
Four inspiring stories
Getting veganism on the agenda
18
Keeping up with our amazing volunteers
New vegan products to look out for
40 Reviews The first vegan fried chicken shop Issue 2 2017 | The Vegan 1
Recipes
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Buy online
Buy Online New Books Essential Guide to Vegan Travel – 2017 Edition by Caitlin Galer-Unti RRP £12.49 – our price £10.99 This step-by-step vegan travel guide shows you how to research and locate vegan-friendly fare in any city. You’ll discover how to find where a vegan can eat in any city, anywhere in the world. Beyond the food, the book offers hints for connecting with local vegans, choosing a place to stay, packing, as well as travelling (and keeping the peace) with non-vegan companions. The expanded 2017 edition has all-new sections, including dog and child-friendly travel, travelling with allergies, and planning vegan travel adventures (such as camping, road trips, cruises and retreats). Beautifully Real Food by Sam Murphy RRP £16.99 – our price £11.99 When chef Sam Murphy decided to change her lifestyle, originally just to lose weight and have a more balanced diet, she assumed that her days of eating pizzas, burgers and brownies were over. But after experimenting in the kitchen, Sam realised that she could still eat all of those irresistibly indulgent dishes while looking after herself and the world around her. See pages 1216 for a recipe excerpt. A Guide to Vegan Nutrition by George Eisman RRP £14.99 – our price £10.99 A Guide to Vegan Nutrition is an excellent resource for both long-time vegans and for those who want to transition to a healthy plantbased diet. After reading this book you will be able to answer questions from friends or health professionals who are skeptical about vegan diets. It has been used as a text for college courses and as a nutrition reference guide by many instructors of vegan food preparation classes. 500 Vegan Dishes by Deborah Gray RRP: £9.99 – our price £8.99 Now back in stock! 500 Vegan Dishes is a brilliant collection of animal-free recipes providing tasty dishes for all occasions. Some are vegan adaptations of familiar dishes, while others are specifically created to show vegan food at its very best. Each dish is based on a love of good food and exploits the natural goodness of fresh fruit and vegetables, beans and lentils. 22 The Vegan | Issue 2 2017
Offer Buy any of these books between 1 May and 31 July and receive 10% off by simply entering the code ISSUE2BOOKS2017 at checkout, or quote over the phone when placing an order. Please note that this offer only applies to purchases made through our online webshop at vegansociety.com/shop or through our telephone sales line – 0121 523 1731.
Veganism in politics
How you can help to put veganism on the political agenda
P
arliament is responsible for passing laws that impact every area of our lives. Any ways that we can make our voices heard by decision-makers will make it more likely that vegan-friendly laws are passed. The meat and dairy lobby have been in parliament influencing policy for decades. Eerily, you can hear the National Farming Union’s voice channelled through MPs during debates and questions in parliament. The MPs who represent rural constituencies feel obliged to defend animal farming. This is despite the fact that this impedes our ability to meet our legally binding climate change targets, undermines what our health professionals are telling us to consume, and unnecessarily slaughters billions of animals annually.
The tide is turning With the rapid increase in vegans and the tide of public opinion finally turning, there has never been a better time to promote veganism as a topic of discussion and to present it as a solution to many of our problems. Vegans may represent a relatively small proportion of the UK population, but this number is fast increasing. Regardless of our size, the issues we care and campaign about are issues that affect all UK citizens. These issues include what we should eat to promote a healthy population, whether our agricultural output matches what we are told we should be eating 26 The Vegan | Issue 2 2017
and whether it is to the benefit or detriment of the environment, and of course whether our nation’s self-professed love of animals is in line with our treatment of them.
Make your voice heard There are many ways you can get politically active and campaign for veganism within parliament. These include: ✔ Participating in elections. This is arguably the most important step you can take. ✔ Contacting your MP, local councillor, MEP for your region, or a peer. They will be able to ask a question on your behalf, or even lead debate on a topic you feel strongly about. ✔ Signing government petitions, or encouraging your MP to start or sign an EDM (a kind of petition for parliamentarians). ✔ Getting involved in parliamentary processes like submitting evidence to a committee or commenting on a consultation or a bill online. ✔ Joining a political party and encouraging vegan-friendly policies at conference. ✔ Organising a mass lobby inside (or a demonstration outside) parliament. ✔ Contacting candidates to ask where they stand on vegan issues. ✔ Standing for election, if you are unhappy with the candidates and are able to. ✔ Sending any political engagement success stories to editor@vegansociety.com.
Volunteers
Active Vegans Alex Douglas, Volunteering & Engagement Manager We’ve been really busy over the past few months with several members of staff giving talks at schools, colleges and workplaces. We’ve had more requests this year than ever before, which means that the interest in veganism is continuing to grow and people are keen to learn. Spring is in full swing and we’re getting geared up for a busy events season, so be sure to stop by for a chat if you see us at one of the many vegan festivals we’re attending.
