The Vegan Autumn 1989

AUTUMN 1989

TOWARDS A VEGAN IDEOLOGY • ENTERTAINING ON PEANUTS • SHOPAROUND • REVIEWS

HEALING OPTIONS: MEDICAL HERBALISM

Edi tor : Richard Farhall Commodi ty News Edi tor : Lis Howlett Design and production by UP Studios Printed by Geerings of Ashford Ltd Text printed on 100% recycled paper, supplied by Paperback Ltd, London The Vegan is published quarterly by The Vegan Society Ltd Publicat ion Date: March, June, September, December Copy Date: 1st of preceding month ISSN 0307-4811 © The Vegan Society Ltd

The Vegan Society The Vegan Society Ltd Registered Charity No. 279228 33-35 George Street Oxford OX1 2 AY Tel. 0865 722166 Pres iden t : Arthur Ling Deputy President : Chris Langley Vice-Presidents: Eva Batt Serena Coles Freya Dinshah Jay Dinshah Grace Smith Donald Watson Counci l : Vincent FitzGerald Colin Howlett Lis Howlett Chris Langley (Chair) Arthur Ling Hon . T reasu re r : Vincent FitzGerald G e n e r a l Secretary: Richard Farhall Off ice M a n a g e r : Amanda Rofe Adminis t ra t ive Assistant: Jim Crawford

Inforniotiai Veganism may be defined as a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practical, all forms of exploita-tion of, and cruelty to, the ani-mal kingdom for food, clothing or any other purpose.

In dietary terms, it refers to the practice of dispensing with all animal produce — includ-ing meat, fish, poultry, eggs, (non-human) animal milks, honey, and their derivatives. The Vegan Ethic challenges all who preach compassion yet acquiesce in institutionalized animal abuse, especially the cruel practices inherent in dairy, livestock and poultry farming.

Abhorrence of these prac-tices is probably the single most common reason for the adoption of veganism, but many people are also drawn to it for health, ecological, spiri-tual and other reasons.

The Vegan Society was formed in England in November 1944 by a group of vegetarians who had recog-nized and come to reject the ethical compromises implicit in lacto-(i.e. dairy-dependent) vegetarianism and consequent-ly decided to renounce the use of all animal products.

Since those early days it has grown considerably in both size and influence, reflecting the increasingly wide recogni-tion of veganism's ethical, health, ecological and other ad-vantages.

The Society now has the status of an educational charity, whose aims include encourag-ing the development and use of alternatives to all commodities normally derived wholly or partly from animals.

If you would like more in-formation on veganism a free Vegan Information Pack is available from the Society's Oxford office in exchange for an SAE.

If you are already a vegan or vegan sympathizer please support the Society and help increase its influence by join-ing. Increased membership

means more resources to edu-cate and inform. Full mem-bership is restricted to practis-ing vegans, as defined above, but sympathizers are very wel-come as associates of the Society. Both members and associates receive The Vegan free of charge. Vegan Society Publications The Society publishes a wide range of leaflets and low-priced books and booklets of interest to the newcomer. For a Publication List please send an SAE. The List also in-cludes a number of works which although produced in-dependently of the Society and not necessarily vegan in view-point are nevertheless felt to be useful and informative. Vegan magazines In addition to The Vegan — the official organ of the Society — the following independent publi-cations may be of interest: Vegan Views 6 Hayes Avenue, Bournemouth BH7 7AD. An informal quarterly with arti-cles, interviews, news, re-views, letters, cartoon strip. Subscription rate for four is-sues: £2.40 (Europe and sur-face mail overseas: £2.80). New Leaves 47 Highlands Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8NQ. Quarterly Journal of The Movement for Compassionate Living — The Vegan Way (see below). Annual subscription: £3.00. Cheques/POs payable to: 'Movement for Compassionate Living'. Y Figan Welsh

l

nual subscrip-tion: £1.25. The Vegan Community Project, an organization inde-pendent of the Vegan Society, exists to form a contact net-work between people who are interested in living in a vegan community and to establish one or more such communi-ties. While some of its mem-bers seek merely to live close

to other vegans, others wish to establish a vegan land project or centre for the promotion of a

List provides a link between parents throughout the UK seeking to raise their children in accordance with vegan prin-ciples. To receive a copy of the list and have your name added to a future edition, please write in to the Oxford office —- marking your enve-lope 'Vegan Families Contact List', enclosing an SAE, and giving your name, address and names and dates of birth of children. The Movement for Compassionate Living — The Vegan Way, an organiza-tion independent of the Vegan Society, seeks to spread com-passionate understanding and to simplify lifestyles by pro-moting awareness of the con-nections between the way we live and the way others suffer, and between development, consumption and the destruc-tion of the planet.

Veganism Abroad There are active vegan societies in Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA, as well as contacts in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and New Zealand.

The views expressed in The Vegan do not necessarily re-flect those of the Editor or of the Vegan Society Council. Nothing printed should be construed as Vegan Society policy unless so stated. The Society accepts no liability for any matter in the maga-zine. The acceptance of ad-vertisements does not imply endorsement. Contributions intended for publication are welcomed, but unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by an SAE.

