Congratulations to Oxfordshire County Council, which has decided to serve only plant-based meals at meetings and catered events. At its meeting on 15 March, the Council’s cabinet also gave approval for officers to begin work on a broader approach to plant-based and locally sourced food as part of a new policy. Plant-based options will also be added to the menu for part of the week at several primary schools in Oxfordshire. - Paul Appleby

Recently a friend in Wales sent me some information about Barbara Helen, an independent musician and singer, who performs at vegan and animal rights events to spread her message of love, compassion and hope.

I felt an immediate affinity with Barbara – it was as though I had known her forever. We appear to think exactly the same about everything important. To my mind, what she is doing is absolutely marvellous, spreading the word about veganism but in an enjoyable laid-back kind of way – however some of the visuals can be disturbing.

I used to give voluntary school talks for several years but had to stop as the content of the talks started to haunt me. I now write poetry to spread the word and get the anger out of my system. I feel that this is exactly what Barbara does, and of course it works. I have another friend who uses art in the same way.

All that anyone needs to know about Barbara is that she is a committed vegan and a very gentle soul which you will realise when you listen to her music. You can find it online by searching her name plus ‘vegan musician’.

-Pam Ward Lightfoot

Congratulations to Pam, who has won a special bundle from One Planet Pizza. Next issue’s Star Letter winner will receive a travel selection box from Friendly Soap, including products to wash, shave and clean your clothes with..

In March we were excited to reveal that our new enamel badge is available upon request to all Life Members.

We also announced that we are offering free Life Membership to all members who have been with us for over 30 years, as well as one third off Life Membership for those aged 65 and over.

If you are a Life Member and would like a badge, or if you would like to take up either of these offers, please contact us.

Details are shared below.

The Body Shop have recently pledged to be fully vegan by 2023 with all products certified by the Vegan Trademark. We are very pleased to say that they are currently offering our members a 15% discount on core products online and in store. Please find the terms and conditions in the member discounts area of your online account, or contact us for the details.

Don’t forget that there are over 100 third-party member discounts available including 10% off our multi-vitamin VEG 1 (now in aluminium packaging).

This spring why not…

• Treat yourself or a friend to a goodie from The Body Shop’s new Wellness Range with our 15% off at The Body Shop discount (online and in store).

• Choose bar soap instead of plastic bottles with 15% off at Friendly Soap.

• Indulge in healthier snacks with 10% off at Wallaroo

All discounts can be found in The Members’ Area of our website at vegansociety.com/my-account/shop-discounts.

Please contact us if you have any problems accessing your account.

Have you signed up for our monthly Members’ Newsletter yet? The newsletter allows our members to keep updated with society campaigns, research, media news, memberexclusive competitions and discounts. Contact us if you would like to sign up.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Membership Team with your comments on how you have found the last year of membership with us, and any suggestions for improving the membership experience.

You can contact the Membership Team, Stephen Sanders and Harriet Macintosh, in the following ways. Email membership@ vegansociety.com, phone 0121 8279 905 or write to us at Donald Watson House, 34–35 Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, B3 1EH.

The Vegan Society’s Council has decided not to hold a hybrid AGM this year in order to protect members and staff from the continuing risk from Covid-19. This AGM will only be held online.

However, members will still be able to vote both for candidates for election to Council and, by proxy vote, for the resolutions to the AGM online or by paper ballot, as usual.

Voting information and the notice of the AGM will be sent to members by our election agents, UK Engage, in April. We have seen increasing engagement in recent years with online AGMs, and we hope that many members will be able to attend.

Please accept our apologies for any disappointment this may cause but, as we are sure you can understand, these are difficult decisions for charities to make and your safety is important to us.

We look forward to welcoming many of you to the online AGM on 21 May.

Hello there, I’m Chantal Tomlinson. I’m a Registered Dietitian and have recently joined The Vegan Society Nutrition Team! My passion has always been to help people make healthier eating choices. I love cooking, and I hope you enjoy the recipes that I will be sharing alongside these articles.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations estimate that one third of all the food produced globally is either lost or goes to waste. Clearly, this is not the best use of our resources. In making the most of the food we have, and buying only what we need, we can all play a part in making a collective difference.

