The Vegan Summer 2003

ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS - THE COST TO HUMAN HEALTH

BARBECUE SPECIAL

THE CRUELTY OF SILK- BY MANEKA GANDHI

DONALD WATSON- INTERVIEW WITH OUR FOUNDER

ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS - THE COST TO HUMAN HEALTH

BARBECUE SPECIAL

THE CRUELTY OF SILK- BY MANEKA GANDHI

DONALD WATSON- INTERVIEW WITH OUR FOUNDER

9 770307 481000

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ISSN 0307−4811

Laser Proof

Until he extends the circle of his compassion to allliving things, man will not himself find peace.Albert Schweitzer

I am grateful that the war with Iraq was notprolonged and that no more deaths or horrificinjuries will be inflicted by cluster bombs. OurGovernment assures us that through this militaryintervention we have been spared the ‘terror’ that mighthave befallen us from weapons of mass destruction heldby a brutal regime. Indeed, the war is now virtuallyportrayed as Good triumphing over Evil – butwould Good have sold armaments to Evil? WouldGood itself have weapons of mass destruction?

I cannot help linking my thoughts on the war inIraq with the endless mass destruction thathappens within our own borders day in and day out- the ceaseless operation of slaughterhouses up anddown the country extinguishing the lives of more than800 million animals annually. What kind of society isours that considers them worthy of death becausetheir flesh tastes good?

Only reason guided by compassion can bring ustrue peace – a clear conscience.

Amid this gloom, the vegan lifestyle is a brightbeacon and the way forward. As you wouldexpect, the Vegan Society office has been busy: anew honey leaflet is now available; numerous shows andevents have been attended by staff and additionaltrademark holders recruited; the Spring/Summer2003 catalogue has been produced in a new A4format (remember you can also purchase the fullrange on-line at www.vegansociety.com/shop),and the collection of membership fees by directdebit is now fully operational. Sales of theAnimal Free Shopper remain strong, helped bymentions in The Big Issue, BBC Good Food Guide,Natural Health & Well Being and Here’s Health. Therewas also excellent media exposure for veganism when ourMembership and Sales Assistant Sundari Poorun hadher diet evaluated in Real Magazine and wasawarded top marks [see news item].

Finally, I should draw your attention to the factthat this year’s AGM will be in Chester – notLondon - on Saturday 15th November (see noticelater in this issue).

Rick Savage

The Vegan Society l Donald Watson House l 7 Battle Road l St Leonards-on-Sea l East Sussex l TN37 7AA l UK

Local rate 0845 45 88244 l Tel. 01424 427393 l Fax. 01424 717064 l e-mail: [email protected]

Editor Rick Savage

Editorial Support Vanessa Clarke, Stephen Walsh, Karin Ridgers

Design [email protected]

Printed by Hastings Printing Company

On G-print chlorine-free paper

© The Vegan SocietyThe views expressed in The Vegan do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or of the VeganSociety Council. Nothing printed should be construed to be Vegan Society policy unless so stated.The Society accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. The acceptance of advertisements(including inserts) does not imply endorsement. The inclusion of product information should not beconstrued as constituting official Vegan Society approval for the product, its intended use, or itsmanufacturer/distributor.Contributions intended for publication are welcomed, but unsolicited materials will not be returnedunless accompanied by a SAE.

2 NEWS

4 SHOPAROUND & OFFERS

7 SHOPAROUND BBQ SPECIAL

8 TRIBUTE TO KATHLEEN JANAWAY

10 ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS & HUMAN HEALTH

12 AGNUS CASTUS

13 KIDS’ PAGE - VEGILANTICS

14 SILK

15 VEGAN HOLIDAYS / PAYROLL GIVING

17 DONALD WATSON INTERVIEW

19 GROW VEGAN

20 RECIPES

23 REPELLING INSECTS THE GENTLE WAY

25 DIET MATTERS

26 MEGAN THE VEGAN

27 REVIEWS

29 POSTBAG

31 JUBILEE PROJECTS

32 LOCAL GROUPS NEWS

33 EVENTS & LOCAL CONTACTS NEWS

34 LOCAL CONTACTS

36 CLASSIFIEDS

40 PRIZE CROSSWORD

in this issue

The Vegan l Summer 2003 1

2 The Vegan l Summer 2003

� TOP MARKS FOR VEGAN DIET

In April, Real Magazine ran a featurecomparing the nutritional value of threedifferent diets. Sunny Poorun’s vegandiet was compared with that of awoman who only eats organic food andsomeone who lives on conveniencefood. The magazine’s nutrition expertconcluded that ‘Sunny’s overall diet isexcellent’ and gave her a top score of9/10 compared with 7/10 for theorganic diet and 4/10 for the junk food.Sunny was quoted as saying, ‘I know mydiet is balanced because I devised itusing information from the VeganSociety.’ We should hope so, too, asshe is our Sales and MembershipAssistant - well done, Sunny!

� VEGAN VIEWS

Many people will know of Vegan Views,a quarterly not-for-profit magazineindependent of the Vegan Society butsharing its aims and edited by VeganSociety Local Contact Harry Mather. Themagazine has been running since 1975and the annual subscription of £4 coversfour issues.

The entire magazine is alsodownloadable for free fromwww.veganviews.org.uk The websiteincludes more than 150 of the bestarticles from previous issues since 1992.

� SUNDAY TIMES ARTICLE WARNS OF MEAT & DAIRY CANCER RISK

A six-page article on prostate cancer inThe Sunday Times magazine on 13thApril highlighted research showing thatAfrican-Americans, the leading sufferersfrom this disease, are at much greaterrisk than their ancestors in rural Africaand commented, “The culprit appearsto be our old enemy, the meat- anddairy-rich western diet. A leading studyin the Netherlands in 1999 revealedthat men who consumed significantamounts of cured meat and milkproducts were considerably more likelyto develop the disease. On the brightside, the Chinese fondness for yellowbeans and soya is thought to protecttheir prostates, and the Mediterraneandiet, with its preponderance oflycopene from cooked tomatoes, isbelieved to contribute to the lowerprofile of prostate cancer in southernEurope.”

� VEGAN DIET SURVEY

Vegan Society Patron Michael Klaper isconducting a study on vegan diet. Youdo not have to be vegan to take part inthe study. Just go towww.veganhealthstudy.org. All information will be treated asconfidential, of course.

� DAIRY-FREE FOODS CONQUER THE MARKET

It’s official – animal free shopping isexperiencing a massive boom. A newMintel report on Food Intolerance andAllergies has highlighted a majorincrease in sales of ‘free-from’ foods,with dairy free soya-based productsclaiming the biggest share of sales andgenerating an estimated £24.8 million in2002 – an increase of 125.5% since2000. Soya milk accounts for about70% of this, the rest being fromyoghurts, desserts, frozen products, andso on. The report concludes that thereis a “substantial market demand forspecialist foods.” As the market growsso will the product range – good newsfor vegans!

� NATIONAL VEGAN FESTIVAL

The Vegan Society is again sponsoringthe National Vegan Festival this year.Please note that the date is now Sunday14th September at Conway Hall,London. For further details seewww.veganfestival.freeserve.co.uk

� VEGANS IN IRELAND

The second National Vegetarian Festivalin Ireland will be held in Dublin onSeptember 28th. Vegan Society ChairStephen Walsh, who is from Belfasthimself, has been invited to speak at theevent and it is hoped to make contactwith vegans throughout Ireland. EmailNiall McGuirk <[email protected]>

� VEGANS IN SCOTLAND

The gathering of vegans on 5 April inPerth was attended by more than 40people aged from 12 to 70-plus from allover Scotland and as far away as SriLanka. Participants enjoyed deliciousvegan food, activities includeddiscussions, a quiz, bingo and a raffle,and a stall selling Vegan Society booksand merchandise was well supported.The day was such a success that anotheris planned for Elgin on 8th November.

� VEGANS IN WALES

The Vegan Society event inMachynnleth was attended by morethan 80 people from Wales and beyond– one contingent from South Waleseven hired a minibus – as well as bymembers of Council who gave talks onnutrition, media work and other topics.For more details, see Local ContactsNews, page 33. The next major eventin Wales will be the National Eisteddfodat Feifod, Powys from 2-10 August, forwhich a bilingual leaflet about veganismhas been produced. Volunteers to helpon the vegan stall please contact

News

�WILD BEES AT RISK

Commercial bee keeping may jeopardisefuture UK food production. The Varroamite, a parasitic insect that feeds on andkills honey bees, has developed aresistance to the chemical used tocontrol it. Once found only in Asia, themite appeared in the UK in 1992 and by1996 it had spread throughout theworld, destroying an estimated 25% ofcommercial honey bees andendangering the few remaining wildhoney bees. Crop pollination hasbecome heavily reliant on farmed honeybees since commercial bee keeping, aswell as intensive arable farming andurban sprawl, has helped to decimatewild bee populations as well as those ofother pollinating insects. This relianceon one species could now havepotentially disastrous consequences forfuture UK food production.

� SOYA MILK ON TRAINS

Following the launch of trademarkholder Pritchitt’s individual pots of longlife soya milk [see Spring issueShoparound] a campaign has beenlaunched by Ronny, author of the everpopular Cake Scoffer, to make theseavailable throughout the UK. The firstsuccess came when Rail Gourmet agreedto make them available on South WestTrains during National Vegetarian Week.So if you’re travelling on SWT or indeedany train on which refreshments areserved, do make a point of asking forsoya milk. For further details of thecampaign see www.realfood.org.uk or

�OVER-GRAZING BLAMED FOR RISE IN FLOODING

Over the last couple of years, many ofBritain’s towns and cities have sufferedthe worst floods in living memory and amajor new study by Professor StuartLane of Leeds University blames therecent spate of floods on over-grazing:“In the 1980s, the European Unionstarted subsidising farmers per head oflivestock. There was a massive increasein stock density in the uplands. Sheepand other livestock trample the ground,reducing infiltration and increasing thespeed of run off, which has a directimpact on the amount of water gettinginto the rivers quickly following periodsof rainfall, and so increases thelikelihood of flooding.” The project willcontinue over the next three years andwill help to develop a model forassessing the impact of different kindsof land management.

� EXHIBITIONS

Vegan Society representatives haveattended a healthy number of showsrecently, including the International FoodExhibition, the Natural Trade Show, theHealth and Vitality Show, the NaturalProducts Show and Organex, EthicalConsumer World and the TotalSandwich Show. You should be seeingthe vegan trademark on a whole newrange of exciting and delicious newvegan products very soon. Meanwhile,Booja Booja’s Vegan Societyauthenticated chocolates picked up anational award for the eleventh time atthe Natural Trade Show in Brighton.

� ANIMAL PRINTS

Worthing Animal Aid have launched aquarterly booklet with a good variety ofarticles, stories and poems to interesteveryone involved in the animalmovement. Animal rights views,ecological arguments and lemoncheesecake recipes jostle for spacebetween its covers and the overalleffect is both entertaining andinformative. Veterinary clinics and otherbusinesses in the area will be selling thebooklet for £1, every penny of whichgoes to help the animals. Postalsubscription is £4 per annum post free,cheques payable to Worthing AnimalAid c/o 56 Cissbury Gardens, Worthing,West Sussex, BN14 ODZ,

� LESS RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS FOR VEGANS?

In a study by ARS Western HumanNutrition Research Center, Davis,California, vegan volunteers formed newbone at a significantly faster rate thanthe omnivore volunteers even thoughthe omnivore volunteers were taking inmore calcium than the vegans.

�WORM-FREE SILK

The long abused silk worm may havefound a saviour in the Oxford UniversitySpinox project. A machine whichmimics the way spiders and silk wormsspin their thread will use a combinationof artificial proteins and natural silk-likeproteins obtained from wheat or ricegrains to create a tough synthetic silkwhich they hope will eventually out-compete oil-based fibres such aspolyester. Scientists suggest that thenew product may be used for sutures,protective clothing and sportsequipment.

�MORE ON THE DANGERS OF EATING FISH

A study published in the April 2nd issueof the Journal of the American MedicalAssociation found that women who hadeaten three or more servings of fish inthe past month had blood mercurylevels four times higher than those whohad eaten no fish in that period and 20per cent. had levels exceeding theofficial US safety limit.

� KARIBBEAN INDEPENDENT TRUST FOR ECOLOGY (KITE)

A lively gathering to launch a vegetarianfilm with drummers, dancers and deliciousCaribbean food in the presence of theMayor of Southwark was the setting foran informative talk by Stephen Walsh onthe benefits of a vegan diet for people,animals and the environment. This wasenthusiastically endorsed by Vegan Societymember Graham Neale, who runs hisown removal firm and spends most ofhis daytime hours hauling heavy furnitureas well as being a Local Councillor forthe London Borough of Southwark. KITE,run by Lalu Hanuman, exists to promoteecological awareness in all kinds ofsituations, from saving the CentralAmerican rain forests to the greening ofurban deserts and council estates in theUK.

www.pecan.org.uk/kite



ShoparoundDebbie Holman

� PLAMIL’S ORGANIC DARK CHOCOLATE

Plamil have launched anorganic dark chocolatecontaining 87% cocoa. We found the tasteremarkably smooth and creamy for such ahigh cocoa chocolate. It also containssunflower rather than soya lecithin, anadvantage for those needing to avoid soya.For more details see www.plamilfoods.co.uk or email [email protected]

� YAOH SHOWER GEL & BUBBLE BATH

The new Hempseed Oil Tropical Bubble Bath wasluxurious and relaxing, with a delicious smell ofcoconut and a long lasting moisturising effect. The Shower Gel consisted of oils of lavender,rosemary and peppermint, the peppermint comingacross strongly and making for an invigoratingexperience. Both products were economical touse and left the skin soft and smooth. Further details can be found at www.yaoh.co.uk Both products are in the latest VeganSociety catalogue.

� NEW BARS FROM MOTHERHEMP

These hemp bars are light and tastywith a texture similar to crisped rice

and a sweet flavour. Further information from Motherhemp,

telephone 01323 811909www.motherhemp.com

� PANTRI NOLWENN FIG ROLLS

More goodies from Pantri Nolwenn, where specialdiets are catered for with every conceivable luxury.Their new fig rolls were chewy and filling, quite unlikethe insipid versions found in the average store. Therolls are sugar free and sweetened with pure fruitpuree, making them moist and rich. Further information from Pantri Nolwenn, telephone01348 840 840 www.pantrinolwenn.co.uk [email protected]

� GREEN PEOPLE TRAVEL PACK

The Green PeopleHair and Body TravelPack comprisesshampoo,conditioner, showergel and deodorant, allorganic, in a small,easy to carry box idealfor weekends away.The Aloe Verashampoo was luscious

and mild and a little wenta long way. The conditioner required

more, but was as good as some of the reallyexpensive varieties and left the hair soft and tangle free.

