Viva!life issue Issue 59 | Summer 2015

lifeIssue 59 Summer 2015Published by Viva! the vegan campaigning group

Mega pig farm

plans…Join Viva!’sobjection

Barbeque cookery for summer days

Going,going, gone

The sadness of cattle auctions

An audience with

G F Newman

Gone withthe wind

…silly old farts

Ghosts in the oceanThat won’t go away

We’re stilldoffing our capsays Tony Wardle

Supportfor Viva!Elders…including grants

VL59 p1-17_VL41 redesign new 10/07/2015 14:05

Viva!’sfight is afight forlife – foranimalsandourselves. Through effectivecampaigning, we take the brutalreality of intensive farming to thepeople who can effect the mostchange: consumers. Our wide-ranging campaigns promoteveganism as the best way to saveanimals from suffering, protect theenvironment, improve health andhelp those in developing countries.

We have cleared the shelves of so-called ‘exotic meats’; our campaignagainst the factory farming of pigs,turkeys and ducks saw deaths dive;we are closer to a foie-gras freeBritain and meat consumption isdown in the UK thanks to Viva! andour loyal supporters. Viva! is aregistered charity (1037486).

Viva!Health is a section of Viva!that promotes the health benefitsof a vegan diet. The diseases thatkill many of us prematurely canmostly be prevented by consuminga plant-based diet – Viva!Healthexplains why. We provide accurateinformation about healthy eatingto the public, health professionals,schools and food manufacturers.We campaign on important issuesincluding children’s health, theharmful effects of dairy foods,heart health, how to help combatobesity, diabetes and breast cancerand the dangers of eating fish and meat.

WHO WE ARE Contents life5924Summer barbecuesSuper new recipes

www.viva.org.uk 3

Howto get thismagazine

Join Viva! to get your copy of Viva!lifemagazine three times a year for only £15 (£12

unwaged). You’ll also receive a supporters’card – giving you discounts at hundreds ofshops and on services and holidays – plus

a free car sticker. Call 0117 944 1000(Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) or join online

at www.viva.org.uk/join.

Front cover photo kindly donated by Christopher Rimmer, from his Amapondo series.

In an attempt to articulate the visceralpotency of his photography, the author, TonyPark said Rimmer’s work looked so deeplyinto Africa’s heart that you could almost feelthe heat and taste the dust.

His critically acclaimed photographs of

Africa have been widely published in mediaaround the world. Christopher’s most recentwork, Amapondo, photographed on the eastcoast of South Africa, is being exhibited thisyear in Art Expo New York, Jan RoyceGallery, Cape Town, Art Room 9, Munich, ArtSan Diego, Spectrum Miami and Jeff MakinGallery in Melbourne, Australia. More atchristopherrimmer.com

5 LifelinesNews round up from Viva!

8 Writer G F NewmanA Viva! interview

10 Another mega pig farmJoin our protest

12 Gone with the WindYou do give a fart!

16 Viva! EldersA great new service

32 LifestyleLatest goods and goodies

34 Anyone can AdoptViva!s adoption scheme updated

37 Eat Meat, Serf!Tony Wardle tackles the nobility

42 Buy, buy, buyViva! latestmerchandise

49 ClassifiedsEverything youcould ever want

20Ghosts in the oceanNets that fish forever

28Under the hammerDay at a cattle auction

22Juicy fruitSuper Summer juicing


The injustices that Viva! tackles are perpetuatedbecause they’re part of the cultural norm. It is normalnot to care that animals are treated as commodities,denied happiness and freedom; existing rather thanliving in a cruel, man-made world. It is normal to benumb to the cries of terror and pain as animals areelectrocuted and knifed.

Viva!’s visit to a dairy cattle auction (page 28)turns the spotlight on the blinkered. Farmers whowrench one-day-old calves from their bellowingmothers; who prod these bewildered animals aroundan auction ring without even a shadow of emotion.

Most of us were once part of this ‘norm’ – and Isay this to remind everyone that people do change! Andonce your eyes have opened, it seems incredulous that you find yourself in a minority! Why areyou expected to defend your position as a vegan or vegetarian when it is blindingly obvious thatanimal cruelty, environmental collapse and ill health are bad things?

Tony Wardle’s feature (page 37) goes some way to explaining why the power is largely in thehands of the exploiters. But don’t you feel that change is afoot? Although the establishment trieshard to steer us away from issues that may make us revolt; millions of people are… godforbid(!), thinking for themselves.

Britain is starting to turn its back on abuse. Meat consumption has fallen significantly over thelast decade – the equivalent of every Brit giving it up for one month a year. The size of the non-dairy market jumped from 36 million litres in 2011 to 92 million litres in 2013 – an increase of155 per cent in just two years. One in seven yogurts sold are now soya-based and growing –eight per cent year-on-year.

Viva! is proud to be at the forefront of this shift but will not rest until WE are the norm! Wehave a diverse supporter base – the young, elderly and everyone in between. We have justrelaunched our youth pages for under 18s (page 40) at www.vivaactivists.org.uk and are launchinga new section for our mature folk, Viva! Elders (page 16). If you want information on a care home,retirement complex or food supplier that provides for vegans and vegetarians, look no further.

I never thought I’d end a Welcome column on a windy note! But we all do it, even us women,though ours smell of roses. I’m talking about one of the last taboos – farting! I’ve explained(page 12) why it is a healthy – nay essential – activity and why the trillions of micro critters thatmake us do it, keep us alive! Enjoy your beans and I’ll see you at the next vegan festival(www.viva.org.uk/events), Christmas dinner (page 5) or school speaker’s training day (page 19).

Yours for the animals

Juliet GellatleyFounder & [email protected]/julietwgellatley

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VIVA!LIFEMAGAZINEViva! Founder & International DirectorJuliet Gellatley

EditorTony Wardle

Campaigns & Deputy DirectorJustin Kerswell

Office ManagerLaura Turner

Viva!Health CampaignersVeronika Powell & Dr Justine Butler

Merchandise & Sales ManagerKatrina Gazley

Food & Cookery CoordinatorJane Easton

DesignThe Ethical Graphic DesignCompany Ltd

Editorial enquiries0117 970 4633

Advertising enquiries0117 944 1000

Membership enquiries0117 944 [email protected]

Onlinewww.viva.org.ukwww.vivahealth.org.uk

Viva!, 8 York Court, WilderStreet, Bristol BS2 8QH

General enquiriesContact Viva! on 0117 944 1000

(Mon-Fri 9-6). Email [email protected]

Write to Viva! at 8 York Court,

Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH

Welcome


From little acornsWhen Sonal and her family moved to London, she attended a talkon Why You Don’t Need Dairy by Viva!’s director, Juliet Gellatley.That was enough for Sonal and she went vegan – but she wantedto do more. When she, her husband Vikas and daughtersManasvini and Manan went back to New Delhi, they launchedIndia’s first ever vegan ice cream rangeand called it White Cub. The 12delicious flavours includeChocoNutty, Mango Momentsand Coffee Fudge.

“I feel in synchrony withViva!”, Sonal told Viva!life, “asthey helped me to go vegan.I’m a huge admirer of Viva!’swork, plus I have twins likeJuliet – and yes, they arevegan!” http://whitecub.in

VBites takes a chunk out of H&BViva! Patron Heather Mills has always wanted to open a chain offast-food vegan restaurants. That aim took a huge step forwardin June when Holland & Barrett opened their new store inChester with a VBites café at the centre of it.

The world’s fastest disabled woman on skis has never donethings by half and more big H&B stores with a VBites caféconcession will appear as the idea is rolled out across the UK.

Heather, director of the world’s leading meat-free foodscompany, said: “The VBites’ vision is to make a meat-free diet adelicious and healthy alternative to ‘normal’ meat-based lunches– it’s not aimed solely at vegans.”

Joining Heather at the opening was former world championsnooker player and new vegan, Neil Robertson – one of severaltop snooker players who have adopted the diet. There will be amore in-depth feature on this great new development byHeather Mills when VBites comes to Bristol in the near future.

lifelines

Viva!’s annual dinner on thehistoric Bristol harboursideOur Christmas fundraising dinner is to be held on Saturday,December 12 at 1pm at Bordeaux Quay on Bristol’s waterfront; atruly vibrant and unique part of Bristol, in the heart of the city.

Enjoy your gourmet three course vegan dinner overlooking thestunning harbour from the first floor of the elegant, convertedwarehouse, Bordeaux Quay. Savour a glass of wine or two withViva! Patrons, director Juliet and staff! The venue is a 15 minutewalk or a short taxi ride from Bristol’s main train station; TempleMeads, and is close to Christmas markets, fab shopping, bars andlovely walks. Bristol is vegan friendly, so make a weekend of it!

Pre-book now as tickets always go fast!Tickets cost £69 and can be booked online at

www.viva.org.uk/dinner or phone 0117 944 1000. Or send yourname, address, tel/email andnames of each personattending along with acheque payable to Viva!Dinner, 8 York Court, WilderStreet, Bristol BS2 8QH.

This will be a day toremember! We look forwardto sharing it with you.

www.viva.org.uk 5


Veggie vacationsLeicester is the first place in the UK to offer a Veggie Vacation. It consists of a one-night stayat an hotel and a choice of several veggie experiences, including cocktail making and dinnerat a local veggie restaurant. It is the brainchild ofLeicester Vegetarian & Vegan Group who have got theGo Leicestershire tourist website on board. They arenow promoting the city as a veggie destination. Theyhave also made available online the groups VeggieGuide to Leicester www.goleicestershire.com/ food-and-drink/veggie-leicester.aspx

If you would like to know more about the venturego to, www.stayplayexplore.co.uk/vegetarianvacation2015.aspx or contact Carys [email protected].

6 life

VIVA!’S SHORTSn FORTIFY CAFÉ in Maidstonehas changed from being veggieto veganand owner,James,creditsdirector ofViva!, JulietGellatley,for it. “Julietinspired megreatlywhen I heard her speak atVegfest a couple of years ago”.

n A variant of the deadlyhospital superbug, MRSA, hasbeen found in Britishsupermarket pork. It can causefatal diseases, including bloodpoisoning. It is directly linkedto the use of antibiotics in pigfarming. In Denmark, 75 percent of pigs are infected.

n After lots of chasing byViva!, FIRST GREAT WESTERNhave confirmed that they willnow be introducing soya milkpots to their rail services.

n Cast and crew of the grislybut hugely popular TV seriesTHE WALKING DEAD areturning vegetarian. Afterwatching actors supposedlyconsuming bloody human fleshon-set and seeing it litteredwith body parts, non-pulsatingpulses and things green havesoared in popularity.

n Much against his will, Viva!’sTONY WARDLE joined up withLeicester and NottinghamVeggies to give a series of talksat Glastonbury. It wasn’t themusic that got him cheeringbut the brilliantly named veggiefood outlet – No Bones Jones.

n VET TO VET Vet Nigel Daviesis a small animal vet who hasoffered his support to Viva!. Hewould very much like to contactveterinary surgeons, vetstudents and nurses in order toform a Vegan Vet group wheremembers can keep in touch witheach other. Initially it would be asupport group but eventuallyhis hope is to develop it into asociety. Contact Nigel [email protected]

lifelines

Eat our animals says RSPCAWe have had a running battle for years withthe RSPCA’s Freedom Food subsidiary and its‘high animal welfare’ approved meat. Toomany times we and others have filmed insidetheir ‘approved’ farms and recorded appallingimages of abuse – for the simple reason thatcaring for animals and factory farming are acontradiction in terms. How can an institutionset up to protect animals fool the public bypretending that factory farming is absolutelyfine so long as its meat carries their approval.It is, quite frankly, shameful.

Clearly not a sentiment shared by theRSPCA as they have just announced that they

are swapping the term ‘Freedom Food’ to‘RSPCA Assured’ – togive animals ‘a betterlife’. Better is a relativeterm – was the thumbscrew better than therack; was Auschwitzbetter than BergenBelsen? As in the past,you can guarantee thatthe RSPCA will remaincompromised as ananimal welfare charity that charges money toapprove factory farming.

Huge eggsagerationViva! carried out an undercover investigation in to Noble Foods eggproduction a couple of years ago so we know exactly how poor theiranimal welfare standards are. So when their boxes suddenly appearedbearing the claim ‘Lion Quality eggs are produced under the BEICCode of Practice with ensures the highest standards of hygieneand animal welfare’, we chuckled an ironic chuckle. Elsewhere onthe box it stated Eggs from caged hens.

You can’t get much more misleading so we complained toTrading Standards. It took them eight months to report – in ourfavour – and another eight months for Noble Foods to changetheir wording. We are still waiting to see it.

Piggles and local Viva! supporterswow the media and shoppers ofHereford for our 37th IncredibleVegan Roadshow, which was heldin the city in June. Next stop –Portsmouth, Sat, Sept 5.


Not the wurst thatcould happenGermans – known for their love of sausages – aregiving meat ones the elbow in favour of soya.They produce a staggering 1,500 differentmeat varieties but now, concerns over animalwelfare, health and the environment arestarting to change eating habits, with 60 percent of the population saying they would bewilling to reduce their meat consumption.

Mario Ziervogel, whose family has served sausages in Berlin since 1930, hasintroduced a veggie curry-wurst into his range. “You have to keep up with the trends”,he says. “The next one we introduce will be vegan!” (See p.27 – Vegan Berlin).

www.viva.org.uk 7

The Popegoes greenWe have often had a pop atreligious leaders over the years (seeTony Wardle’s article on p37) but wenow cheer Pope Francis very loudly– in one regard at least. He hasechoed our 20-year-long concernsabout climate change and haswarned of unprecedenteddestruction of ecosystems andserious consequences for everyonein his 100-page encyclical on theenvironment published in June.

The UN secretary general, WorldBank president and heads of the UNEnvironment Programme et al haveall welcomed it, as have scores ofcharities, including Viva!.

Here is just a taste of what thePope said: “The Earth, our home, isbeginning to look more and more likean immense pile of filth. The problemis aggravated by a model ofdevelopment based on the intensiveuse of fossil fuels, which is at theheart of the worldwide energysystem. Another determining factorhas been an increase in changed usesof the soil, principally deforestationfor agricultural purposes”.

He criticised political leaders forfailing to act effectively on climatechange, to which US presidentialhopeful, Jeb Bush, responded: “I don’ttake economic advice from the Pope”.Clearly, the battle is not yet won.

Not piggin’likelyOur campaign against a planned mega pig farm inNorthern Ireland (see page 10) has been picked up byCare2 and so far has attracted over 35,000 signatures.The farmer responsible, David Hall, is giving everyassurance imaginable that everything will be okay,including the environment – conveniently forgetting thefine he received for polluting a local river with effluentfrom his existing, small farm. Viva! patrons Martin Shawand Jenny Seagrove have voiced their objections andmade it big in the Belfast Telegraph.

Doctorwho?You won’t know his name but you will knowwhat he introduced to the world. He is Dr DavidJenkins, of the University of Toronto, and heworked out a way to control diabetes byranking all foods by the impact they have onblood sugar. It was the glycemic index whichbecame the GI Diet. Well, he’s not finished yet!

At the start of this year, this highly-rated doctorannounced to the world that he was vegan:

“A properly planned, plant-based diet – onethat avoids all animal products – is incrediblygood for your health”. He then added: “Humanhealth must be linked to planetary health, andhow we feed ourselves has a major impact onthe planet. It’s this positive impact on theenvironment, as well as animal welfare, thatappeals”. Let’s hope his new diet will be assuccessful as his last.