2 The Vegan, Autumn 1989

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION "There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root". — Henry Thoreau. 1858 Why not support — or perhaps just find out more about — those working positively towards an end to all animal abuse and the widespread adoption of a more ecological-ly sound way of life? Simply fill in the form below Please tick as appropriate: • PLEASE SEND ME A FREE VEGAN INFORMATION PACK — for which I enclose a stamped addressed envelope. • I WISH TO BECOME A MEMBER ot the Vegan Society Ltd and undertake to abide by its rules as set out in the Society's Memorandum and Articles of Association*. I declare that I am a practising vegan. 'Available on request for £1.00 incl. pSp or may viewed without charge at the Society's registered office. • I WISH TO BECOME AN ASSOCIATE of the Vegan Society Ltd. Although not a practising vegan, I agree with the Society's aims and would like to support its work. I enclose payment as follows (please tick as appropriate): Cheques/POs should be made payable to: The Vegan Society Ltd

• Individual £10.00 • Family £12.00 • Unwaged individual £5.00 • Unwaged Family £7.50 • Junior (under 18) £5.00 • Life Membership £125.00

• I WISH TO SPONSOR your work, for which purpose I enclose a donation of

• £5.00 • £10.00 • £25.00 • £50.00 • £

Title (please delete as appropriate) Miss/Mr/Mrs/Ms Name (please print) Address (please print)

Postcode (please print) Date Signature

Return to: Vegan Society (Merchandise). 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY.

Fai th fu l , loyal companions. Most are still being fed meat , which is often declared unsui table for h u m a n consumption. If there wasn ' t th is huge outlet for sub-s t anda rd meat in the pet food industry , mea t prices

would soar. W h a t bet ter incentive for people to consider t h e a l ternat ives . Dogs a re not carnivores bu t cannot choose for themselves. Veteri-nary surgeons a re daily t rea t ing dogs suffer ing mea t re la ted dietary problems. In fact, over 500 vets, s i tua ted throughout the UK, use and recommend

HAPPIDOG The only completely bal-anced, 100% Vegan diet for dogs in the world. Highly nutritious, ex-tremely palatable and very economical. There is NO better diet for dogs. If yours is not one of the 50,000 dogs enjoying Happidog every day, contact for your nearest stockist or mail order form: HAPPIDOG PET FOODS, Bridgend, Brownhill Lane, Longton, Preston, Lanes. PR4 4SJ Tel:(0772) 614952

Contents News

Sounding Off NEW Letting off steam Towards a Vegan Ideology Veganism is not enough Healthwise Questions and answers Healing Opt ions : Medical Herbal ism NEW Alternative health care

10

11

Young Vegans Go For It! NEW 12 The column for under 14's The Old Man W h o Cried 13 For the younger reader and the young at heart Out and About — The Royal Agricul tural Show 15

En te r t a in ing on Peanu t s 18 Recipes — pull-out poster Retrospect 21 A vegan pioneer looks back

Sad l e r ' s Tales Everyday aspects of vegan living

22

Prison Eye NEW Penal concerns

23

DutifiL JfyuuU S&i nub <Roitnb tb ttfteilatieiv

Spotlight on ... Disabled Against Animal Researchand Exploitation Reviews S h o p a r o u n d

24

Vino Nasties 30 Spilling the grapes Postbag 31 Not iceboard 32

Vegans in the Grea t Metropolis 16 Classifieds 34 The latest survey on 'vegetarians' Cover illustration ('Herbalism') by Jane Witheridge

The Vegan, Autumn 1989 3

News The Vegan Production difficulties have re-sulted in the late publication of this issue of The Vegan; howev-er, it is hoped that the next is-sue will return to its normal quarterly schedule.

Members and associates will have received this Vegan in a re-usable (if opened careful-ly!), self-seal envelope made of 100 per cent recycled paper. Use of such an envelope bene-fits the Society because it great-ly reduces the time hard-pressed staff spend mailing out the magazine. The change to the use of envelopes also bene-fits the 'consumer ' — who, Post Office permitting, receives the magazine in pristine condi-tion.

'Humanized' Milk Dutch-based company, j GenPharm, expects to have bred the first cows to produce human-type milk by 1992. Manager Otto Postma believes that this bizarre ' feat ' will be achieved by using genetic engi-neering methods to transfer around half-a-dozen human genes into bovine eggs.

The first 'transgenic cal f ' will be born within a year. In theory, it will be capable of producing milk containing pro-teins found in human milk "in large quantities at prices that people can afford".

Cows milk — and indeed, any other milk 'stolen' from non-human animals — will never be an entirely satisfactory substitute for human milk, but the 'warped' GenPharm is hav-ing a damn good try. Daily Telegraph 18.8.89 Snippets The Society cannot afford to subscribe to a newscutting ser-vice and so would greatly ap-preciate members, associates and supporters sending in any vegan-related articles from newspapers and magazines. Please do not forget to identify the source of the cutting and the date of its publication. Quackbusters The Campaign Against Health Fraud — the so-called

'Quackbusters' — officially launched in May, consists of doctors, lawyers, journalists and others dedicated to "pro-tecting the public by highlight-ing fraudulent practice".

CAHF supporter Professor Michael Baum believes that "none of the so-called alterna-tive medicine is based in scien-tific fact". He is particularly dismissive of homeopathy and wishes to protect consumers from "fraudulent, unnecessary and unduly dangerous" treat-ments.

CAHF is supposedly against health fraud in orthodox medicine as well as the alterna-tive variety, however, most of its founders have 'orthodox' backgrounds and so their objec-tivity must be open to question.

Further information: The Campaign Against Health Fraud, Box CAHF, London WC1N 3XX. (01 673 4401) Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine June 1989 Fish Reprieve? Good news for those tired of reading in the popular press of the 'wonderful benefits' of con-suming fish or fish-oil capsules. The 'magic ' , health-giving in-gredient omega-3 can be ob-tained elsewhere. The prelimi-nary results of a study by the US Department of Agriculture suggest that the body converts the linolenic acid in soybean oil to the same omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil. Vegetarian Times June 1989 Dangerous Dairy The results of a recent American study 'Galactose Consumption and Metabolism in Relation to the Risk of Ovarian Cancers', indicate that dairy products may increase the risk of ovarian cancer in some women.

