Viva!Life Issue 69 | Winter 2018

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Published by Viva! the vegan campaigning group

life Issue 69 Winter 2018

Envirocidal – new website

TRASH Billboards to save calves

Meet the King of Quorn

Meat, dairy and disaster

d e u c Res Thelma and Louise – Viva!’s gorgeous (and pregnant) dairy cows

Hogwood Horror Farm We go undercover once more Trust Me I’m a meat industry doctor

Cookery Delicious recipes from our two new guides

A-Z

ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT N UTRIENT S

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Bute Island Foods Ltd. - Tel: +44 (0) 1700 505357

No arti cial colours or preservatives.

Lactose free - Dairy free - Gluten free - Cholesterol free

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Who We are

viva!’s fight is a fight for life – for animals and ourselves. Through effective campaigning, we take the brutal reality of intensive farming to the people who can effect the most change: consumers. our wide-ranging campaigns promote veganism as the best way to save animals from suffering, protect the environment and improve health.

We have cleared most shelves of so-called ‘exotic meats’; our campaign against the factory farming of pigs, turkeys and ducks saw deaths dive; we are closer to a foie-gras free Britain and meat and dairy consumption are down in the uK thanks to viva!, in part, and you. viva! is a registered charity (1037486). viva.org.uk

Contents 14 10 8 The King of Quorn interview with Ceo Kevin Brennan

10 hogWood revisiTed …and little has changed

13 guidanCe new Christmas and dairy guides viva!health (a part of viva!) really is the authority on everything to do with vegan diets and health. staffed by qualified professionals, for over two decades it has championed vegan diets for what they really are – the key to a healthier way of living, a lower risk of killer diseases and a longer life. and it has done it with sound science. it publishes fully-referenced scientific reports on such important subjects as breast cancer, obesity and diabetes – but it can also tell you the difference between potassium and selenium; manganese and magnesium. in fact, its brilliant website gives you the complete a-Z of nutrients, the a-Z of diseases and how the two are linked. everything you want is there. vivahealth.org.uk

hoW To geT This magaZine Join Viva! to get your copy of Viva!life magazine three times a year for only £15 (£12 unwaged).

You’ll also receive a supporters’ card – giving you discounts at hundreds of shops and on services and holidays (see myvegantown.org.uk/discounts) – plus a free car sticker. Call 0117 944 1000 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or join online at viva.org.uk/join.

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14 Thelma and louise meet our two dairy dames

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16 Trash action for the slaughtered calves

19 round BriTain iCes viva!icious vegan ice cream tour

20 a day aT The dairy We sample uK dairy day

23 viva! Poland does dairy great new street advertising

24 a-Z of nuTrienTs

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everything you ever wanted to know

26 life sCienCe health research explained

29 dishes To delighT sample recipes from our two new guides

36 media life viva! in the headlines

40 merChandise 44 doCTors of denial

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Tony Wardle exposes the meat advisory Panel

46 lifesTyle good vegan living

49 Carry on CamPing Camp out goes enormous viva.org.uk 3

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Welcome

viva!life magaZine

Where to start? So much has happened in the last few months but one thing does stand out because it has given me so much pleasure – happiness to be more accurate – and that is the rescuing of our two young dairy cows, both pregnant with their first calves. But first, there were the TB tests, formalities and paper work to go through, transport to organise and the stress of actually moving them.

But all that evaporated the moment our new friends walked tentatively down the loading ramp into their grassy enclosure, sniffing the air, inquisitive and full of apprehension. They are safe, they are home and it is here they will deliver their babies. Almost uniquely amongst dairy cows, they will be able to bond with them when they are born and have the delight of watching them grow. Their calves will not be taken away! (See page 14).

All cattle have to have ear tags that bear their number and information about them.

Although they still have the tags, our two mums-to-be are no longer just numbers. We held an online competition to name them and the winner was a popular choice – Thelma and Louise. You’ll hear a lot more about them in the coming months.

Our huge thanks goes to the Lisa James Animal Sanctuary where Thelma and Louise now live and to Lisa James herself, who was as keen to save them as we were. Just as Hope the sow and her piglets became our pig ambassador and achieved national publicity, so Thelma, Louise and their calves will spearhead our campaign to end suffering in the dairy industry.

We are already working flat out to this end with our hugely popular Viva!icious vegan ice cream van tour around Britain, giving out free ice cream and talking to people about the realities of dairy farming (see page 19). Our Scary Dairy Street Action also visited several big cities with our inflatable cow and calf in a hutch which attracted scores of children, allowing us to talk to their mothers about the reality of dairying (see page 16). A highlight of Scary Dairy was our magnificent illuminated TRASH billboards – one on the M5 near Birmingham, the other at Shepherds Bush in London which, between them, could be seen by several million people.

We have a superb new website, Scary Dairy, a font of information on all things dairy.

The very timely Envirocidal report, is an extraordinarily detailed and fully referenced report on all aspect of environmental degradation, its causes and cures.

And, of course, we have been back to Hogwood and found that little has changed (page 10). Despite another explosive exposé in the Daily Mail, and nationwide protests, Tesco still refuse to drop them. We haven’t given up yet.

Yours for the animals

Juliet Gellatley Founder & Director Juliet@viva.org.uk facebook.com/juliet.gellatley

Viva! Founder & International Director Juliet Gellatley Editor Tony Wardle Campaigns Manager Lex Rigby Campaigns & Outreach Claire Palmer, Roisin McAuley, Sam Ashman, Laura-Lisa Hellwig, Claire Michalski Viva!Health Researchers & Campaigners Veronika Powell, Dr Justine Butler Office Manager & Supporters’ Liaison Laura Turner, Nick Hallows, Beata Rzepecka-Wilk, Shelley Bligh-Wall Merchandise, Business, Festivals & Events Liam Nolan, Sophie Delarny, Dani Lawton, Alice Short, Jem Adéola Food & Cookery Maryanne Hall Design The Ethical Graphic Design Company Ltd Web Laura Canfield, Ana Hassel, Rhiannon Purnell Podcast Presenter Kristian Townsend Database & IT Manager Jeremy Ludlow Editorial enquiries 0117 970 4633 Advertising enquiries 0117 944 1000 Membership enquiries 0117 944 1000 info@viva.org.uk Online viva.org.uk vivahealth.org.uk veganrecipeclub.org.uk vivavegancharity vivacampaigns vivacharity Viva!, 8 York Court, Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH

General enquiries Contact Viva! on 0117 944 1000 (Mon-Fri 9-5).

Email info@viva.org.uk Write to Viva! at: 8 York Court, Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH 4

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vegan is a staTe of kind Kind to you, animals and the planet

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lifelines Primary Progress around three million meat-free meals will be served this year in 110 primary schools. Proveg uK (part of the much bigger Proveg international) have been working with two uK local authorities to produce meat-free and plant-based meals that students actually want to eat as part of the new school Plates programme. reasons schools are cooperating are concerns about obesity and other chronic health conditions, the environment and cost. not a bad result for an organisation that has only been operating for a few months.

Vegan Bakeoff I’ve always found the The Great British Bake Off host, Noel Fielding, truly irritating.

But fair dos, he came up with the idea that the show should run its first-ever vegan baking challenge – because it would appeal to the millennial snowflake generation. And so they did, on October 9, 2018!

Snowflake generation? Today’s young adults who are set in their beliefs and less able or willing to consider other points of view. There – told you he was irritating.

Anything you can do…

restaurant chains stampede towards veganism Pizza Express started off by introducing a single vegan pizza – and it was good. The range has now expanded considerably and new to it is a marinated jackfruit topping, a vegan pasta and carrot cake.

Marston’s national pub chain has introduced a vegan ‘bleeding’ burger along with a range of other vegan dishes. The B12 burger by moving mountains is part of a £1 million scheme involving 413 pubs. flexitarians are very much in the company’s sights following market research from mintel showing that 28 per cent of Britons have reduced their meat consumption in the last six months alone.

Stonegate is offering the vegan options in its ‘Common room’ student pubs.

Beyond Meat, a us brand, has had to delay introducing its vegan Beyond Burger into the uK because they cannot meet the expected demand. The product sold out in the us after its introduction in may and once the producers can guarantee full shelves here, the launch will go ahead.

Hungry Horse pub chain, with 280 outlets, are also treading the vegan path with the introduction of seven dishes, including vegan fish and chips using fish-free flakes from v-Bites.

Iceland isn’t to be outdone and is introducing a vegan frozen food range to supplement its hugely popular no-Bull Burgers – and claims it will be the biggest vegan retail outlet.

Quorn are also joining the bleedin’ race with a $9 million development of its own bleeding vegan burger. its sales have grown 12 per cent in the first six months of this year – due to a global shift to plant-based foods. do you get the idea that vegan burgers are popular?

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lifelines The Power of One

NFU Damns Dark Side “sensationalised, inaccurate portrayal, no evidence” – was the predictable response of the farm owners’ body (nfu) to the BBC’s documentary, The Dark Side of Dairy – part of its disclosure series. it showed distressing scenes of the suffering endured by calves just a few days old during their export for fattening or slaughter abroad. The programme identified that last year, 5,000 calves were shipped from Cairnryan in scotland to various destinations in europe.

The nfu’s scottish president, andrew mcCornick, said the scenes portrayed were distressing but “there is no evidence to indicate that scottish calves were subjected to this kind of treatment.” P&o ferries showed no such disbelief and have ended the transportation of calves “with immediate effect.”

…cue Michael Gove

in a little stroke of genious, viva! supporter genene edwards recently tweeted Bear grylls about his programme, The Island With Bear Grylls.

This macho survivalist has courted controversy over the killing of animals on his show… purely as part of the entertainment. genene wrote: “There must be loads of plants to eat on a lush island – why not have a vegan version of the show to prove you can survive without killing animals”. she received a prompt and surprising reply. “definitely an interesting proposition and totally do-able to survive. it’s an option for next season… yes. Bear grylls”. Well done genene.

Doctor Blog viva!health’s dr Justine Butler regularly tackles ill-informed health stories in the media through her blogs. a combination of her expertise and keeping constantly abreast of the latest science, gives her an authority that’s hard to argue with. They’re a very good read. viva.org.uk/blogs/justine l Are Meat and Dairy REALLY Good for You? The media’s promotion of animal products. l Study Debunks Low-Carb Diets – unless you’re vegan! l Meat industry ‘experts’ refute the links between meat and cancer. l Dr Carrie Ruxton – you are spoiling us with your advice! l Superbug Threat – a ‘Ticking Time Bomb’. l Dodge Dementia With Diet. l Gove Losing the Plot. farmers playing a central role in improving public health! l Exaggerated Health Benefits of Eggs. China suggests eggs protect against Cvd. l Childhood Leukaemia – Preventable? links between meat and blood cancers.

a few months ago, defra secretary michael gove said he intended to ban uK live exports. like a modern vicar of Bray, mr gove seems to change his mind according to his audience. We knew he wouldn’t do it and it looks like we were right. in october, mr gove was asked three times if he was still ‘minded’ to ban live exports, to which he replied three times: “i am minded to restrict them”. in fact, he has handed the problem over to the farm animal Welfare Committee (faWC) for their advice but the brief they were given by his department (him) is not to review a possible ban but instead to provide recommendations for improving conditions during live transport. don’t you just love him?

Director Juliet Gellatley and her son Finn at the Viva!icious ice cream van in Cardiff

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Smile – It’s Amazon

Some of Viva!’s staff line up for smiles at the successful Stockport Festival A brilliant bit of inventiveness from Meg Sunnydale of Minehead has turned her car into a Viva!mobile. We love it!

You can win free donations to Viva! simply by shopping at Amazon. Instead of shopping on the regular site you shop from Amazon Smile, which is virtually identical – and it won’t cost you a penny more.

The company might be a little resistant in paying its taxes but there’s no problem with its donations.

To set it up, you visit smile.amazon.co.uk and log into your Amazon account. It will ask you to choose a charity – choose Viva! from the list. From then, buy on your Amazon Smile account.

Simple!

Kangaroo Dropped a viva! supporter recently contacted us to say that the huge nationwide retailers Pets at home were selling dog ‘treats’ made from kangaroo meat.

We immediately contacted the company, which has 345 stores and 209 vet practices, and asked them to drop the product. it took just three weeks of persuasion for the Ceo to agree with us and empty the stores’ shelves. We congratulate them for Support having made the correct decision.

Viva! with an instant another success was persuading The Burger donation by texting Joint to stop selling kangaroo burgers in all VLPR00 £5 (or any amount you like!) to 70070 three of its Bristol restaurants. again, Texts are charged at your mobile phone congratulations.

Fish Oil Fallacy almost on a par with the holy grail, fish oils and omega 3 supplements have been touted as essential for good health. researchers at the Cochrane library not only disagree but describe them as ‘useless’ and say that those who buy them are wasting their money.

The research team reviewed 79 randomised trials involving 112,059 people and found that the

operator’s standard rate. The charity will receive 100% of your donation. You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payer’s permission. For full terms and conditions and more information, please visit justgiving.com/info/ terms-of-service

supplements had little or no meaningful effect on the risk of death from any cause. Cochrane is a not-for-profit organisation working with collaborators from over 130 countries. as Prof Colin Campbell once said – food contains thousands of nutrients yet we fixate on a handful. We have no idea what the interactions are between them all and how it is unlikely that any of them function properly in isolation.

Viva!’s Shorts l viva! has been nominated as the number one online ethical retailer of the month (nov/dec 2018) by Ethical Consumer magazine. l Brussels has banned animal testing on cats, dogs and primates in the entire city region and it is reckoned to save 20,000 of the three species annualy. last year it also banned foie-gras. l scientists at Brigham & Women’s hospital in Boston, us, have found that low-carb diets, which replace carbohydrates with animal fat and protein, may shorten your life. vegetables and other plant foods were found to be beneficial. l helsinki fashion Week is to ban all leather as from 2019 making an “active stand against cruelty to animals and damaging the environment”. l The mayor of Calais has cancelled a vegan festival in the town following ‘very clear’ threats from farmers and hunters. so, rather than protect the freedom of assembly against violence, he has surrendered to it! l at a plant-based festival in amsterdam this october, a man wearing a vest with the slogan ‘go vegan and die’ staged a protest by standing there eating raw meat. it is not believed to have been a suicide bid. l viva!’s heart-warming cinema advertisement featuring our rescued pig, hope, is going international. We have willingly given permission to a hungarian veg group to use it in their own country. Brilliant!

sCary dairy – BesT neW WeBsiTe We’re all proud and delighted to have been named best new website

by Web User. scarydairy.org.uk viva.org.uk 7

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The King of Quorn Kevin Brennan, CEO of Quorn, reveals his passion for saving the planet and animals

BY JULIET GELLATLEY, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF VIVA!

very day I talk to people on what I call the road to compassion. Those at the start are usually reaching out for alternatives to familiar foods and the brand I hear them mention most is Quorn.