Juliet Gellatley’s talk,Why You Don’t NeedDairy, went down astorm with a packedaudience of 52 at theWorcester Veggies &Vegans group. Thesegreat people organise funsocial and animal rightsevents so if you live inthe city – join ‘em.www.worcsveg.org.uk

Juliet with Tony ‘Tofu’ Harris

LIFELINES CONTINUE ON PAGE 46

Meat themovie Watch Viva! and MamyTo! FilmCollective’s award winning newshort film that asks the simple, yetterrifying, question: how wouldyou cope on a factory farm?Fronted by Anneka Svenska, the film is sending shockwavesaround social media. It providesthe simple answer toending animal suffering –stop eating them.

Find out more:www.viva.org.uk/youll-never-guess-what-theyre-farming-now


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There aren’t many TV seriesthat are sufficientlycompelling to make me stayhome (okay, I haven’t yetcome to terms with catch-up

TV). But without doubt, one of them wasthe legal drama Judge John Deed, whichran for six series from 2001 to 2007.

A High Court judge, Sir John Deed(played by Martin Shaw), tries to bring a

more acute sense of justice to the caseswhich come up before him. Theyinvariably involve controversial subjectmatter such as the MMR vaccine and radiomasts and sprinkled throughout the seriesis a positive portrayal of animals, animalrights and veganism.

Largely filmed at the partly-abandoned,red-brick masonic school at Bushey, it wasthere that I interviewed two of its stars,

Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove (barristerJo Mills, who Deed is involved with bothin and out of court). Both havesubsequently become Viva! patrons. Wehad lunch on the location catering bus andMartin surprised me by saying that all thefood was veggie. Who, I wondered, wasbehind that decision?

It was pretty obvious, really! The manwho conceived, wrote and produced Judge

His writing is gritty and exposes life’s underbelly but at the sametime G F Newman is a passionate vegan who cares deeply about

animals and the environment. By Tony Wardle

Gordon is anoxymoron

Illus

trat

ion

© S

imon

John

Par

kin


John Deed was G F (Gordon) Newman, avegan who says he wrote much of the seriesby hand with his trusty Waterman pen. Hewrites everything by hand – whilst travellingin the back of cars and told me: “I wouldspend my entire life writing if I could.” Ithought that’s what he had done as hisoutput over the last 45 years and more hasbeen utterly prodigious and includes novels,stage plays, film and TV scripts and forwhich he’s won two Bafta awards.

Over the years, journalists have had apop at him for his insistence on veggiecatering but not me – I insisted on exactlythis when I was making TV programmes.The Sun compared him toGoebbels and his reply toGeraldine Bedell of theIndependent back in 1994,however, is the kind that leaves astunned silence hanging in the air:

“Liberty is not the mostimportant thing we have,” heargued. “Compassion is the mostimportant thing and you can’tcompartmentalise it: you can’t go out andkill a pig in the morning and in theafternoon embrace your children as ifnothing had happened. Murder is murderand the murder of an animal is the same asthe murder of a human.”

G F Newman first came to public noticein 1970 with his best-selling novel, Sir, YouBastard, which sold 200,000 copies. Severalmore followed, each about a bent copper.

Gordon doesn’t have a terribly highregard for the police. Who knows, but theseeds may have been planted when he wasjust six and a man down the lane gave himsome pears. Gordon was then stopped by apoliceman who accused him of scrumpingand to Gordon’s disclaimer he replied, ‘youlying little bastard’ and clouted him aroundthe head so hard that it left himpermanently deaf in his right ear. So muchfor the good old days!

Anyway, the books in this series about abent copper showed there was littledifference between the police and thosethey chased. In 1978 he created theoriginal Law & Order – a four-part TVseries that looked at crime from fourdifferent perspectives – police, criminal,solicitor and prison system:

“It stirred up huge controversy andcaused questions to be asked in Parliamentabout the state of criminal justice. I’dwritten several novels about policecorruption featuring a bent detective, TerrySneed, and in 1982 wrote a play for theRoyal Court in similar vein – Operation:Bad Apple. This also caused a furore andbriefly stopped a trial at the Old Baileywhere two corrupt policemen were in the dock.”

The threats to Gordon from theestablishment were pretty profound and an

up-and-coming, radical young barristercame to his aid. It was none other thanViva! patron, Michael Mansfield, not yethaving been awarded silk. Almosteverything G F Newman writes takes onthe status quo, grabs it by the neck andshakes it around a little.

It’s worth saying that Gordon didn’tmake up all the stuff about bent coppersbut did extensive research which involvedan awful lot of drinking. He took hisdirector, Les Blair, out with police andcriminal contacts, alternating between thetwo groups, night after night. Blairsummed up his experience: “I learned thatcoppers are sensible villains and villainsdon’t have the sense to be coppers!”

I spoke to Gordon at what seemed like amillion miles away from the grit and grimeof big city policing. He has swapped copsfor copses and his house in the beauty ofthe Wye Valley is reached down single track

lanes, hemmed in by high hedges and trees.Once through its electric gates, the 100metre long drive slopes uphill to a largeVictorian house against a backdrop of treeson all sides – only it isn’t Victorian!

“This was originally a cottage whichRebecca and I bought in 2005 with theintention of knocking it down but thatwasn’t allowed. It took 18 months to getplanning permission to build an ecological,late Victorian-style house on thefoundations”.

And so it is. The house has windturbines, a ground-source heat pump, solartubes and rainwater harvesting. Sewage is

filtered through a reed bed beforeemerging into a large pond asclean water – still not sure I’d liketo drink it, though! Gordon wasvery hands on in building thisabsolutely gorgeous, responsible,welcoming home.

It is expansive, light and airyinside, and we start talking in thecomfortable kitchen as I

gratefully snack on olives and a host oftasty things. We’re accompanied by a littlescrap of a dog, Mini, who was tossed fromsomeone’s car abroad and rescued byGordon and Rebecca.

We retire to the spaciousconservatory/dining room where Gordonserves me a gorgeous lunch he hasprepared. I would have taken it easy on theolives et al if I had known it was coming.It is one of two conservatories, one on topof the other. By the way, Rebececca (Hall)is Gordon’s long-term partner who is avegan writer and activist. It was she whostarted Gordon on the vegan road wayback in the 1970’s when they had a littlefarm in Ireland.

“I would walk my Irish wolfhound andbecame friendly with a local farmer and hiscalves, who would all be periodically

CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

www.viva.org.uk 9

“Murder is murder andthe murder of an animal

is the same as the murderof a human”


10 life

One downone to goViva! leads fight against NI mega pig farmBy Justin Kerswell, Campaigns Director

We scored a stunningvictory for the animalsearlier this year after plans

for a monster pig farm in Foston,Derbyshire, were turned down.Viva! and our supporters wereinstrumental in the success of thisfour-year battle.

We always knew that someonewould come back for a second biteat the cherry and we would againhave to oppose the influx ofAmerican-style mega farms into theUK. That time is now.

We have recently discovered thatwithout publicity, plans had beenput forward to build what would beBritain’s largest-ever pig farm ongreen belt land near Newtownabbey,outside Belfast. In sheer scale, itdwarfs even the one rejected atFoston, with a staggering 30,000pigs on site at any one time.

Believe it or not but objectionsover the welfare of animals are nottaken into consideration byplanners. Despite this, theEnvironment Agency rejected plansfor Foston partly because it would“offend human senses” but alsobecause it would cause “significantpollution due to odour”.

Claims that the farm will beenvironmentally friendly are notconvincing. Mr Derek Hall, ofHall’s Pig Farms, who is developingthe site, was fined in 2012 when a

‘milky liquid’ discharge found inThree Mile Water river was tracedto his present farm. The RiversAgency have objected as a DrainageAssessment has not been submittedand they believe that potentialflooding issues have not beenaddressed. There will be two hugelagoons – one for water and one forpig waste. Local residents say thearea floods regularly.

Pigs are highly-intelligent animalsand whatever concern is expressedfor them by developers is hog wash –factory farming and animal welfareare contradictions. With a barrenenvironment and 30,000 animals,disease and injury are bound to be

“Factory farming is a cancer –and it might be spreading. Wehave to stop it in its tracks.Opposing these proposals mustbe a priority for animal loversand those who care about ourenvironment. If these plans goahead then the floodgateswill be open toAmerican-stylemega farms and thehorrors thatentails. That’s whyI support Viva!’scampaign.”Actor and Viva! patronMartin Shaw.


The veryconfusedPeter AndreAustralian celebrity, Peter Andre, is anambassador for wildlife and supports manygood causes, including the Born FreeFoundation, which protects wildlife. Heaffectionately recalls spending time with kangaroos with his children whenvisiting his homeland.

He told Hello Magazine: “There’s a place on the Gold Coast, theCurrumbin bird sanctuary, where there is a field you can go in, not just tofeed kangaroos but you can lie next to them. You can lie down and thekangaroo will put its arm around you and you can fall asleep.”

Very nice, Peter! But Mr Andre is also the face of Iceland supermarket chainand he seems to be forever on our TV screens, standing at a barbecue promotingthe company’s new, so-called ‘exotic meat’ range – which includes kangaroo!

Viva!’s campaign to persuade Iceland to dump kangaroo meat will revealto the star that his self-professed love of wildlife doesn’t really stack up whileIceland’s freezers are full of bits of dead wild animals.

Come on Peter, use some influence on your paymaster Iceland and encouragethem to stop using Australia’s outback as their own personal provisions larder.

missed. Would pigs choose this wayof life? You can bet your life theywouldn’t. That’s why we want all pigfarms closed not their expansion intoever-greater units.

Our campaign against Foston was

made doubly difficult by the silenceof two big animal groups. It says onCIWF’s website ‘Our mission is toend factory farming’ yet Fostonproducers boasted of their supportfrom CIWF, who have stated theywill not oppose the Newtownabbeyplans either.

The RSPCA is also involvedthrough its new assurance schemewith the farm claiming it willoperate to their standards. BothViva! and our friends at HillsideAnimal Sanctuary have filmedappalling conditions in too manyRSPCA approved farms for that tobe any assurance at all.

campaigns

The public consultation has closed but the planningdepartment will still accept written submissionsopposing the development up until the council’sdecision-making meeting. They refuse to tell us whenthat will be but it could be as late as September.

A sample objection is available on the Viva! websiteat: www.viva.org.uk/say-no-ni-mega-pig-farm(phone us on 0117 944 1000 for a printed copy). On all correspondence write: ‘Objection toNewtownabbey pig farm (Ref: LA03/2015/0051/F)and include your name and address.

Email: [email protected]: Antrim/Newtownabbey Local Area Planning

Office, Mossley Mill, Carnmoney Road North,Newtownabbey BT36 5QA.

Take action

Icelandcampaign latestViva! supporters have been out on the streets andinside Iceland stores dressed in a variety of guisesto draw attention to Iceland’s sale of exotic meats.Clearly, this struggling store believes that thisbizarre idea will turn their fortunes around. They’llbe lucky!

Just ahead of Viva!’s Day of Action against them,using the slogan ‘Mum’s gone to Iceland – in a box!’,the company tried a spoiler. They issued a claimsaying that theydo not sourcekangaroo meatfrom females –and thereforeour slogan wasincorrect.

Throughoutall our contactswith them itwas not a claimthey had issuednor was it made to any of our supporters who hadcontacted their customer service department.

The kangaroo killing industry has been sayingthis for years yet we’ve never been provided withany evidence to support it. Tesco said it back in thelate 1990s and then backed down immediately.Lidl repeated the same claim recently and thenadmitted it was incorrect.

They don’t know – no one knows. They think itsteals our thunder about the awful destruction ofbaby joeys who usually accompany their mothers.The assumption seems to be that’s its fine to killthe males, despite the clear science that constantlytargeting the biggest males destroys family groupsand threatens the long-term genetic pool.

“The scale of this farm is inconceivable. If we are not careful, these gigantic animalfactories will become the norm. We have seen what a disaster they have been in the UnitedStates. Do we really want to go down the same route? That is why I’m adding my voice tocalls to reject the Newtownabbey mega pig farm.” Actress and Viva! patron Jenny Seagrove

www.viva.org.uk 11

Contact Peter AndreEmail: We have prepared a samplemessage to send to Mr Andre onour website. Simply visit:www.savethekangaroo.com/peter-andre-please-tell-iceland-dump-kangaroo-meat (If you don’t havethe internet we can send you acopy by post on request).Write: Peter Andre, c/o The CanGroup, PO Box 602, Horsham,West Sussex RH13 8WE.

Take actionComplain to Iceland via our websitewww.savethekangaroo.com. Contact Iceland direct: Tel: 0800 328 0800Web: www.iceland.co.ukMail: Iceland Foods Ltd, SecondAvenue, Deeside Industrial Park,Deeside, Flintshire CH5 2NWIf you would like Viva!’s specialIceland kangaroo leaflets (perfectfor door dropping or demos!)email [email protected] or phoneto order on 0117 944 1000.

Take action


Gone with the WindFor such a ubiquitous activity, it’s amazing how taboo farting is. But

should it be so? And are beans – a staple of a good vegan diet – really thevillains of the piece? By Juliet Gellatley, founder & director, Viva!

It’s a curiosity of British social etiquettethat if you burp you say pardon but ifyou fart, you say nothing and walk

away… probably in the hope that no onehas noticed! We never seem to grow out ofbeing excruciatingly embarrassed bypassing wind. Yet all of us do it, manytimes every day. Even women, though ourssmell of roses!

The NHS states that most men fart 14-25 times a day, and most women betweenseven and 12 times a day. We pass windmainly when sleeping and mostly in littlepuffs, not as the ripsnorters we all dreadkabooming at a dinner party or whilecanoodling on a date!

LIFE’S A GASNinety nine per cent of our farts areodourless and made from carbondioxide, oxygen, nitrogen,hydrogen and sometimes methanebut the one per cent that smell?We all know they can be deadly!The stinky bit is hydrogensulphide, which smells like rotteneggs and although it’s a minutepart of a fart, is so pungent thatpeople can smell it at levels of 1part in 100 million.

The foods which contain themost sulphur compounds, whichare converted by bacteria in yourgut into hydrogen sulphide, arered meat, dairy products, eggs,cruciferous veg, onions and

garlic, beer, red and white wine, cider anddried fruits.

The reaction can be severe! My friend’sson, Jack, told me: “I ate eggs forbreakfast, and believe it or not I wasfarting so much the teacher made me leavethe classroom!” However, there is goodnews. Despite all the jokes about veggiesand wind, the bacteria that make thepongy hydrogen sulphide are in muchlesser numbers in those with a healthyvegan diet than those on a meat and dairydiet. Really, I promise you!

WHY DO WE FART?When you swallow food, liquid or saliva,you also swallow small amounts of air,which collects in the digestive system. Ithas to escape and does so by burping out

of your mouth (belching) and farting outof your anus (flatulence).

However, three quarters of your farts aregases made by microbes mainly in yourlarge intestines and it works like this –bacteria fart into you and you fart outtheir farts and it’s often the sign of ahealthy gut, which plays host to 100trillion bacteria, fungi and archaea from500 to 1,000 different species. You have anintricate and complex ecosystem inside youthat needs feeding and the gases theyproduce need expelling!