The study, involving 474 'subjects' , found that women with ovarian cancer were more likely to have difficulty digest-ing lactose and were additional-ly more likely to use dairy products with a high content of prehydrolysed lactose i.e. yo-ghurt and cottage cheese. The Lancet 8.7.89

Canadian child health re-searchers have found that breast-fed babies who are at high risk of developing eczema are less likely to do so if their mothers avoid eating dairy

products and eggs. Independent 24.7.89

Only one out of twenty-one milking plants examined during May-July by the Milk Marketing Board's Machine Testing Service had a satisfac-tory wash cycle. Faults includ-ed: incorrect running tempera-tures, insufficient cleaning solution, incorrect quantities of detergent or disinfectant, and out-of-date chemicals. Farmers Weekly 11.8.89

The Dutch government is reconsidering its policy for dis-posing of waste after scientists found dioxins in milk from 100 cows near Rotterdam. Scientists believe a nearby in-cinerator is to blame. Still on dioxins, a recent report com-missioned by the New Zealand government concludes that pa-per cartons bleached with chlo-rine gas leaches dioxins into milk and cream. New Scientist 12.8.89 Here's Health August 1989

i Forest 'Arson' | The Sunday Times' Insight

team has alleged that Barclays Bank, British Petroleum, Shell and BAT (formerly British American Tobacco), have com-mercial interests that are de-stroying Brazilian rainforest.

As a result of the allega-tions, Barclays is selling its in-terests in the Codeara and Agropastoril cattle ranches in the states of Para and Matogrosso, which Insight said were created by the continuing destruction of more than a mil-lion acres of rain forest. The Brazilian government is consid-ering legal action against BP after an investigation alleged that the company had adversely affected as much as 250,000 acres by tin mining. BP says it is about to sell its share to Rio Tinto Zinc.

Shell has denied allegations that mangrove forest had been cut down to fuel an aluminium smelter. BAT also denies charges against itself. Environment Digest July 1989 Superbug Cryptosporidium — a parasitic mico-organism that lives in the guts of animals, commonly calves and sheep — is posing a problem for Britain's ill-equipped water authorities: the 'superbug' is working its way down the food chain and is ending up in water supplies.

The parasite causes a par-ticularly nasty form of diar-rhoea. The worst outbreak oc-curred earlier in the year, affecting hundreds of people living in and around Oxford and Swindon. People with weak or damaged immune sys-tems are seriously at risk: one person with AIDS has already died of the disease — known as cryptosporidiosis. There is no known cure —except perhaps the unthinkable: an end to live-stock farming. New Scientist 29.7.8 1

FOODS LTD. Soya Milk Advice Following the formation by Provamel of The Soya Milk Information Bureau, Plamil Foods has decided to create a Soya Milk Advisory Service, "In the interests of the vegan movement and in order that en-quirers may receive accurate information and encouragement to bring up their children veg-i, an .

For an information pack send an SAE to: Soya Milk Advisory Service, Plamil Foods Ld„ Bowles Well Gardens, Folkestone, Kent CT19 6PQ. Feet First

1 The British Shoe Corporation was caught on the hop when it put a new style of leather shoe on the market named 'VEG-AN': the Vegan Society has registered 'vegan' as its trade mark in respect of boots, shoes and slippers.

The Society immediately took legal action, forcing the Corporation to undertake to withdraw the shoe by November 1989 and to meet the Society's costs. Readers might like to inspect the Corporation's retail outlet, Saxon Stores, to ensure it is complying with the terms of the undertaking. Victims Summer mastitis costs milk producers £700 a heifer. In 1987, 60 per cent of the 287 herds surveyed by the Milk Marketing Board (MMB) suf-fered from summer mastitis, and in 1988 nearly 50 per cent were affected. Farmers Weekly 7.7.89


GRAND CRUELTY-FREE DRAW 1989 The Winners

l s t Prize (£1,000)

Jackie Smith, Bognor Regis 2nd Prize

(Dream Ho l iday on Greek Island of Skyros ) Sue Stallard, Hemel Hempsted 3rd Prize

(£100 Cruelty-Free Hamper) K.Axon, Oadby

ft rtVOP^ j ^ K * 1 ft rtVOP^ j ^ K * 1 i

m * jj

U f • m *

jj

U f Geoffrey Yates: 1903—1989

Although best-known for Food: Need, Greed & Myopia — a valuable examination of starvation and land use — Geoffrey Yates was also a physicist and life-long critic of Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Sadly, his critique is incomplete and unpublished.

He first started practising vegetarianism in the 1930s, however, it was not until he retired from teaching physics in 1960 that he developed his inter-est in the whole issue of food. He became a member of the Conservation Society's food study group and later joined the World Development Movement — again concentrating on the food issue.

Food: Need, Greed & Myopia was bom out of a Friends of the Earth series of Workers' Educational Association seminars in Newcastle. Geoffrey gave one of the lectures and soon after added some further notes.

Veganism figures significantly in the book — he recognized lacto-vegetarianism's serious deficien-cies: "While vegetarianism is a welcome first step, its value as a means of reducing cruelty and helping the world's poor and reducing ecological damage is at best limited. Veganism is the proper goal."

The world could do with more like him. Richard Farhall

Food: Need, Greed eft Myopia is available from the Merchandise Department at £4.55 (incl. p&p)

Lameness is similarly rife: James Booth, head of MMB veterinary services, figures that lameness costs the UK dairy in-dustry £44 million a year with an average cost of £50 a case. National yearly average inci-dence is estimated at 30 cows in every 100. Farmers Weekly 4.8.89 Cock-eyed At the Traditional Farm-fresh

Turkey Association's summer seminar, Chairman David Browning said: "We are all un-der pressure from the food lob-by and must be seen to be pro-ducing turkey humanely and healthily, and processing them in an acceptable way." He then reminded his audience of their strict code which required birds to be starved for 24 hours be-fore slaughter. Farmers Weekly 16.6.89