So, it was with interest that I met Kevin Brennan, the CEO of this trail-blazing brand. We had a long chat in a coffee shop in the bustling town of Altrincham, Cheshire. Seemingly mild mannered and unassuming, it quickly became obvious that he is also determined and very successful. He displays not a trace of arrogance or self-satisfaction about what’s been achieved. Quorn’s growth grew partly out of his genuine belief in its benefits but it soon became evident that he has a real passion for saving the planet. That passion seems to have surprised even him!

Quorn launched as a vegetarian meat-alternative with

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a solitary pie in 1985, then owned by Marlow Foods.

There are now over 100 products! Quorn is made from mycoprotein, obtained by fermenting a fungus (Fusarium venenatum) in tanks using nutrients from wheat and maize. Minerals are added so that it grows abundantly. For binding, either a small amount of egg white is added to vegetarian products (more on this later!) or potato extract in vegan products.

Interestingly, the first flirtation with mycoprotein developed in the 1960s out of concern that the world needed a sustainable way of producing protein for an expanding population. Today, Quorn is owned by a huge noodle company in the Phillipines, Monde Nissin, but its HQ is still in Stokeley, Yorkshire. Since Kevin joined Quorn in 2010, its success has skyrocketed, with sales in 2017 totalling £205m.

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The UK is by far its biggest market, though Quorn is now exporting to 20 different markets and the company is on track to become a billion dollar business by 2027. I asked him why he thought Quorn is so popular.

“Whether people buy meat-free for health or ethical reasons, they still want to enjoy their food! Quorn’s popularity comes from its superior texture. We make it to a standard where the gap between eating meat and Quorn is quite narrow and therefore the compromise for people isn’t that great.

“Everywhere else in the world, producers seem to be fixated on burgers and sausages but we’ve created a much wider choice – and it’s growing in the UK at nearly 20 per cent annually.”

I ask Kevin what he thinks is driving the phenomenal growth in meat-free and whether the rise of veganism is global?

“Interest in health is huge; concern about the environment is becoming a major factor and there’s no question that the growth in veganism is real – it’s not a fad. It is a worldwide phenomenon and we’re growing in the US, Australia, Scandinavia – in fact, most of Europe. Attitudes to the word ‘vegan’ have flipped in such a short period of time and speaks to what Viva! has achieved – veganism has become aspirational.

Although most people are not vegan, many now see it as positive.

“It’s been driven by an array of troubling stuff about the meat and dairy industries, making people think.

Whether it’s Two Sisters’ re-dating of chicken meat or selling stuff picked off the floor; or horse gate, or the Netflix generation who’ve absorbed Cowspiracy, Rotten, What the Health… and seen investigations from groups like yours. What was once fringe behaviour – veganism – is now a sensible choice! It is a culmination of everything.”

Quorn is clearly proud of being a much healthier product than meat but Kevin keeps coming back to the environment:

We can’t address climate change without changing our eating habits “We started working on sustainability about six years ago. To be honest, we didn’t realise the scale of the damage being done by meat and dairy. You’d talk to people about cows being worse than cars for greenhouse gas emissions and destroying the environment and they’d give you a funny look! In five years it has transformed and the world view has repositioned veganism as mainstream.

“We can’t address climate change without changing our eating habits. There isn’t a country in the world that’s going to meet its greenhouse gas targets unless it addresses food and the single biggest thing a consumer can do is to cut down or stop consuming meat.”

I put it to Kevin Brennan that one of the great things

about veganism is that it is entirely up to you. You don’t have to lobby the PM (god forbid!) or get anyone’s permission so the most important change of all is in our own hands. I ask whether he thinks the government is doing enough to educate people about the benefits of veganism (that’s a no!) and should companies such as Quorn be receiving government subsidies?

“You’re not going to get the change necessary through a bit of consumer advertising. If governments don’t act, we won’t get there and at the moment they’re playing no part. Even worse, all European and UK beef farmers are subsidised so people don’t have to pay the full price of beef nor do they pay for any of the environmental damage caused, like the pollution of waterways and greenhouse gas emissions.

“It’s bizarre - a product that’s unsustainable and is making whole populations unhealthy is subsidised! The world’s governments have to act and slowly they are waking up and lots of cities are now talking about needing new food policies.”

Veganism is clearly the most sustainable and kind diet so I ask Kevin the big Q: is Quorn going to become 100 per cent vegan? I thought he might try to deflect the question but he didn’t: “In an ideal world Quorn would be vegan and that’s our ambition but we still have a lot of manufacturing challenges. Vegan is more sustainable and has a wider reach. Also, for industry, there are continual challenges around eggs with diseases such as avian flu. There are issues of animal welfare and while we do use free-range eggs, it’s a field I’d rather not be dealing with. But it is the big block and there’s a lot of effort now going into searching for alternatives so I’m confident – I can’t put a time on it – that we will find the right way forward.”

Quorn now have 14 vegan products – including Smoky Ham Free Slices, BBQ Strips, burgers, sausages, fillets, nuggets and Cranberry Balls. What took them so long?

“Quorn is essentially a combination of protein and fibre whose texture is OK but it needs a binding agent to hold it together. Egg white works well and is what the original developers used. Prior to my joining Quorn, it wasn’t being looked at but I knew it needed addressing.

So, my starting point was, ‘let’s find a solution!’ I had no idea how hard it would be! We eventually found a potato protein that does much the same job as egg and we’ve done some work with a type of algae. There were a lot of manufacturing challenges but we are really investing in vegan products for many good reasons.”

In 2010, two thirds of Quorn sales came from vegetarians but today it has turned on its head and most sales are from meat eaters. “Probably half the UK is now ‘flexitarian’ – active meat reducers looking for healthier choices and Quorn is dramatically healthier than meat.”

Kevin Brennan has made massive strides with Quorn and intends to make it the best vegan meat-alternative in the world, with remarkably green credentials. The carbon footprint of Quorn’s core mycoprotein has been cut, giving its popular vegetarian mince a 90 per cent lower carbon footprint than its beef equivalent.

This year, Quorn are spending £7 million on developing more vegan products, including its own bleeding burger. And the progressive thinking is paying off – Australian sales are up 50 per cent, US up 23 per cent. There’s no doubt, that Quorn has helped millions of people walk the road to compassion – many reaching Destination Vegan.

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More hogwash at Viva!’s second investigation of the pig farm reveals ‘no change’

BY LEX RIGBY

ack in June 2017, investigators for Viva!

Campaigns exposed shocking conditions at an intensive pig unit in Warwickshire, called Hogwood farm. When Juliet Gellatley, Viva! founder and director, entered the farm she found severe overcrowding, pigs covered in excreta, barren, filthy conditions, animals abandoned to die, cannibalism of corpses which had been left to rot amongst the living and decaying piglets engulfed in a sea of writhing maggots.

After the Sunday Mirror published our exposé, we received a tip off that the farm had been dumping dead animals in nearby woods. Together with Viva! supporters, Juliet investigated and discovered piles of pig bones in a grisly woodland graveyard – eartags, skulls and other remains, all discarded like trash on land registered to Hogwood farm.

We discovered that the farm supplies Tesco and launched a campaign urging Tesco to dump Hogwood.

Tesco refused and said: “We work with our suppliers to improve their standards”. The farm also had accreditation by the Red Tractor quality assurance scheme and they also dismissed our footage, as did the government. Absolutely nothing wrong, they both said.

Following our investigation, Hogwood owner Brian Hobill surrounded his place with high fencing, barbed wire, CCTV and alarms, making re-entry challenging (to say the least)! But following another tip off, we decided we had no option but to return to test Tesco’s claims.

In the early hours of July 5, 2018, almost exactly one year after our first exposé, Viva! investigators found their way through the high security, walked with trepidation into the same shed, down the same corridor and opened the same door…

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Hogw In a gangway lay about 10 pigs - left with no access to anything but each other – no water, no food, no bedding. The nearest pig had half an ear missing but as our investigators knelt to record the bite marks, a bloodied snout appeared out of a huddle of bodies and they knew something more horrific lay ahead.

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wood Unusual movement drew their attention to something further down the gangway and that’s when they saw her - beneath a mass of pig bodies lay a blood bath. One poor piglet at the bottom of the heap was visibly shaking – she was being eaten alive, her blood smeared across the floor and up the walls! Cannibalism is a sign of acute stress.

Other piglets, abandoned in the gangway with her, took it in turns to bite at the exposed flesh. It must have been excruciatingly painful and the look on her face is not one that’s easy to forget. She was making no effort to escape for there was nowhere to go.

Our investigators left, horrified and heartbroken, and called a vet, the RSPCA and the police. At first, the RSPCA were reluctant to get involved and it was almost impossible to find a local vet prepared to attend. After two hours of constant calls, an RSPCA vet finally arrived, along with the police – who would not allow our investigators to take them directly to the distressed piglet and entered the farm without us. Two hours later, they re-emerged and to our disbelief, said they were unable to find the cannibalised pig. The vet told us she was not a pig specialist. How much specialisation do you need to rescue a suffering pig? We heard nothing more from any of them and headed back to Bristol.

We had, however, before the distressing discovery, been into the farrowing sheds and seen that everything there was much the same as on our first visit. Mothers were still giving birth in the same horrific conditions – row after row imprisoned in crates with not even a strand of straw for comfort, barely able to move, prevented from even turning around and we knew that this lasted for at least four weeks every time they gave

birth. Their babies, some already dead, rested on the hard, wooden-slated floor and most were covered in excreta.

Sickened, we relaunched our Hogwood campaign and sent official complaints to the government, Trading Standards, Red Tractor, the RSPCA and, of course, Tesco. Tens of thousands of Viva! supporters joined our call to action and more than 77,000 signed our petition, many sharing our social media toolkit and standing in solidarity with Hogwood pigs outside 150 Tesco stores during our nationwide Day of Action. An extraordinary result. It was helped by the Daily Mail which ran a chilling feature on our investigation.

Tesco failed to respond to our petition to drop Hogwood horror farm and so, on October 2, 2018, we attended the IGD Awards at the Park Plaza hotel in central London, an event supposedly to ‘celebrate the best in the food industry’. Viva! campaigner Laura-Lisa, in her very best evening dress, looked the part at the black tie event as she made her away through the tables to present a Tesco director with our special cup - for the country’s worst supermarket for animal cruelty. We then made our voices heard so everyone knew what it was about.

p Viva! campaigner, Laura-Lisa Hellwig, dressed in her Sunday best, presents a Tesco executive with a cup for representing the worst supermarket for animal cruelty

Tesco continue to buy Hogwood pigs so we continue to urge you to contact them directly and complain. For information on how to do it, see: viva.org.uk/hogwood viva.org.uk 11

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Viva! staff and supporters outside a Bristol Tesco store

Day of Action Keeps the Pressure On

BY CLAIRE PALMER

A staggering 150 Tesco stores were covered by our staff and supporters – from Ireland to Cornwall – making it possibly Viva!s biggest Day of Action yet!

All Tesco’s assurances that they preferred to work with suppliers to improve animal welfare rather than dropping them proved to be a cynical deception. Tesco seem incapable of being embarrassed so we went directly to their customers, whose reaction was largely one of shock and disgust.

Some local groups used footage on TV screens outside the stores so customers and Tesco staff could see the suffering for themselves. To add to the pressure, our door droppers dispensed Hogwood leaflets through letterboxes across the UK. In the Midlands, activists from Walsall Animal Rights joined together and said: “The Tesco manager was sympathetic to our cause and said she had already flagged up the issue with senior management”. In Leicester, activists got 146 customers to sign our petition urging Tesco to dump Hogwood and gratefully receive donations to the campaign. In Oxford, there was a positive response in the retail park. Protesters said: “Many people didn’t have a clue about Hogwood farm and its horror but unusually, it was mostly men who came up to us and signed our petition!”

In Dorset, local activists dressed as pigs, collected 300 petition signatures and gave out countless leaflets. Again, Tesco staff were supportive. In Pontypool, Wales, a lone activist and her dog stood outside Tesco. She said: “Nana and I managed to give out all our leaflets and we got soaked – but who cares?” In Hove, Brighton Vegan Activists and Sussex Vegan Activists played footage of the farm, collected many signatures, had great conversations and handed out lots of leaflets.

Here in Bristol, the Viva! Campaigns team organised a photo call with local media outside a local Tesco store. Using big screens, we showed shoppers the reality for pigs inside Hogwood farm and the manager said she would feed back our concerns to Tesco head office.

Tesco have so far refused to drop the farm and is still trotting out the usual hogwash – ‘we take animal welfare extremely seriously’ and producers meet ‘stringent, industry-leading requirements’.

They should change their slogan to ‘Every little hurts!

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Celebs give their support Viva!’s Hogwood campaign has received the support of some awesome vegan celebrities!

British actor

Peter Egan (Downtown Abbey’s Marquess of Flintshire) is a passionate animal advocate. He began to campaign for animals in 2010, supporting several dog charities.

But it was when he participated in Veganuary during January 2016 that he cut all animals from his diet. Peter urged people to sign our petition for Hogwood pigs, saying: "Join with me to urge Tesco to do the right thing. The Hogwood pigs are innocent beings treated so vilely by a supermarket giant that states it takes animal welfare seriously. Let’s make sure they do! Sign Viva!’s petition and be the voice of the voiceless".

Jasmine Harman (Channel 4’s A Place in the Sun) said: “Tesco, please do the right thing and drop Hogwood. Saying you ‘take animal welfare seriously’ yet at the same time allowing this horrific cruelty to continue, means customers can no longer trust you. Stop this abuse”.

Wendy Turner Webster (TV presenter, producer and Viva! Patron) also spoke out: “I can’t bear what Tesco are doing to the poor pigs at Hogwood. Please everyone sign Viva!’s petition ...”

A huge thank you to all those who have supported the Hogwood campaign. You’ve filled in petition forms, handed out postcards, spread the word, distributed leaflets outside Tesco and carried out vigils at the farm. You are all champions.

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w e n t a e r g o w T ! a v i V m o r f guides

MARYANNE HALL FOOD & COOKERY MANAGER

Christmas Guide

Dairy-Free Guide

Christmas is meant to be a time of joy and what better way of spreading peace, kindness and compassion to our loved ones and animal friends than by making the big feast deliciously vegan? a vegan Christmas means celebration, an abundance of delicious food, indulgence, fun, cocktails, wine and champagne (if that’s your fancy!). it might be about relishing the cooking process - or about having a completely cheatin’ day by choosing one of many tempting, shop-bought delights. or maybe sitting back and joyfully being waited on (if you’re lucky enough to have that option)! our lovely little guide provides over 25 mouthwatering recipes to enjoy and share with friends and family. from scrumptious starters to luscious mains, tempting sides and heavenly desserts, not forgetting truffles, Christmas cakes and Cheese! our gorgeous guide has everything you could possibly want for your Christmas feast… oh, and did we mention cocktails? learn how to make a Cranberry mojito, an old fashioned and a vegan Our delicious ‘Baileys’ irish Cream liqueur!

so you’re thinking about going dairy-free. That’s fantastic! not only is the decision likely to make you feel better, look better and reduce your chances of developing several major diseases, it will also help to save animals from suffering and dramatically reduce your impact on the environment.

Everyone’s Going Dairy-free will guide you along the path to a dairy-free diet. We’ve mostly listed a whole string of dairy replacements, but there’s a vast range of other products available for vegans.