Purna Kashyap, a gastroenterologist atthe Mayo Clinic, USA, studies the gutmicrobiome and explains: “There are a lotof carbohydrates that we consume that ourbodies don’t have the enzymes necessary todigest; these end up in the large intestine,

where microbes chew them apartand use them for energy throughthe process of fermentation. As aby-product, they produce gas.”

A huge variety of healthy foodscontain these complex carbs thatwe can’t fully digest: virtually allbeans, most vegetables andwholegrains and it all adds up toabout one litre of gas daily.

Kashyap adds: “When acomplex carbohydrate reaches your colon,some bacteria will break it down first andthen some of their by-products will feedother bacteria. The whole communitybenefits from a single carbohydrate thatyou consume.”

the bacteria that make pongyhydrogen sulphide are in

much lesser numbers in thosewith a healthy vegan diet

12 life


www.viva.org.uk 13

BEANS, BEANS GOOD FOR THE HEARTThe rhyme about beans is true,they do make you fart and theyare good for your heart… andyour skin, brain, immune system,intestines and liver! This is partlybecause they containoligosaccharides, as do onions,leeks, garlic and wholegrains anddark green leafy veg.

Sandwiched in between thesimple sugars (monosaccharides)and the starches (polysaccharides),oligosaccharides are a group ofcarbohydrates that we hear muchless about. They are chains of sugarmolecules comprising of at leastsome sugars other than glucose.

Flatulence is caused because welack the digestive enzymes tobreak down oligosaccharides sothis is done by bacteria in thelarge intestine, which produce gasin the process.

But don’t ditch the beans!Oligosaccharides are essential forhealth. They act as prebiotics andfeed the good bacteria in our large intestine.

BEANZ MEANZ GOOD BUGZWhatever you eat you’ll have trillions ofmicrobes in your intestines and it’s crucial thatthe good guys dominate the ones that causedisease. Beans and other oligosaccharide foodsfavour the ‘good’ bacteria because they feedthem and encourage the growth ofbifidobacteria and lactobacilli which use theoligosaccharides to make short-chain fattyacids (SCFAs). SCFAs have an extraordinarilywide range of health benefits, for example they:

• Protect cells in the colon from damage,including against colon cancer andulcerative colitis.

• Improve immune system function.• Lower cholesterol. • Lower triglycerides.• Improve insulin sensitivity and glucose

metabolism, helping to prevent and fightdiabetes type 2.

Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli also:

• Prevent the overgrowth of ‘bad’ bacteriaand fungi.

• Alleviate dermatitis in children.• Mitigate against constipation.• Ameliorate diarrhoea, especially when it

is caused by intestinal infections.• Synthesise certain B vitamins,

including B9. • Synthesise vitamin K.• Promote further absorption of some

minerals that have escaped the smallintestine, including calcium andmagnesium.

As different oligosaccharides producedifferent SCFAs, it is vital to eat a varietyof peas, beans and lentils as well ascruciferous veg and the onion family.

REDUCING WINDAll beans are high in the oligosaccharide

raffinose, which bacteria thriveon, producing large amounts ofgas. Soaking dried beansovernight before cooking reducesthe amount of raffinose.

You can actually buyBeanZyme (Amazon USA) – avegan pill that digests complexcarbohydrates into shorter,simpler carbs that are easier todigest in your small intestinebefore reaching the largeintestine, where bacteria producegas. The drawback is, habituallytaking pills to prevent gas starvesyour good bacteria.

Anyway, for most people,trying to limit gas isn’t necessary.Purna Kashyap says: “The knee-jerk reaction is to stop eatingthings that produce gas butcomplex carbs are nutrition forthe bacteria in our gut. You don’twant to starve them unless there’sa good reason.”

He adds that for many peoplewho believe they suffer fromexcessive gas it is simply the

flow of that gas through their intestinesthat’s at fault, perhaps due toconstipation, which shouldn’t happenwith a good vegan diet. Or it might bethat their gas isn’t excessive but emittedmore frequently in smaller doses. In either case, Kashyap says: “By removingthe good foods, you’re not solving the problem and may in fact be harming yourself.”

Genuinely excessive flatulence can becaused by swallowing more air than usual,eating too quickly or food that’s difficult todigest. If it continues and is accompaniedby symptoms such as bloating, it can berelated to underlying health problems suchas constipation, lactose intolerance orirritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and youshould see your GP.

For most of us farting is a natural part ofdigestion – a by-product of feeding essentialfood to trillions of life forms who nestleinside us, toiling hard to keep us ship shape.

Oligosaccharides are essentialfor health. They act as

prebiotics and feed the goodbacteria in our large intestine

Viva!’s senior staff members can offertalks on many topical subjects. If you canguarantee an audience, we will provideexperienced speakers on these and othersubjects connected to diet. Contact us [email protected] or ring 0117 944 1000(9am–5pm). A full list of talks is atwww.vivahealth.org.uk/talks.

nDEFEATING DIABETES WITH THE D-DIETDiabetes is spiralling out of control with3.3 million cases in the UK alone yet itcan be prevented or reversed.

n MOOD FOODWhat you eat can affect your mood – forgood and bad. How to get the good effects!n WHY YOU DON'T NEED DAIRYIs it natural to consume milk after weaning?Is it safe to consume cow’s milk at all?

n SAVING THE WORLD WITH YOURKNIFE AND FORKHow meat eating is central to the world’smost pressing environmental problems –and what you can do about it.n THE SAFETY OF SOYADebunking the bunkum – and there’s lotsof it! Is soya a superfood or health risk?n WHEAT-EATERS OR MEAT-EATERS?Are we ‘meant’ to eat meat and dairy oror we closer to other great apes in ournutritional needs?


14 life

lifeSCIENCEViva!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

ProtectivepulsesAn extensive analysis ofstudies that looked at pulseconsumption (beans, lentils,soya, chickpeas, peas) and therisk of colorectal cancershowed encouraging results.People who eat more pulseshave a lower risk of this typeof cancer. In particular, boththe intake of fibre from pulsesand the intake of soya wereassociated with a lowercolorectal cancer risk.

Pulses are extremelynutritious, providing protein,vitamin E, vitamin B, seleniumand lignans (plant chemicalcompounds) that havepotential cancer-preventioneffects. In addition, theirprotective properties wereattributed mainly tocompounds called flavonoids,which can inhibit the growth oftumour cells. Pulses are alsorich in fibre that increasesstool bulk, promotes bowelmovements, dilutes potentialcarcinogens in the gut andencourages good bacteria.

Zhu B et al., 2015. Dietary legumeconsumption reduces risk ofcolorectal cancer: evidence from ameta-analysis of cohort studies.Scientific Reports. 5: 8797

Let food be your medicineA large analysis of hundreds of studies set outto look at the health effects of many foodgroups and has confirmed that plant foods aremore protective than animal foods againstchronic diseases that are related to diet.

According to the study, fruit and vegetablesare extremely protective, showing the abilityto significantly reduce the risk of heartdisease, cancer and obesity. The only negativeeffect – a higher risk of digestive cancers –was linked to increased consumption ofpickled vegetables.

It also found that high consumption ofwholegrains may significantly reduce the risksof type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.The opposite also applied – a highconsumption of refined cereals can increasethe risk of diabetes and obesity.

The frequent consumption of pulses wasalso associated with a significantly reducedrisk of cancer, while the only possible negativeeffect was an increased risk of stomach cancerfrom a high intake of fermented soya foods egsoya sauce, (possibly due to high salt contentand combining with other foods). The analysisalso revealed that diets rich in pulses improveblood sugar control and significantly reduceheart disease risk.

The highest consumption of nuts and seedswas shown to lead to weight gain –understandable due to their high fat – butoverall, they can help improve blood sugarcontrol and significantly cut the risk of heart disease.

If you build your diet on these four foodgroups, you can’t go wrong so to make sureyou have a healthy diet, see our guideNutrition in a Nutshell onwww.viva.org.uk/guides or call the office on0117 944 1000 to order a paper copy (£1).

Fardet A & Boirie Y. Associations between food andbeverage groups and major diet-related chronic diseases:an exhaustive review of pooled/meta-analyses andsystematic reviews. Nutrition Reviews. 72 (12): 741–762


Beingvegan isn’tsuch a painAccording to a new studypublished in May 2015, a low-fat vegan diet can reduce thepain associated with diabeticneuropathy (nerve painfrequently experienced bydiabetics). In this pilot study,diabetics were either assignedto a low-fat vegan diet or to acontrol group with no dietchange. Everyone was given avitamin B12 supplement forthe 20 weeks of the study. Atthe end, the vegan groupachieved improved blood-sugar control with somepatients needing to have theirmedication reduced. They alsoexperienced healthy weight-loss, a decrease in cholesterollevels and greater reduction of pain compared to thecontrol group.

If you have diabetes or knowsomeone who does, seeViva!Health’s D-Diet campaignaimed at treating diabetesthrough a vegan diet. For moreinformation and to get D-Dietmaterials go towww.vivahealth.org.uk/diabetesor call the office on 0117 944 1000.

Bunner AE et al., 2015. A dietaryintervention for chronic diabeticneuropathy pain: a randomizedcontrolled pilot study. Nutrition &Diabetes. 5:e158

www.viva.org.uk 15

Meat-eaters’ porky piesA string of recent studies have revealed the four common rationalisations people use to defendtheir choice of eating meat. Scientists call them the 4Ns and they cover 90 per cent of thereasons people offer for their meat eating – that it is natural, normal, necessary and nice.

What this means is that they think meat is necessary for their health; normal meat eatingdoesn’t require justification; natural in terms of our evolution; and nice is purely a pleasure-basedfactor, meaning they enjoy eating it and ‘can’t imagine a meal without meat’.

These studies also discovered that people who eat meat tend to objectify animals and deny thecomplexity of their needs, are less concerned with animal suffering and are more likely toendorse exploitative, domineering ideologies. Men were also more likely to use the 4Ns to justifytheir meat-eating than women and were less likely to give up meat than women.

Viva!’s Juliet Gellatley’s talk on what is a ‘natural’ diet can be seen atwww.viva.org.uk/resources/video-library/wheat-eaters-or-meat-eaters.

Piazza J et al., 2015. Rationalizing meat consumption. The 4Ns. Appetite. 91: 114-128

Dem bones love fruit & vegThe journal Osteoporosis International hasrecently published a review of studies onbone health and acid-alkali balance in thebody. Everything we eat forms either acidsor alkalis when digested and there hasbeen much debate about whether acid-forming foods, such as meat, cheese, sugarand alcohol, can result in weaker bones.

The theory is that acids need to beneutralised and the body does this by usingcalcium from the blood, muscles or bones.This review looked at studies where peoplewere given alkaline salts that naturally

occur in fruit and vegetables tosupplement their diet and then analysedthe results.

The researchers foundthat increasing the intakeof alkalis resulted in areduced loss of calciumthrough urine and a lowerrate of bone degradation.They concluded thatpotassium salts (alkalis) have the potentialto prevent osteoporosis and recommendincreased consumption of fruit and

vegetables as a means to improve bonehealth. Fruit and vegetables contain

potassium and create alkalisduring digestion.

These findings are in line withour Break Free dietrecommendations for healthybones. For more information goto www.whitelies.org.uk/bones.

Lambert H et al., 2015. The effect ofsupplementation with alkaline potassium salts onbone metabolism: a meta-analysis. OsteoporosisInternational. 26(4):1311-1318

natural

nice

normal

necessar

y

Building bones for lifeBy Veronika Powell MSc and Jane Easton, Viva! Health

£1.90

A practical guide offering:• Nutritional guidance for building strong

bones and teeth in adults and kids• Advice on how to prevent and treat

osteoporosis• Easy, gorgeous one week menu for

children and adults

Break FreeCampaign


16 life

When Joyce went into care in 2007after developing dementia, shewas given meat to eat despite

having been a dedicated animal rightscampaigner. Staff essentially shrugged theirshoulders and offered the excuse: ‘Well, shewouldn’t know any difference, would she!’

Joyce had no relatives to fight her cornerand point out how unethical this wasbut… something really positive grew out ofthis awful disregard. Vegetarian for Life(VfL) came into being to help protect allthe other Joyces in care homes.

So successful has it been that VfL nowoffers essential support for oldervegetarians and vegans in their own homesas well as in care.

Choosing a care homeVfL’s 2014 survey discovered that around6,500 vegetarians and vegans live in carehomes and currently, there are no entirelyveggie care homes in the UK. In a majorfirst, VfL has produced a directory of carehomes, retirement complexes, food suppliersand other services that have agreed to caterwell and ethically for older vegetarians (andoften vegans, too). It is called the UK Listand its goal is to improve the generalstandard of veggie catering. We alreadyhave over 800 listings, with a goodgeographical spread throughout the UK.You can search it on VfL’s website.

If you’re looking for a care home,retirement scheme or a catering service we

think you’ll find the UK List an invaluableresource. If you have contacts with anycaterers who are not on the list, you couldencourage them to become members.

Improving care home cateringVfL also provides training for caterersthrough onsite classes and video training viaa free DVD. Caterer training days includepractical demonstrations and the opportunityfor cooks to taste and assess the foods theyhave prepared. They learn about vegetariansand vegans, their nutrition and how to adaptrecipes easily. We also offer recipes and menuplanners to all who find them useful. Westress the right for residents to have theirbeliefs and cultural norms respected.

Viva!’s Elders Who cares? We do!

Grants + Dinners to your door + veg-friendly travel + care homes that care. Viva! – incollaboration with Vegetarian for Life – can offer some amazing help and support for older

vegetarians and vegans. By Amanda Woodvine, director, Vegetarian for Life


www.viva.org.uk 17

Dinners to your doorAn estimated 300,000 elders in theUK are vegetarian or vegan, most ingood health and who still cook forthemselves. Others are not so ableand accessing care and good mealsthat don’t compromise their veggieprinciples is vital to them. Tomaintain their independence, othersrely on community services such as‘meals on wheels’.

Having ready meals delivereddirect to your home is an increasinglypopular choice, particularly for thosewho are frailer. VfL’s newest guideshows how this is possible withoutcompromising your veggie principles.

The Dinners to your Door guide isavailable free of charge and featuresmany leading companies thatproduce meals for home delivery.Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-freeoptions are available.

Available chilled, frozen or evenfreeze-dried, they give choice, lesswaste and consequently less strain onyour budget.

Dinners to your Door also coversschemes that offer home-cooked foodmade by neighbours, for neighbours aswell as explaining all about ‘meals onwheels’. Contact VfL to order the guide.

Will they feed me meat?I’m writing this during UK Carers Week –an annual campaign to recognise thedifference that carers make to theircommunities. Its focus this year is onbuilding Carer Friendly Communities– caring for the carers so they cancontinue to look after their lovedones well, while appreciating thatcarers are individuals with needs –and beliefs – of their own. Thisunderstanding is vital when beliefsdiffer between a carer and the personthey look after. It’s what inspires VfLand why we are doing all we can toensure that no one gets fed with foodthey consider unethical.

A change of directionPerhaps you are gearing up toretirement and looking to travel oreat out more now you have thatextra free time. You might be lookingfor inspiring (and easy) meals for onebecause your family has grown upand left home. Maybe you areadjusting to living on a pension andincome is a little tight. Or perhapsyou are looking for support withmeals or care. VfL may be able tohelp in all of these situations.

Travel veggie wiseVfL has an online community

exclusively for older vegetarians. You’ll findit on our website, and it’s where supportersplace their own recipes, travel reviews andforeign eateries. There’s also a communitynoticeboard which carries postings for suchthings as jobs in the care field.