In Brief • Five people died and fifty were hospitalized in Soviet Kazakhstan after contracting a rare fever while shearing sheep. Oxford Mail 23.6.89 • Responding to a Parliamentary question posed by Dr David Clarke, Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture, former junior Agriculture Minister, Richard Ryder, informed the House that diaphragm, head meat, pan-creas and thymus can all be de-scribed as beef. Meat Trades Journal 17.8.89 • Irish pigeon-fanciers, con-cerned at the fate of hundreds of birds which went missing on a Bastille Day race from Rennes to Dublin have come to the grim conclusion that the pi-geons were eaten by their

French hosts. The Daily Telegraph 2.8.89 • Australia will be spending about £17 million planting one billion trees to prevent soil ero-sion. About two-thirds of Australia suffers from some form of land degradation as a result of poor farming and poor irrigation. New Scientist 22.7.89 • More than half the people who live in the US are exposed to levels of ozone higher than concentrations recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency. New Scientist 22.7.89 • The Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research has awarded a grant of £32,337 to Dr Jonathon Weber of the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London for research into AIDS using human cells in culture. • The summer heatwave result-ed in the suffocation of 25,000 chicks at D.B. Marshall's hatcheries at Gogarburn, Edinburgh and at Broxburn, West Lothian. Farmers Weekly 28.7.89 • Over the past twenty years the number of dairy farms in England and Wales has fallen from over 83,000 to just under 33,000. Farmers Weekly 21.7.89 • Fish along a six-mile stretch of a Gloucestershire river were wiped out when a farmer sprayed his field with pig ma-nure. The liquid effluent drained into a ditch and con-taminated a nearby river. Andrew Hope of Angell Farm, Bentham Lane, Witcombe, Gloucester, admitted the of-fence and was fined £1250 plus £205 costs. Farmers Weekly 2.6.89

Depths of Naivety According to the Humane Slaughter Association [surely some contradiction here?] abat-toir owners and fanners are losing £5 million a year through damage to animals in transit to the slaughterhouse. Its latest campaign — unashamed-ly tailored to appeal to the meat industry's greed — claims: fighting by pigs, slipping and falling animals, and rough han-dling of sheep and cattle, re-sults in bruising and marks which combine to knock £5 million a year off the value of meat.

The HSA's recruiting leaflet asks the reader whether it is a "Friend or fanatic?"; highlights its "rational" approach and its

"close contact with professional and trade associations"; and fi-nally urges us to "Remember we are friends not fanatics". Perhaps this is one of those rare situations when many in the movement would not object to a 'fanatic' label?

The HSA is now under the auspices of the Universities Fund for Animal Welare (UFAW), which also adopts an exceptionally weak reformist stance. It "accepts that animals are used for food, for experi-ments, and for many other pur-poses" and "aims to improve the well-being of all animals, to reduce infliction of pain and distress and to ensure they are killed humanely". Its introduc-tory leaflet tells us: "Deliberate cruelty to animals, fortunately is rare and is a legal offence"!


N o 4 S t Gi les Park, P o o l Road, N e w t o w n , P o w y s S Y 1 6 3AZ Tel: 0686 622058 Fax: 0686 629612

Manufacturers of high quality sauces using fresh herbs, fine ingredients and spices

—free from artifical anything. Pesto Basil Sauce — a nutritious andflavourful sauce

with fresh sweet basil, nuts, garlic and spices; Parsley Relish — fresh parsley, almonds and subtle spices

makes this a versatile relish; Toasted Sesame Oil — a rare and aromatic oil made

from the first pressing of toasted sesame seeds.

"Zest Foods make a pesto basil sauce which is the best pesto I have tasted." — C o l i n S p e n c e r of T h e G u a r d i a n who also goes on to say, "the Parsley Relish is wonderfully aromatic" and that the Zest Foods toasted sesame oil "will sendyou straight into a Chinese seventh heaven. "

Small Business of the Year Lloyds Bank/SHE Magazine 1987

Shropshire Star Business Award 1988

2 6 2 , KENSINQTON ftlQtt STREET LONDON U/. 8

TEL. ; 6034422

Britain's oldest Lebanese restaurant, established 1968.

We a/so serve vegetarian and vegan meals. A special set vegetarian or vegan menu at £5.75 per person (minimum of two people) consisting of nine different

selections of hot and cold Lebanese hors d'oeuvres (Mezzeh).

WE ARE OPEN FROM 12 NOON TO 12 MIDNIGHT, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

iting more than 180 references in its 121 pages, Vegan Nutrition is the most compre-hensive survey ever undertaken of scientific

research on vegan diets. This landmark publication will appeal to vegans, vegetarians and other would-be vegans, as well as nutritionists, re-searchers, dietitians, general practitioners, and community health workers.

Includes summaries of main sections, highlighted major points, information on all essential nutrients and their availability in vegan diets, easy-to-use tables of food sources of key nutrients, and a detailed index.

Orders to: The Vegan Society (Merchandise), 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY. Cheques/POs payable to: The Vegan Society Ltd.


Illustr. J. Breese

Do you have a pet, vegan-

related hate? Do you need to let off steam?

Think you can do it in no

more than 700 words? If so, this column's

for you!

NOISE Perhaps, like me, you

work a long, hard day, a hard week and you live

where you live because you like to get away from the hus-tle, from the noise. And you come home to the peace and quiet you've invested in to be greeted by — noise.

Ever get home and the bloke next door or a few doors away is wielding his strimmer again? He was at it last night too. (What's he cutting?) Ever been disturbed by the thumping and banging of what seems like a perpetual building site nearby (is this an adult sandpit or what?). That's fair enough per-

haps, but when it all stops mo-mentarily are your ears assault-ed by the mindless, relentless interference of someone else's music, music so 'good' that you have to hear it too? (It's usually rubbish). Are these people desperate for an audi-ence? Who are they trying to impress? Is the constant stream of noise really a late effort at constructing some kind of iden-tity?