When we waste food, this can have an impact on our nutrition more than we may realise. Here is some food for thought: • When we peel fruit and veg like potatoes, carrots, and apples, we lose the vitamin C that is found just underneath the skin. Vitamin C is important for the immune system, protects our cells from damage and keeps our skin, cartilage and bones healthy.

• When you use the whole food, for example the broccoli florets as well as the leaves and the stalk, you include more fibre in your diet. Fibre is essential for keeping your gut healthy and it keeps you fuller for longer. It also has a role in lowering the risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and heart disease.

• Eating nutrient-rich fruit and vegetables before they go bad means that instead of throwing food away, you could be getting the wide-ranging health benefits of hitting your 5-a-day – a win-win for your health and the environment.

• Plan meals in advance. This can help you to buy exactly what you need which reduces the chance of wasting food.

Studies show that meal planning may lead to increased diet quality and a lower chance of living with obesity.

• Store your fruit and veg in the right way. Research by the Waste and Resources Action Programme shows that food lasts longer in a fridge set between 0°C and 5°C. Did you know that fruit lasts up to two weeks longer in the fridge (in its packaging) than in the fruit bowl?

• Go for frozen fruit and veg. They last so much longer than fresh and can be used conveniently at any time. They can be even more nutritious, as often they are frozen very soon after harvesting, reducing the opportunity for vitamins to be lost.

• Chop up and freeze extra fruit/veg before they go bad. For example, freeze extra cabbage which can be thawed later and steamed. Frozen sliced broccoli and carrots can be used in a lentil shepherd-less pie.

• Use the whole fruit/vegetable. Instead of throwing away the stalks of the broccoli, why not toss them into a pesto or add them to a stir fry? Potatoes can be boiled and mashed with their skin or made into homemade wedges or a jacket potato – just ensure you wash the skins well before use.

• Store leftover food in the freezer. Instead of throwing out the food you don’t eat, freeze the rest for a convenient meal another day.

• Get creative in the kitchen. Have a look at the next page for a healthy pancake recipe that makes use of very ripe bananas and includes ingredients you might have in your cupboard and freezer. Packed with fibre, omega 3-fat, a portion of fruit, protein, vitamins and minerals, they’re so delicious that you won’t want to waste any of these!

This easy recipe is a great way to use up overly ripe bananas

2 ripe bananas (approx 100 g each)

1 cup (250 g) unsweetened fortified soya milk

½ cup (62 g) self-raising flour

½ cup (45 g) porridge oats

½ tsp (2 g) baking powder

1 tbsp (10 g) chia seeds

Toppings 1 heaped tbsp (18 g) smooth peanut butter 1 cup frozen (155 g) blueberries 1 tbsp (15 g) maple syrup ( or other syrup such as agave)

Blend 1 banana, flour, oats, and milk together. If you don’t have a blender, you could mash the banana well and mix everything together thoroughly.

Mix in the baking powder and chia seeds and leave it to sit for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the frying pan on a high heat and once hot, turn down to a medium heat.

Use a ladle to pour the mixture to create your desired size of pancakes.

Once you see bubbles forming in the batter, you can use a spatula to look underneath to see if the pancake is turning golden brown.

Once golden brown, flip the pancake to the other side and cook for approximately one minute before removing it from the pan.

Continue this process until all the mixture has been used. While your pancakes are cooking, you can keep the finished ones warm on a baking tray in a low oven.

To prepare the blueberries, heat them in a pan with 2 tbsp water and heat until they are soft.

Stack your pancakes and layer with a drizzle of peanut butter, and top with your blueberries, maple syrup and banana. Feel free to top with other available fruits and enjoy!

kcal 451 fat 11 g sat fat 2 gcarbohydrates 69 g sugar 24 g fibre 10 g protein 14 g salt 0.73 g

30 | The Vegan Issue 2 2022 Photography by Hannah Hossack-Lodge domesticgothess.com