We also have a free electronic foodmagazine called eBites for older veggiesand those who cater for them. It’s free to subscribe.

Visit our tablet and smartphone-friendlywebsite. It includes an interactive blog,topical articles, and video clips – whichwill build over time.

If you’re not online, you needn’t be leftout. We’re working with the organisers ofVegfestUK to pilot a Mature Zone atfuture shows – tipped to feature speed-dating for the over 50s and more!

You can also phone us for free hard copiesof our online publications whichinclude a catering guide for carehomes, a healthy living handbook, andguides on nutrition and cooking on abudget – plus lots of festive recipes.

GrantsSome elders find it increasinglydifficult to stay in their own homesbecause of health or mobilityproblems. Financial assistance toremedy the situation is not alwayseasy to find but we may be able tohelp. VfL makes charitable grants(not loans) to assist older vegetariansand vegans with independent living,like Shirley who was thrilled with hernew lease of life from a mobilityscooter; and Mrs P, who desperatelyneeded kitchen and flooring repairsfollowing a problem with damp.Please contact VfL for details and anapplication pack.

If you’d like any support, or tovolunteer your time, you can contactVegetarian for Life at 83 DucieStreet, Manchester M1 2JQ, byvisiting www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk,or by calling 0161 257 0887.

With a little helpfrom my friends…Even if you don’t need VfL’s services you can still bea friend to your elders. We are appealing to Viva!supporters to distribute copies of the Dinners toyour Door guide locally to ensure it reaches thosemost in need. Possible outlets are your local AgeUK, Valuing Older People Networks, Citizens AdviceBureaux, Community and Voluntary Services; and religiousorganisations. Pleasecontact VfL forfurther suggestionsor support.

VfL also welcomes‘Friends’ who arewilling to offer moregeneral support toolder vegetariansand vegans – whichcould be as simpleas calling into a localcare home to discussits meal plans.


www.viva.org.uk 19

Most teenagers detest animal cruelty andthe trashing of our planet andwant to make a difference –they need someone to opentheir eyes as to how. Thatsomeone could be you.

Viva! volunteers give schooltalks all over the UK, aretrained by us and love it,saying it’s one of the mostenjoyable things they’ve ever done.

Come to our SchoolSpeaker’s Training Day andwe’ll show you how to helpteenagers understand thatbeing veggie saves animal, the planet andour health.

This fun, informal day is run by Viva!’s

founder & director, Juliet Gellatley, and ispacked with information thatyou can take away with you.Many school’s like a cookerydemo so we’ll walk youthrough that, too – but it’syour choice if you want togive one. We promise you’llleave inspired and rarin’ to go.

Terry Woods is anawesome Viva! schoolspeaker who will help totrain you: “I have given manytalks for Viva! because thekids have such positiveenergy – they really enjoy

hearing about vegetarianism and animals.They also love making vegan food! I getthem to help and they always devour the

fruits of their labour!” Bea Mehta is another of our fabulous

speakers: “I was nervous at first but Viva!straining day was helpful and inspiring. NowI talk in lots of local schools. Believe me, it’sfun and hugely rewarding.”

Everyone is welcome so don’t be shy.

Get cooking for Viva! – for freeNo experience necessary!

Cometo our training

day on Saturday,September 12, 2015,

10am-5pm atResource for London,

356 HollowayRoad, London

N7 6PA

Viva! speakers needed!Schools want you to give veggie talks!

Tickets are £10 waged, £5 unwagedand include materials, refreshmentsand a vegan lunch. To find out moreand to buy tickets, call 0117 944 1000(9am-6pm Mon-Fri), purchase onlineat www.viva.org.uk/schoolspeaker oremail Claire Morley [email protected] for London, 356 HollowayRoad, London N7 6PA

Viva! needs more cookery demonstratorsall across the UK! Forget all that MasterChef stuff, all you need to do is learn tocook one simple dish. Good preparationplus a bit of basic kit and you’re in thedemonstrating business.

Even if you hate cooking we can still turnyou into a demonstrator with super, no-cookdishes, such as the Buddha Bowl gourmetsuper salad – a huge hit amongst audiences.

The vegan movement is growing rapidlyand demos are crucial to show just howdelicious and easy vegan cooking can be.

Local Viva! groups are in particular need ofpeople who can offer a demo for theirevents. They are popular and well attendedand there may be one in your area.

Helen Wilson and Jane Easton, Viva!stalwarts, cookery demonstrators and foodpartners in crime, will share their skillswith you and teach you how todemonstrate on a free, one-day fun course!

We’d love to see you in London on September19. Venue is also Resource for London.

If you’re on a very low income, travelgrants can be arranged.


20 life

Just off the coast ofCornwall, a young seal –only a few weeks old –

ventures away from his motherfor the first time. So far in hisshort life he has been dependentupon her and the fat-rich milkshe produces. But now, he has tofend for himself.

Inquisitive by nature, heinvestigates with his sensitive snout astorm-damaged fishing net, left floating onthe tide by commercial fishermen. Thesmell of rotting fish attracts him, perhaps aremnant of its catch for althoughabandoned it continues to snare sea animals.

His inspection reveals nothing of interestso he tries to back out of the tangle butcan’t; the net has looped around his necklike a noose. He arches his body to oneside and then the other, spinning around tobreak free. But the more he struggles, thetighter the line becomes and he is soonentangled completely in the strong nylonfishing gear, with no hope of release.

Over the weeks and months ahead, as hegrows up, the cords will cut through hisfur and skin, muscle and fat, causingterrible injuries that are open to infection.Eventually he will slowly drown, suffocateor starve but he will die.

On Christmas Eve last year, aseal in this awful condition wasdiscovered near Pendeen inCornwall by British DiversMarine Life Rescue (BDMLR), anorganisation dedicated to rescuingmarine animals in distress. Theseal was anchored to a rock bythe abandoned fishing gear caughtaround his neck and the incoming

tide threatened to drown him.His saviours managed to cut the fishing

gear clear of the rock and rush thedistressed seal to the Cornish SealSanctuary in Gweek for emergencyveterinary treatment. The net was carefullycut from the animal’s neck leaving an ugly,raw wound where it had becomeembedded into his skin. Unravelled, the netturned out to be nine metres long.

Sadly, this seal’s plight was not a rarityand since Christmas, BDMLR have rescuedeight more seals in Cornwall, all entangledin lost fishing gear, one of whom died.

This isn’t a problem restricted to theWest Country because fishing gear is lostor abandoned all over the world’s oceanswhere it continues to trap animals. It isreferred to as ghost fishing – and it doesn’tjust affect seals.

These remote killing factories and othermarine litter destroy an estimated 136,000

Simon Parkin, Viva!life’sdesigner and wild ocean

swimmer, discoverssomething in Cornish waters

that haunts the world

A sea turtle, drowned by monofilament fishingline caught on the reef in South Florida

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marine mammals each year throughingestion or entanglement. You can add tothat figure an inestimable number of fish,crustaceans and sea birds.

Seabirds, such as Gannets, pick strandsfrom the ghost gear for their nests,oblivious to the material’s strength; theirchicks can become entangled and neverfledge. Migrating turtles swim intoabandoned nets which catch around their flippers and necks, either suffocatingthem or hampering their ability to swimand survive.

Whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea lions…none is immune from the indiscriminatedestruction of the ghost nets.

Ghost fishing gear is an inseparable partof the global fishing industry and isabandoned when storms make retrievalimpossible or when lines and marker buoysbreak away and the net cannot be found –or it is simply dumped overboard to savethe cost of onshore disposal.

An estimated 640,000 tonnes of fishinggear is added to the world’s oceans eachyear, accumulating with that which isalready there to make the marineenvironment increasingly deadly.

Commercial fishing nets are made fromnylon monofilament, used alone or woveninto thicker strands, are extraordinarilystrong and it is years before the net beginsto break up and reduces the harm it doesto wildlife. In the deep oceans there isalmost a complete lack of sunlight andmost will not biodegrade for 600 years ormore, prolonging their deadly effects.

Initially, a lost net floats near the sea’ssurface where fish become ensnared.Seabirds dive into it to feed on the captiveprey, only for some to be caughtthemselves. Larger animals are alsoattracted by the live bait and they toobecome trapped.

As the net becomes heavier withconstantly accumulating dead bodies, itsinks to the sea floor. The tangle of sealifedecomposes until the net is light enough tofloat when it will rise to the surface of theocean to repeat its cycle of destruction –over and over again.

Even lost lobster and crab pots have asimilar effect – animals initially attractedto the bait they contain become trappedand their decomposing bodies provide baitfor the next victim.

As ghost fishing gear drifts on the tide,sometimes hundreds of miles from where it was dropped, it ensures that all theocean is affected, not just the commonfishing areas.

A number of solutions have been putforward by concerned organisations,including financial incentives for fishermento retrieve lost nets and making them moreaccountable for their gear but little hasbeen enacted. The fishing industry itselfadmits that none of these measures willeliminate the problem entirely.

The only permanent solution forCornwall’s hapless seal pups and all theothers animals that are destroyed, is anend to fish eating. The less fish that’seaten, the fewer the number of vessels thatput to sea and the fewer the number of lostor abandoned nets.

On the morning of 12th March this year,the fully recovered seal pup I first wroteabout was released back into the ocean onthe north coast of Cornwall to swim andplay in his natural domain once more –hopefully a little wiser.

Sadly, the majority of ghost fishingvictims never get such a second chance.

An endangered monk seal pup, entangledand drowned by ghost gear off Hawaii

An eider duck (protected in the UK), trapped anddrowned by the debris from a Scottish fish farm

A young seal is entangled in a discarded fishingnet along the Cornish coast

Specialists rescue the distressed seal

www.viva.org.uk 21

When the net is removed an ugly wound isrevealed where it has dug into the animal’s flesh

Photos and information kindly provided by Sue Sayer

This discardednet turns outto be ninemetres long

Fully recovered from his ordeal, the seal is released.If only all sea lifeentanglements had such a happy ending

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I’m delighted to share my deliciousjuicing recipes with Viva!life’s readersand inspire others to have a go with

juicing the vegan way. To reach even morepeople, I’m also contributing to Viva!’sVegan Recipe Club.

Saving animals is one of my greatestpassions and I have been a vegetariansince I was very young. More recently Idecided to go the whole hog and becomevegan. I thought it was time to kick dairyon the head and I feel amazing for it.

My YouTube Channel, Green World TV,has an array of vegan juicing films as wellas ones on animal welfare. Vegan celebshave been having fun filming juicing shortswith me, including lovely Wendy TurnerWebster, patron of Viva!, and Will Travers,president of The Born Free Foundation.

I have been juicing and practising yogafor over 10 years now and have discoveredhow following a very simple plan andlifestyle can really improve the way you

feel and function –and it saves livesalong the way.

After I becamevegan, my previousintolerances disappeared, my stomachswelling went down and my energy levelssoared. I also cut out gluten, refined sugarand wheat and I was amazed at how it hadan almost instant effect on how I felt.

It’s generally recommend to have atleast 20 minutes moderate exercise a dayto help move the blood around the bodyand flush out the lymph systems. This willhelp raise the heart rate and carrynutrients to where they are neededfastest, as well as releasing endorphinsand relieving stress.

I recommend getting fit and healthy withgentle and spiritual exercises such as yogaand pilates, which are gentle on the body,create a strong muscular base and balancethe body, while toning and tightening and

quietening the mind. Stress and health gohand in hand and this form of exercisemakes for a lovely partner to vegan juicing.

Vegan juicing is simply the best form ofjuicing as it shuns unethical ingredients –which are also the ones that are constantlybeing red flagged as bad for us.

Some people create smoothies andjuices using cow or goat’s milk, ice creamand egg or cheese-based proteinpowders – not the way to go if you want tohelp animals and stay really healthy.

My recipes are clean, tasty and healthyand won’t clog the arteries orbuy into the animal industry.Some of the finest athletes Ihave met swear by theirvegan diets.

22 life

Anneka Svenskabright, delicio

Anneka has been a Viva! supporter almostfrom the start and as a TV presenter,blogger and VegFest presenter she hasworked for animals for the last 20 years.Founder of the charities Angels for theInnocent Foundation and K-9 Angels, shehas launched Green World TV, which hasearned the title of Little Green Angel. Ju fyci

The Born Free JuiceThis was devised by my friend Will Travers and isone of the tastiest starter juices you can try. It isdelightfully tasty, easy to make and the kids willlove it.

You will need (to make one small juice)

n 1 Applen 1 Kiwin 1 Carrot

1 Peel the Kiwiand preparethe apple and carrot.2 Juice.Enjoy!

Savinganimals is oneof my greatest

passions


www.viva.org.uk 23

ska talks healthy,icious juicing

ufy tir

I hope you enjoy these recipes. Please drop by the Viva!Vegan Recipe Club juicing and smoothie section formore – at www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk. You cansubscribe to my YouTube Channel, Anneka Svenska,which hosts an array of step by step vlogs to help youlearn to juice. It also has short films, including a lovelyinterview with Juliet Gellatley at VegFestUK Brighton –on the dairy industry.

My website www.annekasvenska.com also providessome good written recipes as well as weekly blogs onanimal rescue, wildlife and conservation.

Classic Health &Fitness JuiceThis juice is great to have before you pop to the gym as it containssome excellent super foods such as the beetroot. Used regularly byathletes, it helps reduce blood pressure, opens capillaries and improvesperformance. The beet really is a vegan’s best friend. Apple providesbuckets of vitamin C and the carrot provides the much needed betacarotene vitamin A, so all in all, an anti-oxidant juice sensation.

You will need (to make one small juice)

n 1 Applen 1 Beetrootn 1 Carrot

1 Top and tail the beet, preparethe carrot and apple and juice.

Alcoholic VeganSummerSmoothieThe summer is upon us and so is the barbecue inthe garden. And great to go with it is a lovelyexotic cocktail. This juice uses fresh, naturalingredients with a naughty splurge of rum… well,we can’t be saints all the time, can we?

n Half Pineapplen 1 Bananan Glass fresh Pineapple Juicen Glass 100 per cent Coconut Milkn Shredded Coconutn Coconut Flavoured Rum

1 Prepare and peel the pineapple, chop banana andhave the ingredients all to hand.2 Pop everything in the blender except for theshredded coconut.3 Once blended, top with the shredded coconutand serve.


Viva!’s superchef, thevery talentedcookery andphotography expert,Chava Eichner, hascome up with someunusually lovelyofferings for dining alfresco this summer–

including a couple of barbecue offerings.They really are something special.Chava is a professional food writer and photographer(www.flavourphotos.com) and first started to createmouth-watering vegan recipes and photographs forViva! in 2006. She lives in the Cotswolds with herpartner and two young boys, Sam and Alex.