What is it with these charac-ters whose lifestyle(?) is dedi-cated to noise-creation, whose banal conversations are at the top of the voice, whose doors are never closed but slammed? Is the silence so terrifying? (Nothing left to think about; God save us from the void). Do they feel so uneasy with

thought that the wall of noise is a preferable option? Do we re-ally have to bear their ca-cophonous evasion of angst? And of course their repertoire is not complete without the dogs, the dogs that wake us up every morning yapping at ev-erything including the breeze, the dogs that keep on so much most of the day that they are literally crying wolf. But if the 'owners' need is for the noise of identity it's also for the noise of security and what are fables to such minds?

Noise can change your out-look entirely. We were woken once one Boxing Day at 7.00 am by the bloke next door banging out his old window frames (it was brandy for breakfast then of course) but the Summer is the worst. In fact I n o w hate the Summer. I hate the good weather for it brings out the idiots too; the lower the IQ, the higher the volume. Give me the short days, the dark evenings and ev-erybody's doors and windows closed. Roll on Winter's muf-fle.

This isn't just a plea for peace and quiet. There's more to noise than meets the ear, and this attack on mine may have warped my sense of balance but I am becoming convinced that people are not meant to live too near each other. This throws up not just the overpop-ulation problem but the land use one too. Strong arguments have already been outlined in this and other magazines re-garding the need to control the human population, and a vegan agriculture would free exten-sive areas of land for purposes other than the present wasteful usage which crams people into

living cheek by jowl with those mentioned above on godawful estates or in high rise blocks. Nowadays I'm forced into con-stant agreement with Barfly who, when asked if he hated other people — hell is other people? — replie°d, "No, I just feel better when they're not around". And the dogs? Here's the pet problem from another angle and ultimately it's the pet that pays the price.

And what about those damned motorbikes that take twenty minutes to pass out of earshot and the lorries and cars kicking up noise as well as ex-haust and using up energy? Then there's the health risk. Noise can demoralize, it can shatter the nerves, induce se-vere anxiety and rage and can lead to open hostility and even violence. It's a killer.

I 'm not trying to work out a theory of a vegan world having to be a quiet one but perhaps, like me, you are paying (rent, a mortgage?) for the privilege of listening to others working out their neuroses. (Don't get me wrong. I'm no kill-joy — I'm against people killing mine — and I don't mind the special-occasion late night party near-by, especially if I 'm invited). But you want, and think you've paid for, your evenings and your weekends, not some other twerps'. You disagree with vio-lation, with intrusion, with au-ral rape. You want to concen-trate, to muse, to relax. Perhaps you join with me in asking that the music stops (not entirely of course but let them listen to their music and let me listen to mine) and that the other pollut-ing evidence of bloody-minded existence be kept in check.

N. A. Batement


T he intellectually lazy among us see veganism as

the ' be all and end al l ' — a panacea for the wor ld ' s ills. Others rec-ognize that although wide-ranging, this par-ticular ' i sm ' has its limitations: it cannot provide all the answers because it lacks an all-embracing, systematic explanatory system and plan of political action — an ideology.

Commonly -motivat-ed by ethics, ecology, health and spirituality, vegans choose to abide by a set of rules, but here their similarity ends. They interpret, apply, and promote veg-an principles in accor-dance with their beliefs and values — the result of a vast array of eco-nomic, social, religious, political and cultural in-f luences.

S o m e have devel-oped their beliefs fur-ther by 'moulding ' themselves to a particu-lar ideology — be it ' loosely-kni t ' , where exponents believe there is no completely satis-fying explanation of so-cial relationships or guide to action e.g. 'democratic* socialism, conservatism or liberalism; or ' t ightly-knit ' , where a more rigid programme shows the way to political salvation e.g. (state) commu-nism, anarchism and fascism.

However, none of these ideologies, Anarchism offers the most suit-able and desirable political model for the establishment, and mainte-nance of, a just and equitable so-ciety based on vegan principles.

nor even their derivatives, even partly encompasses veganism in its purest form, indeed, it is difficult to imagine how any one of them could fully accom-modate such a radical, uncompromising and far-reaching concept — certainly not the ' loose ' or ' so f t ' ideologies, based on institutionalized animal abuse and envi-ronmental annihilation.

Assuming that no sane, rational indi-vidual would choose to exist within a to-talitarian regime based on fear and pow-er worship, that leaves anarchism — but classical anarchism, like socialism, is not noted for its concern for non-human species! That aside, anarchism offers the

T O W A R D S A V E G A N IDEOLOGY

A N A R C H I S T R O B M U R D O C H A R G U E S T H A T V E G A N I S M IS NOT E N O U G H

acteri sties, come in a va-riety of forms: libertarian socialists, anarcho-paci-fists, anarcho-syndical-ists, Situationists, revolu-tionary communists, free communists, individual-ists, green anarchists ... All are united by a cen-tral belief: anarchy is lib-erty.

llluslr. R Benford most suitable and desirable political model for the establishment, and mainte-nance of, a just and equitable society based on vegan principles — a new, rev-olutionary path to Utopia, an ideology I shall term 'anarcho-veganism'. The Anarchists We commonly see them in town centres, sprawled defiantly on, and around, war memorials: leather-clad, 'Conflict '-fol-lowing punks, with obligatory bottle of Merrydown Cider or, for the more so-phisticated deviant, Special Brew. They ' re ' the anarchists' — or are they?

The truth is that our punk stereotype is no more representative of an anarchist than Margaret Thatcher is of a caring, compassionate human being. Certainly, our stereotype displays anarchic traits: 'doing his/her own thing'; refusing to conform to dominant norms of be-haviour, perhaps the occasional spot of hunt sabbing or caving in a butcher's window. However, his/her understanding of anarchist theory and practice tends to be rather shallow.

