A celebration… of Viva!’s magnificent volunteers

As Viva! approaches its 30th birthday, we want to celebrate the enormous contribution made by our amazing volunteers, who’ve been our partners along the way Without them, Viva! would have less presence on the local high street, attend fewer vegan markets, our campaigns would reach fewer people and we would have less money to continue our vital work

There are many ways to volunteer – run a market stall at one of over 30 vegan markets around the UK, support our national days of action, get involved in university outreach, door drop to local houses or set up a stall and have a regular presence in your community.

Activists in Bristol got together in 2020 to provide an unashamedly vegan information point where people could come and ask questions like, “what’s all this fuss about veganism?” They host an event once or twice a month to hand out leaflets but now they’ve introduced free vegan food samples and show footage of factory farming

Viva! offers whatever support they need and have great free resources available, including practical advice through health guides, access to the Vegan Recipe Club and materials to encourage people to try veganism

Tom, a teacher, said: “Volunteering gives me a feeling that I can make a difference It’s like planting a seed, helping the public to think about the meat and dairy industry in a different way Maybe make a change today or in the future”.

Gail, who works in retail, said: “I can’t imagine not having a voice for the animals. It is great having an organisation who you know you can trust and provides only the facts Their undercover investigations are really important and I have always felt supported ”

Skye is an engineer: “I like the calm and friendly approach and it’s great being with a team of people who feel the same about animals as you do. It’s important for me to advocate for the animals – and I’m becoming more accomplished in talking to the public as a result.”

Carol, a retired nurse, said: “I’m bowled over with the amount of information available through Viva!. I’m gaining more confidence and this non-confrontational form of outreach suits me. I love it.”

Kerry, a dog groomer, said: “I can show people that vegans can be anybody and can be happy and passionate and normal! I want to have good conversations and explain how veganism has actually improved my life, not hindered it ”

There are a number of ways you can get involved Please see our website or sign up at viva org uk/getinvolved Or email Jo, outreach coordinator, if you would like to host your own stall or support a local group outreach@viva org uk top: stall holders elior doani and eliza lagast representing viva! at a vegan market above left: simone roper, carol sharpe, carol o’leary, Jo dixon, eloise cresswell, dan Williams and martin Barlow –Bristol vegan outreach group above: one Planet outreach with the Bristol vegan outreach group Below: volunteers from london supporting viva!’s TRASH campaign

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Whether religious teachings are handed down directly from deities or are the product of profound mortal intelligence is another of those circular arguments that has no resolution but in a way it doesn’t matter

Humankind everywhere has always found the need for a formula – a series of rules by which their societies can live and prosper. According to the best guesses of English Heritage, there was no single belief system in prehistoric Britain but there were religious practices relating to the dead, afterlife and its influence on the living. And there are reasons to assume that all ‘primitive’ societies behaved similarly

In all the religions we do know, there is a common thread and that is to respect all life and not to slaughter animals for our own gratification It is a powerful, continuous and persuasive message that the road to salvation (of whatever kind) lies in kindness and care and concern for the world around us

Hinduism didn’t begin with a blank sheet of paper but drew together strands from numerous existing religions and practices stretching way back in time It follows that humankind has probably always struggled to understand the world it inhabits and tried its hardest to chart a path for long-term survival through its maze of known and unknown complexities And that’s what makes Hinduism so extraordinary. Yes, I am aware of other aspects of Hinduism that aren’t so laudible

Four thousand years ago, it set out just such a path: respect all life, tread lightly, do as little damage as possible, spurn greed, jealousy and avariciousness and treat all animals with kindness And the reasons for this? Because all things are interconnected and to attack and weaken just one element, damages the whole Even as an atheist, I buy into this concept wholeheartedly

Look around you and try to imagine what the world would have been like had we all followed this creed Would the forests, oceans, land and air be struggling for survival? Would we be counting down the days to a climate catastrophe? Would we have killed, tortured and inflicted wholesale suffering on countless numbers of animals? Would we have set so much store by the BMW seven series, quilted toilet paper and Gucci trainers?

We, my friends, are warriors in an intellectual fight that is almost as old as recorded history and which is now nearing a conclusion. We are on the right side – but can we win it? I don’t know but I am certain we cannot stop trying because if we lose…