24 life

Th e Great Outdoors

Tofu BurgerMAKES 6 BURGERSWith all vegan burgers, it’s best to form them then chillin the fridge for half an hour or more before cooking –this helps them keep their shape. If you make burgersfrequently, think about buying a burger press – about afiver from good hardware or kitchen stores.

n 2 tbsp olive oil – if you’re on a very low-fat diet,replace with oil spray and a splash of water or stock

n 2 medium onions, finely choppedn 2 cloves garlic, crushedn 450g/16oz firm plain tofun 6 tbsp oats (porridge oats are fine)n 4 tbsp gram flour (also called besan or chick pea flour,

available from big supermarkets, ethnic and healthfood shops)

n 1 tbsp paprikan 1 tbsp dried marjoramn 1 tbsp Dijon mustardn 1 tsp allspicen 1 small handful of parsley leaves, chopped finelyMore oil or oil spray to fry burgers

1 In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Sauté (gently fry)onion and garlic until onion is translucent, adding asplash of water if sticking. Turn off heat, add tofu andmash the mixture with a potato masher until soft.2 Add all other ingredients except for frying oil. Mix untileverything is thoroughly integrated.3 Make 6 burgers, with a burger press or wet hands andchill afterwards.4 In a frying pan – preferably non-stick – heat the oil.Gently fry burgers for a few minutes until golden brownon each side.

FROM THE


www.viva.org.uk 25

CauliflowerTabboulehSERVES 8 AS A SIDE SALADTabbouleh (or Tabouli) has a wonderfully freshflavour. It’s usually made with couscous or bulgurbut this wheat-free version is a lovely alternative.

You could use more herbs but I really enjoy thesubtle flavour of the cauli couscous. Feel free tovary and experiment with the quantities.

1 Wash and roughly cut cauliflower into chunks.Place them into a food processor and use pulsefunction until you have coarse grains, about thesize of couscous.2 Place chopped cauliflower into large saucepanwith oil and water. Keep stirring well and gentlysauté until tender. Set aside to cool.3 Chop herbs finely and place in a serving bowl,together with chopped onion, cherry tomatoes,cucumber pieces and olives (if using).4 Stir in cauliflower, olive oil and lemon juice.Season with salt to taste and serve chilled.

Marinated MushroomBrusch ettaSERVES 4This delicious Bruschetta makes a fabulous starter or you could serve themas part of a BBQ buffet.

1 Firstly, blend cream cheese with chives until smooth and set aside for awhile to allow flavours to develop.2 Sauté shallots in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. If your marinatedolives/tomatoes are in flavoured oil, you could use some of this instead.3 Add mushrooms, rosemary, lemon zest, sliced garlic and paprika. Keepstirring occasionally until the mushrooms begin to soften. 4 Mix in olives and tomatoes and season with chopped parsley, salt andfreshly ground pepper. 5 Toast bread slices, spread liberally with cream cheese and top with marinated mushrooms.

n 500g cauliflowern 1 tbsp watern 1 tbsp olive oiln 50-75g fresh parsleyn 20g fresh mintn 1 red onion, finely

choppedn 15 cherry tomatoes,

quartered

n ¼ cucumber, in small pieces

n 10-12 kalamata olives(optional)

n 3 tbsp olive oiln juice of 1½ lemonsn sea saltn pinch of sugar

n 125g dairy-free cream cheese (e.g. Sheese or Tofutti)

n 2 tbsp finely chopped chivesn 8 slices baguette or

sourdough breadn 4 shallots, quarteredn 1 tbsp olive oiln 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

n 400g button mushroomsn 1 tbsp of fresh rosemary needlesn ¼ tsp paprikan zest of ½ lemonn 1 tbsp chopped parsleyn salt and black peppern 8 olives, without stonesn 8 marinated tomatoes (semi-dried)

MORE DELICIOUSRECIPES OVERLEAF


26 life

Mock Duck(Seitan)andShiitake Skewers8 SKEWERS PLUS EXTRA SEITANIf you’ve never tried to make your own seitan, here’s your chance! It is incredibly easy and the resultsare brilliant. You may need to order the vital wheat flouronline but it’s good fun to do and tasty too. There arevarious ways to prepare seitan, including steaming andsimmering in flavoured broth but this baked version isquick and easy. If you’re pushed for time you can ofcourse use tinned mock duck from Asian supermarketsor health food shops (e.g. Granovita).

Seitan dry ingredients:n 150g vital gluten flourn 2 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast flakesn 1 tsp onion saltn 1 tsp garlic saltn 1 tsp Thai 7 spice blend

Seitan liquid ingredients:n 200ml vegetable stockn 2 tbsp ketchup manis (sweet soya sauce)n 1 tbsp tomato pureen 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Veg for skewer:n 16 shiitake mushrooms n 2-3 small red onionsn 2 yellow peppers, in small piecesn 3 tbsp Hoisin sauce n 2 tbp vegetable oil

n 8 wooden skewers

For the seitan: 1 Combine all dried ingredients in a large bowl. Blendliquid ingredients and stir into the bowl with a largespoon until mixture comes together. Tip seitan onto aclean worktop and knead for 2-3 minutes.2 Cut the seitan into small pieces. 3 Line a baking tray and brush it with a little oil. Place allthe pieces in a single layer and cover with kitchen foil. 4 Bake at 180˚C for 30 minutes. Done!

Now the skewers:5 Cut onion into wedges and peppers into bite-sized pieces.6 Alternate shiitake mushrooms, seitan, pepper andonion for each skewer and brush with a mixture of theHoisin sauce and vegetable oil.7 Grill until cooked on all sides. Serve with cucumber andspring onion on thin pancakes (like crispy mock duck) oras part of a BBQ feast.

TIP You will probably have some left-over baked seitan.Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. Use it instews, chopped up for bolognese or in wraps.

More recipes atwww.veganrecipeclub.org.uk


CookiesCreamAs one of Berlin’s ‘underground’restaurants, just finding CookiesCream is a challenge. Hidden awayin a service alley behind the WestinGrand Hotel, the hunt is over whenyou spot the huge chandelierhanging by a door framed bylightbulbs. Ring the buzzer, stateyour reservation and in you go.

The loft-style interior has lowceilings, exposed brickwork and anopen kitchen. Brainchild of nightlifeguru, Heinz ‘Cookie’ Gindullis, it hasa kind of ‘squat chic’ feel with itsscruffy décor and dim lighting – youmay need a torch to use the loo!

Chef Stephan Hentschel, trainedby Michelin-starred Michael Kempf,is imaginative with flavours andingredients, producing inventive,vegetarian and vegan haute cuisine.The menu is kept small (no rice orpasta): the vegan option was bakedeggplant with fava (broad) beans,peanuts and poppadum (€22).

Cooking aubergine can be trickybut this was perfect. Dessert wastangerine and black quinoa withbuckthorn blossom sorbet (€11),curious but in a good way withunusual flavours. They offer youwater but be warned, fizzy water is€6 a bottle! House wine is €5/glassand very palatable, Berliner beer is€3.50/bottle. For two mains, twodesserts, wine and coffee the billwas €91 (£67), good value given thehigh quality of the food.

Gindullis’ other restaurantdownstairs is called Crackers anduntil last year was a nightclub – andthe chairs are still strong enough todance on! It’s a sign of the times –we’re more interested in food thanraving these days. JBwww.cookiescream.com

Berlin: a vegan oasis Viva!’s Justin Kerswell and Justine Butler have been having aball in BerlinEverything runs on time in Berlin. If you missone tube or tram another will be along soonafter. And it often feels the same with veganeateries – rush past one and there’s anotheraround the corner. As a vegan, you’ll nevergo hungry in Berlin, as I found out earlierthis year.

We referred to Veganz supermarkets in anearlier issue of Viva!life and there are two inthis city. Neither is massive – slightly biggerthan our average health shop – but they arestocked with everything you could possiblyneed. They even have great US veganbrands that have yet to make it to UK shores– Beyond Meat, Field Roast and Tofurkey.

An added bonus is that alongside eachstore is a branch of Goodies – an all-vegansnack bar and deli, where I ate a deliciousscrambled eggless bagel and vegan key lime

pie. But there’s more, with an Avesu, all-vegan shoe shop on each site. The Veganz onWarschauer Straße even had a large veganrestaurant above it which was about to open.

Veganz isn’t the only vegan game in town,though. We ate a vegan doner kebab atVoner and snaffled down a gigantic seitanburger – one of 30 to choose from – at VegoWorld. Even our localKaiser’s supermarket had agood range of fresh veganravioli and tofu.

It was a whistle stop tourbut even so, the choice wasamazing and on our nextvisit we’re looking forwardto the new Mexican place,which has 70 vegan dishes!Berlin uber alles! JK

Above left: Justin Kerswell samples thedelights in a Veganz store

Restaurantreviews

www.viva.org.uk 27


28 life

Have you ever wondered what acattle auction’s like? I’m guessingthe answer is ‘no’ simply because

they take place in secluded places – bighalls far from our everyday lives. Truth is,most of us don’t even know they exist. So,I decide to pay one a visit.

It’s a nice sunny day, birds aresinging their hearts out and jollypeople are making their way towardsa big hall. Joking with each other andquickly grabbing a coffee in theentrance hall, they pick up a brochureto see what’s on offer today. After abrief chat at the registration desk,they head towards double doorsleading into the cattle-holding area.

I’m at a dairy cattle auction,walking amongst cows of all ages –some penned together in smallgroups, others in individual penswhile most of those who are lactatingare tethered in tight little stalls withtheir udders on display.

I’m here as an observer and todocument the event. I get a few funnylooks as nobody else is takingpictures of the animals.

It’s business as usual for the people

here and as I’m looking up the aisle linedwith cows’ rumps, an old farmer strolls in,presumably contemplating buying, andcasually feels an udder here and an udderthere. I know enough to guess he’s doing itto check for signs of mastitis or abnormaltissue but I also know the cows are

chained in the stalls so tightly they can’tmove and if nothing else, someone stickingtheir hand between your legs from behindto feel your mammary tissue, is at leastsurprising. As they’re not your calf, youprobably don’t want them anywhere nearyour udder.

There are several pens with calvesjust a few months old and I’m toldthey’ll be sold at the very end. Someare organic calves – although at themarket this means only a differencein price, not preferential treatment. A couple still have raw tissue on theirhorn buds; presumably they weredehorned not long ago.

In the farming world, it’s obviousyou’re not supposed to touch theanimals in an affectionate way orshow any kindness oracknowledgement that they aresentient beings. It seems the onlypermitted contact is pushing andshoving, nudging in the rightdirection, tying and untying andcleaning the animals.

Despite this, the cows are curious –calves even more so – and they reachout to you, cautiously and carefully

EverydayVeronika Powell visits a regular dairy industry event, which

few people know about and even fewer have seen


www.viva.org.uk 29

but the attempt at contact is obvious. Forme, that’s the biggest struggle – mustn’ttouch the cows because it’s clear thatwould somehow break the code and drawattention to me.

The auctioneer walks through the cattleholding area, ringing a bell to let everyoneknow the auction is about to start. We allmake our way to the auction ring and takeour positions, some press right against therailing around the ring whilst others sit orstand further away.

The auction starts and one cow at a timeis let into the ring and made to walk incircles by a man with a stick, proddingthem around. Most cows immediately turnback towards the gate from where theycame and try to make contact with theother cows still waiting their turn. Whenthat fails, they face the people surroundingthe ring and many try to nuzzle at leastone of them. Not a shadow of emotionfrom anyone as they shoo the cows away.

To the farmers present, they’re just awalking commodity, each with a price tagand a set of data. Eyes flicker between thecow and the statistics in the brochure –day of birth, milk yield in previouspregnancies, if in calf; also the due date

and the bull involved.The auctioneer is doing his best to push

the price up: “Number 24, freshly calved,she’s very fresh indeed, calved only a weekago. Milk yield 21kg and increasing everyday! Last year her milk yield was 42kilograms!” Number 24 was indeed sold ata good price and will carry on beingmilked for all she’s worth at her new farmuntil she’s exhausted.

A seemingly endless stream of cows,bulls and calves go through the auctionring, some reluctantly, some panicking and slipping, one bull even trying to head-butt his owner, who promptly hides behinda barrier.

One after another they are auctioned offand later in the afternoon will be taken bytheir new owner to a new farm. As soon asthe last calf is sold, the auction is over andeveryone goes home.

Business as usual – so why does it feellike I’ve just been to a slave market?

To find out more about the dairyindustry, why we even drink the milk ofanother species and how it affects ourbodies, or to see how to switch to a kinderdiet and lifestyle, go towww.whitelies.org.uk.

Viva!Dairy-freefairy daysViva!’s cheerful Dairy-Free Fairieshave been in city centres handingout our super new Dairy-FreePocket Rocket, a handy new mini-guide explaining why you don’t needdairy, why plant diets are better andhow to make the switch. To ensurepeople’s attention, they also gaveaway free vegan chocolate samples.So far they’ve visited Bristol, Bath, Cardiff, Birmingham, Londonand Exeter.

“We wanted this to be positiveoutreach but we didn’t expect thefairies to get quite so many positivereactions,” says Veronika Powell,Chief Fairy. “We were receivedincredibly well wherever we wentwith lots of people wanting to knowmore about going dairy-free.”

If you’d like to organise a similarevent, we’re happy to send youpacks of Dairy-Free Pocket Rocketsto distribute. Make or buy a pair ofwings, get a friend to fly aroundwith you and you’re away! For moreinformation, contact [email protected] or [email protected] or call the officeon 0117 944 1000.

Top: holding stalls where animalswait to be sold off. Left: par forthe course – hip bones and ribssticking out of a dairy cow. Right: bewildered little calvesawait their turn

Dairy-free

It’s worth a try! It can make you feel

and look better, reduce your risk of

several diseases, help save animals

from suffering and reduce your

impact on the environment.

pocket rocket

Ever thought about

going dairy-free?


30 life

You must have been to a restaurant when the main coursearrives and you can’t hide your disappointment as thebeautifully-arranged micro meal arrives in front of you – a meal that will add pounds to their profits and empty your wallet.

A slice of turnip, two grains of rice, a dribble of miso and…er… that’s it!

Food minimalism, modern TV chefs, fashion foodie foolsand skinny supermodel diets have stoked a fear of stuffingyour face and are all combining to create food for peoplewho hate eating.

You see it everywhere – veg restaurants proudly puffingout their chests and claiming how modern they are. ‘None ofthat old school hippie nonsense for us’ they will proclaim,‘this is modern food!’ In my ever-hungry book, nouvellecuisine is the work of the devil.

At what point in time was pushing 90 per cent of the foodoff a plate and replacing it with a Miro style – couple of blobs– work of art, deemed a giant step forward in culinaryhistory? Miro is one of the great artists but he’s not cookingmy fookin’ tea!

At what point did leaving a restaurant starving hungry andrushing home for toast deemed a great idea?

The fear of hippie has done many strange things to ourculture. The idea that those counter-culture types were hairypre-history folks, not as sophisticated as modern skinnyfreak palates, is part of the arrogance of the modern age.

Surely a plate of brown rice/veg/tofu etc is better than awork of art that feeds the eyes and starves the stomach?Have we become so terrified of food that we have now gotto turn it into a pretty picture for instagram snaps instead ofactually eating it?

Fortunately, there are still some examples of old-schoolfood places that continue to believe that feeding the stomachis the same as feeding the soul. From Cork to Manchester,they still exist, pulling up the drawbridge againstconsumerism’s greatest con trick, that less is more, that foodis to be played with and toyed with instead of being eaten,Desperate Dan style – albeit a vegan Desperate Dan.

Still, at least no one serves quiche any more!John’s band, the Membranes, has a new album out calledDark Matter/Dark Energy. Go towww.facebook.com/themembranes.

Writer, commentator and musician, punk-bred John Robb says:

Phot

o ©

Mel

anie

Sm

ith

“Give me a(vegan) Cowpie any day”

Viva!’s very own food hub, the VRC, hasundergone a massive makeover. We’veupdated its favourite recipes and features butnow, it’s not only easier on the eye but easierto navigate, too!