Essex Vegan Festival I want to start by saying a huge thank you to Annette White, who regularly holds Vegan Society stalls for us at vegan events in her area. Annette has managed countless Vegan Society stands for us, where she does a fantastic job signing up new members, selling merchandise and asking nonvegans to take the Vegan Pledge. Annette always enjoys the events and loves meeting new people, and we’re so thankful for her help. The most recent of these has been the Essex Vegan Festival. Annette says, “Essex Vegan Festival was a great day, and was very, very busy on the stall. I really enjoyed myself, and it was so encouraging to see so many new vegans, and such a lot of interest in the 30 Day Pledge.” If you’d like to run a stand for The Vegan Society at an event near you, please get in touch by emailing volunteer@vegansociety.com. Alex Douglas
Warwick Uni hosts conference In January, we put on two evenings of talks at Warwick Uni, which had almost 60 attendees. The conference was organised to help people go vegan for Veganuary, and included talks by Vegan Society staff, as well as other groups and
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organisations. The event was really fun – as well as the talks, we put on home-made vegan Mexican food for everyone to try. All of the attendees got something valuable out of the conference. Vegan Society Dietitian, Heather Russell, hosted a talk which went down particularly well with people I spoke to. Practical vegan nutritional advice is something many people like to hear about. The rest of the term has been business as usual. We’ve put on plenty of potlucks, as well as a trip to a local specialist sweet shop. We hope to have a trip to an animal sanctuary to look forward to with Coventry Uni as well. Ella Newton, Warwick Uni VegSoc President
North East Vegan Restaurant Week Vegan Restaurant Week here in the North East was an exciting week held at the end of January, with over 35 venues participating. It was set up by a new vegan blogger, Emma from Canny Food, who wanted to encourage people from all over the region to visit local independent outlets to try out what’s on offer, whether they are vegan or not. The eateries taking part were a mixture of vegan and non-vegan, with some offering special menus for the event and even creating new dishes to highlight the diversity of vegan eating. The week was a resounding success with eateries across the area vowing to expand their menus to include vegan options as standard due to the incredible demand they witnessed. Our group, North East Veggie Socials, has been growing significantly as well this year, with lots of new people eager to join. You can find us at meetup.com/NE-Veggie-Socials. Neil Gupta Find your Local Contact or get involved with your local group by visiting: vegansociety.com/ resources/local-and-group-contacts To order leaflets from us, email leaflets@vegansociety.com
Nutrition
Healthy vegan hearts Pulses, nuts and seeds Beans, chickpeas and lentils contain lots of fibre, vitamins and minerals. They are also naturally low in saturated fat. These characteristics make them heart-friendly sources of protein. Research has suggested that including modest amounts of soya protein in your daily diet can lower blood cholesterol. National guidance about managing blood fats (including cholesterol) advises people at high risk of heart disease to eat at least four to five portions of nuts, seeds and legumes (beans and peas) per week. This recommendation is easy to achieve for a vegan eating a balanced diet.
R
esearch has linked vegan diets to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as lower rates of heart disease. This article explores how plant-based nutrition can help to protect our hearts. Young hearts It is important to be aware that damage to the walls of our blood vessels is thought to begin in childhood. Although children have a very low risk of heart disease, unhealthy choices early in life may increase the risk of developing the condition later on. Heart healthy choices are important for everyone. Fruit and vegetables Vegans tend to eat more fruit and vegetables, which are thought to have many benefits for heart health. Many of them are rich in potassium, which is believed to lower blood pressure. They are also a great source of antioxidants, which help to fight against the inflammation involved in the development of heart disease. Wholegrains Starting your day with some porridge may help you to manage your blood cholesterol. Wholegrains like oats provide high quality carbohydrate, and research suggests that regular consumption may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Other healthful options include wholemeal bread, brown rice, quinoa and wholewheat pasta.
Unsaturated fats Use small amounts of unsaturated vegan spreads and oils. For example, you could use vegetable (rapeseed) oil as your main cooking oil and make dressings using olive oil. Unsaturated fat has a beneficial effect on blood cholesterol, whereas saturated fat increases it. Coconut oil contains a particularly high amount of saturated fat and is not thought to be a heart-healthy choice. Limiting salt If your diet is salty, this could contribute towards increasing your blood pressure. The recommended limit for daily salt intake is 6g. Most of the salt in our diets comes from packaged food, so keep an eye on your intake by checking food labels. Take-away tips • A heart-healthy diet should be high in fibre, low in saturated fat, and contain plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, nuts and seeds • Use small amounts of unsaturated vegan spreads and oils, such as vegetable (rapeseed) and olive oils • Keep an eye on your salt intake, ensuring that you are not exceeding the recommended daily limit of 6g If you have a nutrition question, please email info@vegansociety.com. If you require an individual dietary assessment, please ask your doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian. By Heather Russell, Dietitian Issue 2 2017 | The Vegan 33
Shoparound
Super Cholo Foods Cacao Powder Super Cholo Foods are a company that aims to bring the finest organic Peruvian ingredients to the UK. Their Cacao Powder is a high-quality ingredient which can be baked into foods, added to shakes, stirred into chillis and more. A versatile cupboard staple, it gives you a rich chocolate flavour while being packed full of vitamins, essential minerals and antioxidants. It is conscientiously grown in the Amazon rainforest, where Super Cholo Foods achieves harmony with the environment by using traditional farming methods. Buy it online at supercholofoods.co.uk.