This handy little guide is perfect for anyone who wants to explore the amazingly tasty world of dairy-free alternatives. featuring 95 pages full of recipes from creamy sauces, lasagne, mac-ncheese, pizza and loaded nachos - to baked cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding, fairy cakes and lots more. you’ll find an abundance of shopping tips, including online stores, supermarket advice and links to all the resources you could possibly want.

There are handy charts on calcium-rich foods, viva!’s top dairy-free products and secret cooking tips. you can also find which of your favourite restaurants are offering vegan options… and there’s quite a few now… you’ll be spoilt for choice!

Price £2 (plus £1.95 p&p) Buy both and pay only one p&p charge

recipes on pages 29-33 are taken from our two guides

Price £2 (plus £1.95 p&p) Buy both and pay only one p&p charge

Both guides can be bought by going to the viva! shop (vivashop.org.uk) or by mail to viva!, 8 york Court, Wilder street, Bristol Bs2 8Qh (make cheques payable to viva!). or ring 0117 944 1000 (mon-fri, 9am to 6pm). viva.org.uk 13

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s ’ e s i u o L & Thelma viva! rescues dairy Cows with lisa James animal sanctuary

BY DIRECTOR JULIET GELLATLEY

GREATESCA

earlier this year, viva! campaigns team and i spent many nights trekking around the British countryside for viva!’s scary dairy campaign. We filmed undercover at dairy farms supplying some of the world’s biggest brands, including Cadbury and arla.

The idyllic image of dairy farming that has been purposely fostered was immediately shattered as an emaciated cow, bedraggled and depressed, limped by. her head hung low, barely able to walk, she was a sad and desperate soul. We checked her ear tag and found

we

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not a number

that she had have gone through four pregnancies which, like us, last for nine months. each time she gave birth, her calf would have been stolen from her within two days. you may remember i had similar feelings of despair when i viewed a beautiful pig i called Blue, locked into a rape cage overnight. she so touched my heart that i was

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APE

Far left and bottom: the two friends are rarely seen apart and explore their new home together.

Left: ‘You’re not a cow!’ The girls start to get to know their companions.

Above: after a week, Thelma starts to show the first glimmerings of trust as she accepts a treat from Juliet

determined to rescue a factory-farmed pig who would keep her babies after birth, allowing them to grow as a family and become our ambassadors to help free all pigs. i did, her name was hope and she and her piglets have helped to change hearts and minds all over Britain. and so i became utterly determined that viva! would also rescue a dairy cow who would help us fight for all dairy cows. it turned out to be a little more challenging than i had originally hoped. however, in september, viva! and lisa James animal sanctuary joined forces to rescue not one, but two holstein-friesian dairy cows. even more delightful – both cows were about six months pregnant and so four animals have been saved.

We heard of a dairy farm that was closing and managed to save these gentle, wonderful, mums-tobe… they were destined for slaughter and their babies would have been taken within 48 hours of birth. i and veronika Powell, a viva! senior campaigner, drove to the farm and there was huge relief and happiness once the two cows were on board and on their way to freedom.

We drove them to lisa’s beautiful sanctuary in monmouthshire – a true haven for rescued farmed animals. Then came the most heart-warming and exhilarating moment of all as they ran down the truck’s ramp and into their forever home. They are in a lovely field next to the highland cows and cheeky male calves - also rescued from the dairy industry. duffy the goat also said hello! duffy always gets in on the act!

We held a social media competition to name the moosies and had about 300 entrants. five people had the same winning entry: Thelma and louise. Winners Janine Cirini, rachel ara, nicola Taylor, davidjohnstonequeen and Claire miller – cow themed vegan hampers are yours!

We chose Thelma and louise because of the parallels between what they and their iconic film counterparts have endured – two sets of brave females who are best friends – only with a very different ending. i’m just so happy we could save two pregnant cows – so that these mothers will never have their babies torn from them. These mums and babies can represent the millions of their sisters and brothers who are still abused in farms across Britain. hopefully, through seeing them, and how wonderful they are, people will give up dairy and meat. Because, of course, the only way to truly rescue animals is to go vegan.

follow Thelma and louise scarydairy.org.uk/ThelmaandLouise viva.org.uk 15

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on october 1, 2018, our new Trash campaign was launched in a truly dramatic way – two enormous billboards, one on the m5 motorway near Birmingham, the other in london. They will be seen by an estimated eight million people. Their aim is to raise awareness of the forgotten victims of the dairy industry – new-born male calves. They are…

the dairy industry’s each dairy cow gives birth to a calf every year in order to produce milk. all calves, in whatever system, are taken from their mothers within days of being born. mothers grieve and their bewildered little female calves are placed in solitary hutches – lonely, isolated and devoid of all contact and nurturing. They remain there for up to two months before joining the nursery of other young, orphaned calves. male calves are shot in the head as trash or sold for veal production at home or abroad. some may be kept for low-grade beef. The result is acute trauma for both mother and calf. you can frequently hear the pitiful bleating of baby calves responding to the bellows of their distraught mothers, who may be only a few metres away – but they will never meet again.

The wonder of birth has been jettisoned for commercial imperatives – humans must have all the milk available. our new, giant, vegan billboards will raise awareness of the dairy industry’s forgotten victims – male calves!

They are unashamedly emotional and feature young calves alongside the text ‘95,000* male calves shot in a year – the dairy industry’s trash’. The billboards stood on the m5 near Birmingham and at shepherds Bush, on two of the busiest commuter roads in Britain. They could have potentially be seen by over eight million people.

Truly terrible. One of the 95,000 male calves shot in the head as unwanted ‘trash’. This farm supplied Cadbury

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TRAS t As commuters streamed to work in Birmingham and London they could not help but see our attentiongrabbing, illuminated billboards q A mother cow gives birth after a nine-month pregnancy. Her baby is stolen within 48 hours

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fu nd ed th is Viva! supp or ters you for ca mpa ign – th a n k ! m a k ing it h app en

ASH Britain’s First Vegan YouTube Ads

in another first, we also commissioned new youTube adverts, again highlighting the plight of male calves in the dairy industry. The short, emotive video will be the first vegan youTube advert ever shown in the uK. youTube is incredibly popular, and to date, our ad has been viewed by 250,000 young women and men – and we can continue showing it if funds are raised! see the youTube ad and share at scarydairy. viva.org.uk/campaigns/trash Please donate – more donations mean more ads – we are having a huge impact – be a part of this positive and powerful force for change!

ScaryDairy.org.uk/trash-mag Thank you!

trash * 9 5 , 0 0 0 m

ale CALVES SHOT IN A YEAR – the dairy industry’s trash

It’s time to go vegan scarydairy.org.uk *Latest figures ava

ilable 2015

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male CALVE A YEAR – the dairsyh industry’s tra

n a g e v o g o t e m i t It’s scarydairy.org.uk *Latest figures

available 2015

*latest industry figures are for 2015, published 2018 viva.org.uk 17

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TRASHstreet action To back up our billboards, Viva!’s outreach team took the TRASH campaign on to the streets in eight different towns throughout October – London, Bath, Sheffield, Manchester, Glasgow, Oxford, Nottingham and Birmingham. Again, it exposed the dirty secrets of the dairy industry. in london, we were joined by local activists outside the dairy uK hQ in holborn. our ‘95,000 male Calves shoT,’ spelt out in huge letters, got enthusiastic support on this busy high street, with cars beeping as they passed. activists also held roses to remember all those calves who have been needlessly and brutally killed because they cannot produce milk.

Centre stage was our attention-grabbing, giant, three-metre-high milk carton. it read ‘CoW’s milK hurTs’, with some chilling facts about the dairy industry written on the back. To complete the visuals, we held up reproductions of our giant billboards and not a single passer-by could fail to see our message.

Countless numbers of volunteers handed out our new Trash leaflets, engaged shoppers in conversation and encouraged them to watch viva!’s latest exposé of the dairy industry on screens we brought along. People responded with shock: one man said it was like a wakeup call and he could no longer support this cruel industry. a woman swore never to touch cheese and milk again. most did not know that 95,000* male calves are killed in a year, as a useless by-product of the dairy industry simply because they can’t give milk – treated as Trash shortly after birth. We had the stark proof of it with our undercover footage from a Cadbury farm showing a little male calf being shot in the head. it caused considerable upset to those who viewed it.

We brought along a plush toy calf and solitary hutch to show where little new-born female calves have to spend the first two months of their life after being separated from their mothers at just a couple of days old. Children particularly loved it, which gave us the perfect opportunity to talk to parents about what happens to the babies of cows. The mother of a ninemonth-old baby found the details hard to take when

*95,000 killed male calves is the latest available figure (2015)

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compared to the unconditional love she felt for her baby. she immediately signed up for viva!’s 30 day vegan programme.

We also offered people further hope by showing our touching little film of the two pregnant dairy cows viva! rescued last month (see page 14). People loved it – seeing Thelma and louise being transported to their new home, knowing that they and their babies, whatever sex they happen to be, would be safe forever. it gave a sense of hope and motivated them to take the first steps on their very own journey of compassion to save more cows and calves.

t Passers-by watching Viva!’s latest dairy industry investigation q We’re taking common farming practices to the high streets – solitary hutches which calves stay in for two months

Join viva!’s street action network to find out about our next events on viva.org.uk/streetaction

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Viva! patron, Wendy Turner Webster, hands out the vegan delights from our Viva!icious van

m a e r c s l l a y e Th egan,e) v ( for ice cream of cours viva!icious ice cream van tour wows the crowds

BY LAURA LISA HELLWIG

our beautifully sign-written ice cream van made its first appearance in Cardiff on July 31, following which it set off on its tour of Blackpool, leeds, southend-on-sea, margate, Brighton and finally london – handing out free vegan ice cream wherever it went. There was an overwhelmingly positive response everywhere, with often 20 metre queues of inquisitive people wanting to try vegan ice cream. our team spoke to every one of them, telling of the atrocities which are inherent in the dairy industry and offering advice and help

on how to help end it – by going vegan. again, the response was hugely encouraging as people took away our guides and leaflets. around 60 per cent of those we spoke to had never tried vegan ice cream before but when they did, most said they couldn’t distinguish it from dairy ice cream. They added that it would be on their next shopping list. many asked where they could buy vegan products and what substitutes were available – an indication that they were willing to change.

it seemed a combination of taste and convenience, combined with knowledge, was the key. some said they were going vegan on the spot – no ifs, no buts.

There were surprisingly few who knew the tragic story of dairy production - cows made pregnant every year to produce milk, 95,000 male calves shot each year as trash. one woman summed it up when she said: “Being made pregnant every year sounds extremely exhausting! having a baby should be something special.” meat-eaters and vegetarians alike were open to becoming vegan while fellow vegans were impressed by the van’s beautiful design and urged us to bring it to their town. maybe we will!

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The sick irony of dairy – a washed and polished but emaciated cow is posed on plastic grass against a phoney plastic backdrop of the open countryside. She may never have experienced the real versions of either

BY VERONIKA POWELL, SENIOR CAMPAIGNER

UK Dairy Day is a yearly dairy industry event that attracts thousands of people from the farming world and its associated businesses.

Dairy farmers wash and comb, preen and pamper their cows to show them off. My mind boggles at what they consider normal – even desirable.

‘Best milkers’ have their hair clipped for the event – so short that the skin shows through and white patches look almost pale pink. To satisfy the industry’s obsession with producing ever-more milk, everyone is fixated on making the cows’ udders appear as big as possible. As a result, cows are left un-milked, their udders so full they can’t walk properly and milk drips or even streams from their teats.

Farmers even put gel on their cows’ udders so they gleam and shine. But, for an outsider like me, it looks simply bizarre – particularly when contrasted with the cows’ skeletal bodies.

Being prey and herd animals, cattle are fairly gentle creatures and would rather run away than attack. This quiet nature is used to manipulate them – farmers stick fingers in their noses and squeeze when the cows don’t want to move, kick or step on their feet, slap and flick them. Most cows are tied so tightly to the rails they can barely move their heads but still they try to get as close to their friends as they can, seeking comfort in each other.

The obligatory ‘meadow’ photoshoot is set up in the corner with plastic grass and a plastic backdrop of some rural idyll. The cows mostly remain still and quiet, unsure of their

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surroundings, but every now and then a huge bellowing erupts from somewhere in the holding area and others join in.

Many have only recently given birth but instead of nurturing their calves, they’re paraded around with an occasional vocal complaint being the only thing available to them.

In the large halls, machinery and equipment are displayed and various farming services advertised. Only then do you get the full picture of just how coldly animals are viewed by the industry. It’s all about maximising profits and minimising costs and losses – which mostly means cows and calves dying or being slaughtered sooner than anticipated. It’s certainly not about welfare!

I am painfully aware of how unnecessary is the suffering endured by these beautiful, gentle creatures. So if you aren’t already, go vegan.

Help us educate people about the truth of dairy farming.

scarydairy.org.uk

zThe only friendly face in a bewildering world p Big is best! For the industry but not the cow, who has trouble walking properly q Displaying a swollen udder is more important than the cow’s acute discomfort

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Warsaw is shown

‘The Real Price of Dairy’ Our superb team in Poland, like us, also took to the streets to show Warsaw residents ‘The real price of Dairy’ (see page 17). For the entire month of July, 14 billboards were placed around the city displaying genuine pictures from dairy farms.

There were two different designs – one on big, free-standing hoardings showing a newly born calf with the caption ‘Milk that you drink was meant for him’, the second placed in bus shelters with a headline over a distressing picture of a calf – ‘The real price of dairy’.

These ads also carried more detailed information about the dairy industry, which people could browse while waiting for the bus.

This was all part of Poland’s own White Lies campaign to expose the cruelties of the dairy industry. Just like in the UK, milk industry ads are highly misleading, particularly about the impact of dairy products on human health.

Also common are pictures of happy and relaxed dairy cows grazing on pastures and who are delighted to give us their milk. The campaign reveals the relentless chain of events that are hidden from consumers – artificial insemination, mother-calf separation, transport to slaughterhouses and the barbarity of killing.

Viva!Poland manager, Cezary Wysynszki told us: “We are aware that much of this information is on social media but not everyone can access it or is willing to read it.

We wanted to reach a different audience, thousands of people of all ages and plant the seed of uncertainty and get them to reflect on their daily choices. We want to sensitize people to the scale of animal suffering on farms, during transport and finally, in the slaughterhouse itself. We want to show them that they have a choice”.

The campaign was funded by private donations and Viva!Poland hope to take it to other big Polish cities.

z One of the 14 anti-dairy billboard ads that appeared in Warsaw p Informative reading at the bus stop

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9th & 10th March 2019 Alexandra Palace, London N22 7AY

Saturday 10am - 6pm | Sunday 10am - 5pm 1 Day Entrance Ticket on the door: Adult £15 | Concession £12 (under 16 Free)

Includes entry to EcoLiving Show

Tickets on sale NOW at veganlifelive.com

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Amara’s Gang teaches school kids and companies to…

Love your dog Amara’s Gang is a dog human combo consisting of Irena (human) and Rep (an adopted husky dog) who visit schools and companies, on behalf of Viva!’s wonderful sanctuary at Korabiewice. For an hour they teach the basics of dog language, including how to safely say hello in a way that respects the dog. Children love role-playing how to correctly greet the dogs they meet on the street and to safely give snacks.