Anarchists, and those who refuse to be labelled such but demonstrate core char-

The Condition Anarchists seek anarchy — a form of social life without authority — in which nobody is in a po-sition to exploit or op-press anyone else, and in which aJl the means to achieve maximum materi-al and intellectual devel-opment are available to everyone equally. Order in such a society is ob-tained by voluntary agreements concluded be-tween various individu-als, groups and organiza-tions — both geographical and profes-sional — freely constitut-ed for the sake of produc-tion and consumption, and also to satisfy the needs and wants of civi-lized human beings.

Anarchy is not, as your dictionary informs you, about chaos and violence.

This popular definition is a gross distor-tion of the term resulting from sustained denigration by those with the most to lose from its implementation — the rich and powerful.

Whenever rulers lose control and the ruled begin to organize themselves, the Nobody is fit to rule or exert au-thority over another.

rulers cry 'Anarchy!' to indicate that such a condition is highly undesirable — of course it is from their point of view! Their authority usurped, excessive force is the only answer: witness Tiananmen Square. Theory Anarchism is the method by which to achieve anarchy.

It is based on a number of premises including: nobody is fit to rule or exert authority over another; duties, such as patriotism, obligations to the state, wor-ship of God, submission to higher classes or authorities, respect for inherited privi-leges, are lies; property is theft — laws serve the privileged and allow a minority


to 'steal' that which belongs to us all; governments, of whatever political flavour, are inherently oppressive and coercive, and cannot be modified or re-formed — therefore they must be over-thrown (revolution); voting (where per-mitted), serves to reinforce and legitimize a corrupt system; the world is divided into 'haves' (the rulers) and the 'have nots' (the governed); capitalism is divisive, exploitative, inefficient and produces for profit rather than need; state communism is totalitarian; anarchy is liberty, order and sanity. Spontaneous Order Fundamental to anarchist organization is the theory of 'spontaneous order': given a common need, a collection of people will, by trial and error, by improvisation and improvement, evolve order out of the situation.

It has been witnessed in most revolu-tionary situations: the early stages of the French Revolution; in the formation of Soviets (workers' councils) after the Russian Revolution of 1917 — before they were taken over by the anti-libertar-When faced with a mutual threat such as the prospect of a motor-way dissecting the community or a hypermarket on their doorstep, those affected naturally draw to-gether and co-operate for the common good.

ian Bolsheviks; Spain in 1936; as well as in the ad hoc organizations that spring up after natural disasters and emergencies.

To further illustrate this point: when faced with a mutual threat such as the prospect of a motorway dissecting the community or a hypermarket on their doorstep, those affected naturally draw together and co-operate for the common good.

Anarchism is essentially about striv-ing for freedom, taking back responsibil-ity and regaining control over our lives.

Being the ultimate decentralists, anar-chists tend to form groups based on the locality in which they live. In addition to seeking to raise revolutionary awareness, they may participate in community is-sues and in other struggles such as those fighting racism, sexism, militarism, im-perialism and, increasingly, speciesism. A significant proportion — 'classical' anarchists — concentrate on the 'tradi-tional' revolutionary stamping ground: class struggle — perhaps as agitators in the workplace.

Unsurprisingly, the preferred vehicle of the anarchist is direct action (not nec-essarily the illegal variety). Consequently, it is no coincidence that many Animal Liberation Front (ALF) ac-tivists describe themselves as anarchists.

Their 'artwork' frequently incorporates the internationally-recognised symbol for anarchy: a circled 'A' . Anarcho-veganism Any vegan worth his/her salt not only craves animal and planetary liberation but human liberation as well. There is no way that capitalism —based on inequali-ty and hierarchy — or, state communism — highly centralized and dictatorial — can possibly meet all our ideals.

Neither, I might add (conscious of the likely political allegiance of my readers), can the green parties. They mean well and perform a useful educational func-tion, but they are by no means vegan-friendly — the August newsletter of the

Kent Association of Green Parties carries advertisements from companies special-izing in organic beef and pest control! — and are part of the loathesome system we should be seeking to destroy. Green politicos are well-intentioned but re-member: power always corrupts — though maybe you would prefer green politicians compromising, switching tack and running your life?

By way of a conclusion, if you pas-sionately desire: an end to animal abuse; veganic agriculture as the norm; a return to community living; working because you want to; no politicians deciding what is best for you and how to spend your money; no bosses, teachers, policeper-sons, judges and 'experts ' telling you what to do; no homelessness, poverty, despair, yuppies, sexism, racism, ageism, environmental destruction, wars (cour-tesy of governments) and multi-nation-als, then anarcho-veganism — a com-plete ideology — is for you.

Anarchist Contacts (National)

(SAE appreciated) Please note that with the possible exception of London Greenpeace none of these con-tacts currently embraces the vegan ethic.

Groups • Anarchist-Communist Federation, PO Box 125, Coventry CV3 5QT. • Attack International, Box BM 6577, London WC1N 3XX. • Class War Federation, PO Box 467, London E8 3QX. • Direct Action Movement - IWA, Second Floor, 27 Priory Road, Sheffield. • International Communist Current, BM Box 869, London WC1N3XX. • London Greenpeace, 5 Caledonian Road, London N1. • Wildcat, BM Cat, London WC1N 3XX.

Papers • Black Flag, BM Hurricane, London WC1N3XX. • Class War, PO Box 467, London E8 3QX. • Counter Information, Pigeonhole C1, 11 Forth Street, Edinburgh. • Direct Action, PO Box 761, Camberwell SDO, London SE5 9JH. • Freedom, 84b Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX. • Green Anarchist, Box H, 34 Cowley Road, Oxford 0X4 1 HZ. • Insurrection, BM Elephant, London WC1N 3XX. • Organise! ACF, c/o 84b Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX. • Subversion, Box W, c/o Raven Press, 75 Piccadilly, Manchester. • World Revolution, BM Box 869, London WC1N 3XX.