The Aloe Vera shower gel had a lovely fragrance and wasgentle on the skin. The deodorant worked well for 24 hoursand was made from witch hazel, grapefruit seed extract andaloe vera. The pack costs £12.99.Further details from Green People telephone 01444 401444www.greenpeople.co.uk e-mail [email protected]

� FREERANGERS

Freerangers haveintroduced two newitems to their accessoriesrange: an attractivemock suede bag and alarge useful wallet. Thebag would be ideal fora teenager and hasenough room forpurse, make-up, etc,but is still small andpractical.

The wallet comes in black withlots of space for credit cards andseparate compartments for cash. Further information fromFreerangers, telephone 01661 831781 www.freerangers.co.uk [email protected]

All Shoparound products have been authenticated as

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� PRINCIPLE HEALTHCARE

A number of vitamins and supplements in the Principle Healthcare range aresuitable for vegans. We tried Ginger, Cranberry, Bilberry, Vitamin E and EveningPrimrose Oil. All the vegan items are clearly marked, the product information isclear and concise and the size of the tablet or capsule is shown on the container. Further details from Customer Services, Principle Healthcare Ltd, Airedale BusinessCentre, Millenium Road, Skipton, BD23 2TZ. Freephone 0800 389 8103

The first 30 people to write to Principle Healthcare will receive a pot of one of the products – choose from High

Strength Evening Primrose Oil or Cranberry tablets.

� BAREFOOT BOTANICALS NEW PRODUCTS

SOS Hair and Scalp Rescue Shampoo and Conditioner are both 100% natural and of plantorigin and suitable for all hair types and all ages. The shampoo had a delicate aroma of lemon, teatree, lavender, rosemary and geranium essential oilsand was extremely rich, making it very economical to use. It was excellent onpsoriasis of the scalp. The conditioner needed a good covering to achieve fulleffect, but resulted in soft, shiny hair and a comfortable, moisturised scalp. Forfurther details see www.barefoot-botanicals.com or telephone 0870 220 2273.

� RED STAR HAND CRAFTED SOAP

These attractively boxed soaps come in two ranges: Everyday soaps, with a base of vegetable, coconut and olive oil, and Castile with almost50% olive oil, plus palm, coconut and avocado oils. We tried out two from the latter range. The Zingy Grapefruit smelled good enough toeat, lathered up generously and was kind to sensitive skin. The Lemon and Mint was also very fragrant and gave a soothing exfoliationwithout drying or irritating the skin. To make the company’s stance on animal testing absolutely clear, the boxes carry the words of MahatmaGandhi: “Vivisection is the blackest of all the black crimes”. The bars come in large 125 gram sizes. The Everyday range comprises Coffee andOatmeal, Sunny Citrus, Lime and Lavender, Tea Tree Treat and Smooth As A Baby’s Bum, the last costing £3.90 and the rest £2.90 each. TheCastile range of Creamy Castle, Sensuality, Lust and the two we tested all cost £3.90 each. For further information telephone 01922 712691or email [email protected]

In addition to offering a discount of 10% to Vegan Society members, Red Star are offering twobars of soap in the fragrance of your choice to the first 10 entries received (please supply atelephone number as well as name and address). Write to Vegan Offer, Red Star Hand CraftedSoaps, 1 Haddon Crescent, New Invention, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV12 5AT or email [email protected]

� ATLANTIC SEAWEED

This range of flavours and colours from the AtlanticOcean off the West Coast of Ireland are handharvested and organic. Sea vegetables bring a uniquetaste to cookery as well as nutrients such as iodine.The Mixed Sea Veg were a colourful combination ofreds and greens and equally tasty eaten raw as a snackor cooked to provide an ingredient in pasta, on pizzaor in soup. The Dulse Bites, a beautiful pink andpurple, were delicious when carefully steamed for 15minutes or microwaved briefly to make a crunchysnack. The company provides plenty of interestingrecipes. Other products include Sea Bath and SkinPads and Sweet Kombu Crisps. Further information from Atlantic Seaweed, 5 WattonRoad, Knebworth, Herts telephone 01438 213194

[NB: To avoid excessive iodine intake, high iodineseaweeds such as kelp (kombu) should be eaten insmall amounts – about an ounce a year.]

� DUO-KULT PROBIOTIC

The strongest Acidophilus-basedsupplement available, these strains

of beneficial bacteria are resistantto stomach acid and have beenrecommended for sufferers ofColitis, Crohn’s Disease,Irritable Bowel Syndrome andCandida Albicans. Duo-

Kult capsules are suitablefor everyone, including

children, and are yeast andgluten free.

Further information from Cambridge Bioceuticals,telephone 01353 723234, www.duo-kult.com email [email protected]

SPECIAL OFFER

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As the summer draws closer, the scene is set for vegan barbecues and thereare a number of new products to help make the party go with a bang.

Debbie Holman

ShoparoundBBQ Special

� SUPREME – FIRST FOODS

The man whointroduced usto SwedishGlace nowdelivers adeliciouslycreamy chocolateice cream on astick and covered incrisp chocolate. Andthere’s more to come– watch this space!www.first-foods.comT. 01494 431355

� SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON

Redwood's latest innovations - VeganSmoked Salmon Pate, Fishless Tuna, Bread-crumbed Fishless Steaks and Vegan Scampi- are subtly flavoured and may appeal tothose who find other products too “fishy”.For details see www.redwoodfoods.co.ukor telephone 01536 400557

� STONEWALL’S JERQUEE

A pure vegetableprotein product,Stonewall’s Jerqueecan be eaten straightfrom the bag ormicrowaved for tenseconds for a hotsnack. Cooked inolive oil and GMOfree, it is perfect foroutdoor eating. Formore details, seewww.soybean.com

� YAOH SUN PRODUCTS

The organic coconut-scented hempseed oil sun blockand the lavender-fragranced aftersun lotion both haveexcellent moisturising properties. Further information from Yaoh, PO Box 333, Bristol,BS99 INF www.yaoh.co.ukBoth products are in the latest Vegan Society catalogue.

The first 15 entrants will win a bottle each of sun blockand aftersun. Entries should be marked ‘Vegan BBQOffer’ and reach Yaoh by 15 June, specifying whethersun protection factor 15 or 30 is preferred.

All other entrants will receive a free SPF 15 coconut lip balm.

� QUINOVA

Made with quinoa grain, Quinova isavailable as mince or chunks. Thequinoa is grown using environmentally friendlymethods and purchases support the incomes of the indigenous people of the Andes. 200 gram and 400 gram packs cost £1.95 and £2.99 respectively. From health food outlets or contact Anglesey NaturalFoods Ltd on 01248 422 011 www.quinova.co.uk

Quinova spatulas and bags for the first 20 people towrite to Vegan Offer, Anglesey Natural Foods, CelticHouse, Gaerwen, Anglesey LL60 6HR.

� LINDA MAJZLIK

Vegan Barbecues& Buffets

Full of greatideas andrecipes, this is amust-have forthe summer.

Jon Carpenter Publishing have 10 copiesto give away. Write to: Vegan BBQ Offer,Jon Carpenter Publishing, 2 Home FarmCottages, Sandy Lane, St Paul’s Cray, KentBR5 3HZ. The first 10 entries drawn on 15June will win. [Also available price £5 from the latestVegan Society catalogue, which features aspecial offer on other Linda Majzlik books.]

� TURTLEISLANDFOODS

Torfurky’sthreevarieties

of sausageare versatile

and easy tocook: the Sweet Italian Sausage isperfect for pasta and pizza butequally good in a simple sandwich;the Kielbasa is less spicy but still tasty;and the Beer Brats definitely tastes ofbeer. All contain more than 50% lessfat than standard meat varieties. Further information from Turtle IslandFoods, www.tofurky.com, [email protected]

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TRIBUTE TO THE LATE

KATHLEEN JANNAWAYVEGAN SOCIETY PATRON

At last year’s AGM I describedKathleen Jannaway as “a vegan

saint” and those were not idle words:I felt qualified to utter them havingwitnessed at close quarters herabsolute dedication to the vegancause.

Born in Ireland on 6 February 1915,Kathleen lost both parents shortly afterher birth and was brought up by herpaternal grandparents, hergrandmother living to the age of 101.She won a scholarship to a radicalgrammar school in Streatham andwent on to teach biology in severalLondon schools. She married hercousin Jack in 1938, just before theoutbreak of World War II, when theybecame early members of the PeacePledge Union, distributing Peace News.Becoming Quakers and vegetarianswas a natural development.

After the births of their three children,Richard, Mary and Patrick, Kathleenreturned to teaching. After moving toLeatherhead, the Jannaways becamealmost self-sufficient as most of theirfood was grown in the garden.Kathleen subsequently took earlyretirement to work as hon. Secretary ofthe Vegan Society. She greatly admiredGandhi and Richard St Barbe Baker andliked to quote Teilhard De Chardin.

Kathleen Jannaway served as hon.Secretary of the Vegan Society from1971 to 1984 - a time of mostsignificant growth of interest whenmembership soared. After the BBC2Open Door film, “Food for a Future”,in which Kathleen demonstrated theuse of vegan compost in her garden,the Royal Mail had to send a van withthe 5,000 responses. Kathleenpioneered a wide range of soundlyresearched leaflets and “First Hand,First Rate”, a booklet of simple recipesbased on home grown foods, wentinto reprint after reprint and generatedeven more interest.

On New Year’s Day 1980, I began workas Kathleen’s assistant. Unlike my boss,I was paid a salary. I spent the first fourmonths with Kathleen in Leatherhead,then worked from home. I learned towork throughout the night to meetdeadlines and much was done atminimum expense. Festival stalls,cookery demonstrations and talks,especially to schools, provided a hecticschedule. Such enthusiasm isinfectious. Another star of the OpenDoor film, Diana Virgo, thoughtnothing of driving through the night tomy home in Wales to pick up morestock for a stall in Manchester the nextday. Anybody who knew Kathleenwould have done the same. We knewwe were privileged to be in thepresence of a great soul. Her husbandJack was also a stalwart supporterwhose fine drawings graced manyissues of The Vegan.

After ceasing to be hon. Secretary ofthe Vegan Society in 1984 Kathleenfounded the Movement forCompassionate Living, reflecting herprinciples and her unstinting service.She was blessed with the rigorousacademic talent of a science teacher,the conscience and conviction of aQuaker and would work for nothing.Never was the vegan argument putforward so clearly and with suchconviction.

The enormous blow of Jack’s death in1999 didn’t stop Kathleen workinghard. She moved to Devon andcampaigned for tree planting tocounter global warming. Others havenow accepted the reins from her hands.However high her own standards, shenever failed to encourage and see thegood in the rest of us. Kathleen died inJanuary 2003, a couple of weeks shortof her 88th birthday. Thank you,Kathleen. We were lucky to haveknown you.

Laurence Main (Council Member)Wales.

There is always a great sadness inhaving to record the passing of

someone who has been an inspirationto so many, but we should also behappy and grateful for all the goodwork done for the vegan cause byKathleen Jannaway.

Kathleen and Jack Jannaway shared aradical outlook, seeking a fairer, morecaring world, and Jack was a constantsupport in all Kathleen’s work. Duringthe war, while preparing their meagreration of lamb, they looked out acrossthe fields and saw lambs playing. Theyboth suddenly made the connectionand became vegetarians.

In 1964, having seen a review of RuthHarrison’s book “Animal Machines,”which revealed the cruel system ofbattery cages for hens and narrowcrates for veal calves, Kathleen becamea vegan. She later became hon.Secretary of the Vegan Society anddedicated her mind and her energy tothe vegan cause, aided by JackSanderson as President, Eva Batt whoinvestigated vegan products and wrotecookbooks, Serena Coles, and GraceSmith as Treasurer. They were amongthe first to avail themselves of the BBCOpen Door facility for independentgroups to promote their ideas. As aresult, Vegan Society membershipdoubled to more than 1,000 almostovernight.

Kathleen was tireless in speaking togroups and running stalls and wasalways available to encourage andsupport individuals. Her talks and herarticles in The Vegan were aninspiration, based on fact as well assentiment, covering scientific andecological aspects but still with a strongmoral outlook.

After dealing with the day’s mail,Kathleen would spend some hours withJack in their large garden, where theygrew fruit and vegetables on veganorganic principles. Over more than 15

The Vegan l Spring 2003 9The Vegan l Summer 2003 9

years they proved that soil fertilitycould be maintained without animalproducts, pesticides or outsidefertilisers, using techniques ofcomposting, green manuring and croprotation. She claimed that without toomany hours work a middle aged couplecould be largely self-sufficient on lessthan half an acre and the annualgarden party on their lawn became awelcome meeting place for vegans.Kathleen firmly believed in naturalfoods grown locally where possible andsupported the whole grain and healthfood movements against supermarketjunk foods. In 1984, when a groupwith different ideas came toprominence and the Vegan Societymoved to Oxford, Kathleen decided tocontinue her work in her own way.The Movement for CompassionateLiving (The Vegan Way) was dedicatedto working non-violently for lifestylespossible for all the world’s peoples,sustainable within the planet’sresources and free from all animalexploitation. The quarterly magazineNew Leaves brought support fromaround the world. The booklet“Abundant Living in the Coming Ageof the Tree” set out clearly theimportance of trees in the earth’secology and their contribution to thevegan lifestyle by producing alternativesto animal-derived products. In theseand other publications Kathleen set outa vision of a future society in contrastwith the exploitative, globalising trend.

After Jack’s death, Kathleen bought afarm in Devon where she continued toplant trees. Sadly, she had a fall andbroke her leg, which took a long timeto heal, and she never really seemed toregain her vigorous health. Othershave already taken over theadministration of the Movement forCompassionate Living, and the VeganOrganic Network is establishingstandards for vegan organic foodproduction and appealing for funds toset up an experimental and educationalcentre to promote food production onvegan organic lines to demonstrate toa wider world what Kathleen andothers have already proved.