Discussion is an important part of the activity and covers basic, sensible issues such as what information should go on a dog tag, how to care for a dog at home, dealing with fleas and ticks and how to help the animal during the terrifying period of New Year with its noise and fireworks.

These initiatives give Irena the opportunity

to touch on wider issues such as the testing of cosmetics, animal circuses, puppy mills and how selective breeding has changed animal breeds. There can be a series of eight meetings where, in small teams, participants are able to expore dogs in much greater depth. The opportunity is also taken to get corporations involved in supporting animal charities.

Meetings with Amara’s Gang are paid for and the money is used to buy new kennels at Viva!’s Korabiewice sanctuary.

Think national – act local Viva! has always tried to reach out beyond its base in Warsaw and it has been hugely successful. There are now 200 dedicated volunteers in 17 of Poland’s largest cities, all working for common goals. They each promote animal rights and veganism in their communities by organising street actions, film screenings, lectures and food events as well as cooperating with local councils, encouraging them to make their authorities more cruelty-free.

The year 2017 was one for immense pride as local groups organised 218 events, including street actions on AntiFur Day, Animal-Free Circus Day, Stop Live Transport Action Day, Vegan Easter as well as picketing circuses and organising anti-hunting protests.

They joined together to demonstrate in front

of parliament for STOP The Cages and the demand for animal-free circuses. Veggie Week saw a whole range of lectures, film screenings, cookery workshops and street actions in 13 cities across the country.

Through the year, Viva! stalls could be seen at more than 100 events nationwide, including veggie and vegan festivals, academic conferences and music festivals, including the massive Pol’and’rock festival.

The result of all this was news reports and features in 190 different media and the continued expansion of veganism in Poland.

And to think – this all stemmed from a trip to Warsaw by Juliet Gellatley for the launch of her book, The Silent Ark!

p Viva! Poland in action at our sanctuary, campaigning against circuses and driving home the antidairy message q Wroclaw organiser, Teresa Podgorska, gives an anti-dairy briefing to the media

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o f Z A Nutrient Viva!Health’s great new resource – by dr Justine Butler and Veronika Powell

vivahealth.org.uk/a-z/nutrients

Any idea how much protein you need? Can you tell the difference between good fat and bad fat? And what about where to get your health-protecting vitamins, minerals and those super-powered antioxidants? But do you reckon you’re getting enough iron and calcium?

Where on earth can you find out more about carbohydrates, omega-3 fats, zinc, iodine, vitamin D and vitamin B12 – and know you can trust it?

Okay, we’ve posed the questions and you’ll be delighted to hear we also have the answers – all of them!

If ‘nutrients’ was our specialist subject we’d win Mastermind! Chapter and verse, it’s all there in our super new A-Z of Nutrients.

From vitamin A to zinc, every page tells you how much of each nutrient you need, where you can get it and what’s the average intake. It’s easy to navigate and you can just dip in for the basics or delve much deeper if you want, such as how much is in what food.

The A-Z of Nutrients can help you work out if you need a supplement of any particular nutrient and we’ll astound you with some fascinating facts. For instance, did you know that most meat and dairy only contain vitamin B12 because the animals take supplements?

Tired of hearing how eating meat is essential for iron?

Not true as a huge Oxford University study (EPIC) found out – vegans have the highest iron intake, meat eaters the

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lowest! And why did spinach get the accolade as a major source of iron when it isn’t? A simple mathematical error, that’s why, when a German chemist misplaced a decimal point. Popeye then bigged it up even more.

Know what ‘nooch’ is? It’s nutritional yeast, a super source of B vitamins and so popular with vegans that they’ve given it its own nickname.

We all know that bananas can give you an energy boost – but they’re not the super source of potassium many people think – one banana supplies just 11 per cent of your daily needs.

In spring and summer, most people in the UK get enough vitamin D through sunlight on the skin but in those dark, sun-starved winter months, a supplement is needed. The A-Z of Nutrients will tell you how much you need and whether you should be taking it all year round.

What do fireworks and your dandruff shampoo have in common? They both contain the antifungal mineral selenium, which keeps you flake free and produces red smoke in fireworks. It also wiped out the alien in the 2001 film, Evolution. You really do need it in your diet as its pretty scarce but just two Brazil nuts can up your blood concentration by over 60 per cent.

The A-Z of Nutrients will equip you with an armoury of facts which will confirm that going vegan is the best thing you can possibly do – and give you enough ammunition to demolish an army of mickey takers.

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nts

Vitamin B12

HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED? The uk recommended intake is 1.5 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day. in the us it is slightly higher at 2.4 micrograms. in 2015, the European Food safety authority set a new ‘adequate intake’ of 4.0 micrograms per day. Viva!Health recommends aiming for an intake of around 5.0 micrograms per day from fortified foods with the regular use of supplements to ensure topping this up.

Note: a microgram is a millionth of a gram – a tiny but vital amount.

The 2016 National diet and Nutrition survey found evidence of low vitamin B12 status in girls aged 11-18 and in adults aged 19 and over. Three per cent of girls (11-18), six per cent of adults (19-64), five per cent of men (over 65) and eight per cent of women (over 65) had deficient vitamin B12 blood levels. This is not uncommon, especially in people over 50. a number of studies suggest that vegans are lacking in vitamin B12 but many only measure dietary intake and fail to account for intakes from supplements.

WHY DO YOU NEED IT? all B vitamins help the body produce energy from food. Vitamin B12 also helps maintain healthy nerve cells and spurs on the production of dNa, the body’s genetic material. Vitamin B12 works closely with folic acid to make red blood cells, to help iron work better in the body and to produce a compound involved in immune function and mood regulation.

B12 is made by bacteria in soil and water and, to some extent, bacteria in the gut. Traditionally, people and farmed animals got B12 from eating food from the ground as B12 is made by bacteria in the soil. Now food production systems are so sanitised we need to take a supplement. animal products contain vitamin B12 because the animals themselves are given supplements in their feed. around 80 per cent of all B12 production is in France and over a half of that is used to supplement animal feed. cut out animal products and get yours straight from the source.

Whether fortified foods or supplements, B12 needs to be taken regularly rather than occasionally in high doses.

There are different forms of B12 – the main two are cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin. cyanocobalamin is cheap and stable and used in most fortified foods and supplements.

Methylcobalamin is an ‘active’ form, costs more and is not so stable and is recommended for smokers

Here’s just one example from the long list ofof nutrients in The A-Z d Nutrients – shortenes slightly for reason of space

and people with kidney problems. absorption of B12 is dependent on its binding with intrinsic factor, a protein produced in the stomach and can be reduced by poorly functioning kidneys; the diabetes drug Metformin and proton pump inhibitors (PPis); nitric oxide in cigarette smoke and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) used for anaesthesia. if you heat B12-fortified plant-based milks, some of the B12 might be lost – in a microwave, B12 can get destroyed in a couple of minutes but on the hob, would have to boil for five minutes or more to destroy any significant amount.

DO I NEED A SUPPLEMENT? yes, especially if you’re over 50 because the body is less efficient at absorbing vitamin B12 with age. a supplement is recommended for everyone, regardless of diet.

Viva!Health recommends an intake of 5.0 micrograms per day from fortified foods with the regular use of supplements for topping up – particularly important for children.

THE BEST PLANT SOURCES These include yeast extract (Marmite/Vegemite) and B12-fortified foods such as nutritional yeast flakes, plant milks, yoghurts, desserts, breakfast cereals and margarine.

SIGNS OF DEFICIENCY symptoms include extreme tiredness, lack of energy, pins and needles, muscle weakness, depression and impaired memory, understanding and judgement. a lack of B12 can lead to a raised level of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood which has been linked to heart disease. if you are concerned, B12 levels can be checked by a doctor and any deficiency can be treated with supplements or a course of injections.

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lifeSCIENCE

Viva!Health unravels scientific research and makes it easy to understand.

Here we update you on the latest findings…

BY VERONIKA POWELL MSC, VIVA!HEALTH CAMPAIGNER

Go nuts and prevent diabetes Population study reveals that the more vegan the diet, the lower your risk! a large study following 6,798 participants, their diets and health for several years set out to investigate whether there is a direct relationship between animal or plant foods in the diet and the risk of type 2 diabetes. researchers created a scoring system to rate people’s diets according to how heavy or light they were in animal-based foods and plants. it turns out that the more plant-based the diet, the less likely it is you will suffer from type 2 diabetes or have insulin resistance (one of the main problems in diabetics). in other words, the more animal-based foods people eat, the higher their risk of diabetes.

Viva!Health recommends a wholesome vegan diet for the prevention and treatment of diabetes – to get your free online guide, go to vivahealth.org.uk/diabetes Chen Z et al., 2018. Plant versus animal based diets and insulin resistance, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes: the Rotterdam Study. European Journal of Epidemiology. doi: 10.1007/s10654018-0414-8. [Epub ahead of print]

Go nuts for your heart New review of evidence shows that nut consumption can keep your heart healthy!

We all know nuts are a great source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals but it turns out they can also help protect our hearts. a new review of all the studies conducted in the past 25 years on nut consumption, heart and circulatory health reveals that if you make nuts a regular part of your diet, it can lower your risk of fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease, heart attack and sudden death.

The main mechanism by which nuts offer protection seems to be that they improve the composition and proportion of fatty particles naturally present in your blood. it’s because nuts

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in general contain little saturated fat and are a good source of unsaturated (healthy) fats. There’s also evidence that this health-protective action may be supported by the powerful antioxidants and minerals nuts provide. if you’re wondering which nuts to eat, aim for variety (unsalted) – almonds are good for calcium, Brazil nuts for selenium, cashews for magnesium, walnuts for omega-3 fats, pistachios for extra antioxidants and pecans for manganese.

Bitok E and Sabaté J, 2018. Nuts and Cardiovascular Disease. Progress in Cardiovascular Disease.

61(1): 33-37.

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The power of plants a wholesome plant-based diet can considerably lower your risk of breast cancer

Vegan diets – you beauties scientific review shows how and why a vegan diet can be a lifesaver a comprehensive review of research on diets and cardiovascular health makes perfectly clear just how amazingly healthy a vegan diet can be. scientists came to the following conclusions about what a wholesome plant-based diet can do for your heart: l reduce the risk of heart disease by 40 per cent l reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 40 per cent l Fully or partially remove harmful plaques from blocked arteries in up to 91 per cent of patients l reduce the risk of high blood pressure by 34 per cent l reduce blood cholesterol from high to normal levels l Help achieve or maintain a healthy weight l reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes The authors conclude that plant-based diets should be promoted through dietary guidelines and recommendations because they can not only prevent but also reverse atherosclerosis, heart disease and associated health issues.

a one-of-a-kind review of studies on diets and breast cancer risk came up with very clear-cut results. diets based on fruit and vegetables, pulses (peas, beans, chickpeas, peas, soya), wholegrains and nuts and seeds lower the risk of breast cancer whilst diets high in saturated fats (meat, dairy, eggs), red and processed meats, added sugars, fried foods and refined grains increase the risk. Predominantly plantbased diets were shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 46 per cent! This study illustrates how even if you’re at an increased risk of cancer, a healthy lifestyle might be all you need to minimise the odds. Plant power!

Find out more about how a vegan diet can protect your health on vivahealth.org.uk/ veganhealth Dandamudi A et al., 2018. Dietary Patterns and Breast Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review. Anticancer Research. 38 (6): 3209-3222.

Kahleova H, Levin S and Barnard ND, 2018. Vegetarian Dietary Patterns and Cardiovascular Disease. Progress in Cardiovascular Disease. 61 (1): 54-61.

Green light for soya growing mountain of evidence is in agreement that soya is safe and nutritious a new review of all scientific studies and data on the safety of soya has been conducted to settle the debate about whether soya has positive or negative health effects. The authors focused particularly on the health of different population groups, such as vegetarians and vegans, children and cancer patients. after examining the evidence, scientists agreed that soya is a good source of protein, unsaturated fats, antioxidants, iron and calcium. They highlighted that soya consumption can lower the risk of some cancers, heart disease and osteoporosis and does not affect the thyroid, reproductive health and sexual development. Babies fed soya-formula grow and develop at a normal rate and there’s no need to worry about any side-effects. The study also mentions how soya consumption can be helpful for breast cancer patients and may improve treatment outcomes.

For more on soya, see our website: vivahealth.org.uk/soya Rizzo G and Baroni L, 2018. Soy, Soy Foods and Their Role in Vegetarian Diets. Nutrients. 10 (1): 43.

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The last fond farewell

Photo ©Jo-Anne McArthur-We Animals

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Just born, she’ll be taken away from her mother within the next 24 hours. No matter how agonisingly they call to each other across the farmyard, their separation will be permanent.

Not one bad farmer but the industry standard. It’s one reason why the Advertising Standards Authority agrees that dairy farming is ‘inhumane’.

Viva!’s undercover teams have regularly exposed the many cruelties there are in milk – and sales are falling. Please support us and help us to continue fighting for animals.

Donate monthly

online at viva.org.uk/VLdonate or call 0117 944 1000

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Find this recipe in Viva!’s new Everyone’s Going Dairyfree guide

f o e t s a T A e m o c o ł łhings

Roast Beetroot and Cashew Cream Crostini Serves 6 (2 per person) | 2 hours plus 2 hours/overnight soaking time Cheese l 200g cashew nuts, soaked for 2 hours or overnight l 130g plant milk l 2 cloves garlic l 2 tbsp nutritional yeast l 1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled) l 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted l Leaves from 6 sprigs thyme l Half sprig of rosemary, stalks removed and finely chopped (use dried herbs if you don’t want cheese to have a slight green colour) l Salt and pepper to taste Crostini l Half a large baguette l Clove of garlic l Olive oil l 2 large beetroot l 100g roasted hazelnuts (ground but still chunky) l Decoration: balsamic glaze and thyme (optional)

Cheese 1 Blend all the ingredients until smooth. set aside in fridge.

Crostini 1 Preheat oven to 180˚c (fan)/350˚F/gas Mark 4.

2 use pre-cooked beetroot or wrap fresh beetroot in foil and cook in oven for 1 hour until soft. When cool, rub off skins and set aside.

3 Place hazelnuts on baking tray and bake for 10-15 mins. check after 7 minutes to prevent over roasting. To remove skins when cool, place in a clean tea towel and rub vigorously. grind until chunky but not powdered.

4 cut baguette into 12 slices, 1cm thick.

5 rub with garlic clove on one side and drizzle with olive oil.

6 Place in oven for 10 minutes or until golden or use a griddle pan, cooking both sides for charred effect.

Assembly 1 Place a generous spoonful of cream cheese onto each slice of bread, then two chunky slices of beetroot, a sprinkle of hazelnuts and thyme sprigs. drizzle with balsamic glaze (optional).