Heatthwise If you have general questions on vegan-re-lated matters you'd like to see answered please drop us a line, marking your enve-lope 'Healthwise Q & A'. It is stressed, however, that the Society is not in a posi-tion to enter into personal correspondence on health matters.

17V An increasing number of back-sufferers seem

to be consulting chiropractors for pain relief, but how do the techniques of a chiropractor differ from those of an os-teopath?

Chiropractic and os-teopathy are both meth-

ods of manipulation of the bones of the spine and other joints of the body. The object of both therapeutic systems is to help relieve pain and restore health. Although they may use different techniques their phi-losophy is very similar. All manipulators move bones and use controlled force. Some will treat your whole body; oth-

ers will only treat the area where you feel pain or discom-fort. Both chiropractors and os-teopaths use their hands to analyse the spinal column for 'suluxations' or 'osteopathic le-sions' (slight displacements or adhesions). Feeling 'palpita-tion' is the main tool of analy-sis although some manipulators use X-rays as an aid to diagno-sis (McTimoney chiropractors do not use them). Having analysed the boney structure of the body, correc-tions (manipulations) are car-ried out. Usually a complete course of treatment is required to effect a return to health. Chiropractic is a method of maintaining and restoring health by means of manipula-tion or adjustment of the bones of the spinal column and other joints of the body. McTimoney chiropractors use a particularly gentle manipulative technique. "Manipulation is a precise, deft and very quick movement re-sulting in the very minimum of patient discomfort". British Chiropractic Association prac-titioners base treatment on the "combined assessment of all levels of examination". The short term approach is spinal adjustment —- specific manipu-lation. Osteopathy is based on the pre-cept that many common ail-ments can be directly traced to misalignments in the articula-tions of the skeletal structure of the body — especially the spine. Osteopaths "relieve lo-calized muscle spasm by expert and controlled movements of the skeletal structure". The true value of any therapeu-tic method is determined by its effectiveness in getting sick people back to health. Entrenched prejudice and dis-belief may question the validity of manipulation as an effective therapy but the final, decisive test is: Does it work? For thou-sands of people the unquestion-able answer is "yes". — Stan Harding, McTimoney Chiropractor, Oxford. Further information: McTimoney Chiropractic, The Institute of Pure Chiropractic, PO Box 126, Park End Street, Oxford 0X11HH British and European Osteopathic Association, 6 Adelaide Road, Tedding ton, Middlesex TW11 OAY.

P5J1 What is gluten and how LmJ do 1 know if 1 am intol-erant of it?

Gluten is a mixture of the proteins gliadin and

glutenin which are mainly pre-sent in wheat and rye. About one perso°n in 2000 is in-tolerant of gluten and intoler-ance is probably hereditary; in the west of Ireland one person in 300 is sensitive. Intolerance first shows itself in infants when they are being weaned on to cereals. Affected children display poor growth; become anaemic; produce pale, bulky, offensive stools; and develop distended, painful tummies. This condition is known as 'coeliac disease', however, not all cases are so severe (though it may arise later in life). It can be confused with com-mon conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and because of its rarity it may not be con-sidered in the initial diagnosis. In some individuals the absorp-tive cells of the small bowel lining are intolerant to a com-ponent of the gluten and the damaged and destroyed cells can no longer absorb adequate nutrition. Avoiding the toxic substance enables the bowel lining to regenerate rapidly. Thus, a gluten-free diet is cura-tive — though vitamin and mineral supplements will be necessary for a while. With special care tolerance may be developed, otherwise gluten-free flour will always be re-quired in the preparation of ce-real foods. If you display the classic gluten intolerance symptoms, the sim-plest way to confirm intoler-ance is to avoid all gluten-con-taining foods and monitor your symptoms. Your personal diag-nosis can be confirmed by a test that involves swallowing a specialized capsule on a long thread; a sliver of bowel lining is snipped and removed for mi-croscopic analysis. Foods to avoid are those con-taining wheat, rye, oats and barley — for example: bread, cake, cereal and pasta; some soups and sauces; and some tinned and processed foods. — Dr David Ryde, Beckenham, Kent. Further information: Coeliac Society, PO Box 220. High Wycombe, Bucks HOll 2HY.


Healing Options MEDICAL

HERBALISM lllustr. R Benford

Herbal medicine is the treatment of dis-ease using medicinal plants, both internally and externally.

It is a natural method of healing that depends on the therapeutic qualities of plants to assist the body's powers of recuperation. For medical pur-poses, herbs are any plants, flowers or trees whch have cu-rative properties. Origins Herbal medicine can justifiably claim to be the first, or original medicine. Unfortunately, along the way humankind went astray and we ended up with orthodox medicine!

Herbs have been used to treat health problems since the dawn of life. Effective reme-dies were identified by trial and error and the knowledge gained was passed down from one generation to the next. Herbalism continued to be the principal form of healing until the 16th century when physi-cians discovered chemical com-pounds and began experiment-ing — often disastrously — with large doses of minerals.

Interest in herbal medicine re-turned in the first quarter of the 19th century when chemists succeeded in isolating thera-peutically active substances from medicinal plants. In 1827, scientists separated glycoside — the basis of aspirin — from willow bark; then came anaes-thetic and antiseptics. Herbal remedies — using the whole plant — became redundant.

However, with the discovery that isolated substances are re-sponsible for a vast array of side effects, herbalism has be-gun to enjoy an upsurge in pop-ularity. Fundamentals Herbalists believe that medici-nal plants contain both primary and secondary healing agents — grouped as compounds.

The primary compounds are essentially the active ingredi-ents which the early chemists were keen to extract. The sec-ondary compounds are equally important since they determine

how effective the primary will be — making the body more, or less receptive to the primary's powers. The secondary healing agent therefore 'controls' and regulates the effect of the pri-mary.