Full of beautiful food photos, hundreds of recipes to suit everyskill level and every taste – it’s your go-to source for deliciouslyvegan meals.

n Looking for a gluten-free option, a raw dish or a lovely meal thatfreezes well? We’re adding all these new options as I write.

n Searching by ingredient? We’ve spring cleaned the searchfacility so it’s more responsive.

n Want to know where to buy a product – or what to do with it?We’ve added new infoto many recipes.

n Want to find out whatveg and fruit are inseason – and how tocook ‘em? That’s beenimproved too!

n Want to praise a recipeor add someconstructive criticism?Just scribble downthose thoughts in theComments section.

Vegan RecipeClub – bigger,better, brighter!

www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk

Juliet’s Luxury Chocolate Mousse


www.viva.org.uk 31


32 life

Viva!’s merch buyer, Katrina Gazley, sips, sniffs, savours and samplesher way through the latest and greatest vegan must-haves in the

superfood market

lifestyle

The Giving TreeThe Giving Tree is bravely bringing a nation of crunch-obsessed snack-o-holics the freeze-dried fruit andvacuum-fried veggie crisps. If these new crisps onthe block sound healthy and tasty, that’s becausethey are! Although freeze drying may sound fancy-schmancy, the process simply involves removing 98per cent of the food’s water content – giving it alonger shelf life and a delightfully light but intensely-flavoured crunch, whilst retaining all the good stuff:antioxidants, potassium and fibre.

The fruit crisp range, consisting of apple,peach, strawberry and mango, is akin toeating fruit candy but minus the nasty stuff.For a surprising, savoury munch, the broccoliand pumpkin vacuum-fried crisps – fried withless oil, at lower temperatures – have a zesty,cheese-like flavour and are an unexpected wayof getting one of your five a day.

Each 36-60g pack is less than 170 calories andretails for £2.95. Find your favourite flavour andnearest stockist online atwww.givingtreesnacks.com.

LoveKombucha

Love it or hate it – Love Kombucha is here to fight thecorner for this infamous health tonic. In fact, brewingand bottling raw organic Kombucha is a family business.With roots in ancient China, this vitamin-rich soft drink ismaking waves in the beverage department owing to itsdistinctive, mouth-puckering taste and the naturalgoodies present in each sip – probiotics, organicenzymes and amino acids.

Made from sweetened organic green tea and livecultures, which then undergo a fermentation process,Kombucha has been said to aid digestion and unliketraditional carbonated quenchers which contain over10g of sugar per 100ml, it has a low sugar content of lessthan 3g. If you have an appetite for astringency,Kombucha wins hands down with its full-on, zingy fresh sip.

Flavours include: Original, Blueberry and Ginger &Lime. The 250ml bottle retails for £2.25, the 500ml for£3.45. Buy direct from www.lovekombucha.co.uk orcheck Love Kombucha’s website for local stockists.


www.viva.org.uk 33

Pure ChimpWith the belief under their belts that 100 per cent superfoods and naturalingredients are the key to radiant skin, Pure Chimp have created a seriousbusiness out of cutting out chemicals and cruelty – there’s no monkeyingaround with morals here.

The Super Skincare range includes a cleanser, facial cream and oil, bodycream, soap and shampoo bar, all with a pleasingly aromatic whiff, thanks tothe banana extract used for its anti-ageing and restorative properties. Eachproduct relies on a few mindfully-selected raw ingredients, ranging fromground almonds to sea buckthorn oil that work harmoniously to easeirritated and dry skin – or simply to give your epidermis a healthy glow.

The Super Cleanser comes as a wonder ball of natural exfoliants and just apea-sized amount does the job. The glass jar packaging ticks the eco-friendlybox and the swinging chimp on the label is a reminder that five per cent ofPure Chimp’s profits go to a chimpanzee rescue charity. Not content withtopically feeding your skin, Pure Chimp also sells high grade Matcha Tea(from £8.95), Wheatgrass and Spirulina Powders (from £7.95) – anti-oxidantrich superfoods that work from the inside out!

Skincare prices range from £11.95-£14.95 for a 60-120ml jar. Buy directfrom www.purechimp.com.

Enter our Lifestyle readergiveaways online at

www.viva.org.uk/competitions orsend us your entry, including

competition name (eg Doisy & Dam), fullname and address to Viva!, 8 York Court,

Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH. The deadline to enter our Lifestyle giveaways is

September 30, 2015. Winners are selected atrandom and will be contacted within a week of thegiveaway deadline.

THE GIVEAWAY TREETime to get munching because The Giving Tree aregiving three winners a full set of their fruit andveggie crisps – that’s over seven flavours! (worth £25).

DOISY & DAMThese superfood chocolatiers are offering threelucky winners the chance to win the entirecompliment of Doisy & Dam choc bars (worth £20).

PURE CHIMPThe lovely skin specialists at Pure Chimp are offeringfive winners their Super Face Combo, including oneeach of: Super Face Cream, Super Cleanser andSuper Green Tea (worth £34.95).

giveaways

Doisy & Dam London-based start-up, Doisy & Dam, are bringing their brand ofclean-living chocolate to the masses, armed with superfoods,organic goodness and striking packaging.

Doisy & Dam were two Nobel prize-winning scientists whodiscovered vitamin K. With an inherent love for healthy stuff, theirnamesakes’ bar contains a proprietary blend of organic chocolateand globally-sourced superfoods – from the lucuma powder foundin the Peruvian Andes to the goji berries grown ethically in China.

For those of you who find high street dark chocolate challenging,there isn’t a bitter mouthful in sight in this creation, allowing theexotic flavours of chilli, coconut, hemp, maca and mulberries to takecentre stage in the taste bud arena! For dark enthusiasts, the Maca,Vanilla & Cacao Nib bar is rich and fragrant with a delightful crunch– it even won a Great Taste 2014 award so we’re in good company.Other combos include: Goji & Orange, Mulberries, Chia Seeds &Spirulina, Ginger, Chilli Flakes & Hemp Seed and Coconut & Lucuma.

Choose from a mini bar 40g for £1.75 or supersize it with a 100gfor £3.50. Available to buy direct from www.doisyanddam.com orcheck their website for more stockists.


34 life

We’re beyond thrilled to announce the relaunch ofViva!’s popular Adopt a Farm Animal scheme. Ouradoption scheme staffers have been busy bees behindthe scenes; adding sploshes of colour, super cutesnaps and snazzy collectable merch to every adoptionpack. We know you’ll love adopting these amazinganimals – your support means a second chance and ahappy life for them.

Partnered with the Farm Animal Sanctuary inEvesham and Viva! Poland Animal Sanctuary,our scheme is the perfect way to help animalswho have been abused for the food, pet andentertainment industries. Your donation iscrucial to their survival – helping to feed andlook after these animals, who have oftensuffered terribly before being rescued.


www.viva.org.uk 35

WHAT’S NEWOur new adoption packincludes 1 of the following:

• 6x4in photograph of yourchosen animal, supplied in a coolmagnetic frame (to proudly display on your fridge!);

• personalised A5 certificate, signed by the sanctuaryfounders;

• one update a year on your animal, including a newphotograph

Adoptions make a thoughtful pressie too – just send usthe recipient’s name and address and we’ll send theadoption pack gift-ready!

ADOPTION ADD-ONSYou can upgrade your adoption pack with our newSaving Animals with Viva! 2D Keyring for £2 or a cuddlyLiving Nature plush toy from £2.99.

We have eight adoptees at the Farm Animal Sanctuary, including: Adam thesheep, Angus the bull, Barbara the hen, ET the sheep, Georgina the pig,Musky the duck, Paul the goose and Timmy the pony. And six adoptees at theViva! Poland Animal Sanctuary, home to: Asphalt the goat, Blue the dog,Fargo the bull, Ofilia the horse, Peppa the pig and Toto the fox.

Each animal has a personal, often tissue-grabbing and heart-breaking storyto share; the ever-curious ET the Sheepwas saved from slaughter after beingviciously attacked by a dog, resulting in theamputation of both ears. After his surgeryhe was taken to the sanctuary to live outhis grazing days in Evesham alongside hiswoolly companions.

Toto the fox was bravely rescued froma fur farm in Poland, where he wouldhave been skinned alive and his fur usedto make a coat. Toto’s full time carer atViva! Poland Animal Sanctuary taughtthis little fella to walk, as animals raisedfor fur are kept in such crampedconditions in small wire cages they can barely move around and stretchtheir legs.

To learn more about all of our adopteesand their happy endings, visitwww.adoptafarmanimal.org.uk.

ALLTHIS FOR

ONLY £25(INC P&P)

This is to certify that

has adopted

Juliet Gellatley – Founder & Director of Viva!

Janet Taylor – Founder & Manager of Farm Animal Sanctuary

DateAdopt a Farm Animal, 8 York Court, Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH T: 0117 944 1000 E: [email protected]

W: www.adoptafarmanimal.org.uk

ADOPT A FARM ANIMALWITH

P O L A N D

Signed

Cezary Wyszy�ski –Viva! Poland Manager


Get FRESH & FREE fromparabens, SLS, synthetic

fragrances, synthetic dyes,phthalates and

petrochemicals and ALLanimal ingredients!

Shop kind at the Viva! Shop www.vivashop.org.ukor call 0117 944 1000 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)

You won’t find any hidden nastiesin our beauty products


www.viva.org.uk 37

It has always been the ruling classthat determines a society’s values.Silver-plated cutlery was a middle-class way of pretending to own thereal, solid thing just like the

aristocrats. Even today, the previouslyunknown Kate Middleton can spawn amillion cheap imitations from Top Shopsimply by her choice of dress. Fromobscurity to global (yes, global) influencejust by marrying into the club. PoliticiansRoy Jenkins, a South Wales miner’s son,and Margaret Thatcher, a Grantham shopkeeper’s daughter, both rejected theirnatural, regional accents to sound like atortured, Spitting Image mickey-take ofthe Queen.

It isn’t the royals alone who wieldpower, of course, for they are part of aprivileged historical coterie who havealways huddled together, arms around eachother, in mutual support and backscratching – the established church,

parliament, gentry, senior military andjudiciary and the old-school media.

Does it matter? Well, yes, it matters a lot.We all know that the world is beingexploited almost to death because there’s anavalanche of science telling us so. For thosewho care to seek it out, there is just asmuch science linking what we eat to theballooning epidemics of heart disease,cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s and so on that iscollapsing our NHS. And through it all, themarine environment continues to head intothe abyss. It is the same root-cause for themall – an obsession with animal protein.Okay, it’s not the only cause but it is rightup there as the main (or a leading) one.

The Government has just released thelatest meat consumption figures and thereis something to really cheer about – it hasfallen significantly over the last 10 years;to such a degree that it is equivalent toevery person in Britain giving up meat forone month a year. We proudly take much

of the credit for this because there are veryfew voices calling for change and ours isprobably the loudest. It sure as hell isn’tcoming from any official source.

There are two ways of looking at this.The first is to relish the influence a smallbut dedicated organisation, with verylimited resources, can have in a world oframpant consumerism. Hooray, we’regetting there! The second view is to bedismayed that we haven’t achieved morewhen every shred of evidence is in ourfavour. But of course, consumers areconstantly receiving other messages,pushing them in the opposite direction,telling them that everything is okay – really.

Let’s start at the top with the royals.Corgis are their only favoured animals, itseems, as they’ve shot and killed andbroken the necks of just about everythingelse. They are ardent fox and deer hunters,support badger killing and are not shy ofslaughtering more exotic creatures. Add u

Honour the Squireand his relations…

… and keep us in our proper stations – as conservative, royalist,god-fearing meat eaters. By Tony Wardle

Illus

trat

ion

© S

imon

John

Par

kin


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to this the horrors of horse racing and themessage is clear: animals are there solely tobe exploited.

The EU Common Agricultural Policy(CAP) was set up to offer income supportto struggling, small-scale farmers, mostlyfor producing livestock or fodder to feedthem on but it is the wealthiest in the landwho have scooped the pool. As some ofthe UK’s biggest farmers, royalty and itsattached ‘nobility’, are at the head of thehandouts queue.

The Queen receives some £730,000annually, Prince Charles £128,000,Duke of Westminster £749,000, Earlof Plymouth £675,000, Duke ofBuccleuch £260,000, Duke ofDevonshire £252,000 and the Dukeof Atholl £231,000. These people arealready eye-wateringly rich, the Dukeof Westminster alone being worth £7 billion.

Where does the money comefrom? You and I and other taxpayers from the average £230 everyperson pays into CAP each year.What do they have to do to earn it?Absolutely nothing; they get it simply forbeing rich and owning lots of land andrearing livestock. Getting their mediamates to go on about crooked cucumbersad nauseam is the perfect way to divertyour attention away from this obscenegravy train.

This is a blatant transfer of wealth fromthe ‘ordinary working people,’ who MrCameron professes to care so much about,to the landed gentry. Why on Earth wouldthey support any idea of reducing meatconsumption? And as for promoting fruitand veg, you must be joking – they attractno subsidies at all.

The parliamentary wing of the rulingclasses has always been the Conservativeparty. The last cabinet of 29 memberscontained 23 millionaires, five of whomwere landowners with their noses in thesubsidy trough. In fact, one-in-five of allTory MPs is believed to be claiming CAPsubsidies. Once you’re aware of this, Tory agricultural policy starts to makeperfect sense.

Livestock produce 18 per cent of allgreenhouse gases (GHG) so how do youdefuse demands from climatologists toslash their numbers? You and the NationalFarmers Union (NFU) issue joint claimsthat Britain’s livestock produce only 3.5per cent, so insignificant that nothingneeds to be done – even though you knowit’s a lie. By the way, the NFU is not aunion as we know it but an amalgamationof landowners – the very people whobenefit from livestock subsidies.

You then perform further sleight of handby expressing great concern over globalwarming yet appoint an environment

secretary (Owen Patterson, one of themillionaires) who doesn’t believe it evenexists and who refers to Viva! and othercampaigning groups as ‘the green blob’.And when the EU tries to limit theseobscene CAP payments, he votes it down!Mr Patterson no doubt got a big pat on theback from one of the party’s most reveredgrandees, Lord Carrington, whose£715,000 annual free hand-out remainsquite safe, thank you very much.

As an example of breath-taking

hypocrisy, you can’t beat ex-guards officer,ex-party leader, Iain Duncan Smith, nowwork and pensions secretary. During hisfive years of slashing welfare benefits andincome support – and doing his best todemonise many claimants as fecklessscroungers – his in-laws’ estate, partowned by his son, picked up £500,000 ofpublic money from CAP.

As for the Labour party, they appear tohave replaced the cap-doffing, forelocktugging peasantry in their cringingobeisance to the establishment and havedone little to change things. When not-so-new Labour gained power in 1997, itreneged on all the promises it had made onanimal welfare, such as ending factoryfarming, using that old cop-out, ‘sorry,mate, but it wasn’t in our manifesto’.

In fact, Cherie Blair actively encouragedfactory farming by accepting a grotesquefreak of selective breeding in the form of a22lb, factory-farmed turkey from BernardMatthews on the doorstep of No.10 (can’thelp wondering how much she got paid forthat little promo). When challenged aboutthe morality of it, she dismissed factoryfarming as an insignificant irrelevance asfood production was all that mattered. Soyou can see why politicians remain silenton meat consumption, even against theadvice of their experts.