Viva!’s cookery supremo and ace photographer, Maryanne Hall, serves up five absolutely mouth-watering dishes for you – but these aren’t any old dishes! What she has provided you with are tasters taken from two guides which we are launching – or relaunching to be more accurate – in this issue of Viva!life.

There is the super guide with all new recipes, Deliciously Vegan Christmas. it will help you to swing into christmas with a new slant on its old culinary traditions. The 96-page, revamped Everyone’s Going Dairy Free will help to dance you through your new lifestyle as smoothly as an ace skater. if you haven’t yet ditched dairy then it will give you all the answers, help and advice you could ever need, along with some delicious recipes that will make you wonder what all the fuss was about. read all about them on page 13.

WORDS AND PICTURES BY VIVA!’S MARYANNE HALL

everyone’s going

Dairy-free The handy guide for dairy-fre living, including delicious recipes and shopping tips

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Find this recipe in Viva!’s new Everyone’s Going Dairyfree guide

Cheesy Broccoli & Tomato Quiche Serves 6-8 | 45 minutes

Pastry l 1 block Jus Rol shortcrust pastry (or other of choice).

Filling l 2 tsp olive oil l 1 onion, finely diced l 2 cloves garlic, crushed l 400g firm tofu, drained l 225g plus 1 tbsp savoury vegan cream cheese (Sheese, Tofutti, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Koko, Violife) l 125ml unsweetened plant milk (soya, almond or oat) l 1 tsp mixed dried herbs or 1 tbsp fresh (parsley, basil, oregano, chives)

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l 1 tbsp Dijon mustard l 1-2 tsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled) l 3 tbsp nutritional yeast l 1 tsp vegan syrup (maple or agave) l ¼-½ tsp turmeric l 1 head of broccoli, broken into florets l 3 medium tomatoes, sliced l 1½ tsp salt (or add more to taste) l Pinch of black pepper l 200g grated vegan melty/pizza cheese (Violife, Cheezly, Sheese, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Vegusto, Daiya)

1 roll out pastry to fit large flan dish (25-28 cm/10-11 inch), using thumb and fingers to spread.

2 refrigerate.

3 Preheat oven to 190˚c/375˚F/gas Mark 5.

4 Fry onion in 2 tsp oil for 5 minutes until softened. add garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.

5 Meanwhile, steam broccoli florets for 3-5 minutes until slightly crunchy, not soft.

6 Blend cream cheese, tofu, plant milk, dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, syrup, turmeric, salt and pepper until fairly smooth. stir in herbs.

7 arrange broccoli, tomato slices and onion mix evenly around pastry case.

8 Pour filling over and spread with a spatula. sprinkle melty vegan cheese on top. Bake for 30-45 minutes until firm in the middle. check after 35 minutes as times vary.

9 cool a little before cutting and serving.

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Find these recipes in Viva!’s new Deliciously Vegan Christmas guide

Easy Mushroom Wellingtons Serves 4 | 1½ hours

Filling l 4 giant Portobello mushrooms and olive oil for brushing l 1 large onion l 5 cloves of garlic (crushed) or 4-5 tsp garlic paste l 1 tsp paprika l 200g baby spinach l 1 tbsp lemon juice l 1 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried l 1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried l 70ml dry white wine (vegan wine is widely available – ask shop for its vegan list) l 2 tbsp maple or agave syrup

l 2 tbsp olive oil l 125g pecans l 130g cooked chestnuts (eg Merchant Gourmet) l 100g breadcrumbs l 3 tbsp grated vegan parmesan (Violife Prosociano or VBites Cheezly Hard Italian Style). Alternatively, use regular Violife or other melting varieties l 1 sheet of Jus Rol or supermarket puff pastry l Salt and pepper to taste Pastry glaze l 1 tbsp plant milk l 1 tbsp maple or agave syrup

1 Heat oven to 190°c/375˚F/gas Mark 5. Wash mushrooms, remove stems and scrape out the gills.

2 Lightly brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 15 minutes, cap side up and 10 minutes cap side down. Place between sheets of kitchen roll. set aside.

3 To make the stuffing. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. add onion and fry until light golden. add garlic, paprika, rosemary and thyme and cook for 2-3 mins. Pour in wine, maple syrup and lemon juice and stir. cook for a further 2-3 mins.

4 add spinach and cook with lid on until wilted. remove from heat and set aside.

5 Blend pecans and chestnuts to a crumb in food processor. add to onion mixture. add spinach, breadcrumbs, olive oil, vegan parmesan and seasoning. Pile stuffing onto each mushroom cap. cook leftovers separately.

6 cut puff pastry into four equal parts. Place one stuffed mushroom on each square, stuffing side down. Pull up opposite corners of the puff pastry to enclose the mushrooms so they are completely sealed. Brush all over with glaze and place, seamed side down, on a tin lined with baking parchment. sprinkle salt and pepper over.

7 Bake for 25-30 minutes until pastry has risen and is golden.

Chocolate Orange Torte

Serves 8-10 | 25 minutes plus 3 hours setting time Base l 200g whole almonds l 200g Medjool dates l 35g cacao or cocoa powder l ½ tsp vanilla bean paste l Pinch of salt Torte l 250ml freshly squeezed orange juice l 1 tsp orange essence l 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

l 200g vegan milk chocolate l 300g high quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa) l 150g golden caster sugar l 60ml cup water l 1 tbsp coconut oil l 1 tsp sea salt l Decoration: zest of 2 oranges and cocoa powder (optional)

Base 1 grease a 23 cm spring form cake tin and set aside.

2 Blend all ingredients in food processor.

3 Press mixture evenly into bottom of cake tin and place in fridge.

Torte 1 in a large mixing bowl, break up chocolate and add the salt. set aside.

2 Heat sugar on a low-medium heat until melted and turning golden. do not allow to darken as it will solidify when liquids are added.

3 add water, orange juice, orange essence, vanilla essence and coconut oil to the pan and heat for a further few minutes.

4 Pour the heated liquid onto the chocolate and salt and hand whisk continuously until chocolate is melted and smooth.

5 Pour onto the base and wait 20 minutes before chilling. Leave to set for a minimum of 3 hours but ideally overnight.

6 decorate with a sprinkling of cocoa powder and orange zest.

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Find this recipe in Viva!’s new Deliciously Vegan Christmas guide

White Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake Serves 8-10 | 2 hours plus overnight setting time Base l 400g vegan digestive biscuits (McVitie’s Light or own brands – check the labels) l 170g vegan margarine/spread l 3 tbsp coconut oil Cake l 100g ground almonds l 500g vegan cream cheese (Bute Island, Tofutti, Sainsbury’s, Violife) l 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk l 150g caster sugar l 6 tbsp plain flour l 4 tbsp cornflour

l 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted l 150g vegan white chocolate (IChoc, Organica, Sainsbury’s free-from) l Pinch of salt l 1-2 tsp vanilla paste or extract l 1-2 tsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled) l 100g raspberries (optional) Topping l 170g raspberries l 2 tbsp raspberry jam l 300g icing sugar, sieved l Selection of mixed berries and fresh mint for decoration (optional)

Base 1 Pre-heat oven to 150˚c/300˚F/gas Mark 2.

2 grease a 20 cm x 7 cm (approx.) loose-bottom cake tin with vegan spread.

3 Blend digestives until fine.

4 Melt margarine and coconut oil in a small saucepan on low heat until dissolved. in a large mixing bowl, combine with the digestives 5 Empty mixture into greased cake tin, distribute evenly along bottom and sides. refrigerate.

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Cake 1 Blend ground almonds, cream cheese, coconut milk, sugar, flour, cornflour, lemon juice, vanilla paste, melted coconut oil and salt until smooth.

2 Melt white chocolate in a double boiler and pour immediately into the cake mix and blend.

3 remove base from fridge and pour cake mix onto it. shake to ensure even distribution.

4 if liked, add raspberries to the mix, ensuring they are submerged.

5 Fill a deep baking tray with 2 cm water. if cake tin has a loose bottom, ensure it is covered with foil before immersing it in the water.

6 Place tray with the cake into pre-heated oven and bake for 1 hour 15 mins.

7 do not allow cake top to overly brown. if it darkens too much, reduce temperature by 10˚c.

8 When ready, remove and leave to cool for an hour before refrigerating overnight.

9 remove from tin using a hot knife.

Topping 1 Heat raspberries and jam on low heat for 5 minutes until blended and smooth. squish the raspberries with a wooden spoon if they remain whole.

2 stir sieved icing sugar into pan and heat until dissolved.

3 Pass sauce through a sieve and pour it on to cake until covered, top with berries (optional) and set for a further hour.

4 serve as it is or with vegan ice cream.

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PRESS • STOP PRESS PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP P STO • SS PRE P STO • SS STOP PRESS • STOP PRE STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS •

Betrayal!

We have 11 years before global warming becomes unstoppable, reports Tony Wardle he old guy in his flat cap and tatty overcoat, who used to parade up and down Grimsby’s Freeman Street in my youth, knew we were doomed. The sandwich board slung from his shoulders declared it without equivocation – The End is Nigh. It seems he wasn’t far off the mark – not because of god’s vengeance but through humankind’s utterly selfish, stupid, ignorant, myopic, arrogance. And that’s just the politicians!

In the past few days, scientific reports have been crashing down around us like tons of bricks, all saying much the same thing – repeating what a cascade of other reports have already said – the planet and all its inhabitants are in deep trouble because of our vandalism.

After reviewing over 6,000 pieces of research, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported in October (Special Report on Global Warming) that the global target for limiting greenhouse gas emissions to 1.5ºC is not going to be enough – originally the maximum was set at 2ºC. Even at the new, lower figure, the impact will be far greater than anyone predicted. Without massive reductions in greenhouse gases (GHG) we could reach the 1.5ºC threshold in as little as 11 years – certainly no later than 20 years.

Cyclones and storms, melting ice and sea level rises,

T

disruption and migration crises will all become more acute but there is something else, much more scary, that the IPCC raises. It is a phenomenon known as positive feedback – also referred to as the tipping point. Locked into Arctic tundra and the seabed of the Arctic Ocean are trillions of tons of methane, a gas some 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2).

As temperatures rise, the tundra starts to defrost and the ocean floor begins to warm – and methane is released from both, which triggers more warming, which triggers more methane until a point is reached where it becomes unstoppable and uncontrollable. The process has already started! To cut GHG now, the IPCC is clear: we need to drastically reduce our intake of meat and dairy.

What makes me truly angry is that nearly 25 years ago, I was writing about this exact threat in an early Viva!life – not because I’m brilliant and gifted with foresight but because the science already existed.

Another report this autumn also spells out why animal products must go (New Estimates of the Environmental Cost of Food). By Joseph Poore, DTP Environmental Research Centre, Oxford University. It was published in the prestigious journal, Science.

Poore worked with a dataset of nearly 40,000 farms in 119 countries, which covered 40 food products u

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representing 90 per cent of everything we eat. He looked at the impact it has on land use, climate change, fresh water use, water pollution (eutrophication) and acidification. He summed it all up like this: “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car as these only cut greenhouse gas emissions”.

A simple statistic brings home the gravity of what’s happening: humans account for just 0.01 per cent of all life but we have destroyed 83 per cent of wild mammals!

Poore shatters a common myth that some environmental organisations promote, that freeranging, grass-fed beef has a relatively low impact on the environment – it doesn’t.

“It is still responsible for much higher impacts than plant foods. Converting grass into meat is like converting coal to energy. It comes with an immense cost in emissions,” Poore said. He also identified fish farming as a major source of methane caused by excess feed and faeces. In fact shrimp/prawns, are second only to beef as producers of agricultural GHG. “Agriculture spans the multitude of environmental problems and it is animal products that are responsible for so much of it. Avoiding them delivers far better environmental benefits than trying to purchase sustainable meat and dairy,” says Poore.

Compared to pea protein, even the lowest impact beef is responsible for six times more greenhouse gases and 36 times more land. These are stunning figures – sufficient to prompt Poore into going vegan in response to his own research.

Giving up beef will reduce your carbon footprint more than stopping driving. This simple statement pulls another rug from under some of the big environmental organisations, particularly one which has surreptitiously downgraded livestock to fourth in the list of GHG producers, placing transport first. They’re wrong; livestock produce more GHG than all transport combined and are the second biggest source at 14.5 per cent (UN FAO). Why would they do that? Because they are terrified of losing supporters if they tell them to go vegan. It is unacceptable.

An international organisation calls for a 50 per cent cut in meat and dairy, which simply isn’t sufficient, but refuses to say ‘go vegan’ because it would impact on subsistence farmers. Dear god, it is the Western world that is gorging itself on meat and dairy, with barely a subsistence farmer to be seen. It is an excuse.

Governments play the same game – downgrading livestock’s importance. Ours claims that UK livestock produce only 3.5 per cent of our GHG total. It’s a lie, arrived at by excluding a host of things that should be included. In the US, they diminish it by treating deforestation as a separate issue, even though livestock

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are the main cause of deforestation.

Now, before you have a pop at Donald Trump for his stupid statements and withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, have a listen to our lot.

Owen Paterson was the Environment Secretary appointed by David Cameron. He was a climate change denier (nice one, Dave) and in a frenzied outburst said: “The highly-paid globe-trotters of the ‘green blob’, who besieged me with their self-serving demands, exist only to enhance their own income streams and influence by myth making and lobbying.”

The present Environment Secretary (Defra) is Michael Gove. He says that ‘meat is essential to good health’ and has urged farmers not to be shy about promoting it.

That’ll save the world, Mike! One of his underlings is Climate Minister Claire Perry.

Following this new research, she refused to say whether she thought meat consumption needed to fall.

She refused to back the research and refused to support the link between meat and climate change. “It is not the government’s job to advise people on a diet that’s climate friendly.” But you’re Climate Minister, Claire!

Isn’t subsidising meat and dairy to the tune of over £2 billion annually encouraging a particular diet? Could Claire Perry’s refusals have anything to do with the fact that one-in-five Tory MPs draws subsidies for livestock farming and her party’s votes come largely from rural areas?

Asked whether she and the Cabinet should set an example by eating less meat, Perry said: “I think you’re describing the worst sort of Nanny State ever. Who would I be to sit there advising people… not have steak and chips?… Please…” They should have made you health secretary, Claire!

Viva! has never flinched from reporting the science, whether or not it deters people from joining us or upsets their sensibilities. We have helped veganism to become mainstream and the importance of that is now obvious.

We should have had many more allies in this fight and I say to them now, get off your knees and help protect our children’s future – mine included.

See Viva!’s new environmental report at viva.org.uk/ envirocidal

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Scary Dairy Comprehensive new website makes going dairy-free easy scarydairy.org.uk Our sparkling new Scary Dairy website is about all things dairy and dairy-free!

It offers honest and accurate information on British dairy farming, the fate of dairy cattle and goats and the dark side of dairy production. Campaigns & Investigations pages show our huge range of activities – undercover exposés, YouTube ads and our attention grabbing TRASH billboards. Then there’s our street outreach events and, of course, our rescued dairy cows – Thelma and Louise! They have their own page on Scary Dairy, with the latest updates and photos.