Kathleen was pleased to be elected asa Patron of the Vegan Society last year.To most of the young people present,she was probably just a name, but theSociety and the whole vegan cause

world wide owes much to her devoted,intelligent and unstinting hard work.Her enthusiasm for veganism was thatit played a large part in promotinggreater fairness for humans andanimals, less exploitation of the poorernations and the prospect of a morepeaceful world. In a world threatenedby famine and war, where world tradeseems just an excuse to exploit thepoorer peoples of the earth, there is agrowing awareness of the problemsfacing the whole of humanity. Now,more than ever, we need theinspiration of Kathleen’s vision thatveganism is a vital solution to theseproblems and essential for a stable,peaceful future for the world.

Harry Mather Bournemouth

Kathleen was special, and vegans ofher era will need no reminding of

her multi-talented mix of irascibility andcompassion. I am more concerned hereto report a personal reminiscence: howI knew she knew about me - the hintsdropped, their humour, the genuineconcern for her successor. Her advicewas not just sound but honest: “Makesure you don't become a glorifiedclerk”. Knowing that the health ofveganism was to a large extent in myhands, she informed me of what Ineeded to know, and without bias. Iregret that my pleas to her to carry onwriting for The Vegan were refused,but her contribution to veganismremained immense.

When I stayed with Kathleen and Jackin 1984 I knew that I was among kinand I benefited greatly from theirhospitality and generosity. Thinkingback to those difficult days, I am stillsurprised by their ability and willingnessto engage with me with sympatheticimagination. Like them, I had much tolose, but not once did I feel anyhindrance or animosity, only support.In the 1990s, too, Kathleen continuedto be of assistance to me.

There is much more that I could add,but suffice it to say here that whateverthe achievements of the post-JannawayVegan Society I was almost in awe ofKathleen, and remain so.

Barry Kew (Former General Secretary)Edinburgh

When we last spoke on the phone, in September, Kathleen had clearly hadenough of old age. She did not go along with the notion of a good God

having created this sorry scheme of things but preferred Teilhard’s idea that Hecreated us to put it to rights. When I said I felt that He had made a poor job of it,since we are clearly an aberrant species who took a wrong turning, she agreed.Though saddened to hear of her death, I am glad that she has been spared furtherproof of that depressing conclusion.

Over many years of friendship we met only a few times, and it is easy to slip into akind of unthinking acceptance that those of sound and constant mind will be forever available. Thankfully, this is true of what they have said and written.Nevertheless, so supremely dedicated a champion of sane and humane living will besorely missed.

Jon Wynne-Tyson Sussex

The argument that animal experiments never have and neverwill benefit humans is inherently a difficult one to prove

since unravelling what the situation might have been in termsof medical advances if animal experiments had not beeninvolved is inevitably a hypothetical exercise. The aim of thisshort article is therefore to provide simple, well authenticatedexamples of ways in which the use of animal experiments hasconfused and obstructed majorpublic health initiatives andhindered progress towards abetter future for humans andanimals alike.

The first example is the biggestpublic health hazard of thetwentieth century: smoking.Observations of the harmfuleffect of smoking on humans areprobably almost as old as thehabit itself, but direct humanevidence of harm from tobaccosmoking grew as massproduction transformed smokingfrom an occasional activity to atwenty-a-day routine. The firststudies published in the 1920sand 1930s were straightforwardobservations by astute doctors that about 90% of patientswith lung cancer were smokers. Later studies in the 1940scompared the percentage of smokers among lung cancerpatients (cases) with the percentage in samples from thegeneral population (controls) and consistently confirmed theapparent dramatic ill effect of smoking. This observation wasconsidered insufficient for preventive action due to the(remote) possibility of bias in such case control studies due tounrepresentative selection of the control group or bias indetermining smoking history in the case and control groupsand due to the lack of “validation” from animal experimentswhich had failed to reproduce the massive ill effect observedin humans. The case control studies were followed byprospective studies which measured current smoking habits ina large number of healthy people and monitored subsequentdeaths, thus reducing the possibility of bias. By the mid-1950s, two large independent studies had reported anincrease in risk of death from lung cancer in regular smokersby a factor of 24 in the UK and a factor of 23 in the USA.

Such consistent results from prospective studies of humans indifferent countries should have ended the fudge andprevarication about taking action - but it didn’t.

Instead it was argued that people who liked smoking mightcoincidentally have a predisposition to cancer. The tobaccolobby insisted that no action could be justified withoutevidence from a randomised trial, in which individuals wererandomly assigned to smoke or not smoke rather than makingtheir own choice. This was seen as both impractical andethically unacceptable for humans, but despite the powerful

human evidence the demand for“validation” by randomisedexperiments on animals continuedand it was not until the early1960s that a few cases of lungcancer due to forced smokingwere confirmed in dogs. Theinsistence on validation fromanimal experiments delayedaction against smoking by at leasta decade and arguably by threedecades. While it is difficult torefute each and every claim of abenefit from animal experiments,such claims should be viewed inthe context that relying on animalexperiments over human evidenceset public health action againstsmoking back by decades, withtragic consequences for millions

of people and for the many thousands of other animals whowere sacrificed to no avail.

The issue of smoking is far from the only instance of relianceon animal experiments confusing public healthrecommendations. My second example concerns fat intakeand breast cancer. In comparisons between countries,percentage of calories from fat is strongly associated withbreast cancer. This observation more than justified ahypothesis that high fat intake promoted breast cancer, butsuch national comparisons are readily confused by otherfactors associated with fat consumption. National wealth(GDP) was almost as strongly associated with breast cancer asdietary fat. National wealth is associated with factors such asearly menstruation (due largely to more rapid growth in theabsence of calorie restriction), women having fewer childrenand breast feeding them for shorter periods, all of which areestablished risk factors for breast cancer.

The weak human evidence, however, was “validated” byresults from animal experiments in which carcinogenic poisonsproved more effective in causing cancer when the animalswere liberally supplied with high fat food. Around 1980 these

ANIMAL EXPERIMENTS& HUMAN HEALTH

Stephen Walsh PhD

Like most vegans, I find the idea of deliberately harming a fellow being abhorrent, whether in the hope of benefitinghumans or otherwise. The number of animals killed for animal experiments in the United Kingdom is currently about2.5 million per year. This figure is overshadowed by the more than a billion animals who die in the production ofunnecessary products for human food. However, the exceptional deliberateness of the harm, the extremity of some ofthe procedures and the remoteness of the benefit sought combine to give animal experimentation a significance farbeyond the numbers involved.


www.x-cape.org.uk

observations led to many official bodies recommending areduction in fat intake in order to reduce cancer risk.Excessive confidence in the results of animal experimentsmeant that the sophisticated prospective studies in humansthat were considered insufficient evidence to condemnsmoking were not even thought necessary before issuingrecommendations. Indeed, even inconsistent case controlresults proved no deterrent. When prospective studies didreport in the late 1980s, they found no effect of percentagefat intake on risk of breast cancer. The main researcherbehind the prospective studies, Professor Walter Willett, noted: “A fundamental question related to the laboratory findings iswhether any particular rodent model has relevance to humanbreast cancer. Ironically, this is a difficult issue to prove ordisprove without firm human data.”

With hindsight, some animal researchers can be seen to haveproduced results consistent with the human prospectivestudies. The early high fat diet experiments led to ratsconsuming more calories and getting fatter. If calorie intakewas kept constant, the effect of increased percentage ofdietary fat disappeared. If the animals were allowed to livewithout being dosed with carcinogenic poisons, then even ifthey got fatter the breast cancer rate did not increase. Nodoubt some researchers will argue that they have learnt theirlesson and can now do better experiments, though one wouldhope that most researchers would learn the real lesson - thatanimal experiments should never be used as a basis forrecommendations to humans. Sadly, however, the use ofcarcinogenic poisons on rats and other animals in the name ofscience continues unabated.

Some animal experimenters will admit that animal experimentsshould never be used as the basis of recommendations forhumans but claim that they are important for generatinghypotheses. The most influential hypotheses on public healthrecommendations in recent decades, however, such as the linkbetween saturated fat and heart disease, have come fromobservation of humans. Comparisons between countries and

between individuals within countries are a fertile source ofhypotheses, as is careful clinical observation. Improvementsin registration systems for monitoring diseases has immensepotential and monitoring variations in disease prevalencetogether with genetic variations has great and largelyuntapped potential.

For instance, understanding of the role of homocysteine inhuman health can be traced back to observations in the1960s of cases of a severe genetic defect causing greatlyelevated homocysteine and leading to heart disease inchildren. The hypothesis that moderately elevatedhomocysteine might contribute to heart disease in adults hassince been thoroughly explored and confirmed in part byobservations of individuals with a different genetic variantcausing only mild elevation of homocysteine. The lessonsfrom this research about the importance of good folate andB12 intakes for optimal health have helped to refine dietaryrecommendations for meat eaters, who often get too littlefolate and absorb B12 less well from meat than from othersources, and for vegans who often get too little B12. Studieson genetic variants affecting iron absorption have shown thateven modest increases in absorption are associated withincreased risk of diabetes and heart disease and point topotential risks from consumption of high levels of red meat.No human or other animal was harmed to provide this usefulevidence.

I believe that there is enough evidence to conclude thatstopping animal experimentation and diverting the resourcesto other forms of research, such as monitoring geneticvariants and disease in humans, would bring a net benefit forhumans as well as ending the indefensible slaughter ofmillions of animals in the hope of speculative benefits. Allvegans have taken the decisive step of ceasing to exploitanimals for food. This places us by definition at the forefrontof the movement for animal liberation. Let us also rememberthe animals suffering in the laboratories, not just on WorldLab Animals Day but every day, and try to help them too.


www.shac.net


Since the 1950s, many scientific studies have been carried out toevaluate the properties of this herb, which seems especially useful for

relieving the symptoms of painful menstruation, pre-menstrualsyndrome (PMS) and the female menopause.

A study by Schellenberg used an extract from berries to treat pre-menstrual syndrome in women over three consecutive menstrual cycles.Half the women were given active extract and the other half a placebo.Schellenberg concluded that 'patients who received agnus castus had asignificant improvement in combined symptoms compared with thoseon placebo'. Other studies have confirmed it as an effective and welltolerated treatment for PMS.

Agnus castus can also be used to treat menopausal symptoms and as anatural alternative to oestrogen replacement therapy. Lucks, Sorensenand Veal looked at how essential oils extracted from both berries andleaves affected menopausal symptoms. The berries are usually thoughtto be the active part of the plant, but this study suggested that essentialoils from the leaves might be even more effective for the treatment ofmenopausal symptoms. Compounds similar in structure to human sexhormones have been isolated from the leaves and flowers while theberries seem to contain a mixture of iridoids and flavonoids.

More research is needed into exactly why agnus castus is so effective intreating menopausal symptoms, but it seems to act in much the same

way as luteinising hormone, favouring production of progesterone andhaving a normalising effect on oestrogen. As menopause approaches,problems sometimes arise when an egg matures but is no longerreleased from the ovary. Stress, dieting or excessive exercise can meanthat younger women also sometimes fail to ovulate. Essentially, ifovulation does not occur, oestrogen is produced as usual but the ovariesproduce no progesterone. This can lead to oestrogen dominance andproblems such as heavy bleeding. By increasing progesteroneproduction, agnus castus could be a useful treatment for this type ofimbalance and I am currently investigating this. Hormonal imbalance canalso occur if too much prolactin is produced, perhaps due to stress,leading to abnormalities in the second half or luteal phase of the cycle.Studies have indicated that agnus castus can reduce prolactinproduction and could be an effective treatment for this problem.

A study carried out by Ohyama et al. at Tokyo University looked at theeffect of different concentrations of agnus castus extract on varioustypes of cancer cells, including cells from the breast, cervix and ovary.The extract tended to reduce cell division and often killed them. Otherstudies have shown the extract to be useful in reducing the intensity ofcyclical breast pain (mastalgia). Evidence is also accumulating that itmay be helpful in treating infertility problems in women. I have seen nostudies indicating any reduction of libido in men, but they might do wellto steer clear of this herbal supplement just in case.

Pauline Lloyd

AGNUS CASTUSVitex agnus castus is native to the Mediterranean region and Western Asia, where women use its fruit to regulate their menstrualcycles. In ancient times the dried and ground berries were used to suppress libido in temple priestesses - hence the alternativenames of Chaste Tree or Monk's Pepper.

Welcome to the Summer 2003 Kids’ Page

Aisha: This year, Bronwyn’s birthday was on EasterSunday, and as promised, we celebrated with trifle,ice cream and fresh fruit for breakfast, before racingdown to Portsmouth for our holiday on the Isle ofWight. For the ferry, we took a flask of home-madevegetable soup and bourbon biscuits – the onlyvegan item they currently sell on Wightlink Ferries -Bronwyn’s seven now.Bronwyn: I got my gold medal for my ballet examjust before my birthday and for my birthday I gotsome binoculars, a Will Hay video, a pair of pyjamasand best of all a Vegan Princess tee-shirt whichMummy bought from thewww.animalrightsstuff.com website.Aisha: They do some great things for vegans andanimal rights activists. Bronwyn: I’ve been using my binoculars forlooking at birds and animals when we go oncountry walks. I’ve learnt about lots of differentbirds and seen deer, foxes, kestrels and red kites aswell as garden birds.Aisha: Since we last spoke we’ve been very busyfund-raising and demo-ing, as well as dusting offthe tent, and we’re hoping to get to some of thevegan festivals over the holidays.Bronwyn: Our friend Ritchie came and helped uswith a SHAC stall for Dacorum Animal Rights Groupand we raised £350 in one day. I hope we raise thatmuch for the Vegan Society when we next do a stall.Aisha: I helped Mummy design tickets and postersfor the coach to the SHAC World Day for LabAnimals demo in Cambridge on Easter Saturday.Bronwyn: And I helped Mummy post out thetickets that people bought.Aisha: We’ve also been to an animal rights activistsgathering in Kent.

Bronwyn: And mountaineering in Wales.Aisha: When we came back from holiday, tocelebrate Bronwyn’s birthday and also Mummy’s(which is in May) we decided to have a barbecue.It’s such a great way to show your non-veggiefriends how easy it is to give up meat.Bronwyn: We had Fry’s hot dogs and burgers.Mummy also made me one of my favourite dishes… mashed potato mixed with tomato ketchup.Aisha: And veggie skewers – we got some metalskewers as heat travels faster through metal sothings cook faster. Then we chopped the veggies upinto big chunks so we were less likely to hurt ourfingers putting them on the skewers and also so theveggies are less likely to split and fall off. We usedred, green and orange peppers, courgettes,mushrooms, tomatoes and lots of others. I don’tusually like tomatoes, but they are very nice barbecued.Bronwyn: We also had jacket potatoes, nut-stuffedmushrooms, chocolate bananas and salad. It wasreally yummy.Aisha: You should have a barbecue too.Bronwyn: They’re loads of fun. Next year, we’rehoping our local health food store will be stockingthe new Redwood vegan fish dishes – fish steaks,scampi, smoked salmon and tuna. We’ve never hadfish, so we can’t wait to see what they’re like. Wedid have some really sad news earlier in the yearthough when we heard that Fry’s Chocolate Creamwas no longer vegan.Aisha: Never mind - in the summer it always meltedin the packet so you got it all over your face andhardly any in your mouth. Bronwyn: I hope you all have fun on your summerholiday.