From time to time, Viva!’s supportersexpress their frustration that they can neverget a response from most of England’s 42diocesan bishops over moral issues of meateating and intensive farming. Not reallysurprising since the C of E invests a bigchunk of its nearly £9 billion portfolio infactory farming, dairying, slaughter andmeat processing. Clearly, you don’t bite the

hand that feeds you.Historically (as I’ve written before), the

Church doesn’t have the greatest record onmorality. It defended its slave plantationsin the West Indies by declaring that‘blacks’ had no soul and were thereforeanimals not people and they couldcontinue to profit from them. They clearlythought it was perfectly okay to beat,torture, brand and work to death animals– and nothing much appears to havechanged. And to top it off, 26 unelected

bishops still sit in the House ofLords as ‘Spiritual’ Peers, playing arole in shaping our legislation. Andyou wonder why change is so slow.

Print journalism and independentTV survive on advertising andincome from meat and dairy andthose who retail it is paramount –an estimated £150 million annually.

We recently put together a storyinvolving Peter André. Who? Yes,quite! An Australian singer whobecame famous for marrying anddivorcing Katie Price, the inflated

glamour artiste formerly known as Jordan.He is an ambassador for the Born FreeFoundation (it defends wildlife) but is alsoan ambassador for Iceland (it sells chunks ofwildlife from its freezer cabinets). You don’thave to be Stephen Fry to recognise thecontradiction. The Mirror was about to runwith the story when… Iceland placed a bigadvertising contract with them. End of story!(See page 11).

As for the BBC, its cookery output –Saturday Kitchen Live, Master Chef, TheGreat British Menu and all the numerousspin-offs – is an orgy of butter, cream andlard consumption in which is bathed piecesof just about every once-living creature.Vegetarianism is largely derided and as forveganism… But they can’t leave it alone. Irecall Rick Stein salivating over a piece ofslow roast pork and demanding to knowhow anyone could be vegetarian anddeprive themselves of this unctuousexperience. Then, in a programme fromIndia, which is still largely vegetarian andwhere the cow is sacred, he cooked aMadras beef curry simply because it was afavourite of the old British Raj. Youcouldn’t make it up!

Against this backdrop of self-interest,influence, massive spending and contrivedsilence, what Viva! has achieved is quiteextraordinary. We have attacked all thepillars of the mighty establishment andcracked them. I fantasise about what Viva!could do with that £150 millionadvertising spend. If we can have such animpact with so few resources, I know wecould transform society utterly andirrevocably for the sake of the animals andeveryone else. It, will, however, still happenwithout fantasies – just take longer.

This is a blatant transfer ofwealth from the ‘ordinary

working people,’ who Mr Cameron professes to

care so much about, to thelanded gentry


Read the latestnovel fromaward-winningjournalist and TV producer Tony Wardle – a gripping, politically-driven drama about thetwisted industry of animalsand the lengths some will goto hide the truth. At itsheart, a modern love storythat plays out amongst acast of complex charactersto a scintillating andsurprising end.

GET YOUR COPY OF POD FOR ONLY £8.95FROM WWW.VIVASHOP.ORG.UK


If you’re a young supporterand would like to getinvolved, head towww.vivaactivists.org.ukfor ideas on how to getstarted, or email us [email protected] for adviceand information. We’realways happy to help!

www.vivaactivists.org.ukwww.viva.org.uk/facebookwww.twitter.com/vivaactivists

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If you’re

…now’s the time toget clicking

youthnews

We’ll also be keeping you up to datewith campaigns, cute and funnyanimal stories, vegan celebrities andmore – so we hope you get involvedand absolutely love it!

HelenaThree years ago, I decided to commit to the veganlifestyle, having been a staunch vegetarian since theage of 14. It all began with the entrance of twoadorable pet rabbits into my life when I was 12. Once I realised that I could never eat my belovedcompanions, I started to question the fairness ofeating other animals… Read the rest atvivaactivists.org.uk/blog

HarleyMy name is Harley McIntosh; I am 17years old and I have been avegetarian my whole life. Being avegetarian is important to me notjust because of the health benefitsbut also because of the knowledgethat I am making a difference in theworld by leading an animal crueltyfree lifestyle, helping conservewater (it takes three to 15 times asmuch water to produce animalprotein as it does plant protein) andliving a much more greener,environmentally friendly life… Readthe rest at vivaactivists.org.uk/blog

We’re running a monthly photo competition just for people under 18. Send usyour Animal Crackers – great photos of animals that you’ve taken,anywhere, any time! Right is May’s winner, Betty Boo’s Soulful Eyeby Maisie Newman (13) of Stockport. What an absolutelybeautiful picture it is – thanks Maisie!

Head over to vivaactivists.org.uk/competitions to find outmore and submit your entry – we havegreat prizes to give away each month!

PS: We also run other competitions too. Checkthe link above for all of them, and you could be inwith a chance of winning some amazing prizes!

#veganvoiceWe recently launched our new blog and we want you to be a part of it! Sendus your stories on why you became vegan and what it means to you, yourfavourite recipes, your rescue animals – basically anything you fancy – andwe’ll feature you. Just email your entry to [email protected]. Below are acouple we’ve already put up:

win agoodie

bag!


Send name and address for free colour brochure. Range includes mens and ladies shoes and boots, leisureshoes, walking boots, safety boots, jackets, belts etc…

12 Gardner Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1UP

Tel/Fax: 01273 691913E: [email protected]

Order Direct Onlinewww.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk

ANIMAL FRIENDLY FOOTWEAR

Have ready-made vegetarianand vegan fooddelivered to your door!Vegetarian for Life, the charity for older vegetarians and vegans, has produced a new meal service guide for vulnerable vegetarians and vegans.

The Dinners to your Doorguide – which is available freeof charge – features many ofthe leading companies thatproduce meals for homedelivery. Vegetarian, vegan, andgluten-free options are available.

[email protected] call 0161 257 0887 to order.

The advocacy charityfor older vegetarians

and vegans

www.vegetarianforlife.org.ukOr phone: 0161 257 0887

Donationsto help ourwork are

welcomed

Reg

iste

red

Cha

rity

No

1120

687

www.viva.org.uk 41


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Here at the Viva! Shop, we lovingly hand-pick ourmerchandise; scouring the planet for animal-freeamazingness and handcrafted, herbivore delights!

As part of an exciting new feature on ourMerchandise for Life pages, we are showcasingand championing the artists, designers andmanufacturers behind our merch and inviting youto meet the maker – and buy their wares!

SHOP KIND AT WWW.VIVASHOP.ORG.UK OR CA

LAYLA AMBERJEWELLERYWe fell in in love with Layla Amber’s nature-inspiredcollection of brooches, necklaces and earrings. Eachpiece is hand cut from birch wood and delicately paintedwith pretty colour washes. From scurrying hedgehogs tonesting blue tits, these woodlandcreatures arewearable artthat meltsthe heart.

Workingfrom anidyllic studioin the seasidetown ofSouthwold,Layla says ofher creativeinspiration: “Ilove going forlong walks inthe Suffolkcountrysideand aminspired by its beauty and all the animals that call ithome. I love the changing seasons, nature’s patterns andBritish culture.”For one-of-a-kind gifts that nature lovers will adore,look no further! You can purchase most of Layla’sWoodland Collection from www.vivashop.org.uk or visitwww.layla-amber.co.uk to see the full range.

Meet th e m

Blue Tit Necklace£17

Bird Earrings£9 per pair

WoodlandHair Clips£14 set of 4

we love


www.viva.org.uk 43

SIMON PARKIN – THE ETHICAL GRAPHICDESIGN COMPANYIf you’ve everflickedthrough thecolourfulpages of ourGifts for Lifecatalogue orgot stuck intoan issue ofViva!life (ofcourse youhave!), you’llbe veryfamiliar withSimonParkin’s eye-catchingwork – after all, hedesigns them! With a fondness for fonts and apenchant for pictures, Simon is our first port of callwhen we’re fishing for Viva! t-shirt inspiration.

Being a veggie himself, Simon’s designs aresympatico with what we are trying to do at Viva! –save animals! On choosing to work with charities,Simon says “I love designing merchandise for Viva!because I feel like my illustrations make a difference.With t-shirts, I start by imagining one that I wouldwear myself – and then I try to get the message overin the most appealing way I can.”To see more of Simon’s design work, visitwww.ethicalgraphicdesign.co.uk orwww.simonjohnparkin.co.uk.

R CALL 0117 944 1000 (MON-FRI, 9AM-6PM)

e maker!

we love

Viva! VinylStickersPopular, durablestick ‘em upsfeaturing some ofour best-selling teeslogans, from GottaFace? Don’t Eat It toMilk is for Babies,Sucker! £2 each

Vegan Love TeeBig, bold and brave, thisfair-trade tee will send youinto cuteness overload.Available in women’s andunisex sizes (S, M, L). £16.50

ComingsoonNEW Friendto theAnimal tee

To learnmore about who,how and what we

stock in the Viva! Shop,read our Ethical Pledge

online atwww.vivashop.org.uk/

our-ethical-pledge


Since 1994 (the year Viva! was born!), we’ve met some prettyamazing businesses, producers and talented individuals along theway who dare to be KIND! My Vegan Town is the place to explore,create and champion vegan things local to you; celebratingkindness to animals, the planet and people too.

Explore our Directory Browse our Places to Eat,Places to Sleep, Places toShop, Producers, Groupsor Events pages. Use ourtrusty map to see what’sin your area or a regionyou’d like to visit.

To help you make aninformed choice, we’veincluded as much info aspossible about eachlisting. Want to know if a café provides soya milk or if a B&Bserves up a veggie brekkie? Just look for our Viva! symbols on each listing!

Create a ListingShare the vegan love by creating a listing or adding a review for aveg-friendly place to eat, sleep or shop. You can even add a listingpromoting ethical events, services and like-minded local groups.

Creating a listing is super easy and completed in just six steps.Tell the world where to get the best vegan cheese or simply post afew snaps of that delish vegan burger served at your local café –we want it all!

Get local with My Vegan TownBecome a My VeganTownie! We’re lookingfor enthusiasticcontent writers andbloggers who have apassion for their localveg-friendly places toeat/sleep/shop toshare their secretspots, top tips andpersonal experiences with the world.

We believe this greatnew facility will encouragepeople to seek out cruelty-free things right on theirdoorstep. If you’d like tobecome a My VeganTownie – get in touch!

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Launching this summer – My VeganTown is Viva!’s new vegan directory– destined to become a hot hub forall things vegan and wonderful… andwe want you on-board!

[email protected]

Own a veg-friendly business or

running an ethical event?Create your own account with

My Vegan Town and manage yourlisting. If you’ve signed up to our

Supporter’s Discount Scheme, youget the extra perk of being added to

our directory automatically. Or sign-up here

www.viva.org.uk/viva-supporters-discount-scheme

Get ondown to MyVegan Town

LAUNCHING AUGUST 2015 LAUNCHING AUGUST 2015 LAUNCHING AUGUST 2015 LAUNCHING AUGUST 2015 LAUN


www.viva.org.uk 45

LAUN

“This picture was painted as an emotional response to the reality of everyday cattle markets in the U.K. that sell calves, cows and bulls.

“Buying and selling these lives without emotion or care for their well-being, beyond that which will keep ‘the commodity’ in a good enoughcondition to produce young and, therefore, milk. By focussing on theindividual faces of this ‘commodity’ I hoped to bring to light the true natureof their suffering. I wanted viewers to empathise with these sentientcreatures that society allows to be imprisoned, forcibly impregnated,tortured and have their babies taken from them. All this formilk – a perceived need that is neither healthy nor ethical.

“The painting is A4, acrylic on canvas board. Althoughthis composition is imaginary, the faces of the animals arenot. They are drawn from a May, 2015, Viva! investigationinto cattle auctions (see page 28). The cows press theirfaces through the bars, eager for contact, any contact,ignorant of their fate as they wait in their stalls”.

Life Sentence: theHidden Faces of Dairy a painting by Philip McCulloch-Downs

Phil is Viva!’s artist in residence(and King of merch!) and ishighly-respected internationally.His Green Man painting fetched£1,000 at our 20th anniversaryauction last year.

Life Sentence is beingauctioned exclusively to Viva!supporters atwww.viva.org.uk/philip-mcculloch-downs/life-sentence-hidden-faces-dairy. Or you canmake a telephone bid on 0117944 1000 or by post to Viva!, 8 York Court, Wilder Street,Bristol BS2 8QH. This is yourchance to own a painting by oneof the best animal rights artistsaround who is kindly donating allproceeds to Viva!’s campaigns foranimals. Bidding ends 15/9/15and there is a reserve.


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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9driven off in a lorry from time to time. I’dnever really thought about where they wentand, I suppose, like many people I justblanked it out. It was Rebecca who told me,incredulously, that they weregoing off to slaughter. That wasenough for me!” It was not manyyears before he became vegan.

I had heard that G F Newmancan be quite prickly – difficult towork with so I asked him if itwas true. His look was deadlyserious when he replied: “Difficult to workwith? I am compliance itself; there’s no oneeasier – providing I get my own way.” Ithought I detected a twitch of a grin at thecorner of his mouth but I’m not sure.

Gordon looks really quite stern, with hisshaven head (shaved decades ago, longbefore it became trendy) and dark-rimmedglasses. Had he been an old-schoolheadmaster you had been sent to see for adisciplinary matter, you would quake at hisdoor before knocking. But looks aredeceptive. I found him warm andwelcoming and remarkably candid abouthis own life but there is a determinationthat will be deployed whenever necessary.When he won his first Bafta, he demanded

he sat on an all-vegan table and when therequest was granted he immediately wentback into battle trying to get the wholefunction made vegan. God, it reminds meof the person I work for!

Has he stuck to his beliefs over theyears, I wondered, or have they mellowedas they so often do with age?

“There is nothing more important to methan veganism – nothing more importantto the whole world. Unless we radicallychange our diet there is no future for theplanet. We have to wake up and we haveto do it very soon because we are rushingtowards the edge.

“Don’t ask me to sign a petition againstwar whilst we continue to torture animalsin laboratories and on farms. We talk ofhumane slaughter but it’s just cowardice – arefusal to face the facts. Jews and Muslimsdefend their versions of killing when noneof it is in the Tora or the Koran. The truth

is, there will always be strife so long as wecontinue to whack animals down.”

In the battle to save animals fromsuffering and the planet we need every allywe can get. To have one of England’s

greatest living writers on our side,we are extremely lucky.

G F Newman’s latest novel –which he is self-publishing as ane-book to avoid paper usage – iscalled Dark Heart – aptly namedas it explores some truly darkareas of life.

Jake Mann is a sexual obsessive who wasresponsible for the death of his wife anddaughter in a car crash and, perhaps lookingfor absolution, becomes a Jesuit priest. Jakeis also an exorcist who gets drawn into somegrim encounters with demons as he is chasedby his own demons. It begins in the NigerDelta where the voracious production of oilis destroying the environment and localpeople are ruthlessly supressed by their ownpolice, whose job it is to protect Big Oil atany cost. Jake moves back to England and toexorcism and possession as well as exposingthe sexual exploitation of children by theCatholic Church. It is the first book of atrilogy so there is no neat rounding up of allthe story lines. Read on…

“Unless we radicallychange our diet there isno future for the planet”

A heartfelt Viva! pat on the back to all of the enthusiasticand hard-working volunteers whohelped represent Viva! at eventsthroughout the spring/summerseason. We ❤ you!

n Lizzy raised over £530 at theBournemouth Vegan Fair in June –what a star!

n Amazing feat – the energeticFood for a Future team handedout masses of Viva! leaflets andViva! Shop discount vouchers atthe vegan outreach tent in theGreen Fields at Glastonbury.