Ditching dairy couldn’t be easier with the brilliant How to Be Dairy-Free pages – dairy replacements, tips and practical information, making going dairy-free a walk in the park!

Health and Nutrition, Cow’s Milk v Plant Milks, Features, Resources and how to Take Action all have their sections – and are supported by our Vegan Recipe Club.

The new website will educate the public about the harsh realities of the dairy industry and make it even easier to go dairy-free.

This beautifully designed website is the No 1 source for helping you to save animals, your health and the environment

Envirocidal How Livestock Farming is Killing the Planet viva.org.uk/envirocidal The UK’s most comprehensive scientific review ever undertaken of the links between animal products in our diet and environmental degradation Global warming has the potential to devastate the planet but there are other developing environmental catastrophes that are being crowded out of the headlines – they too are having lethal consequences and livestock production is at the heart of them all.

Envirocidal investigates the scale of climate change and exposes the devastation resulting from overfishing, loss of biodiversity, land and water use - and addresses common misconceptions about soya and palm oil production. It also looks at the growing crisis of antibiotic resistance.

The science is mounting and the stark truth is that, if global meat and dairy consumption continues at its current rate, the effect on our planet will be devastating.

The meat and dairy industry is one of the main contributors to global warming and is the single biggest cause of air pollution in Europe – contributing more greenhouse gases than residential energy or power generation. As food production continues to expand to meet the world's growing appetite for meat, emissions from livestock farming will continue to rise.

This fully-referenced, scientific report brings together a large body of up-to-date, peer-reviewed research. It will be available in print and on our website very soon.

By Dr Justine Butler (with additional research by Dr Jenny de Leo)

Media man, punk-bred John Robb

‘May you live in interesting times’ The old Chinese curse seems very apt in these strange and ugly times. The world appears to be trapped in some sort of chronic arm wrestle between the forces of slavering evil, driven by the Trump on one side, and the forces of good on the other.

Whilst we despair at this century of gonzoid dictators, who have cheap regard for human, let alone animal life, we also get to celebrate small victories. The Age Of Aquarius is scurrying in, trying to avoid the jackboot of populism, with the sharp rise in veganism, especially in the under 25’s. It’s pointing to a new generation with a new mindset.

Maybe it does take centuries to change minds. You can almost smell the fear of those animals who run the meat business as their days finally seem to be numbered. Veganism now claims up to 5 per cent of the UK population – a rise driven by new-fangled media like Instagram, where the under 25’s are creating a whole new reality.

The youth may not just be staring at their phones as they walk in front of buses but locking into a bigger digital picture.

Their parents may stutter: ‘Why can’t they gather and watch TV as a family instead of being online’, forgetting that their own parents would cry out to them about the dreaded TV – ending joyful family gatherings of banter around a lightlyburnt carcass on Sunday.

This kind of meat industry imagery about being ‘normal’ is a bit like the defence of slavery when they had slogans such as ‘of course normal people like slaves!’ Or ‘having a slave is good for you’ – popular in lunatic sermons and middle England newspapers.

Veganism will one day seem as normal as not keeping human beings in your cellar to do your dirty work. If mainstream media are reluctant to embrace this, social media like Instagram will. The pictures of vegan possibilities it presents tell a different truth to the mainstream clichés.

Oddly, selective meat eating still turns up its nose at the French eating horses and the Koreans dogs, like these cute animals with loveable eyes feel more pain in their death throes than a cow or sheep.

Fear not flesh eaters! We have a compromise. Maybe, when the last cow has been set free, you could all eat Donald Trump. There’s plenty of him and although it would be like eating a gigantic pile of slightly soiled marshmallows, it would feed the last of you until, well, the cows come home…

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Photo © Melanie Smith

New for you

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life

Viva!’s media blitz for the animals

BY TONY WARDLE, EDITOR

Juliet’s radio marathon The one thing you need when you do a string of radio interviews, one after another, from a remote studio with just you, some headphones and a mic – in a cubbyhole – is concentration.

“So what do you say to that, Tony?” I was once asked after my tenth successive interview. The presenter had returned to me after a long conversation with the opposition, who was so boring my mind had drifted. You have to think fast: “Interesting, but the real point is…” and you get over the information you wanted to, regardless of the question.

No such slip-ups for director Juliet Gellatley in a recent marathon of 16 back-to-back radio interviews that carried her arguments across Britain as part of the TRASH campaign. She spoke about what happens to male calves, the fate of their mums, going dairy-free and the growth of veganism. Combined reach of the bigger radio stations was an audience of 1.2 million people but additionally there were several smaller stations, each reaching anywhere between seven and 70,000 people.

One meat and dairyconsuming presenter had already seen one of our huge TRASH billboards on the M5 and had been genuinely moved by it.

Campaigns manager Lex Rigby continued the outreach with other radio interviews.

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Daily Mail does it again When you have carried out an undercover investigation you want as many people as possible to see what you have uncovered.

Viva! can control our own social media, which largely reaches young people, but we also want to make contact with an older audience, many of whom still get their news from daily papers.

When we start the process of trying to place a story, it can be quite stressful because you want to do as much as you can for the animals. Sometime all you get is silence, other times disinterest – but frequently we manage something more positive. “Okay, send it over, I’ll have a look”.

Our contact on the Daily Mail did have a look and ran with it, pulling no punches, as you can see by the headline. Of course, this was only the beginning of the campaign and it is followed by contacts with all those who play a part in this abuse – the government department APHA, Trading Standards, the so called Red Tractor ‘assurance scheme’ and Tesco itself. Having got nowhere with them, we launched a massive series of street actions

outside 150 Tesco stores nationwide (see page 12) and this triggered more coverage in local and regional newspapers.

It was almost blanket coverage of the Midlands, with 15 papers reporting the story – Hereford Times to the Evesham Journal, Cotswold Journal to the Droitwich Advertiser. A string of papers outside the area also ran with it – titles such as the Grimsby Telegraph and Stoke-on-Trent News.

Our continual exposure of shocking welfare on Red Tractor farms has, I suspect, triggered them into spending £1.5 million on advertising, joining the red meat industry, which is stomping up with £2 million for the same purpose. Save your cash, fellas, the rot in the meat (and dairy) industry has spread too far and wide – and we’ll still be there exposing you.

ASA – blind in one eye The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), of course, found against our Hope cinema ad, refusing to accept the industries own figures as to how many pigs were reared indoors – factory farmed. The only eye they could see through was the one focused on pig farming.

Being censored might seem like a crushing blow over which the pig industry can gloat but fortunately, it wasn’t quite like that.

The dailies queued up to run the story as did the industry papers – Farmers Guardian, Pig World, Farmers Weekly et al. However, many publications published our objections to the finding and no one could have been left in doubt that we had a strong case, pushing pig farming on to the defensive.

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First vegan SM ad Viva! is proud to say that we have recently placed the very first UK vegan social media ad – on Facebook. It doesn’t show a single horror but the feel through is one of threat and sadness. It has been extraordinarily well received with, at the last count, having been viewed by 250,000 people.

Pet chain drops kangaroo When we discovered that Pets at Home were selling dog treats made of kangaroo meat in its 440 stores across Britain, we immediately contacted them and explained the barbarity of kangaroo slaughter. To their credit, they acted immediately and agreed to drop them – products of the world’s largest land-based wildlife massacre. It was picked up by the Sun, Pet Trade Extra and vegan mags.

Out and about So much print and radio coverage everywhere – for our festivals, for the Viva!icious ice cream tour and for the TRASH campaign. Recipes from Viva!’s Vegan Recipe Club are now appearing monthly in Vegan Food & Living and Simply Vegan magazines, while articles by Viva!Health are regularly in just about every vegan magazine there is. The Metro and Irish Examiner ran reports on research that fully supports our materials reminding consumers that they’re mostly

eating baby animals. It found that knowing they were eating babies seriously reduced people’s appetites.

Viva!Poland made it into the Daily Star with their shocking discovery of a great heap of dead chicks piled up outside a poultry unit in Poland.

Dark Side of Dairy We don’t mind one bit that the BBC nicked our title for its BBC One documentary on dairy farming.

They followed the trail of young bull calves being transported from Scotland to Spain, North Africa and the Middle East. Their fate in veal crates and at slaughter were disturbing and did the dairy industry no favours. As usual, though, it was again the case of nasty foreigners doing nasty things to our animals. They could have stayed at home and filmed plenty of horror. It was also broadcast on BBC Scotland and then on the BBC News channel and was featured on BBC Radio 4 Farming Today.

Talking of dairy Mirror Online picked up on our call for people to boycott dairy products if they wanted to protect badgers from being killed. But in the US, promoting dairy has become a racist totem of the altright (neo-fascists). They claim that the ability of many Westerners to digest the lactose in milk – and the inability of African Americans to do so – is a sign of racial superiority.

Their hate speech finishes with the words “If you can’t drink milk… you have to go back.”

Love of Dairy is a campaign being run by the industry on social media where the word Victory appears prominently. What are they celebrating? A mass return to dairy consumption by young people? No, simply their claim that dairy sales are not falling quite as fast as they once were (according to the industry, that is). It’s like a balding man turning cartwheels because his hair loss has slowed a bit. You’re still going bald, mate!

No dirty secrets for Ecotricity Dale Vince, founder of the green electricity company, Ecotricity, and patron of Viva!, hit the Westcountry news media recently as well as making it big in Huffpost. Dale launched the first certified vegan electricity supply. No dead animals or slaughterhouse by-products are used in the generation of his electricity – guaranteed. The article highlighted Viva!’s Scary Dairy campaign.

Prices of Ecotricity’s electricity and gas are comparable with other suppliers but are far greener. If you want to change your gas and electricity supply to Ecotricity, go to ecotricity.co.uk/viva and Viva! will receive £60 to help our campaigns.

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Scrummy Styles...

Objectionable Viva!

Factory farming development proposals challenged

BY CLAIRE PALMER

Babette Shoe

Recent months have seen us challenging several planning applications for new or extended factory farms. In any civilised society the primary objection would be about the lives and deaths of the animals involved but amazingly, animal welfare is not a consideration local councils will accept, although we always include it in our submissions, anyway.

What you can complain about are environmental issues and human health concerns, such as increased noise and congestion from heavy traffic, damage to wildlife and the local environment such as pollution and the impact on tourism and employment for local people. Of course, our main reason for objecting is because of the immense suffering that animals on factory farms will experience.

NEW Euro Safety Boot (Black)

(Black)

Turkey Farm, Forest of Dean

NEW Bush Boot Slim (Brown)

STILL

WAITING

On August 23, 2018, we objected to Forest of Dean District Council about two large-scale turkey farms in this beautiful old forest. Two agricultural buildings for poultry production plus associated infrastructure. No response as yet.

Intensive Sheep Farm, Derby Also in August, we objected to Amber Valley Borough Council against Wakebridge Farm being turned into a sheep dairy enterprise – animals kept in large barns for at least seven months of the year for their milk, with lambs separated from their mothers after birth. Still waiting.

NEW Bonobo Boot (Cherry)

Pig Farm, County Durham Last year, Viva! objected to the extension of Biggin Farm in New Brancepeth, County Durham. It currently houses around 1,000 factory-farmed pigs but an application was made to Durham County Council to house a further 4,000 pigs. The application was withdrawn following almost 200 objections – local residents, consultants and three Labour County Councillors. The issues outlined remain but Biggin Farm has applied once more, this time for an additional 2,000 pigs. No conclusion as yet.

Snug Boot Pineapple (Black)

Cheatah (Off White)

APPROVED

Turkey Farm, Stafford

Sadly, an application by Holt Farms for four new turkey buildings at Toft Farm has been approved in Stafford, despite the objection of Viva! and many others – we raised 1,300 names in just 24 hours. Some 20,000 turkeys will now be incarcerated there despite a march by noisy protesters through the town centre.

NEW Montague Shoe (Black)

Over 150 mens & womens styles: Casual, Formal, Sport, Leisure, Work, Hiking, Dress, Fashion, Sandals, Belts and Accessories

Made in England & Europe Quality ‘breathable’ non-leather materials

A TREAT FOR YOUR FEET IF YOU DON’T EAT MEAT! ORDER DIRECT AT: www.vegshoes.com Tel: 01273 691913 | info@vegshoes.com A treat for your feet if you don’t eat meat!

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If you haven’t already been to a Viva! Vegan Festival, you really don’t know what you’re missing! Our forthcoming line-up is guaranteed to have something for everyone and we want you, your friends and family to come and see what all the fuss is about. Whether they’re herbivore or omnivore, if they like good food, they’ll like our festivals!

This is our 15th year of running vegan events across the UK so we know a thing or two about putting on a good show. Come and spend a day with Viva! and experience first-hand the amazing benefits a vegan lifestyle can offer…. l Delicious hot street food l Homemade healthy bites and sweet snacks (did someone say cakes and doughnuts?) l Expert nutritional advice and takeaway factsheets l Fascinating talks and cookery demonstrations l Huge range of ethical fashion, gifts and cruelty-free cosmetics l All your favourite Viva! merchandise and materials!

For more info and to buy your tickets today, please visit viva.org.uk/festivals

GET INVOLVED If you’re interested in becoming a stall holder, giving a talk or cookery demo or volunteering at any of these events please email sophie@viva.org.uk

2018-2019 SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER 2019 – 10.30-17.00 Bristol Christmas Vegan Festival Bristol Student Union, £3 (Students £2) SATURDAY 16 FEBRUARY 2019 – 10.30-17.00 Cardiff Viva! Vegan Festival Cardiff City Hall, £3 Entry SATURDAY 16 MARCH 2019 – 10.30-17.00 Swansea Viva! Vegan Festival Brangwyn Hall, £2 Entry SATURDAY 18 MAY 2019 – 10.30-17.00 Birmingham Viva! Vegan Festival New Bingley Hall, £3 Entry SATURDAY 29 JUNE 2019 – 10.30-17.00 Stockport Viva! Vegan Festival Cheshire Conference Centre, £3 Entry SATURDAY 3 AUGUST 2019 – 10.30-17.00 Coventry Viva! Vegan Festival Coventry Cathedral, £3 Entry

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H G U O N E D L BO H G U O N E E V BR A

t h ig r s ’ t a h w r o f p u d n a t to s to tak e a c tio n

Veganism is a promise to the animals and to yourself. Wear that promise loudly – live vibrantly, live healthily and show what vegans are made of.

Get Viva!’s brand new activewear from the Viva!

Shop and do it in style.

vivashop.org.uk/boldbrave

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. . . o s g n i l e e I’m just f

Amazing cruelty-free goodies from the Viva!

Shop to spread around this Christmas!

Soya wanna drink? Mug Get cosy and warm your hands around this lovely design – Viva!’s new mug is, I think we can all agree, rather lovely. Our cheeky little slogan shows support for the reign of plant-based milks! Long live soya milk! £5.99

e v i t s fe Lemon Cerd/Bakewell Cerd

Sinfully delicious! These versatile ‘cerds’ can be used on cakes, dairy-free ice cream or enjoyed on their own. The scent is so divine we want them in candle format immediately! £4 each

Toffee Sauce This lovely toffee sauce has a great balance – it’s not overpowering or over-sweet, but just the right amount of indulgence and scoffability. Almost guaranteed to go well with just about any dessert! £4

Vegan Honea It’s a thing – vegan honey replacement! Christmas is always a time for those lovely little fancy gifts and treats so why not splash out and have some for yourself, or get as a stocking filler for friends and family! £6

Viva!’s Apparel Store T-shirts & Hoodies We tried to pick one but there’s just too many good options here folks!