R E C I P E :

Nut-stuffedMushrooms

What you need: Pistachios,cashews, large mushrooms, tinfoil and most importantly ofall: A BARBECUE!

What to do: Cut the stalk outof the mushrooms and stuffwith pistachios and cashews,then put the stalks back on.Wrap the stuffed mushroomsin tin foil. Ask an adult to putthem into the coals and thenleave them for a bit, but don’tleave them as long as bakedpotatoes! You might like tomake lots and put them onthe barbecue and take themall off at differing times. Thejuice oozes out of themushrooms, so mind youdon’t spill it on your summertop and shorts!

We would love to hear fromyou: Why are you vegan?What do you like about beingvegan? How do you persuadeyour friends to become vegan?Please send your stories,poems, pictures & photos to:Bronwyn & Aisha’sVegilanticsc/o The Vegan Society, Donald Watson House, 7 Battle Road, St Leonardson Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7AA or [email protected] “Vegilantics” in thesubject line.

Bronwyn (life vegan ) is 7. Aisha her sister is 10 and has been vegan as long as Bronwyn and vegetarian since before she was born!

The Vegan l Spring 2003 13The Vegan l Summer 2003 13

GET FRUITY VIA YOUR MAIL

Not just for raw foodists – these fantastic fruit and vegetable stamps coincide with TheGovt’s ‘5 a Day – just eat more (fruit and veg)’ campaign. Each set of 10 contains 5 fruit and5 vegetable stamps that you can turn into your own little characters with a whole sheet fullof hats, eyes, mouths, legs, ears and moustaches to choose from. Send in your creationsand we’ll print the best ones or post them up at www.worldveganday.org,


SILKWEARING AND TEARING THE FABRIC OF LIFEManeka Gandhi

To produce one gram of woven silk, fifteen silk moths areeither boiled or steamed alive in their cocoons. A single

sari involves up to 50,000 deaths. India has 700 silk producingcentres spread over 17 states with a total production in 1994-95 of 13,879 tonnes. Calculate that in terms of butterfly lives!

Those who revel in the rustle, colour, shimmer and splendourof silk should know how it is produced. Here is the lifecycle ofthe little creature sacrificed for each strand. It begins with themating of fully grown sexually active moths. After mating, thelive male moths are caught, dumped into a basket and thrownoutside the silk manufacturing centres. The waste pupae areused as animal feed. In four or five days the eggs hatch toproduce tiny larvae which feed on mulberry leaves. These littlelarvae gently grow into caterpillars over the course of about amonth. The fully grown caterpillar then wraps itself in layersof a filament made of saliva to form a cocoon to protect itselfduring its transition from caterpillar to chrysalis to moth.

Far from protecting the tiny creature, however, it is this cocoonthat causes its death. For man has discovered that this proteinshell is actually made up of fine silk threads. To emerge fromits protective shell, the creature within has to cut through thecocoon, ruining the filament. This is prevented in the mostsavage manner. When the cocoon is ready and the pupa isfully grown inside it, just a few days away from the finalmetamorphosis into a beautiful butterfly, the gruesomeprocess of silk extraction begins. The cocoons are collectedand put inside heat chambers at 70 to 90 degrees centigradefor three to four hours. During this time, the pupa slowlysuffocates, crumples and roasts to death, the cocoon it had sodiligently built to protect itself becoming its own death shroud.

After this torturous process, the cocoons are further boiledwith the dead pupae still inside in order to extract the silkthread. Nor is this the only cruelty involved. Only half themoths reared in silk centres are silk producing. The others arepupae which are allowed to grow into moths and used toproduce the eggs. In the obsession to obtain finer silk, thewings of these moths are cut off during copulation to preventcontact and contamination. Once they have laid their eggs,they too are killed since they can produce only once in theirlifetime.

The method of identifying and isolating diseased moths isequally crude - it consists of cutting off the moth's tail toexamine it under a microscope. Silk oil and silk powdermade from dead silk moths are used by the cosmeticsindustry in products for moisturising and conditioning theskin and hair, in hairstyling mousses and in some facepowders and eye shadows and even some soaps.

The massive interference with the lives of these tiny insectsadversely affects the ecological balance. Butterflies pollinatemany tubular flowers. Orchids, for example, cannot growwithout them. They also devour plant pests such as aphidsand destroy weeds. In Australia, the cactus moth hascleared 60 million acres of prickly pear cactus for farming.In their turn, moths are eaten by lizards, spiders, bats andmonkeys. So every yard of silk has wrapped up in it the livesof all these creatures and of the earth.

Despite this, many people in India still find it difficult to giveup silk in a society where it is such a status symbol that it isworn even when the temperature is above 30 degreescentigrade. As a kind of halfway house, Eri silk productiondoes not involve murdering helpless creatures. It is currentlyproduced by small groups in the states of Uttaranchal ,Assam, Manipur and Gujarat and the animal welfare groupPeople for Animals has embarked on a larger project withthe help of a small government grant to produce this formof silk. It is also known as Ahimsa silk since it does notharm the moth but uses the cast-off cocoons after the livingcreature inside has pierced the cocoon and escaped. Forthose who understand the value of life but have not yetmanaged to give up using this traditional luxury fabric, this at least allows them to do so without wiping out wholenations.

For myself, I have no wish to wear silk at all and have notdone so for twenty years.

[When Maneka married Indira Gandhi’s son she wore acotton sari hand woven in prison by Pandit Nehru. There are also many alternative fabrics with the feel andappearance of silk but without the cruelty - Ed.]

Many people who object to wearing leather because it is made by killing and skinning animals don't think twiceabout wearing silk. Even religious people who would faint at the sight of meat being offered to God don't considerthe offering or wearing of silk as violent. Few people are aware that silk worms wrap themselves up in cocoonsmade of layers of thread to protect themselves from predators while they mature into butterflies and moths. It isthis baby butterfly that is boiled alive and the thread used for silk.


VEGANHOLIDAY CHOICES

This year there are holidays to suit alltastes and pockets – from camping in

the UK to cruising the Mediterranean –and even the possibility of a vegan skiingtrip next winter.

Saturday 21st to Thursday 26th June International VegFest near Lake Bafa,TurkeyOrganised by the Turkish EcologicalLiving Society and the EuropeanVegetarian Union at the Club NaturaOliva, this event will include talks,discussions, slideshows, cookery courses,yoga and optional excursions. For detailsof the venue, including nature trails,historic sites, bellydancing courses, etc.see www.clubnatura.com.Contact Bora Sari, Halil Ibrahim Cd. No.51/8, Istinye, Istanbul, Turkey 80860. Tel. 00 90 212 277 77 11Fax 00 90 212 277 60 42

or email [email protected]

Saturday 2nd to Saturday 16th AugustVegan Camp near Lyme Regis, DorsetHook Farm Touring Park is five minutesfrom the village of Uplyme and about halfan hour’s walk to the nearest beach. Thearea boasts woodland walks, stunningviews and wildlife including roe deer. A friendly low cost outdoor holiday forvegans of all ages and backgrounds. 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG76HX. 0845 330 3918 www.vegancamp.org

Wednesday 20th to Wednesday 27thAugustCruise to the Greek Islandsvia Spain, the South of France, Italy andMalta (where the local vegsoc is bound tolay on a big welcome). So far, the majorityof takers are vegan. Participants will havetheir own section of the dining room andthere will be talks and other activities ledby Tina Fox of the Vegetarian Society and,if numbers reach 30 [another half dozenor so], Stephen Walsh of the VeganSociety. Grosvenor Travel, 01492 593674www.vegsoc.org/community/cruise.html

Saturday 30th August to Saturday 6thSeptemberVegan Summer Gathering on theBeautiful Gower Peninsula, South WalesThe gathering usually attracts about 60takers for the self-cateringaccommodation plus day visits from localvegans, with a mixed programme of trips,discussions and communal meals. Costsare very reasonable with discounts forthose on low incomes. For more detailscontact

www.veganviews.org.uk/vsg

Winter 2003-4Ski Cruelty-FreeVegan Society Local Contact SophieFenwick hopes to arrange a chalet skiingholiday in France with catering by a topvegan chef.

MORE FREE GOVERMENT MONEY

FOR VEGANISMLaurence Klein, Treasurer

£££Many thanks to all those tax-paying members who havealready signed a Gift Aid form allowing the Society to claim backtax at no cost to yourself. If you have not yet signed, pleaseconsider doing so. For those able to make a regular donation tothe Society, a further scheme could result in even more governmentmoney heading towards veganism.

The Payroll Giving Scheme is open only to tax-paying employeesand those receiving employment-related pensions. You instructyour employer to deduct an amount from your pay, which is thensent to a charity such as the Vegan Society. And here’s the freemoney bit:: the government will add 10% to every donation! Thisspecial offer has now been extended to April 2004 and there areno upper or lower limits to the amount you can donate.

The donation is deducted before tax is calculated, so a £10donation costs you only £7.80 if your top rate of tax is the basicrate (22%) while the Society receives £10 plus 10% - a total of£11. For those on higher rate tax (40%), a £20 donation reducestake-home pay by only £12 while netting the Society £22.

Ask your payroll department whether they offer Payroll Giving. Ifthey do, you just fill in a simple form. If they don’t, refer them towww.inlandrevenue.gov.uk and ask them to follow the links toPayroll Giving.

Whether or not you are able to make donations in this way, aheartfelt thank you to everyone who gives money or time- or both - to the Society.

SPECIAL OFFER Buy one, get another free - please phone for details. Offer available until 31 May 03

DONALD WATSON:VEGAN SOCIETY FOUNDER & PATRON

Q: Where and when were you born?

A: I was born on 2nd September 1910at Mexborough in South Yorkshire, intoa meat-eating family.

Q: Tell me about your childhood.

A: One of my earliest recollections isof holidays on my Uncle George’s farmwhere I was surrounded by interestinganimals. They all “gave” something:the farm horse pulled the plough, thelighter horse pulled the trap, the cows“gave” milk, the hens “gave” eggs andthe cockerel was a useful “alarm clock”– I didn’t realise at that time that hehad another function too. The sheep“gave” wool. I could never understandwhat the pigs “gave”, but they seemedsuch friendly creatures - always glad tosee me.

Then the day came when one of thepigs was killed: I still have vividrecollections of the whole process -including the screams, of course. Onething that shocked me was that myUncle George, of whom I thought veryhighly, was part of the crew. I decidedthat farms - and uncles - had to be re-assessed: the idyllic scene was nothingmore than Death Row, where everycreature’s days were numbered by thepoint at which it was no longer ofservice to human beings.

I lived at home for 21 years and in thewhole of that time I never heard aword from my parents, mygrandparents, my 22 uncles and aunts,my 16 cousins, my teachers or my vicaron anything remotely associated withany duties we might have to “God’sCreation”.

On leaving school, I went to be anapprentice woodworker with anotheruncle. When I was 21, and due tobecome a craftsman, we foundourselves in the economic slump of theearly 1930s and I discovered thatcraftsmen could become woodworkteachers by qualifying through the Cityand Guilds. With a bit of trouble Imanaged it and liked the job so muchthat I never tried to get any kind ofpromotion.

Q: You are 92 years and 104 days oldas of today. To what do you attributeyour long life?

A: I married a Welsh girl, who taughtme a Welsh saying, "When everyoneruns, stand still", and I seem to havebeen doing that ever since. That mustbe part of the answer, because somany people are running towards whatI see as suicide, performing habits thateveryone knows are dangerous. I’vealways accepted that Man’s greatestmistake is trying to turn himself into acarnivore, contrary to natural law.

Inevitably, I suppose, within the nextten years one morning I won’t wakeup. What then? There’ll be a funeral,there’ll be a smattering of people at itand, as Shaw forecast for his ownfuneral, there’ll be the spirits of all theanimals I've never eaten. In that case,it will be a big funeral!

Q: When did you first become avegetarian?

A: It was a New Year Resolution in1924, so I haven’t eaten any meat orfish for 78 years.

Q: Tell me about the early days of theVegan Society.

A: In the two years before we formeda democratic Society, I literally ran theshow. From the response that I had -

thousands of letters - I feel that if Ihadn’t formed the Society someoneelse would have done so, though itmight have had a different name. Theword “vegan” was immediatelyaccepted and became part of ourlanguage and is now in almost everyworld dictionary, I suppose.

I can’t help comparing our attractivequarterly magazine with my humble“Vegan News” which I produced atgreat labour. Normally I spent a wholenight assembling the various pages andstapling them together. I’d limited thenumber of subscribers to five hundredbecause I couldn’t cope with a biggernumber.

Compared with democracy, dictatorshiphas obvious advantages. In the earlydays of "Vegan News" I could doeverything my own way. I don’t think Icould have survived if I had had towrite to the few people concerned andask for their opinion. I had notelephone and no motor car - I couldonly hope that they would see mypoint, until I handed over the work to acommittee.

Q: How does your veganism relate toany religious beliefs you may have?

A: I never had very deep ones. I’venever been clever enough to be anatheist – an agnostic, yes. Sometheologians think that Christ was anEssene. If he was, he was a vegan. Ifhe were alive today, he’d be anitinerant vegan propagandist instead ofan itinerant preacher of those days,spreading the message of compassion.

I understand that there are now morevegans sitting down to Sunday lunchthan there are Anglicans attendingSunday morning service. I think thatAnglicans should rejoice at the goodnews that somebody at least ispractising the essential element in theChristian religion - compassion.

Q: What do you find most difficultabout being vegan?

A: Well, I suppose it is the socialaspect - excommunicating myself from

Interview by George D. Rodger on 15 December 2002


�

that part of life where people meet toeat. The only way this problem can beeased is by veganism becoming moreand more acceptable in guest houses,hotels, wherever one goes, until onehopes one day it will become the norm.