Shoparound Shop with confidence for products registered with our trusted Vegan Trademark
PERK!ER Peanut Quinoa Bar If you’re familiar with the delights of peanut brittle, you’ll be sure to enjoy the healthier version PERK!ER has created for us. Picture this: a crunchy, chewy, sweet yet slightly savoury nutty bar full of flavour. Now imagine that bar packs some nutrition, being high in fibre, containing 6g of protein and incorporating a natural source of vitamin E. Composed of wholefood ingredients such as quinoa, this is exactly what PERK!ER delivers with their new Peanut Quinoa Bar. Read more online and find stockists at perkier.co.uk.
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Good Carma Food Parmesan Flavour Fusion For lovers of grated parmesan, Good Carma Food presents their healthy vegan-friendly alternative: Flavour Fusion. Available in three different flavours: Original, Garlic and Chilli, the Flavour Fusions range are made using nuts and natural flavourings and are fortified with vitamin B12. The product’s slight cheesy note is complemented by traditional Italian herbs, ideal for sprinkling over pasta, pizza, risotto and more. A perfect cupboard staple with a year-long shelf life, the range is dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, soya-free and palm oil-free. Find it in selected Waitrose stores, independent health food shops or buy online at goodcarmafoods.com.
Shoparound
Honeybuns Oaty Coconut Bar Don’t be confused by the name – Honeybuns is an artisan gluten-free bakery that produces a variety of delicious honey-free vegan snack bars. Made with virgin coconut oil and sweetened with fruit, they are a perfect mix of soft, moist and chewy. You can also find their Squillionaire bar, an alternative to Millionaire’s Shortbread that features a glutenfree polenta and date shortbread covered in date caramel and chocolate. Honeybuns’ mantra is to make delicious artisan treats using only natural ingredients that taste like cake, not health bars. Buy online or find stockists at honeybuns.co.uk.
SkinnyBrands Skinny Lager If you’re looking to enjoy a bottle of lager but are hesitant about the sugar and calorie content, Skinny Lager could be for you. The vegan lager is low sugar, low carb, diabeticfriendly, gluten-free and low calorie. A crisp, clean flavour with refreshing hoppy depth, it’s unlike any other light beer on the market. Each 330ml bottle contains only 89 calories at 4% ABV. There’s no longer any need to compromise on strength or flavour to enjoy a low calorie lager. Find it in your local Morrisons or Bargain Booze, or online at skinnybooze.co.uk.
Nature & Moi Cheese Nature & Moi has brought its wide range of vegan cheeses to the UK, featuring slices, spreads and grated cheese. The grated assortment is great (pun intended) when sprinkled on top of pizzas and pasta before melting in the oven. The slices are ideal sandwich fillings, available in a delicious range of flavours including olive, hot pepper and smoked. Nature & Moi is distributed by The Health Store and purchasable from all reputable independent health stores. Find more information on their website nature-moi.fr.
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Membership
Membership month Since The Vegan Society was started in 1944, members have supported us to achieve great things for veganism. We held Membership Month in March, as a celebration of all our members.
Did you miss membership month? If the answer is yes, then that means you are not signed up to our monthly membership email. On the last working day of each month, we update members on the latest Vegan Society news, rewards, announcements and much more. To make sure it doesn’t end up in your spam folder, add membership@vegansociety.com to your safe list.
New rewards During March we announced three new rewards for members of The Vegan Society. These rewards are found in your online account section at vegansociety.com/my-account. More information on how to access this area can be found below. The first new reward is Dietitian Corner, presented by The Vegan Society’s Registered Dietitian, Heather Russell. Here you will find Heather’s latest articles and the top trending nutrition articles from our website, plus there will be the chance for you to contact Heather with your personal nutrition queries. The second new reward is the Vegan Museum, a look back at the history of veganism, where you can explore documents, conversations and much more dating back to 1944. Finally, the third new reward is our podcast extras – exclusive extended interviews and new clips from The Vegan Society podcast.
Competition winners We launched two competitions during membership month – and here are the winners. The first winner, who will be spending a day at The Vegan Society’s office, appearing as a guest on our podcast and enjoying a potluck with the staff, is Stephen Walker.
Your account Have you signed into your account yet? If not, you will need to register at vegansociety. com/user/register. If you don’t have an email address on record with us, then please email membership@vegansociety.com or you will not be able to register for an account. If you have registered but cannot see your rewards… This could be due to your online account not being linked to your membership. Email membership@vegansociety.com and we’ll fix this for you. If you cannot login… Have you forgotten your password, or have you not previously registered for an account? Try requesting a new password. If you encounter any further difficulties, email membership@ vegansociety.com.
The second winner, who will be receiving a goodie bag loaded with vegan treats, is Barbara Keeble.
Thank you to all our members for continuing to speak up for animals.
Many congratulations to both winners!
Andy Davidson, Supporter Services Officer
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Local Contacts
Local Contacts Our Local and Group Contacts are on hand to provide support and advice to everyone in their area
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Local Contacts
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Local Contacts
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