See our online store for dozens of options of high-quality, ethicallyproduced, environmentally-friendly apparel and accessories that will make stunning gifts (to yourself as well!). Of course, the added gift is that you will also be raising money to fund Viva!’s incredible campaigns!

T-shirts range from £14.99-17.99 and Hoodies/Jumpers from £25-£29.99

Everything can be bought from vivashop.org.uk/giftsforlife Or write to Viva!, 8 York Court. Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH. Tel 0117 944 1000 (Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm) viva.org.uk 41

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‘I’m goiNg To JOin viVa!’s UNdeRcoVer TEam!’ Cynthia’s a realist and knows her time is now limited. She has always supported Viva!’s campaigns against animal cruelty but with few resources. When she finally goes, Cynthia knows she’ll leave some decent money and wants to use some of it to save animals from suffering. That’s why she intends to support Viva!’s exposés of factory farming. Viva! is changing the face of Britain and Cynthia still wants to be a part of it – wherever she is.

Please remember Viva! in your will so we can go on saving animals For information on leaving a Will, see viva.org.uk/legacies or ring 0117 944 1000 Check out our campaigns on viva.org.uk/campaigns

The woman pictured is a model but we want to thank Cynthia Harper for her extraordinary generosity.

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ASA Rules on

Hope Cinema Ad Roisin McAuley reports on how advertising ‘watchdog’ ignores official statistics Last Christmas, Hope – our fantastic rescued sow – captivated audiences with her starring role in the UK’s first ever vegan cinema advert. The crowdfunded advertising campaign was a roaring success. It beautifully told the story of Hope and her six piglets and drew a stark contrast between their new found freedom and the lives of Britain’s factory-farmed pigs.

Unsurprisingly, however, the cinema advert sparked outrage from the farming industry and was reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) by the National Pig Association (NPA).

The NPA claimed that our advert was misleading as they believed the statistic “90 per cent of pigs are factory farmed” would imply to the general public that “the vast majority of pigs farmed in the UK are restricted to the indoors and never experience the outdoors”.

The NPA also questioned whether the advert featured farming methods no longer allowed in the UK. They also complained that it would “cause distress without justifiable reason”.

Despite Viva! supplying overwhelming evidence to back up the claims made in the advert, including using official industry figures, the ASA upheld two of the three complaints against us.

This ruling is yet another attempt by the pig industry to confuse and mislead the public about the realities of intensive factory farming. We know that around 40 per cent of sows give birth outdoors, and it was this that was central to the NPA’s claims. However, when you combine this figure with the number of pigs reared for meat outdoors – just five per cent – that still only equates to 8 per cent of pigs being outside for at least the first part of their lives. If anything, the 90 per cent figure we used in the advert to indicate the number of pigs reared inside is vastly underestimated.

The ASA acknowledged that 96 per cent of piglets

are, in fact, farmed intensively, but they considered it untrue to say they would never experience life outside.

Although some piglets are born outside, the vast majority are moved inside after three weeks to be intensively reared indoors. It is legal and commonplace for pigs to be confined in rape racks and also farrowing crates, so small that they are unable to turn around for up to three months a year. All footage used in the advert was filmed recently in the UK. It is not surprising that the complaint was filed by the NPA – an organisation dedicated to defending the commercial interests of the pig industry. It is also not surprising that it did not address the question of whether pigs are confined to the extent that they are unable to move for weeks at a time – nor did it question whether pigs are kept in squalid conditions. Instead, they questioned our integrity in an attempt to persuade the public to ignore our campaign.

Although this ruling is disappointing, Viva! continue to be amazed by the overwhelming support our Bring Hope to Millions campaign received from our supporters and the general public. You helped us bring a powerful message about the obscenity of factory farming to millions of people across the UK. Together we proved how powerful the vegan community can be… and the National Pig Association feels threatened.

Viva! campaigns tirelessly to bring the truth of factory farming to the general public. Rulings like this show us that we have a long way to go before we can advertise as freely as those who sell animal products.

Help us keep MAking ouR voices HeARd, foR tHe AniMAls. donAte At VIVA.ORG.UK/ASARULING oR cAll 0117 944 1000 viva.org.uk 43

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“I eat meat & I’m probably going to be okay!”

… t a e M …don’t worry, it won’t cause cancer*

TIRED OF HEALTH EXPERTS telling you how to live your life? Fed up with claims that meat causes cancer? JUST WHO do these ‘well-respected scientists’ and ‘global health experts’ think they are? Apart from them, there’s absolutely no one saying you can’t enjoy a lovely cut of your favourite ‘carcinogen’. Peer review, shmeer review!

BRITISH * may not apply to pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, bowel cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and others

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BULL(SH*T)

BOARD

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Bullsh*t Baffles Brains hey’re under attack and losing ground – the meat and dairy industries, that is. And I can tell you precisely what they intend to do about it because the template to preserve profits in the face of negative science has already been prepared and fully tested by the tobacco industry. It’s based on the three army Bs – Bullsh*t Baffles Brains.

The first concerns about smoking and lung cancer appeared in 1912 – and then everyone went back to sleep. In 1950, the first scientific report claiming a link was published in the British Medical Journal and a doctors’ epidemiological study was set up to confirm or deny it. This reported in 1954 and there was no escaping it – smoking caused lung cancer.

The tobacco industry remained calm and produced A Frank Statement to Cigarette Smokers which was emblazoned on thousands of billboards everywhere. It said that research showed there were many causes of lung cancer but there was no agreement amongst scientists as to the actual cause and nothing to show that smoking was responsible. Without any science, the industry turned genuine science on its head. They couldn’t prove their claim but that didn’t matter as the main aim was to sow doubt in the minds of smokers.

Over the intervening years, government did little, partly because of the huge sums it was receiving in tax revenues. It took until 1971 for the first, minuscule warnings to appear on the sides of cigarette packets – ‘smoking can damage your health’. Twenty years later it was moved to the front and strengthened with the words, ‘can seriously damage your health’. After a further twelve years, in 2003, we finally got to the truth with the stark warning, ‘Smoking Kills’. It had taken 50 years and millions of deaths.

During those five decades of government inaction, the tobacco industry was hard at it, funding dozens of lobbying groups and a myriad of ‘think tanks’, according to Bath University, including some household names such as the Adam Smith Institute and the Institute of Economic Affairs. All would chip in to defend big tobacco – lung cancer could be caused by genes, chemicals, dry cleaning, booze, hairspray or almost anything. And anyway, it’s our god given right to get lung cancer if we so wish.

There was also no shortage of scientists prepared to bend a knee to the tobacco industry and take the rewards on offer. They then duly did what was required of them – rubbished sound science, produced rubbish science, spread doubt and urged people not to have their freedoms infringed.

Mainstream media were happy to headline anything that challenged the scientific consensus and comforted their smoking readers – ‘Cigarettes not bad for you after all’.

Few journalists bothered to analyse the shoddy research but then, why would they when massive advertising revenues were at stake. In the same way and for the same

T

Beware, says tony Wardle, the meat industry and its lobbyists are going to bombard you with fake news and alternative facts reasons, today’s ‘health’ correspondents are just as happy to publicise dodgy claims such as ‘saturated fat is not bad for you’ – and there are many other parallels.

The meat industry has announced it is to spend £2 million targeting young consumers in a bid to promote beef, lamb and pork in the hope of saving a dying market. What’s got them so agitated are recent reports from two of the world’s most respected health bodies.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had 22 scientists working across 10 countries reviewing 20 massive pieces of research. Their conclusion was “Processed meat causes cancer and red meat probably does too”. It put processed meat in its group 1 list, which includes tobacco and asbestos and placed red meat in its group 2A list, just below.

‘Probably,’ in scientific terms, is pretty profound. It’s like an aeronautical engineer telling you, as you set off on your hols: “This aircraft will probably crash”. You listen!

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) was equally as forthright: “…eating processed meats or having a diet high in red meat is a cause of bowel cancer”.

Predictably, the meat industry dismissed the research and trotted out its band of five ‘experts’ from the Meat Advisory Panel (MAP) to rubbish it. They, of course, offer ‘independent and objective information about red meat’, although being funded by the meat industry is not my idea of independence.

Top pick is Professor Robert Pickard, Emeritus Professor of Neurobiology, Cardiff University, and he’s in no doubt: “Red and processed meats do not give you cancer”. He goes on to say that the WHO and WCRF research is about association and not cause and effect and the real cause could be genes, cars, plastics… Sound familiar?

Prof Pickard was previously director general of the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), which pretends to be independent but is an industry body. Its Healthy Eating week in 2017 was funded by the dairy, beef and lamb division of the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

I had a run-in with the BNF when it issued a press release claiming that we all have two kilogram of bacteria in our gut designed specifically to digest meat and not eating it would lead to serious health problems for vegetarians and vegans. I challenged this claptrap and the BNF made no attempt to defend the claim and put the blame on the Meat & Livestock Commission (now part of AHDB), saying they had sent out the press CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

My thanks to my colleague, Dr Justine Butler of Viva!health, for her help in writing this exposé.

To find out more about the detrimental health effects of red, white and processed meat read Viva!’s fullyreferenced report Meat the Truth.

To read more about the huge health benefits of a vegan diet see The Incredible Vegan Health Report.

Both reports available at vivahealth.org.uk.

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lifestyle

The Great Christmas Vegan Cheese Board

A British classic all year round, but especially at christmas when we don’t have to watch how much of it we’re eating, liam nolan takes a look at how to craft or buy a vegan cheese board fit for any festive table!

Pre-made Cheese Selections there are some fantastic, pre-made vegan cheese selections available that will take the stress out of the whole thing – and really, we have to buy at least one complete product otherwise we’d do nothing at christmas but cook and prepare! pop the cheeses on a wooden chopping board with grapes and (vegan) buttered crackers and you’re done. sainsbury’s usually offer up the violife cheese selection (cranberry, Blu and Mature flavours), vBites have their popular selection of the cheezly brand (normally available in Holland & Barrett or online), and this year, Asda have announced a vegan cheeseboard (traditional cheddar, garlic & chive Mature cheddar, and Wensleydale & cranberry flavours) RRp £5. look out for some of these and buy them early to avoid disappointment – they tend to sell out fast!

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Homemade Vegan Cheese, Yoghurt and Milk learn how to make your own vegan cheese from scratch! this charming book is clear and simple and is a full process and information source on how to make your own. not only does it have cheese but you can learn to make your own dairy-free spreads, yoghurts and milk as well. this is definitely for you if you like to push the boat out and impress everybody at christmas!

Buy online from vivashop.org.uk RRp £15.99.

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Global Harvest Fine Foods Fruit Jellies take it up a notch and replace chutneys with these wonderful fruit jellies! choose from Mulled spiced Apple, Bittersweet orange, Apricot & ginger, caramelised Apple, pear, Quince, fig and damson plum. i’m feeling festive just talking about it and can’t wait for a good slice of the Mulled spiced Apple! RRp £5.95 12.99 Fruitforcheese.com/collections/fruit-for-cheese

The Big Vegan Cheese Making Kit this award-winning, innovative kit is just fabulous – pretty much a cheese board by itself, it allows you to make six different nut-based vegan cheeses – Mozzarella, Ricotta, Mascarpone, Halloumi, feta and parmesan. this is one for the cooks and crafters out there! You can get it online for £27.50 by heading to vivashop.org.uk.

Nutcrafter Cheese

some of the best artisan vegan cheese out there – foodies will delight but everybody will definitely enjoy these! selling aged and fresh cheese along with spreads, grated cheese and organic ‘buttuh’, the nutcrafter creamery is an ethical, plant-based, plastic-free company based in scotland. our top picks are out of the Blue (blue-style) or the indulgent – Aged chive chevre, both absolutely lovely for a festive spread. see their website for full product descriptions and pairing notes for food and wine. RRp from £4.50 nutcrafter.co.uk

Vegan Haven Rustic Chopping Board presentation is everything! this rather gorgeous rustic wooden chopping board comes with vegan engraving that can also be personalised at no extra cost. think of it as a christmas gift to yourself – you’ll create a fancy cheese board and have a great chopping board all year round, too! they have a range of different shapes and sizes too so choose the one for you. pictured is RRp £39.99. veganhaven.co.uk

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 release before the BNF could check it. The Commission denied it but the real point is that a body whose main purpose was to promote meat could issue press releases on behalf of the supposedly independent, upstanding and honourable BNF. The second panel member is consultant surgeon Mr. Roger Leicester, who says: “There is no known evidence to suggest that red meat, by itself, causes cancer”, claiming that epidemiological studies are unreliable. He also goes for genes, herbicides, pesticides, age, etc as the cause.

Third on the panel is former Scottish Conservative candidate, freelance dietician and media pundit, Dr Carrie Ruxton. She claims: “There’s no evidence that fresh red meat is a direct cause of cancer” and adds: “The advantages of eating lean red meat far outweigh the disadvantages.”

You might think that as she is paid by the meat industry, she has a conflict of interest. It’s not a new dilemma for her as she has also questioned the links between sugar and obesity. She claimed her review of studies showed no such link. Her employer that time was – wait for it – the Sugar Bureau!

Ruxton now sits on the board of the Scottish Government’s public health food regulator, Food Standards Scotland (FSS), and faced criticism last year after admitting receiving money from chocolate manufacturer Ferrero – who own Ferrero Rocher, Nutella and Kinder chocolate. Industry-funded research is a sham because it is up to 88 times more likely to favour the product that industry produces.

Joanna Blythman, food journalist and author, said: “It is simply unacceptable that someone who has… attempted to downplay the very real damage that sugar

does to public health, should be accepted as a board member at FSS.” Fourth up is Dr Gill Jenkins, a GP who sings in harmony with the others: “There is no link between meat and cancer.” And then, like a cracked record from the 1980’s, goes off on one – we’re designed to eat meat, we’re missing out on vital nutrients, we’ll be short of iron and protein if we don’t!

Why haven’t any of these so-called experts bothered to look at the health outcomes of vegans, who get less of all the degenerative disease and tend to live longer than meat eaters?

Interestingly, the fifth member of the panel – Dr Emma Derbyshire – knows this to be the case. She runs a consultancy called Nutritional Insight and is very proud of the paper she has published on flexitarianism (had more than 20,000 reads, you know!). Flexitarians, of course, eat some meat and my assumption is that she hoped to hold back the vegan tide by proving that flexitarians could be as healthy as vegans. Didn’t quite work out that way. This is some of what her research revealed.

Vegan diets are associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Vegans have a significantly lower risk for all cancers. Vegans have the lowest risk of colorectal cancer, meat eaters the highest. Diabetes is the lowest in vegans and highest in meat eaters.