Q: And the other side of the coin:what do you find easiest about beingvegan?

A: The great advantage of having aclear conscience and believing thatscientists must now accept conscienceas part of the scientific equation.

Q: How important has gardening beenin your life?

A: When I lived in Leicester a friend letme use an allotment. When the cropsmatured, I had to wheel them backfour miles to the other side of the city.When I was lucky enough to get a jobin Keswick, I got a house with an acreof garden, which was a dream cometrue.

My compost bins are filled with all theweeds, grass mowings, vegetable wastefrom the garden, dead leaves - noanimal manure. By the way, all mydigging is done with a fork – not aspade – to preserve earthworms.

Q: What are your views on geneticallymodified organisms?

A: As the old saying has it, if a thingseems too good to be true, it probablyis too good to be true, and I’m sure thisis a classic example, quite apart fromthe irreversible genetic nature of whatis our basic food supply in the future.

Q: What are your views on bloodsports?

A: I think it’s the bottom of the barrel.However necessary we may feel that,having got into this mess, we have tokill some creatures for their own good,to kill creatures for fun must be thevery dregs.

Q: What are your views on animalexperiments?

A: I said that cruel sports were thebottom of the barrel, but I think I’llhave to move even them up one andput vivisection at the bottom. Onething we should always ask when we

think that cruelty is largely delegated tothe people who perform it is the simplequestion, if these butchers andvivisectors weren’t there, could weperform the acts that they are doing?If we couldn’t, we have no right toexpect them to do those things on ourbehalf.

Most orthodox medicines are tested onanimals, and this perhaps is thegreatest inconsistency in vegetariansand vegans who take orthodoxmedicines - a more seriousinconsistency even than wearing leatheror wool because these are by-productsof industries that are primarily there toprovide meat.

Q: What are your views on direct action?

A: I’ve never become involved in it. Irespect the people enormously who doit, believing that it’s the most direct andquick way to achieve their ends. If Iwere an animal in a vivisection cage, Iwould thank the person who broke inand let me out but, having said that,we must always remember: is it justpossible that our act could be counter-productive? I’d rather not say “yes” or“no” because I don’t know the answerto that.

Q: What do you consider the greatestachievement in your life?

A: Achieving what I set out to do: tofeel that I was instrumental in starting agreat new movement which could notonly change the course of things forHumanity and the rest of Creation butalter Man’s expectation of surviving formuch longer on this planet.

Q: Do you have any message for themany thousands of people who arenow vegan?

A: Take the broad view of whatveganism stands for - somethingbeyond finding a new alternative toscrambled eggs on toast or a newrecipe for Christmas cake. Realise thatyou’re on to something really big,something that hadn’t been tried untilsixty years ago, and something which ismeeting every reasonable criticism thatanyone can level against it. And thisdoesn’t involve weeks or months ofstudying diet charts or reading booksby socalled experts - it means graspinga few simple facts and applying them.

Q: Do you have any message forvegetarians?

A: Accept that vegetarianism is only astepping stone between meat eatingand veganism. There may be veganswho made the change all in one leap,but I’m sure that for most peoplevegetarianism is a necessary stagingpost. I’m still a member of theVegetarian Society to keep in touchwith the movement. I was delightedto learn that at the World VegetarianConference in Edinburgh the diet wasa vegan diet and the delegates had nochoice. This little seed that I planted60 years ago is making its presencefelt.

Q: What do you think of the way theVegan Society has developed since youwere running it?

A: Better than expected, certainly.The genie is now out of the bottle andno one can ever put it back to theignorant days before 1944, when thisseed was planted by people full ofhope. Now wherever Man lives he canhave a vegan diet.

All the early work was done byvolunteers. In a way, everyone theSociety has ever paid to do the officework have all been volunteers. Evenour Chief Executive is on a wage atthe very bottom of anything that ispaid in the commercial sector.Because we can afford nothing more.So the Vegan Society has always, inthat sense, been supported byvoluntary labour. And we’reenormously grateful to these peoplebecause heaven knows what wouldhappen if they all packed in.

Q: In what direction do you think theVegan Society should go in the future?

A: I hesitate to suggest anything to amovement which seems to be goingwell and spreading world wide. Theedifice that survived all attacks beforewe started our work is now crumblingbecause of the inherent weakness ofits own structure. We don’t know thespiritual advancements that long-termveganism – over generations - wouldhave for human life. It would becertainly a different civilisation, andthe first one in the whole of ourhistory that would truly deserve thetitle of being a civilisation.


DONALD WATSON:VEGAN SOCIETY FOUNDER & PATRON

Interview by George D. Rodger on 15 December 2002

�

The Vegan l Spring 2003 19

Summer scents

Picture it now, you and yours sitting outsideon a balmy Summer evening, drinking in theincredible Summer scents of your eveningtime garden. That amazing eveningfragrance isn’t intended for our benefit,though it’s 'out of this world' for us too. Atthis time of year flowering plants aredesperate to attract pollinating moths andnight-time insects to their nectar ‘servicestations’ when the sun goes down. Nothingquite so much conjures up a warm Summerevening outside, whether eating al fresco orsimply taking it all in, as those evocativeSummer fragrances.

Other plants, of course, are fragrant duringthe day and provide us with a perhaps moresubtle but nevertheless enriching experience.Summer in particular provides an abundanceof scent as plants vie for pollinators, and wecan help provide nectar for insects as well asenjoyment for ourselves with a bit of carefulplanting.

For those of us who live in urbanenvironments these plants can be particularlygratifying when we have to contend with thesmells of refuse, car pollution and hot foodestablishments every day. Yesterday I foundmyself burning incense sticks in the gardento take away the unpleasant odour of caturine (my Crocosmia is a favourite restingplace for a number of local moggies) andreflected on the artificiality of this stratagemwhen nature provides wonderful fragrancesmore or less all year round. I now pledgemyself to incorporate fragrant wildlife-friendly plants in my garden as well as thosethat are visually enriching.

Create your own Eden

There are lots of well known and writtenabout fragrant plants to choose from, but myvegan ethics prefer that the greatest benefitsextend not only to people but to animals andthe environment too. My choice wouldtherefore focus on preferably native butotherwise wildlife-friendly garden plants.

There are a range of fragrant plants you cangrow: some have flowers which are scented,

ranging from large shrubs to climbers towildflowers, while others have fragrant leavesor stems. Mediterranean plants tend to fallinto the latter category, rosemary andbergamot being good examples.

To get you started, I have chosen twoflowering plants, one native and onecommon garden plant attractive to wildlife,both with a powerful evening scent. As withany plant, the right living conditions areimportant for them to thrive and to avoiddrastic measures to keep them healthy.

Native honeysuckle (‘Woodbine’)

Native honeysuckle or Lonicera periclymenumflowers from June and has the mostamazingly heady evening perfume. Itsflowers attract some spectacular moths whilethe berries help to feed the birds in Autumn.

It also helps to provide a natural balance inthe garden by attracting blackfly quickly

followed by ladybirds and lacewings and thelarvae of these insects, the scorpion fly, whichfeed on them. The bark is ripped off by birdssuch as blackbirds and house sparrows fornest building material while in its nativeancient oak woodland habitat the piedflycatcher relies almost entirely onhoneysuckle bark for this purpose.

Honeysuckle can be susceptible to mildewand fungal attack, so try to keep the rootscool by mulching and ensure regularwatering in the Summer. It should grow wellin any fertile, well drained soil in sun or semi-shade and is fully hardy.

Plant some by the back door or near abedroom window for maximum night timeeffect and just drink it all in.

Evening Primrose

Though not a native plant, the eveningprimrose or Oenothera biennis provides oneof the most attractive feeding places fornight-flying moths. Its flowers open in theevening just before sunset and each one lastsuntil noon the following day. The night timeperfume is incredible and it will also add awonderful splash of yellow to your gardenwith yellow blooms up to five feet tall.

The evening primrose is drought resistant andprefers a dryish, well drained soil in a sunnyposition. It is a biennial plant, putting onfoliage in the first year and flowers in thesecond.

Give it a go – you’ll soon be getting theevening garden 'bug’ and they won’t be ableto keep you indoors. Enjoy!

Resources

Baines, C. ‘How to Make a Wildlife Garden’2000 Frances Lincoln

The Royal Horticultural Society ‘NewEncyclopedia of Plants and Flowers’ 1999Dorling Kindersley

Pears, P. ‘Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening’2001 Dorling Kindersley

Fern, K. ‘Plants for a Future’ 1997 PermanentPublications

Grow VeganGeorgia Wrighton invites you to enjoy the Summer evening garden.


Grow Vegan Puzzler

Prizes this month: 3 £20 vouchers from NEBO Nursery

Where is our native honeysuckle to be foundin its natural surroundings?

(a) In wetland habitats

(b) On hillsides and mountainsides

(c) In ancient woodland

NEBO ORGANIC NURSERY

The first nursery to be registered with theVegan Society, Nebo use no animal composts

and run a totally organic operation.

Nebo offer a 10% discount to Vegan Societymembers – rising to 20% for orders of £30

or more.

Nebo Organic NurseryNebo, Saron, nr Llandysull,Carmenthenshire SA44 5EL For a catalogue or to order:

phone 01559 371838 or [email protected]

PLANTRESTAURANT


The Plant Tray takeaway is an eco-friendly tray with salads or hot dishes.

Soups, smoothies, sandwiches, wraps,cakes and snacks are complemented byinnovative dishes such as ScrambledTofulette Sunrise on tomato toastwedges, mixed Caribbean and Asianflavours with wild rice, and a range ofvegan desserts.

The pro-vegan profile is ‘almostcoincidental’. As Dr Chidi puts it, “Mostof the time we’re patching people up afterthey’ve hurt themselves: hopefully Plantwill be preventive - it’s about being healthyand having a great food experience.”Look out for Plants springing up near you:there are plans for more in central Londonas well as places like Brighton andCambridge.

PANCAKE WITH ICE CREAM & CHOCOLATE SAUCE Serves 4

Ingredients:132g/6oz/3/4 cup spelt flourpinch of salt264ml/10fl oz/1 cup soya milka little vegetable oil

To serve:150g/5oz/1 cup plain vegan chocolateVanilla or strawberry dairy-free ice cream8 strawberries, halved225g/8oz/2 cups vanilla soya dessert

Method:1. Sieve the flour and salt into a largemixing bowl. Make a well in the centreand pour in the soya milk. Whisk untilthe batter is smooth. Leave to stand for20 minutes, then whisk again. 2. Heat a little vegetable oil in a non-stickpancake pan. Swirl to ensure that thepan is coated, then tip out the excess oil.Make sure the pan is really hot, thenquickly spoon 2-3 tablespoons of batterinto the pan and tip to coat the pan

Plant Café and Restaurant, 47 Poland Street, London W1 (near Oxford Circus) is the brainchild of Chidi and UchennaNgwaba and vegan head chef Ben Asamani, who has created a menu emphasising fresh, mainly organic ingredients thatwill appeal to everyone.

EAST MEETS WEST Serves 4

Ingredients:1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp white onion, chopped2 clove garlic, crushed100g/4oz/1/2 cup mixed coloured peppers, chopped100g/4oz/1/2 cup okra, sliced100g/4oz/1/2 cup cooked chick peas100g/4oz/1/2 cup frozen veggie mince2 tbsp tomato puree120ml/4fl oz/1/2 cup coconut milkpinch salt and pepperpinch ground corianderpinch parsley (dried)pinch cayenne pepperpinch vegan bouillon powder

evenly. Reduce the heat to mediumand allow to cook. When bubblesstart to appear on the surface of thepancake (about 30 seconds), it isready to turn and cook the otherside.3. Slide the cooked pancake out ofthe pan on to a warm plate. Repeatwith the remaining batter mixture,oiling the pan each time. 4. Gently melt the chocolate in abowl over a pan of simmering water.Place the pancakes on serving plates,fill with a scoop of dairy-free icecream and fold. Warm the vanilladessert gently in a saucepan.Decorate the pancakes with thestrawberries and drizzle with themelted chocolate and soya dessert.

Sunflower Standard registered


TOFU NIÇOISE Serves 4

Ingredients:4 tbsp tamari or dark soy sauce4 tbsp chilli sauce200g/8oz/1 cup regular (firm) tofu,cubed4 tomatoes2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil4 tbsp white onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, crushed400g/1lb/2 cups baby potatoes, cooked and sliced200g/8oz/1 cup French beans200g/8oz/1cup mixed olives2 tbsp soy saucepinch sweet basilpinch herbes de Provence / mixedherbspinch cayenne pepperseasoning to taste

Method:1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gasmark 62. Mix the tamari and chilli sauce together.Add the tofu and mix gently to coat.Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.3. Cut the tomato into four pieces, brushwith olive oil and bake for 5 minutes.4. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying panand sauté the onion and garlic for 2 minutes.5. Add the potatoes, tofu, French beans,olives, soy sauce, sweet basil, herbes deProvence and cayenne pepper and sautéfor 2 minutes.6. Add the cooked tomato. Season totaste and serve.

CARROT & CORIANDER SOUPServes 4 – 6

Ingredients:1 tbsp olive oil1/2 tbsp white onion, finely chopped2 cloves garlic, crushedpinch cayenne pepper 2 large carrots (225g/8oz/2 cupsapprox), peeled and chopped1 stalk celery, chopped900ml/1 1/2 pints boiling water1 tbsp vegan bouillon powder or 2vegetable stock cubes1/2 tbsp salt and pepper1/2 tbsp mixed herbs1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Method:1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and cayenne, and sauté for 5 minutes.2. Dissolve the bouillon powder or stockcubes in the water to make a stock. Add to the pan, bring to the boil andsimmer until all the vegetables are cooked(20-30 minutes). Allow to cool.3. Blend until smooth, then return to thepan and reheat. Season with salt andpepper and mixed herbs.4. Stir in the fresh coriander and serve.

© Plant vegetarian restaurant 2003

To serve: Fried plantain and rice, or fried yam orboiled sweet potatoes

Method:1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the onion, garlic and peppers for 2minutes.2. Add the okra, chick peas and veggiemince and continue to cook until tender.3. Stir in the tomato puree and coconutmilk. Add the salt, pepper, coriander,parsley, cayenne pepper and bouillonpowder. Stir well to mix and cook for afurther 2 minutes.4. Serve with fried plantain and rice, orboiled yam or sweet potatoes.