UPCOMINGEVENTSDon’t miss out on veggie andvegan events taking placethroughout autumn and winterup and down the country. If yousee a little it means TeamViva! will have a stall at thisevent so be sure to swing byand say Hi! More atwww.viva.org.uk/events.

AUGUST 2015n 1 – Colchester Vegan Fairn 8 – Edinburgh Vegan

Festival

SEPTEMBER 2015n 5 – Portsmouth Green

Summer Fair & Viva!Portsmouth Roadshow

n 19 – Norwich Veggie Fayre

OCTOBER 2015n 10-11 – London Vegfest UKn 17 – Northern Vegan

Festivaln 24-25 – West Midlands

Vegan Festival

Thank you

WANTFREE

VEGANVEGANSWAG?FREE

VEGANSWAG?

TURN ME OVER TO GET SOME…

BE A VIVA!STALL VOL! Help runa merch stall for Viva! at avegan event near you. Forall the info you need, visitour new volunteer pagesat www.viva.org.uk/viva-stall-vol

Our Viral PigWhen campaigns manager, Justin Kerswell, postedthis picture on Facebook, he hoped it would makepeople think deeply about where their food comesfrom. In fact, it made more than a million people think,such was its extraordinary success.

Of course, there were some puerile posts, such as‘Hitler was a vegetarian’ (even though he wasn’t) butmany, many others wanted explanations, some ofwhich began aggressively, which often happens whenpeople feel guilty. Justin’s patient and detailedresponses often turned aggression into compassion.His brilliant performance was summed up by this post:

“Just been reading some of the comments by the‘unenlightened’ and the patient, sensitive, well-craftedreplies by Viva! Wow, Viva!, you’re awesome –whoever you are.”


Kenko KitchenKate Bradley, hardback, 255ppKenko (the Japanese word for Health) is a stylishlypresented portfolio of sugar, gluten and animal-free recipeshailing from cool Aussie cook, Kate Bradley. Weening herselfoff sugar in 2012 kick-started this self-confessed foodie’sexperimentation with healthier alternatives. A tastytestament to cutting out the crap – refined sugars, meatand dairy – without fudging the flavour – Panna Cotta withAlmond Brittle and Berry Sauce for example.

Recipes lean towards the macrobiotic but are imbued witha modern, gourmet vibe. Sweet Potato Arancini Balls, a traditional Italian fried comfort food, aregiven the Kenko treatment using homemade Macadamia ‘ricotta’ cheese and brown rice instead ofwhite. Even staples like the trusty humous are updated into rustically ravishing eats – Artichoke,White Bean and Lemon Toasted Sandwiches, complete with a zesty cashew ‘goat’s’ cheese.

Books for Life

Welcome to Viva!’s Vegan Booksfor Life. Our team of ravingreviewers and recipe testers(it’s a hard job!) love shoutingabout the latest animal-inspiredlit, healthy living and vegancookery! So we’ve come up witha handy guide to help you getthe best bits out of each book.

BOOK KEYRATIO OF FOOD IMAGES TO RECIPE

Don’t judge a book solely on its mouth-watering images!

VEGAN KNOW HOWThe more whisks, the more techniquesand knowledge required.

‘What’s a whisk?’ ‘Yes, I’ve made my own nut milk before!’‘Got any agar-agar?’

WOW FACTORThings that you make you go ‘Wow!’and maybe a little ‘Pow!,’ too!

BOOKSHELF APPEALWhy your bookshelf can’tlive without this book!

Deliciously EllaElla Woodward, hardback, 256pp

Ella’s first cookbook offeringwas born out of heraspirational blog of the samename – and necessity.Suffering from a rare illnessthat left her bedridden, Ellafought back with knife andfork, wholefoods and a contagious zest for life. This plant-based picto-journey is a treat for the senses and Ella’s personal story of recovery ispositively reinforced through stunning close-ups of juicy pomegranategems and gooey sweet potato brownies, asking to be devoured.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or revving up your veganrecipe repertoire, Deliciously Ella provides your pantry with theessential kit it needs to get healthy – from apple puree to misopaste – and dishes up deliciousness that anyone can achieve. In

five minutes you’ll have Creamy Brazil Nut Cheese or in 10 minutes, a hearty bowl ofCourgette Noodles with Avocado Pesto.

All books reviewed in Viva!life are availableto purchase from the Viva! Shop

www.vivashop.org.uk/books

Health boosting

books for summer

PlenishKara M.L. Rosen, paperback, 144ppPlenish started life as an online juice boutique and now adds expert advice so you can sip, slurpand gulp your way to health with 50 juice recipes.

A plant-based diet can be pretty powerful in addressing your body’s ailments and boosting yourmood. Plenish prescribes the fruits, veg and superfoods that have the potential to help pricklyhealth issues such as arthritis, high blood pressure, insomnia and stress. Flagging libido? Try theSnake Charmer – a charming blend of celery, spinach and watermelon. Immune system needboosting? Try the Spicy Lemonade – a cold-pressed concoction of citrus, chillies and agave nectar.

95%Over 100 great all-rounder recipes

that will appeal to healthy lifestylers andfuss-free cooks.

Superfood Bread made from seeds,nuts and brown rice flour. Who knewbread could be this easy, tasty and healthy.

Ella is a charming cookbook host,bursting with helpful hints to help youfeel awesome.

100%Get used to making your own

‘cheese’ and stock up on somebuckwheat groats and stevia for thebrekkie recipes.

Yay! Coconut dulce de leche, madefrom coconut cream and coconut sugar,means vegans don’t miss out on thisdelish Portuguese sweet.

We love Kenko’s unashamedly risk-taking recipes, from Turmeric Butter (it’samazing) to Chocolate-Coated Popsiclesmade with cashews and coconut cream.

70%Recipes require minimal processing

but you do need a good juicer.Alkaline Iced Coffee – a blend of

creamy cashew milk, ground roastedchicory and ice that’s caffeine-free and asurprising hit.

Probably the only book on juicingyou’ll ever need!

Have a peekat our BOOK

KEY and make the most ofyour read!

www.viva.org.uk 47


Cake Mix to the Rescue!Vegan bakers extraordinaire, The Vegan Cakery, have only gone andturned their best-selling cake into a do-it-yourself cake mix. We hadthe privilege of testing out their @home Chocolate Mix and weremightily impressed with the results.

The choice is yours – bake a seven inch cake, split the mixture intotwo equal halves to create a sponge sandwich or make a dozen largecupcakes. We screamed at the chance to bake a sponge sandwich(complete with peach jam filling and ganache icing) to impress dinnerguests. The cake crumb was moist without being dense and the chocolateyganache icing was rich and the right amount on the sweet scale. Now, thereis no excuse for butter-fingered bakers – this mix was easy peasy to stir,spoon and serve! The @home Chocolate Mix is £12 and the @home LemonMix is £12.50. Order your mixes direct from www.vegancakery.com

Welcome to Viva!life’ssection devoted to allthat’s new and cool when itcomes to veggie, vegan andethical businesses. We believethat you are what you eat butalso you are what you buy so whynot support these new businessesthat are making a vegan splash in a not-so-vegan ocean!

V-BizSpotlight

Viva! is proud to work with a lot of like-mindedindividuals and businesses to help promote a cruelty-free lifestyle for all and to bring you (our members!)amazing discounts on vegan products and services. Thefollowing businesses have recently joined ourSupporter’s Discount Scheme (SDS) and/or havebecome Viva! Symbol Holders – check them out! Don’tforget to mention that you are a Viva! Member whenmaking a booking or purchase.

Get some veggie cred – sign-up your business to our Supporter’s DiscountScheme (it’s FREE!) or use the Viva! Symbol on your products (from £50 per year). Contact [email protected] or visitwww.viva.org.uk/viva-supporters-discount-scheme.

When your business joins our SDS, we will sendyou a snazzy new sticker to proudly pin-up on yourshop window. And we also have web stickersavailable for our online shops!

Supporter’sDiscount

Scheme

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PURE CHIMPSuperfood skincare, selling 100 pernatural cleansers, creams and supergreen teas. 5% of Pure Chimps’sprofits are donated to aChimpanzee rescue [email protected]

VET NURSE ONLINEVet Nurse Online providesContinuing ProfessionalDevelopment to Vet Nurses andaims to improve animal welfareworldwide.info@vetnurseonline.co.ukwww.VetNurseOnline.co.uk10% DISCOUNT ONLINE. USE CODE‘FOMOEMALAWI1911’ ATCHECKOUT

Say Yes Yesto No No’s!Exciting news in the edible world ofvegan candy – Premium Chocolatiers(based in the U.S.A.) have launched amilk-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free,gluten-free and egg-free range ofchocolate sweets. That’s a lot offree-from’s but we’ve tasted theirPeanot No No’s – a colourful candyshell filled with a peanut butter-flavoured centre – and our tasterssay they are full of flavour.

The range also includes aveganised version of everyone’sfavourite peanut butter cup (PeanotCups) and bite-size chocolate-shelledcandies (Choco No No’s). Distributedexclusively by Vegan Tuck Box andsoon to be available from the Viva!Shop at www.vivashop.org.uk. Each46g pack is £2.65.

COMING SOON TOWWW.VIVASHOP.ORG.UK


www.viva.org.uk 49

HOLIDAYS – ENGLAND HOLIDAYS – IRELAND

HOLIDAYS – SCOTLAND

EAST SUSSEX LONDON

OXFORDSHIRE

SHROPSHIRE

LAKE DISTRICT

The perfect place to Rest the Soul & Nourish the BodyVeg Soc Award Winning BreakfastPacked with nutritious food and

oozing 5 star reviews,this tiny B&B is aperfect delight

Cockermouth, Cumbria0776 567 5530

Lakelandliving

Please visitwww.veggielakelandliving.co.uk

Bed & Breakfast

B&B – LONDON: Centrallylocated in comfortable familyhomes. Direct transport toWest End, theatreland andairport. Lots of restaurants andshops. TV in rooms. Doubleroom £54 pn, single room £42pn. Children’s reduction.Continental breakfast. Tel: 0207385 4904www.thewaytostay.co.uk

NORFOLKNorfolk – two bed bungalow in Snettisham, sleepsfour. 1 mile from Beach, 200 yards from RSPBreserve. Dogs Welcome. Tel: 01285 670187www.norfolkcoastalholidayhomes.co.uk

Heyford Vegan Bed & Breakfast in rural NorthOxfordshire. Easy access Oxford, Blenheim,Rousham, Cotswolds, Oxford Canal. Dogs welcome.WiFi available. Train station and bus [email protected] 340 664 / 07773 262 [email protected]

The Ferns B&B in the historic market town ofNewport, Shropshire. Exclusivelyvegetarian/vegan. Central location for touringStaffordshire & Shropshire. Period town house. Tel: 01952 812174 www.thefernsshropshire.co.uk

West Cork – Vegetarian self-catering apartments. Peaceful,wooded surroundings. Organicvegetables and wholefoodsavailable. Green Lodge,Ballylickey, Bantry, Co Cork.Tel: 0035 3 2766146 Email:[email protected]: http://homepage.eircom.net/~greenlodge

Highland ScotlandCuildorag House VegetarianB&B from £32.50 Eveningmeals available. Stunning westcoast scenery, near Ben Nevis,Glen Coe.Web: www.cuildoraghouse.comTel: 01855 821529

Les Aigles Vegan & VegetarianApartment Situated in ruralDrome Provençal nestledbetween the vineyards & olivegroves. Dogs welcome. Modern facilities.www.lesaigles-veggies.combookings@lesaigles-veggies.com+33 (0)677759714 or +33 (0)475264718

Classifieds

RUN A B&B?Get bookings through theViva! Discount Scheme.Contact [email protected] details

HOLIDAYS – FRANCE

JOBS

For Viva! news, info,merchandise and muchmore visit us online at

www.viva.org.uk

VfL Director (Scotland) WantedWe are looking to recruit a vegetarian Director tosupport and promote ourwork in Scotland.Responsibilities includeattendance at events/cateringcourses in Scotland, being apoint of contact for VfL, general

management, business planningand strategic development.Attendance at board meetingsin Cheshire as directed by the board.The successful candidatewould ideally be located in thecentral belt of Scotland.

The advocacy charity for oldervegetarians and vegans

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk

Reg

iste

red

Cha

rity

No

1120

687

Contact [email protected] for information pack


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

Personal

Desperately seeking long-term, unfurnished house/cottageto let AND a dog loving landlord who will allow our 12 rescuedogs to live there too! We will all soon be homeless as ourhome in Ireland is being repossessed. Dogs are well behaved,clean and loving but can be noisy at times. Preferably Hertsarea or surrounds but would happily consider anywhere onUK mainland. Rural/rundown property ok as we can do upbut must be dry with leccy supply. Please call 07745 263072if you can help – Can pay higher deposit if required.

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

CHARITIES & GROUPS

Here’s anexciting read!

For thinking veggie teensand young at heart adults

The GraylingsRising

By Nigel HeathAmazon Kindlestore £3.09

The Vegetarian CharityNeedy young vegetarians up to and including the age of 25years can receive grants from the Charity, which also providesfunds to promote vegetarianism among the young.

Donations and legacies are most welcome to ensure that wecan continue to satisfy the need for help.

Our annual fully funded vegan cookery course is open tovegetarians and vegans aged 16-25 years inc.

Further information and application forms are available onour website www.vegetariancharity.org.uk or by post fromThe Grants Secretary, PO Box 473, CREWE CW3 0WU

Registered Charity No 294767

www.taxreturnonlineservices.co.uk

Financial Accounts PreparationSelf Assessment Tax Returns

Rental AccountsBusiness Tax Advice

5% donation to VIVA!

Tel: 01485 601499

Can we help you with our:l Catering Guidel Healthy-living Handbookl UK List of care homesl Recipe service and nutritional advicel Charitable grants from The Vegan Fund or The

Vegetarian Fund to help with independent living,respite care or similar?

The advocacy charityfor older vegetarians

and vegans

www.vegetarianforlife.org.ukOr phone: 0161 257 0887

Donationsto help ourwork are

welcomedR

egis

tere

d C

harit

y N

o 11

2068

7

Calling all Writers!

Vegan-run Editing and Proofreading Service.Editing – £10 per 1000 words

Proofreading – £7 per 1000 wordsPlease visit the website to find out more or

get in touch via Facebook:

www.friendlyedit.comwww.facebook.com/friendly.edit

Help with Self-Publishing also available.

Friendly Edit

Get noticed! To book this space for

a great rate, callKatrina now on 0117 944 1000


FAIR-TRADE TEES,

DAIRY-FREE SWEETS, VEGAN

READS AND MORE!

SHOP ONLINEWWW.VIVASHOP.ORG.UK

HOT OFF THE PRESS!From animals-fight-back fiction to delectably dairy-free cookery –

Viva!’s best-selling books are a guaranteed good read!

Browse online atwww.vivashop.org.uk/books/new


Viva!life issue Issue 59 | Summer 2015

Documents

Transcript of Viva!life issue Issue 59 | Summer 2015