Dr Derbyshire clearly knows that her meat-promoting colleagues are talking dangerous nonsense and yet she is still happy to be counted as one of them, endorsing views she knows to be untrue and that promote meat at the risk of human health. Why would she do that…?

I wonder if we’ll have to wait 50 years and millions of deaths before a government health warning is finally applied to meat products – Meat Kills.

Thank you very much

A massive thank you to the incredibly enthusiastic and hard-working viva! stall volunteers who have helped represent viva! at events over recent months. You’ve handed out literature, sold merchandise and chatted to innumerable visitors. important stuff. And they have also raised vital funds for our campaigns. We ❤ you! l Willow and Bethan, dorset vegan festival – £316.29 l Amrit, HMRc Health/Wellbeing event, Middlesex – £56.60 l Shelley, Hannah and Elena, Bristol vegan/Wellbeing Market – £69.40 l Sue, May and Leslie, great Yorkshire vegan festival – £179 l Sarah Curtis, Bath vegan festival – £284.70 l Willow and Bethan, dorchester summer vegan Market – £250 l Satpal, Mind, Body, spirit event, norwich – £160 to see our volunteers in action and get a taste of what it’s like to run a stall for viva!, flick through our online photo gallery viva.org.uk/viva-stall-volunteer-gallery.

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Save the date

don’t miss out on fabulous vegan events ever again! get on down to myvegantown.org.uk, where you’ll find our handy online events calendar. While you’re there – browse and review 1000’s of veganfriendly places and things to see and do – all at your fingertips.

You, too, can become a Viva! stall volunteer. Simply tell us when and where and we will talk to you about it and send you all the stuff you need.

Contact XX XX

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The massive, the amazing, the one-and-only, Viva! sponsored…

BY CLAIRE MICHALSKI

E

veryone was talking about it this summer - the UK Vegan Camp-Out 2018. Being partnered with them we, of course, went along to contribute – and join in the fun.

Newark showground, Nottinghamshire, was the venue and it was filled to capacity with an extraordinary 5,000 attendees, all looking to learn more, have fun and eat brilliant food. The atmosphere was exciting for workers and festival goers alike with so much going on around the clock.

With the new, bigger event space, the Camp-Out had expanded in every conceivable area – more food on offer, more stalls, more talks and more activities.

Brilliantly organised, it was easy to find your way around the different sections – mind and body zone, the music stage, vegan activism boot-camp and the main speakers stage. There was also an entire area devoted to children and families, run by Grow Up Vegan, complete with bouncy castles and a safe area in which to play.

Speaker Earthling Ed had crowds of campers spilling out of the activism boot-camp and so, after his talk, Ed stood for hours meeting and greeting his audience.

Judging by the smiling faces, he was handing out large doses of inspiration.

When the documentary film Dominion was screened, there was a very different atmosphere. Written and directed by Chris Delforce, it uses drones, hidden and handheld cameras to expose the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture, questioning the morality and validity of humankind’s dominion over animals. Stars include Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara and Sia. It was met with saddened eyes and broken hearts as hundreds of viewers sat together to watch. Chris Delforce gave a talk before the screening and provided an insight into the difficulty of capturing the images of cruelty. Although it was a sombre atmosphere it was also powerful with so many people coming together, baring witness and leaving the screening with a sense of unity and passion to make a difference. u

p Viva! patron Heather Mills talks about health and her expanding business empire – VBites u The hugely popular Simon Amstell, comedian, TV presenter and writer and director of the film Carnage q Vegan food and delight!

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Spirits were lifted when the main headliner, Simon Amstell, did a 30-minute comedy set. Simon is respected by most of us for pushing veganism into the mainstream with his ‘mockumentary’, Carnage. He had the audience in hysterics and extended his gig to almost an hour.

Our campaigns manager, Lex Rigby, talked about Viva! and our campaigning work in front of an audience that had swelled hugely from last year.

That night’s music headliner was JME, an English grime MC who popularised the term ‘V-gang’, which is now on t-shirts, hats, and is a constantly trending hashtag. Everyone danced and joined in with his vegan lyrics. When the extended set came to an end, there was the after party where DJ’s played music from different genres – something for everyone.

Viva!’s patron, Heather Mills, took her turn on the main stage and inspired people with her personal stories, industry knowhow and exciting news about the expansion of her vegan food business, VBites, and other investments to keep the movement – well moving!

So many incredible acts and influencers attended and we were able to interview some of our favourites! Both Dr Neil Barnard (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) and Melanie Joy (Carnism) were recorded for our podcast – definitely worth a listen! viva.org.uk/podcast.

We also caught up with UK Vegan Camp-Out founder, Jordan Greiner Martin, and asked if he thought this year’s event had gone well. “Yes! It goes so quickly though. A full year’s planning and then it’s all done but I’m really happy with how it went.”

Having sold out of tickets, I wondered if it was going to be even bigger next year. “We sold out well before the date and lots of people were trying to find someone to buy from. So, yes, next year we’re increasing capacity – the demand is there”.

I asked Jordan what was his favourite part of the weekend. “It’s so hard to pick a favourite moment – I think for me it was seeing so many people come together and fulfilling my dream of making a vegan animal rights festival a reality.”

It’s so satisfying to see Camp Out doing so well AND

qu Time to relax with music, dance and, fortunately, brilliant weather

q The size of the audience indicates his huge popularity – our old friend Dr Neal Barnard of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine talks vegan healh

planning to expand for next year. Personally, I can’t wait. We don’t yet know who the headliners will be but you take it as read that there will be some showstoppers amongst them!

And the tickets are available for 2019 right now and many have already been sold. Clearly, people are making sure they don’t miss out on this fantastic event. You can get them from vegancampout.co.uk/tickets.

It runs from Friday, August 30, 2019, to Sunday, September 1, 2019 so put it in your diary!

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Restaurant reviews

It’s Burgers International V Rev Vegan Diner if you ever find yourself in Manchester this is the place to visit – a little gem just a 10-minute walk from the city centre. You’re greeted by smartly dressed staff and a cool retro feel.

With over nine different, geniusnamed burgers, Whopper Way to Make a living or the kevin Bacon, we decided on the southwest of Heaven burger – a ‘Buttermilk fried seitan chkn’ steak, generously topped with hot pepper cheeze, southwest chipotle mayo and a load of jalapenos and crispy onions. to top off this stack was an impressive bun – unique and tasty pretzel style. the whole main was monstrouslysized but we also opted for loaded Buffalo fries – crispy skins and the perfect ratio of cheeze, buffalo and ranch sauce, baceon and chives.

Again, not for wimps! the seitan was perfectly cooked and with fresh

salad. We were silent until the plate was empty. the price for two burgers and fries was £12.50 – a bargain! to go with the food is a selection of beers, ciders and soft drinks. other food options include mac and cheeze, house salads, buffalo salads and various side plates offering chickn tenders and mozzarella sticks. there’s also a range of major hotdogs and sandwiches for under £9 each and desserts. Warning – it gets busy so book. v Rev is a serious contender for the best vegan junk food out there. Luke Foster V Rev Vegan Diner, 20-26 Edge Street, Manchester M4 1HN. Tel: 0161 806 0928

Forky’s Ask any trendy young vegan in prague where’s good to eat and we bet you’ll get the same reply… forky’s. it’s a 100 per cent modern, vegan bistro-restaurant in the heart of the city near staroměstská metro station and unashamedly animal rights staff all sport vegan and animal rights tees bearing the strapline, #respectforlife. it is also environmentally conscious – offering 100 per cent biodegradable packaging for take aways, made from beetroot, corn, potatoes and cereals (i don’t know if you can eat it afterwards!).

Bright and friendly, it offers international dishes as well as forky’s own brand products. there’s classic fast food to super-healthy and gluten-free options but we had the cheese Burger, no fish and rice and a smoked seitan bagel. Also on offer are burritos, tortilla wraps and super bowls — large salads rich in

flavour and nutrition with bases of organic quinoa, kale, sprouts, nuts and seeds, along with your choice of tempeh, tofu or seitan. Asia bowls include thai yellow curry with tofu, and tempeh Buddha bowls. the burger was chargrilled, chunky and covered in a thousand island sauce, gherkins, melty vegan cheese, salad and mustard – and was streets ahead of your average vegan burger. With it, you can have garlicky fries, sweet potato fries and/or forky’s slaw. delicious! the no fish was less impressive – tofu and seaweed but not battered and deep fried as we think it should be! prices are cheap even for prague – burgers around £5 and super bowls just £3.50. i’m happy to say you can‘t walk far in this city without coming across vegan food but forky’s is worth a visit. Claire Palmer Forky’s, Veleslavinova 93/10, 110 00 Stare Mesto, Prague.

Tel: 420 773 080 337.

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Feasts for the Festive

the season is upon us when we (or most of us) gather, eat, drink and be merry – so this edition we thought we’d select a few of our most recent cookbook faves. these little numbers will give you plenty of inspiration to create the picture-perfect table,

whether it’s a casual gathering, your third formal dinner party in a row or the big holiday days themselves.

What better way to have a compassionate festive season than absolutely gorging on delicious, decadent plant-based feasts!

Vegan Goodness Feasts Blogger and author Jessica prescott produces her second offering in this charming and wonderfully colourful recipe book. this is all about plantbased meals for big and little gatherings, and sections include Brunches and pit stops, the Beloved BBQ and seven sides & seven salads, amongst others. Her book really can take the stress out of gatherings and help you wow every time! some highlights include pumpkin and Black Bean Rollups, coconut Maple tiramisu and a whole bunch of dips and sauces from Mayo to chimichurri to Ajo Blanco.

By Jessica Prescott. Hardback.

160pp. £15

The Wicked Healthy Cookbook Vegan Christmas gaz oakley is back at it again, this time with a festive offering! All the basics, and some snazzy ways to zhuzh up your christmas table, this beautifully illustrated cookbook may well be your go-to recipe book for many seasons to come. sections include party food, edible gifts, centre pieces, leftovers and more – so it covers the whole festive period, not just the big day! some highlights include parsnip and vanilla soup, ‘noturkey’ wrapped in gaz’s streaky ‘Bacon’, and fried doughnut profiteroles – and even a Morning After pick-Me-up drink to help you recover!

By Gaz Oakley. Hardback. 175pp. £15

the sarno brothers are well known in the plant-based world, having worked with supermarkets and food innovators for many years – so hopes were high for this cookbook! they definitely didn’t fail to deliver – absolutely crammed full of welllaid out, well thought through

advice, information and truly unique recipes. this book is a joy to read and use and is quite a comprehensive number, with sections including Handhelds, straight-up vegetables, comfort food, Juices and cocktails. it is great for those who want to know how to cook as well as those who just want to follow a fabulous recipe. some highlights include plant-Based eggs (that look like real, hard-boiled eggs), smoked tofu dumplings with spinach, dates and Black vinaigrette and Barbecued Maitake (mushroom) steaks with a choice of three glazes.

By Chad Sarno, Derek Sarno and David Joachim. Hardback. 306pp. £20

All viva! vegan Book club choices are available from vivashop.org.uk/books or by post: viva!, 8 York court, Wilder street, Bristol Bs2 8QH. tel: 0117 944 1000 (Mon-fri, 9am to 5pm) 52

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HOLIDAYS | FRANCE

Classifieds HOLIDAYS | ENGLAND EAST SUSSEX

La Maison du Vert vegetarian & vegan hotel & restaurant

Our hotel & restaurant is set in a stunning Normandy valley within 3 acres of beautiful gardens.

• Delicious vegetarian and vegan gourmet menus • Naturally grown produce, organic wines, ciders and beers • Visit Camembert, Monet’s garden, Mont St Michel, Hon eur, D-Day landing beaches, Bayeux • Walk, cycle, relax! Free WIFI

eat

rest

Debbie & Daniel Armitage

61120 Ticheville, Normandy, France 00 33 2 33 36 95 84 mail@maisonduvert.com

www.maisonduvert.com

see

LAKE DISTRICT

Get noticed! to book this space for a great rate, call liam now on 0117 944 1000 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

www.taxreturnonlineservices.co.uk Financial Accounts Preparation • Self Assessment Tax Returns Rental Accounts • Business Tax Advice 5% donation to VIVA!

Tel: 01485 601499

LESAIGLES VEGETARIAN & VEGAN SELF CATERING HOLIDAY APARTMENT

Mirabel-aux-Baronnies, 26110, France +33 (0)4 75 26 47 18 +33 (0)6 77 75 97 14 bookings@lesaigles-veggies.com www.lesaigles-veggies.com

for viva! news, info, merchandise and much more visit us online at viva.org.uk

Lifeafterhummus Community Benefit Society invite you to the launch night of our low-fat vegan cooking class hub on 12th Nov from 6.30pm for our free weekly food waste cooking club social: 150 Ossulston Street London, NW1 1EE For more info: Lifeafterhummus.com viva.org.uk 53

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Personal

Looking for friendship, love or even a new business partner? Well, Viva!life Personal is the place to come! It’s simple and effective, and good value for money with prices starting from £8 for a 20word lineage advert.

gentle, kind, compassionate, vegan male, seeks female of a similar nature for love, friendship and sharing life together.

My interests: protecting animals, nature, the environment, hiking, cycling, wild camping, books, living foods, holistic health. My aspirations: country-living, growing food, fatherhood and joint parenting. Age and location immaterial. Please reply to: Box 67/6, Viva! Classifieds, 8 York Court, Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH

Fre

e

investors/partners sought for vegan lifestyle change complex in southern spain. Beautiful forested and remote mountainous area with lovely river, inland beach and waterfalls on land. Refreshing, pure mountain air with minimal light pollution. i need some hands on partners for olive and almond groves project, fruit and vegetable management, sale at sunday Beach Market and people interested in preservation of bats, bees, prehistoric deer and other fading species native to the area.

Also interested to hear from people with interest in rural tourism and organic essential oil harvesting and production. possibility for sleeping partners to get involved who need to come and go, willing to help out with afternoon teas etc. share of freehold. enquiries to email: freshmadesiempre@mail.com

Explore hundreds of vegan-friendly places to eat, sleep and shop – then champion and share your fave finds!

Support

Viva!’s new vegan directory for all things vegan and wonderful MY VegAn Town and help us celebrate kindness

to animals, people and the planet myvegantown.org.uk | viva.org.uk | mvt@viva.org.uk 54

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V for Life is pleased to have released two new film shorts. They aim to draw attention to two serious questions that concern older vegans and vegetarians. Will my lifestyle and beliefs be understood and respected in a care environment? And if I get dementia, will they serve me meat?

We urge you to get informed – if you aren't already – about these important issues. One day, there will be clear policies and regulations about how to support older vegans and vegetarians.

V for Life is trying to make that day come sooner.

For more information, visit vegetarianforlife.org.uk/films or call 0161 257 0887

Registered charity number 1120687

New film shorts‌ If I get dementia, will they serve me meat?

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We believe a vegan diet is better for everyone We even helped our local football team, Forest Green Rovers, become the world’s rst - and only - vegan football club!

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Call us free on 0808 123 0123 or visit ecotricity.co.uk/viva (quote VIVA when you switch)