REPELLING INSECTS THE GENTLE WAY

Tory Whitehurst

The main oils to equip yourself with arepeppermint, lavender and – of course

– citronella. All are commonly availablefrom wholefood shops. The insects thatthey repel are:

Citronella: Flies, gnats, mosquitoes and ticks. Also effective with nematodes

Lavender: Blackfly, flea beetles, fleas, greenfly, mosquitoes, moths and whitefly.

Peppermint: Ants, aphids, bean beetles, cabbage root flies, caterpillars, flea beetles, fleas, flies, lice, mosquitoes and moths. Also effective with mice.

In addition, pine essential oil is effectiveagainst woolly aphids as well as slugs andsnails, and rosemary can be used as adeterrent against carrot fly.

The traditional way to use these oils is toadd three or four drops to an oil burnerwhich has been half filled with water.Alternatively, a couple of drops can beadded to an unscented candle as the waxbegins to melt. Both methods are lesseffective if you want to leave the areaunattended or if you need a continualdeterrent, but there are a number ofother ways in which the oils can be used.

The most wide ranging - and simple -solution is to make a spray. Take an oldspray bottle, fill with water and addapproximately four drops of essential oilfor every 250 ml of water. Use it to spraythe air and around entry points. If youwant to make a stronger, more generalspray, add four drops of both lavenderand peppermint to the bottle. Take carenot to spray directly at the insects. Alsoavoid spraying on polished, delicate orwooden surfaces in case of water marks.

You can also add a couple of drops ofoil to pot pourri or to a cup of warmwater or a saucer containing cottonwool. Place them near windows andother entry points. It is best to keepthese away from other animals.Although animals generally avoidessential oils, once diluted and enticinglymixed with things like cotton wool theymay seem more attractive. In addition,dogs are attracted to the scent oflavender.

An excellent way of deterring insectsoutside is to make oil strips. Cut scrapsof material or paper into thin strips andadd a drop of oil to each one. Hangthem from branches or from the roof ofa greenhouse and renew the scent asneeded. For a more gentle smell, thestrips can be soaked in a bowl of waterto which you have added a couple ofdrops of oil.

Ants can be particularly difficult topersuade to leave. A combinedapproach would be to spray the areawith peppermint and place a few neatdrops of the oil at the nearest outsideentry point. Don’t use neat oils inside,on window and door frames or on othersurfaces that could be damaged. Foradded effect, you could add apeppermint plant or scatter leavesaround the area.

Oils can also be used to deter insects inthe garden. Beneficial insects are oftenattracted to essential oils, so a balancewill still exist. Ground-moving insectscan be discouraged by putting a fewdrops of oil into an old container sunkinto the ground until the top is levelwith the soil surface. So long as youuse the stronger smelling oils, such ascitronella and peppermint, other animalswill also keep away.

String that has been soaked with oil,using the same dilution as with the strips,can be strung between rows ofvegetables to discourage flying insects –but check it regularly and keep the stringtight to prevent birds becomingentangled.

You can also directly apply diluted oils toplants. There are two ways of doing this.The first is to add a couple of drops perlitre of water and use in a watering canor spray bottle. Alternatively, you canmake a gentler but still highly effectiveplant tea. For the latter, mix three tofour drops of oil with 250 ml of water,bring to the boil in an old saucepan andleave to cool. Add a tablespoon of themixture per two litres of water beforespraying or watering around plants.

Due to their high concentration, it isimportant to remember a few do’s anddon’ts when using essential oils. First,unless it is for medicinal reasons, avoidexcessive contact and wash your handsafter use. This is particularly importantwith the stronger oils, or if you are usingthe same oil regularly, as sensitivity canbuild up with continual use.

Undiluted oils will keep their propertiesfor up to two years, though citrus oils lastonly about six months. You can maximisetheir shelf life by storing them away frombright lights and preventing prolongedcontact with the air. Oils can also have acorrosive effect, so do not store them onplastic or other delicate surfaces. Oncediluted, they immediately begin to losetheir effectiveness, so it is better to makesmaller batches more often.

So the next time you’re struggling to findways of discouraging insects why not tryusing essential oils? Not only are theyhighly effective - they are also incrediblycheap and eco-friendly.

Essential oils make excellent insect deterrents. The qualities of citronella are well known, but other oils are just as effective.Insects dislike the smell of certain plants, so by using the relevant essential oil it is possible to repel them gently withoutcausing them harm.

The Vegan l Summer 2003 23The Vegan l Summer 2003 23


Diet MattersSandra Hood, BSc (Hons), SRD

I am allergic to all wheat productsand gluten and very sensitive tomany nuts. How can I follow avegan diet and get enough protein?

If you have been diagnosed with agenuine wheat and gluten allergy youwill need to exclude all these foods andyour GP will be able to prescribe somewheat/gluten free foods. For foodintolerances, it is a matter of beingcareful with foods which causeproblems as you will be able to toleratea certain amount. It is possible tofollow a healthy vegan diet withoutwheat and gluten, but it means carefulplanning. Choose grains such as rice,sago, tapioca, buckwheat, millet andpolenta, and use flours such as potato,cornflour, soya and chick pea (gramflour) for cooking. Protein will not be aproblem and vegans tend to rely moreon beans and pulses such as soya,lentils, chick peas and seeds. As fornuts, you may find that you toleratesome better than others. Make sureyou eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

I am from India. Many Indiansbelieve the baby will be healthyand beautiful if saffron is takenduring pregnancy but I have read inan encyclopaedia that saffron cancause miscarriage.

Saffron in normal quantities to colourand flavour dishes is fine, but I wouldnot encourage a pregnant woman totake large quantities of any herb orspice unless there is a medical reasonto do so. The idea that saffron willproduce beautiful babies is likely to bean old wives’ tale, perhaps to do withthe fact that saffron is such a verycostly spice.

My doctor says that I should takehemp seed and not flax as hemp isbetter absorbed

Hemp seeds are not so rich in omega-3fatty acids as flax, but they are still agood source. Hemp seed would bemore easily digestible as flax seeds havea hard shell which can’t be removed sothey need to be crushed or ground.

I am trying to conceive and wouldlike to know what sort of foods Ishould be having and what aboutcalcium?

Preconceptual nutrition is veryimportant. A folic acid supplement of400mcg per day is recommended forvegans and non-vegans alike from thetime you start trying to conceive untilthe 12th week of pregnancy. Ensure adaily source of vitamin B12 either fromfortified foods or as a tablet. It is alsoprudent to take a small amount ofkelp (kombu) to ensure an adequateiodine intake. A varied vegan diet willprovide all the nutrients you need. Tryto include foods from each of thefollowing groups on a daily basis:grains (bread, rice, pasta); pulses,nuts and seeds; vegetables; fruits.Fruits and vegetables should beincluded at every meal. Get the rightbalance of essential fatty acids byusing olive, soya or canola (rapeseed)oil in place of sunflower and corn oilsplus a teaspoon of flaxseed oil perday. If you are a healthy weight(neither under- nor overweight) andtake a varied mixed vegan diet,calcium intake should be adequate.Calcium rich foods include nuts, seeds,pulses, figs, greens and some fortifiednon-dairy milks.

I have been told that vitamin D2 isnot so good for you as D3.

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) generallycomes from fish or sheep’s wool whilevitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is producedfrom yeasts and thus suitable forvegans. Studies have shown thatvitamin D3 is more biologically activethan D2 - a bit like haem iron (fromanimals) which is more easily absorbedthan non-haem iron (from plants).The main source of vitamin D,however, is sunlight: it is synthesisedand stored by the body when the skinis exposed to sunlight. Vegans canalso obtain vitamin D2 from fortifiedfoods such as certain non-dairy milks,breakfast cereals and margarine andthis may be advisable during thewinter months.

Is soya based infant formula safe? I have heard that children’s sexualdevelopment and fertility as adultsmight be affected if they take soyabased infant formula.

The press recently confused tworeferences in a Government ScientificAdvisory Committee (SACN) paperwhich reported on two studies, Stromet al. (2001) which looked atmenstruation in women and Sharpe etal. (2002) which was a study on 30baby marmosets. The SACN concludedthat “neither paper definitively provesthat soy formula can cause long termharm to human infants”. Indeed, oneof the studies (Strom et al. 2001)concluded that “our findings arereassuring about the safety of infant soyformula”. We all know that “breast isbest,” but where breast feeding is notpossible soya infant formula is a safealternative to cow’s milk formula.

The Dr Atkins (high protein) dietsuggests that methionine is lackingin vegan diets.

Dr Atkins’ philosophy and diet plan isquite controversial and certainly notrecommended by health professionals.He had some unusual and worryingbeliefs, discouraging the consumptionof a number of fruits and vegetablesand encouraging saturated fats.Moreoever, his beliefs are aimed at theconventional omnivorous adult and notappropriate to the vegan way of life.Methionine is an essential amino acidrequired for proper growth in infantsand for maintenance of nitrogenbalance in adults. Homocysteine is anamino acid produced by the bodyduring the breakdown of methionineand there is strong evidence thatelevated homocysteine is a risk factorfor heart disease. Some studies haveshown that vegans generally consumeless methionine than omnivores, butmore is not better and there is morethan enough methionine in foods suchas soya. A mixed vegan diet, includinga reliable regular source of vitamin B12,will meets all the nutrient requirementsfor good health.

26 The Vegan l SUmmer 2003

Membership / Renewal I wish to become a member and support the work of the Vegan Society.

I wish to renew my membership.

Membership No. (if known)......................................................................

Name:................................................................................Address:..........................................................................................

Postcode:........................................Tel:..........................................................email:..................................................................

Date of Birth: (for security purposes)........../.........../..........Occupation:.....................................................................................

Please tick this box if you are a dietary Vegan. This entitles you to voting rights in the Society’s elections if aged 18+.

Please treat my membership subscription as Gift Aid. I have paid UK income or capital gains tax equal to the amount the Society reclaims.

My income is less than £8000 per year and I qualify for the low income discount of 33%.*

I wish to enrol other members of my household for an additional £7 each.**

A copy of the Society’s rules (Memo & Articles of Association) can

be viewed on our website or at our office. Alternatively you may buy

a copy for £5.

Please give full names of additional members and specify if dietary vegan and / or under 18. (If more than four additional members please attach separate sheet.)

Individual £21

* Less £7 low-income deduction (if applicable)

** Add £7 per additional household member

Life £350

Memo & Articles of Association £5

Overseas: Europe +£5 / Rest of World +£7

Donation

Total:

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Website: www.vegansociety.com

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MEM. No.: ...............................................Membership: .........................................

Renewal Date: ..........................................Sponsorship: .............................................

Sent:

Payment must be madeby credit card, sterlingInternational moneyorder or sterling chequedrawn on a British bank.

Membership How to pay


Raising Vegetarian ChildrenJoanne Stepaniak and Vesanto MelinaMcGraw-Hill 2003ISBN 0658021559Price £12.99[Available from the Vegan Society]

JoanneStepaniak(author of theexcellent BeingVegan and thevery popularVeganSourcebook)and VesantoMelina (co-author of theequallyexcellentBecomingVegan) have

produced an impressive and reassuringbook.

We may take our own health somewhatfor granted, but having to feed hungrylittle monsters tends to make one focus.The myth that non-animal-based diets areinadequate for children is fully and clearlydebunked. Issues such as ethics, familyand relatives, being different and eatingout are also discussed. The nutritionalneeds of all age groups from birth toteens, from nursing mothers to athletes,are all covered. Importantly, eatingdisorders are also addressed. Despite itstitle, the book is a vegan publication (theauthors making a distinction betweenvegans, whom they consider to have madean ethical lifestyle choice, and totalvegetarians who have simply adopted ananimal-free diet).

Raising Vegetarian Children always comesacross as both compassionate and level-headed and is never cloying. The morethan a hundred pages devoted to a widerange of simple, kid-friendly recipes arevery useful, though the "Resources"section is rather US biased. This book isnot just about food: for many people,becoming vegetarian (or vegan) is a life-changing and indeed life-affirmingdecision, but one that can be difficult andvery challenging. Raising VegetarianChildren spends many pages discussing theemotional aspects and moral implicationsof a meat-free lifestyle.

A useful book, nicely presented, wellillustrated, easy to read and well worth themoney.

Gascon Feathers Burt Keimach Booklocker.comISBN 159113188XPrice £8.95

This is the story ofthe Keimachs’attempt to live outthe rural dream ofso many of usoverworked citydwellers.

Burt and his wife Elizabeth had alwaysloved France, had married there and yearslater found an idyllic rural hamlet in SouthWest France to live in. As vegetarians, theyloved their large new garden and weredelighted by their orchard, but thendisaster struck: a neighbouring farmerdecided to rent out some land right next totheirs for a ‘gavage’ or factory farm shed inwhich castrated male geese are force fedfor 12 days as the final stage of the ghastlyprocess of making paté de foie gras.

Gascon Feathers is the story of theKeimachs’ – and, it must be stressed, theirfellow villagers’ - fight against this noisy,smelly, environmental destructive andhorrifically cruel ‘traditional’ farmingpractice. While not the best written bookin the world, it is a righteously angry andcompelling account of how factoryfarming destroys so much more than thelives of the animals so cruelly caught up inthe vortex of profit.

Vegan RusticCooking for allSeasonsDiana WhiteVegan OrganicTrustPrice £5.99[Available fromthe Vegan Society]

This book ofseasonal recipes was partly inspired by thevegan-organic vegetables grown by theauthor and her husband. The ingredientsused are aimed at supplying goodnutrition, flavour and energy all yearround. There is a wide variety of tastywholesome dishes, including hearty winterrecipes and fresh summer fare. Pancakesstuffed with purple sprouting broccoli,pecans and yoghurt nestle alongsidechocolate and orange marmalade buns –mouth-wateringly good!

KATHLEEN KELENY-WILLIAMS1908-2003

It is with great sadness that we learned ofthe passing of life-long vegan KathleenKeleny-Williams at the age of 94.

For many years, Kathleen owned and ranthe popular Coombe Lodge guesthouse inGloucestershire where she also taughtyoga. The story of her life is featured inthe Vegan Society book: Vegan Stories.

Born in Edgbaston, Birmingham, in 1908and brought up exclusively on a vegandiet, Kathleen was the daughter of JamesHenry Cook, who established the firsthealth food store in Britain in 1898. Histwo factories, the Pitman Health FoodCompany and Vitaland, produced a rangeof vegan products including Nuto CreamSoup.

In 1933, Kathleen met keen vegetarianFrank Mayo. They married a year later andstarted their own health foods store inCoventry, eventually setting up theCoventry Vegetarian Society. They had twochildren, Christopher and Pamela.

In 1950, Frank and Kathleen bought aguesthouse called Coombe Lodge inWotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire. Sadly, Frank died soon afterwards andKathleen was left to run the guesthouse byherself.

In 1952, at the International VegetarianCongress in Sweden, Kathleen met DrEugene Keleny, former President of theHungarian Vegetarian Society, and theywere married in 1957.

In 1963, Kathleen attended a talk on yogaand learned about the principle of Ahimsa– “not hurting”. Kathleen was soimpressed by this that she decided tobecome a yoga teacher with the Friends ofYoga Society and the British Wheel ofYoga.

In 1996, she published the story of her lifeand that of her father in a book entitledThe First Century of Health Foods.

A wonderful example of veganism,Kathleen was still giving talks in hernineties on how to be healthy and happyon a vegan diet. She will be very muchmissed.

Julie RosenfieldEditor, Vegan Stories

ReviewsMark Thwaite

PostbagContributions to Postbag are welcomed, but accepted on the understandingthat they may be edited in the interests of brevity or clarity.

Thank you for Stephen Walsh's long overdue article onthe hidden dilemmas of being a vegan. I am frequentlyamazed when vegetarian pundits suggest that we should flockto ASDA , Tesco et al. and stock up on their 'yummy vegangoodies', without worrying about who paid to kill the deadanimals stacked up in the corner. When challenged they tendto argue that change is better promoted from inside, butsurely this can be taken too far and in human terms wouldpreclude all sanctions against oppressive regimes. Did thecompanies who stayed in South Africa do so to promotechange or to make profits? The same question should troublevegetarians. Do we shop at Waitrose purely to argue our caseor mainly because it is easier and, yes, yummier than trekkinground the markets and wholefood shops?

It may not be practical to reduce our support for cruelty tozero – many health food stores sell cod liver oil – but I havelong harboured the fantasy of a chain of vegetariansupermarkets. These would not be health food shops: evenvegetarians have their weaknesses, so what I envisage isordinary supermarkets selling everything from tofu and organicvegetables to white flour and sugar-packed cereals, but minusall the animal products. The space freed could easily be filledwith the abundance of vegetarian and organic produce nowavailable. We could then divert a far larger portion of ourmoney away from the slaughterhouse floor - an opportunitythat I believe the majority of vegetarians would welcome.Perhaps such an idea is not yet commercially viable, but in theright location and with the right approach, a start could bemade. Any takers?

James Dixon,Suffolk

You probably get vegans in all walks of life now, but itmay interest readers to hear that I am currently DeputyMayoress of Torbay and at 30 years old probably not only theyoungest holder of this office but also the first vegan.

I take every opportunity to spread the word about veganismat all the events I attend. This usually happens naturally whenothers at the same table notice that I have been given aseparate vegan meal. Someone recently referred to me as a“pioneer”, probably making some hotels and restaurants dishup vegan food for the first time ever.

Reading the terrific Moby interview in the Spring issue of TheVegan made me realise that we vegans are threading ourselvesinto all walks of life and introducing the word “vegan” topeople who may never have come across it before. In myofficial capacity I am happy to share a table with meat eaters ifit gives me the opportunity to tell them what I am eating andwhy!

Jane Cuming,Devon

From the account in the Spring issue of The Vegan, itseems that it would be difficult to exist permanently inGreenland on a vegan diet.

I was puzzled, however, at why the writer emphasised thatthey had porridge and coffee “both with plenty of sugar”.According to many advisers, sugar is an item we can all dowithout for a variety of reasons, including long-term sideeffects as well as tooth decay, though I have read that usingthe whole cane is not harmful. Like 'Bread for Energy', I hadthought that 'Sugar for Energy' was another myth sincereading an article entitled “Pure, White and Deadly” in TheBritish Vegetarian many years ago when it was a newspaper.

I wonder if the scientist who ate the ladies' vegan sausageswas given a jolt when told of his mistake (kindly, no doubt). Ifso, let us hope that their loss was a blessing in disguise for thevegan movement and that he will add his name to ourmembership. Even the humble sausage can be a passiveadvocate!

Mrs B L Cox,Norfolk

The main aim of the Vegan Society is to promote the vegandiet, and the two main methods have been to highlight thehealth benefits of the vegan diet and the cruelty to animalsinvolved in meat and dairy produce. However, as vegans wemust be realistic. The vast majority of people are not going tolisten to the animal rights reasons for being vegan. Nor arethey going to listen to the health arguments as the vastmajority of meat eaters are quite prepared to play Russianroulette with their own health.

There is one argument, however, that I feel that the VeganSociety should be doing more to emphasise: the fact thatmeat and dairy cause famine. Every day thousands of peopledie of hunger because others want to eat meat and dairy.What about Vegan Society car stickers and other merchandisehighlighting the link between world hunger and meat anddairy consumption?

Famine is the greatest ethical dilemma facing society today,and no one claiming to be a Christian could ever eat meat ordairy again after reading the article by George Monbiot in TheGuardian on Christmas Eve [www.monbiot.com] But what isthat great bastion of ethics the Christian Church doing aboutit? I believe it is the duty of the Vegan Society to take thismessage to the various churches and religious groups. If theChurch is really a Christian organisation it will have no optionbut to promote a vegan diet and would be a very powerful allyto have. If it fails to do so, this will show that the Church isnothing but a hypocritical organisation.

David McKelvey,Northern Ireland


Coordination will be needed to ensure that as one section iscompleted the next begins and we’ll need a sunflower baton for

the teams to pass on. Local contacts could contact the local press,radio and television, and associated local exhibitions and talks canbe arranged. Offers of food and accommodation for the walkerswill also be much appreciated.

Our destination will be the 2004 AGM in London, to be fixedsometime around World Vegan Day (1 November 2004). The ideawould be to have a “spine” running [or rather walking] from theNorth of Scotland to London with other routes feeding into thisroute from all parts of the country. The exact route and timing willneed to be decided well in advance, so expressions of interest andsuggestions as to route, timing and associated events would bewelcomed by 1st September this year. Now is your chance toinfluence the route and itinerary by writing to Laurence Main, 9Mawddwy Cottages, Minllyn, Dinas Mawddwy, Machynlleth, SY209LW enclosing a stamped addressed envelope.

[The best source of waymarked trails is The Long Distance Walkers’Handbook, 7th edition, price £12.99 including postage from A & CBlack Customer Services, P O Box 19, St Neots, CambridgeshirePE19 8SF. Cheques should be made payable to A & C Black]

HISTORY OF THE VEGAN SOCIETY

This is planned for publication in Diamond Jubilee year. If anyreaders have information especially regarding the early years of theVegan Society not likely to be found in old copies of the magazine,minutes, etc. please contact George Rodger, 17 Howburn Place,Aberdeen AB11 6XT Telephone 01224 573034. [email protected] Information about old documents and photos will be welcome, butplease do not send irreplaceable items in the first instance.

EXPANDED VEGAN PASSPORT

It is hoped to expand this well established and useful publication forvegan travellers to contain not just all 38 languages from the firstedition but as many more as possible, hopefully at least 60 to markthe years of the Vegan Society. Several additional languages havealready been provided, but many more are still needed, particularlythe four major South Indian languages (Telugu, Tamil, Kannada,Malayalam) as well as Panjabi and the major West Africanlanguages Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo and Fulani. However, all newlanguages will be welcome and even for languages in the existingbook corrections/alterations may be appropriate.

Literate native speakers or very competent non-native speakers (eglong-term non-native residents of the appropriate country) areneeded who are ideally vegan themselves, or at least vegetarian.The passage for translation is quite short, so the task should not betoo arduous. All contributors will be credited in the book whenpublished, unless they wish to remain anonymous. If you are able tohelp or know someone who could, please contact George Rodger,

17 Howburn Place, Aberdeen AB11 6XT Telephone 01224 573034Email [email protected] for a translator's pack.

Meanwhile, the existing Vegan Passport is available from the VeganSociety and a very good buy at £2.99. Even without additionallanguages, we reckon it already covers over 90% of the world'spopulation.

JUBILEE WALKPROJECTS FOR DIAMOND JUBILEE YEAR 2004

Some readers may remember the Shiners, from Reading, marking the 40th anniversary of the Vegan Society in 1984 by walkingfrom John O’Groats to Land’s End. Let us celebrate the Diamond Jubilee by joining forces to walk the length and breadth ofBritain in relays. If we prepare now, we can achieve excellent publicity for our message as well as linking with other vegans anddemonstrating the strength and fitness of our membership. There’s no need to give up your jobs and spend months walking thewhole route. You are invited, however, to enjoy a few days or even a week or two following scenic, waymarked paths.

AGM NOTICEThe next Annual General Meeting of the Vegan Society will be held onSaturday 15 November 2003 at The Guildhall, Watergate Street,CHESTER CH1 2LA

PROPOSALS FOR RESOLUTION

Proposals for resolution, to be considered by Council for inclusion on theAGM Agenda, must be received at the Society’s office (Donald WatsonHouse, 7 Battle Road, ST LEONARDS–ON–SEA, East Sussex, TN37 7AA) notlater than Friday 1 August.

For your guidance Ordinary Proposals should:• be proposed and seconded by paid-up full (not supporter) members• in the interests of economy and clarity, not exceed 100 words• propose some form of action• propose one single action ie they must not be composite proposals• not simply comprise a statement of opinion

Members considering submitting Special Proposals (those seeking to changethe Memorandum or Articles of Association) are advised to contact theCompany Secretary (Rick Savage) on 01424 448820 ext 839 for guidance.

Proposers are requested to limit their proposals to two.

NOMINATIONS FOR COUNCIL

Nominations are invited for members to serve on Council. Each candidate must:

• have been a full (not supporter) member of the Society for 12 months or longer (as at 15 November 2003)

• not be disqualified under company or charity law from being a trustee/director

• submit a written nomination duly signed by a proposer and seconder who are paid-up full members

• submit a profile of him/herself stating in 100-200 words his/her full name (and any previous names), skills, experience, views and intentions if elected.

Nominations must be received at the office (Donald Watson House, 7 BattleRoad, ST LEONARDS–ON–SEA, East Sussex, TN37 7AA) not later thanFriday 1 August.

Candidacy is open to all members of the Society meeting the criteriaoutlined above. Members with relevant professional skills and qualificationsare particularly invited to consider nomination.

For further details, ask for a ‘Prospective Candidates Nomination Pack’ bysending an A5 SAE marked ‘PCNP’ to: Council Elections, Donald WatsonHouse, 7 Battle Road, ST LEONARDS–ON–SEA, East Sussex, TN37 7AA.


194420041199444422000044

LOCAL GROUPS NEWS


There is no formal Vegan Societyaffiliation – so long as it is obvious fromthe name that a group is for vegans andnot just vegetarians and a Vegan Societymember is willing to be named contact, itcan be listed. Please let the LocalContacts’ Coordinator know of anyomitted. Check first that the contactperson is a full member of the VeganSociety. If not, you could offer to be thecontact yourself and get publicity for thegroup.


� MAY

Mon 19th - Sun 25th

National Vegetarian Week –Vegetarian Society T. 0161 925 2000email [email protected]

Mon 19th – Mon 26th

National BBQ Week – National BBQPromotions Ltd – Let’s see some BBQswith food that everyone can enjoy –www.worldveganday.org

Fri 23rd

Leon Lewis Cookery Demo & winetasting and music. Brentwood, Essex.www.veganessex.org.ukT. 07092 369280 email [email protected]

Launch Party for Vegan Guide toBristol & Free BBQ - Wild Oats, BristolContact: Yaoh Ltd – www.yaoh.co.uk- T 0117 923 9053 email [email protected]

Sat 24th – Sat 31st

Greyhound Awareness WeekGreyhound Action PO Box 127Kidderminster DY10 3UZ Tel: 01562 745778www.greyhoundaction.co.uk email

Sat 31st May – Sun 1st JuneAnimal Rights Activist Gathering –East Peckham Nr Tonbridge Farmed Animal Action – Workshop, foodand campingwww.farmedanimalaction.co.ukT. 0845 4560284 email [email protected]

� JUNE

Sun 1st

Lecture by Dr Neal Pinkney (founderof Healing Heart ) London NW11 Jewish Vegetarian Society –

i

Sat 14th

Vegetarian Festival in Cambridge -Indian Centre, Mill Rd. 2.30pm. Meet at Parker’s Piece 1 pm for walkaround the city. Music, Food, Awards,Speakers. All Welcome.

Sat 21st – Thurs 26th

European Vegetarian Festival - Turkeywww.european-vegetarian.org

SUN 22nd

Walk For Whales And Dolphins - 68sponsored walks throughout the countrystarting at 10am.

� AUGUST

Sat 2nd – Sat 16th Vegan Camp – Lyme Regis, DorsetT. 0845 330 3918, email

[email protected]

Sun 2nd - Sun 10th

National Eisteddfod at Feifod, Powys

Wed 20th – Wed 27th

Mediterranean cruise with vegancatering T 01492 593674www.grosvenortravel.co.uk

Thurs 21st -Tues 26th

2003 International Raw FoodsFestival – Oregon, USA InternationalRaw & Living Foods Associationwww.rawfoods.com/[email protected].

Sat 30th – Sat 6th September10th Vegan Summer Gathering,Gower Peninsula near Swanseawww.veganviews.org.uk/vsgT 01792 792442

� SEPTEMBER

Sunday 14th

6th National Vegan Festival, LondonConway Hall, Red Lion Sq, 10 –5 pmwww.veganfestival.freeserve.co.ukT 020 8670 9585

Sun 28th

Vegetarian Festival, DublinSt Andrew's Resource Centre, PearseStreet, Dublin 2.

� OCTOBER

Sun 4th

World Animal Day www.worldanimalday.org.ukemail [email protected]

Sun 26th – Sun 2nd NovUK Vegan Week – Celebrating foodthat everybody can enjoy!www.worldveganday.orgemail [email protected] 01424 448828 F 01424 717064

� NOVEMBER

Saturday 1st – World Vegan Day2003 How are you going to celebrate? Seewww.worldveganday.org for ideas.

Sat 15th

Vegan Society AGM at The Guildhall,Watergate Street, Chester CH1 2LA

Sun 23rd

Christmas Without Cruelty Fayre,Kensington Town Hall, Londonwww.animalaid.org.uk T 01732 364546

Spring is here again and it is tempting to spend the lightevenings in the garden – yet here I am at 10 pm still slavingover a hot keyboard!

The number of Local Contacts now stands at 91 comparedwith 58 in Spring last year, plus one International Contact,and there are more applications in the pipeline so we shouldreach 100 in good time for the Diamond Jubilee. There arealso 39 local groups listed in the magazine. You can be aLocal Contact without running a group and you can run agroup without being a Local Contact. For details of how tohelp the Society in either of these ways, please contact me.

The e-mail discussion list for Vegan Society members isflourishing: to join, send an e-mail [email protected] giving your full name, VSmembership number and postcode.

One important thing that all members can do right now is tojoin in the campaign to persuade caterers to offer soya milk.Whenever you’re anywhere that serves tea or coffee,including trains, planes and motorway service areas, ask ifthey have soya milk. If they haven’t, tell them they can getindividual long-life portions of Pritchitt’s Soya Maid fromSuma and other wholesalers.

Much time was devoted to arranging the event at theCentre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth to followthe Council meeting on 1 March and maximize the value oftime and money expended on travel. Response exceededexpectations in a big way and more than 80 peopleattended in addition to Council members. Presentations onnutrition by Stephen Walsh and on media work by AlexBourke and Karin Ridgers were especially appreciated.

A smaller but highly successful local contacts event was heldin Reading on 26 April at the kind invitation of SophieFenwick. A cookery demonstration by Tony Weston, nowlocal contacts liaison officer at Donald Watson House, madeit all look deceptively simple and the results were absolutelydelicious! (For more of Tony’s recipes, see Rainbows andWellies on special offer in the new Vegan Society catalogue.)

A number of people have requested Local Contacts days inthe Birmingham and Nottingham areas and it is hoped toarrange something there in due course. A planned day in StLeonard’s had to be postponed as it clashed with the newdate for the National Vegan Festival, but there will definitelybe an event for all members on the weekend of the AGM(see notice on page 31). I should be grateful for offers ofhelp from members in the area.

To quote the words of a Local Contact who attended one ofthese events recently,

“I find that I feel much more motivated after one of theseevents, and would recommend any local contact to try toget to at least one.”

Even if you are not yet a Local Contact, you are verywelcome to come along – so do get in touch!

Patricia TrickerNational Local Contacts’ Coordinator

LOCAL CONTACTS

NEWS

eventsFor a full list of events and meetings, see

www.veggies.org.uk www.veganvillage.co.uk www.veganlondon.freeserve.co.uk the forum at www.worldveganday.org and local group websites.


Note: Local Contacts are VeganSociety members who haveoffered to act, on a voluntarybasis, as a point of contact forthose interested in the Society'swork. They are not officialrepresentatives of the Society.Their levels of activity andknowledge may vary according totheir individual circumstances.When writing to a Contact pleaseremember to enclose a SAE.

Local Contacts' Coordinator:Patricia Tricker - see under Yorkshire (North)

VEGAN SOCIETY LOCAL CONTACTS

FounderDonald Watson

Hon PatronsSerena ColesFreya DinshahManeka GandhiDr. Michael KlaperArthur LingMobyCor Nouws Wendy Turner Donald WatsonBenjamin Zephaniah

CouncilAlex Bourke (Vice Chair)Chris ChildeVanessa ClarkeLaurence Klein (Hon Treasurer)Laurence MainCaroline MalkinsonMarc Palmer (Co-opted)Karin RidgersGeorge Rodger Patricia Tricker Stephen Walsh (Chair)

National Local Contacts Co-ordinatorPatricia M. Tricker

STAFF

Chief Executive OfficerRick Savage

Administration/FinanceOfficerJanet Pender

Head of Promotions/PR Tony Weston

Information OfficerCatriona Toms

Information AssistantDebbie Holman

Fundraising/MarketingOfficerJames Southwood

Sales & MembershipOfficerVacant

Sales & MembershipAssistants Sundari PoorunPhilip de Rivaz

Sales AssistantJohn Rawden

VolunteersWendy CrathernJoyce SandgroundErica Wilson

Dietary ConsultantSandra Hood

VEGANISM may be definedas a way of living whichseeks to exclude, as far aspossible and practical, allforms of exploitation of, andcruelty to, animals for food,clothing or any otherpurpose. In dietary terms itrefers to the practice ofdispensing with all animalproduce — including meat,fish, poultry, eggs, animalmilks, honey, and theirderivatives.

Abhorrence of the cruelpractices inherent in anagricultural system based onthe abuse of animals isprobably the single mostcommon reason for theadoption of veganism, butmany people are drawn to itfor health, ecological,resource, spiritual and otherreasons.

If you would like moreinformation on veganism afree Information Pack isavailable from the VeganSociety in exchange for twofirst class stamps.

THE VEGAN SOCIETY wasformed in England inNovember 1944 by a groupof vegetarians who hadrecognised the ethicalcompromises implicit inlacto-vegetarianism (ie dairydependent). Today, theSociety continues tohighlight the breaking of thestrong maternal bondbetween the cow and hernew-born calf within justfour days; the dairy cow’sproneness to lameness andmastitis; her subjection to anintensive cycle of pregnancyand lactation; our unnaturaland unhealthy taste forcow’s milk; and the de-oxygenation of riverwater throughcontamination with cattleslurry.

If you are already a vegan orvegan sympathiser, pleasesupport the Society and helpincrease its influence byjoining. Increasedmembership means moreresources to educate andinform.

LISTINGS



BRISTOL

CORNWALL

ST IVES Cornwall. Vegan guest house.Close to beaches and picturesqueharbour. En-suite rooms. Self-cateringapartment also availa

CUMBRIA

MY HOME IS YOUR HOMEBed and Breakfast. Country cottagebedroom. Plenty of scrumptiousveggie/vegan food. Food lovers and catlovers especially welcome! CockermouthTown Centre, £35 per couple £20 per person

DEVON

DEVON (Lydford) S/C for N/S visitors atVEGFAM’s HQ. SAE to ‘The Sanctuary’, nr Lydford, Okehampton EX20 4AL.

ISLE OF WIGHT

KENT

MARGATE. KENT, exclusive Veg/VeganB&B by the sea, romantic/sexy room withen-suite.

LANCASHIRE

SCOTLAND

SOMERSET

SOMERSET BADGER’S END women’s bed and breakfast.Vegan/vegetarian £20 pppn.Non-smoking. Walking, birdwatching nrGlastonbury. For booking phone

SUSSEX

(UK) HOLIDAY

ACCOMMODATION

CLASSIFIEDS

TO ADVERTISE IN THE VEGAN PLEASE CONTACT 01424 448822

OR EMAIL [email protected]

FOR ASSISTANCE OR A QUOTE


WALES

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY B&B andRETREATS Magical Victorian countryhouse, natural carpets and paints, veganorganic meals, overlooking stunningcoastal conservation area. Easy forpublic transport. South West Wales.

www.heartspring.co.uk

PEMBROKESHIRE. A warm welcome &good food (exclusively Veg/Vegan) inmodern bungalow. Close to Newgalebeach. Coastal paths to explore. Green Haven B&B -

MACHYNLLETH MARKET TOWN.Bungalow - double ensuite, overlookingthe panoramic Dyfi valley. Organicvegan/veg breakfasts and bread.Spectacular scenery, walking, cycling,touring - coast nearby. Secure parking.Lock-up garage.

SNOWDONIA restored railway stationoverlooking vale of Ffestiniog. Self-catering, sleeps up to 6. Children, pet andwheelchair friendly.

YORKSHIRE

NORTH YORKSHIRE Comfortable, homely,exclusively vegetarian/vegan B&B from£17 p.p./p.n. at Prospect Cottage situatedin Ingleton village. Wonderful walkingcountry.

KERALA, SOUTH INDIA a vegan’s paradise.Tours, accommodation including self-catering. Brochure: Tel: 01892 722440,Voice Mail/Fax: 01892 724913. E-mail: [email protected]:www.keralconnect.co.uk

WEST CORK self catering apartments forsingles, couples and families in peacefulwooded surroundings. Organicvegetables, bread & vegan wholefoodsavailable. Reasonable rates. Green Lodge,Trawnamadree, Ballylickey, Bantry, CoCork, Ireland.

web:http://homepage.eircom.net/~greenlodge

PYRENEES: Vegan B+B, dble roomw/shower and organic brek: £27 fortwo.

www.vegan.port5.com/flashvegangite2.html'

ALPUJARRAS - ANDALUCIA. Attractive townhouse. Garage, roofterrace. Excellent views, birds, walks.Healthfood shops and veggie restaurantsin town. Sleeps 2-6. From £200 pw.Available all year.

VEGAN GUEST HOUSE, SW Ireland,http://homepage.eircom.net/~cussenscottage. All major credit cards accepted.

NORMANDY. Chambre d'hôte bed,breakfast and gourmet vegetarian/vegandinner. 100 euros for two includes drinks.Ideal for weekend breaks Mortagne-au-Perche is well placed for historic townsand forest walks.

ECOFOREST: Vegan holidays in a beautifulnatural situation, eco-education,sustainable living project, southern Spainfor details - see www.ecoforest.org

TEMPEH KITS – it’s so easy and cheap tomake this PERFECT protein food forvegans at home. Kits comprise enoughstarter for 10.5kg finished tempeh PLUS acolour instruction/recipe book - £15. CallPolly at PHYTOFOODS – 01547 510242

‘LEAFU’ LEAFCURD and tofu makingworkshop - learn how to make and cookwith these wonderful foods in a hands-oncamping weekend. Also, ‘Leafu’ Leafcurdis available by post.

GASCON FEATHERS, a novel by BurtKeimach reveals intense cruelty to duckstortured for their livers on a factory farmby people brutalised by greed.www.gasconfeathers.com,

ECOFOREST 2003 Vegan PermacultureCourses in Southern Spain.Probably the healthiest 2 weekPermaculture Design Certificate coursesyou can get! 14th-27th April and 15th-28th September, 2003.Also 1 week Natural Health &Sustainability courses (vegan), includingan Introduction to Permaculture, 18th-24th May, and October. TeachersSteve Charter and Devin HowseSee: www.ecoforest.org for moredetails, course pack and bookinginformation.

GREEN/DIY FUNERALS Eco-friendlyinexpensive coffins, memorial tree-planting. Please send £1 in unused stampswith A5 size 33p SAE to Box 328

BRYNDERWEN VEGAN COMMUNITYspacious house with a garden / land.Some live at Brynderwen othersindependently nearby. Businesspossibilities. Visitors, potential newmembers welcome. Newsletter available.

www.veganviews.org.uk/brynderwen

VEGAN SUMMER GATHERING Mumbles,South Wales coast, 30th August – 6thSeptember. 60+ usually attend, all ages.Discussions, meals, trips out. Single / Twin/ Double rooms. £80/week self-catering(unwaged less). www.veganviews.org.uk/vsg

VEGAN CABARET SINGER available for alloccasions. Weddings, hotels, privatefunctions etc. Distance no object. Able tosing in many styles from Britney to Bocelli.All ages catered for.

Y

MISCELLANEOUS

COURSES

OPPORTUNITIES

COSMETICS

FOOD

HOLIDAYS

ABROAD

PUBLICATIONS

EATING OUT

TO ADVERTISE IN THE VEGAN PLEASE CONTACT 01424 448822

OR EMAIL [email protected]

FOR ASSISTANCE OR A QUOTE


CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE:

Advertisements are accepted subject totheir satisfying the condition that theproducts advertised are entirely freefrom ingredients derived from animals;that neither products nor ingredientshave been tested on animals; and thatthe content of such ads does notpromote, or appear to promote, the useof non-vegan commodities. Books,records, tapes, etc. mentioned inadvertisements should not contain anymaterial contrary to vegan principles.Advertisements may be accepted fromcatering establishments that are not runon exclusively vegan lines, provided thatvegan meals are available and that thewording of such ads reflects this.

CLASSIFIED ORDER FORM CLASSIFIED ORDER FORM

PERSONAL

ACCOMMODATION

Want to meet new vegan friends? Looking for romance? After a roommate?

Why not advertise in The Vegan classifieds, and reach a large audience of like-minded people.

It costs just £6 for 35 word max (commercial rates also available)

- simply return this form to us in time for the next issue.

Box Numbers

When replying to a box numberaddress your envelope as follows:

Box no. _____The Vegan Society, Donald Watson

House, 7 Battle Road, St Leonards-on-Sea,

East Sussex, TN37 7AA

ARTICLES

AND

ADVERTISEMENTS

TO BE

SUBMITTED BY

1100 JJUULLYY 22000033

FOR INCLUSION IN

AUTUMN 2003

ISSUE OF

THE VEGAN

CLASSIFIEDSPENPALS

ACROSS

1 Italian sprouting broccoli (9)7 Seed case (3)9 Tortilla chip (5)10 Small piece of parsley, for example, used as a food decoration (5)11 Ointment used in treating bruises (6)12 Clarified butter used in Indian cookery (4)14 _ _ _ _ _ pea (5)15 Liquorice-flavoured seeds or oil (5)17 _ _ _ _ vera (4)18 Grange, ranch (4)19 French pancake (5)20 The results of dicing? (5)22 Tortilla rolled around a filling (4)23 Basket of food (6)25 Cooked in the oven (5)26 These may be marble, rock or sponge (5)27 Decay (3)28 Edible fungi (9)

DOWN

1 Calm like a cylindrical green fruit? (4,2,1,8)2 Fabric woven with fibres from the flax plant (5)3 Non-motorised mode of transport (7)4 Prefix meaning 'ecological' or 'environmental' (3)5 Creatures which help to aerate soil (10)6 Senses with the tongue; likings; small amounts (6)7 Pass through, permeate (coffee) (9)8 Alimentary canals (9,6)13 Dressing for greens (5,5)par16 Cooler for table wine, perhaps (3,6)19 Water biscuit, wafer (7)21 Heavy, usually starchy food (6)24 Garlic and basil sauce (5)26 Lettuce with long dark-green leaves (3)


32

31

Solution to The VeganPrize Crossword

CONGRATULATIONSto the Winner

Mr Alex Henderson,Stroud, Glos

Name.............................................................................

Address...........................................................................

.....................................................................................

Postcode

PRIZE CROSSWORD

Send in a photocopy(or original) of thesolution to thiscrossword, togetherwith your name andaddress by the 10th July 2003

PRIZE: the luckywinner of the draw willbe sent a KarmaCookbook signed bythe authors, BoyGeorge and Dragana GBrown. Solution in thenext issue.

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The Vegan Summer 2003

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