Isolating the primary com-pound is unnatural and poten-tially harmful; hence, the whole of a medicinal plant is better than its constituent parts.

Unlike synthetically-derived drugs, herbal medicines are easy to tolerate because the substances found in plants are similar in chemical composi-tion to those that form in the body. Drugs can be dramatic and effective in an emergency

but they overwork the body and dent its immune system; whereas plant remedies gently

coax the body back to its natu-ral equilibrium.

Herbalists, like many other a l t e r n a t i v e / c o m p l e m e n t a r y

practitioners, believe in the power of the body to heal it-self and adopt a holistic ap-proach to treatment. Healing Properties In addition to providing valu-

able minerals, vitamins and trace elements, medicinal plants contain a range of heal-ing agents, or substances, that can be used to prevent or cure illness:

Tannins act as an astringent and heal by binding albumen (a protein) in the skin and mu-cosae to create an insoluble protective layer. Tannins pre-dominate in oak bark and witch hazel. They are particluarly suited to treating infections.

Bitters are found in, for ex-ample, dandelion root, and work by stimulating the secre-tion of digestive juices in the stomach and intestine. They are used to treat gastritis, anaemia and nervous exhaustion. Some act as sedatives and antibiotics.

Alkaloids are used as cata-lysts for the healing process. They are often toxic when tak-en in large amounts. Common examples include morphine, caffeine and nicotine.

Mucilage is found in many plants. It swells up when water is added, forming a viscous flu-id. It is used to amplify the ef-fects of other healing agents such as tannins — especially in the relief of irritation. Comfrey has a notably high mucilage content.

Volatile oils or essential oils are natural antiseptics and antibiotics. Found in highly

scented herbs such as fennel, rosemary and mint, they may either be consumed or inhaled (aromatherapy). Practitioners Qualified herbalists (commonly with MNIMH or FNIMH after their name) have been trained in physiology, anatomy, pathol-ogy and differential diagnosis — and have passed both theo-retical and clinical examina-tions.

They should be equipped with the basic tools of medical diagnosis such as a stethoscope, sphygmomanometer (for mea-suring blood pressure), opthal-moscope (eyes), otoscope (ears) and haemoglobinometer (aneamia).

Like other holistic practi-tioners they examine the whole person — physical, emotional, mental and spiritual — and at-tempt to consider the main complaint in the context of their findings. By gentle 'inter-rogation', the herbalist seeks to build a complete picture of the patient's lifestyle, temperament and constitution — hoping to identify a weakness that may be the subject of stress or strain, causing disease.

Herbalists may take a little longer than an orthodox practi-tioner to cure your curable dis-ease, or make your incurable disease more tolerable, but at least you will be 'side effect-free' and therefore in a better position to repel other 'attacks' on your well-being.

Finding a Herbalist

• look under 'Herbalists' in Yellow Pages • send an SAE for a list of practitioners to: National Institute of Medical Herbalists, 41 Hatherley Road, Winchester, Hampshire.

Recommended Reading

• Herbal Medicine by Anne Mclntyre, Optima, 1987 £3.95 • Home Herbal by Barbara Griggs. Available from the Vegan Society at £4.59 (includ-ing p&p)

A series of three evening class-es 'Everyday Healing Herbs' will be held 7,14, 21 November at:'Brighton Natural Health Centre, 27 Regent Street, Brighton. 0273


Y O U N G V E G A N S

Hello there and an enormous welcome to the very first regular column especially for those important mem-bers of society under 14 years of age! We hope you find

something of interest here and that you will write to us and let us know what you think of the magazine and what you would like to see in this column. Also, if there 's something you feel strongly about , don ' t keep it to yourself! We'll pr int some o your let ters in a fu tu re issue.

Don't forget to show The Vegan to your friends and get them to have a go at the competition! We want lots of entries. Hope to hear from you soon.

Writing Competition Write an essay in not more than 400 words on Why People Should Become Vegan. Make sure your writing is clear and neat and send it to us before 25 October 1989. The results of the competition and the best es-say will be published in the next issue of The Vegan.

Anyone can take part so long as they are under 14! Prizes 1st Prize — A selection of veg-an chocolate bars kindly do-nated by Plamil Foods Ltd. 2nd & 3rd Prizes — Cookery book & Pen. Children Vote Green The Green Party swept into power when British schoolchil-dren voted in a mock Euro elec-tion. 27,682 children cast their vote in the election which was organized by BBC TV's Newsround. The Greens took 36 seats, Labour 25 and Conservatives 8. This is surely an indication of the strength of feeling amongst the young on green issues today. Non-Members If you are under 15 and are not a member of The Vegan Society you can join and get a free pack which includes your magazine plus stickers and a badge. Junior membership costs just £5. A baigain! Please indi-cate your age when you write in.

Elefriends The World Society for the Protection of Animals has joined forces with Zoocheck, Care for the Wild and the African Ele-Fund to form Elefriends. It has been set up to protect the African elephant — a species that could soon be un-der the threat of extinction.

could read it and make use of it for projects on animal rights, vegetarianism and, most importantly, veganism. Unfor-tunately, the Vegan Society cannot afford to send free copies to all schools at the mo-

CRUNCHY CAKES

200g wheatflakes (Sainsbury, Force Wheatflakes or Safeway

Wholewheat Flakes) 1 bar Plamil Chocolate (the nut one is best)

50g vegan margarine Melt the chocolate and margarine in a saucepan (do not boil). Add the wheatflakes and mix thoroughly. Drop a large tablespoon of the mixture into papercake cups. Allow to cool and set in the fridge. Eat!

Over 80,000 are killed each year for the ivory trade.

The aims of Elefriends are twofold: to work for a world-wide ban on the ivory trade, and to co-ordinate an interna-tional consumer awareness campaign, urging people not to purchase ivory. You can help. For more information write to Elefriends at: 162 Boundaries Road, London SW12 8HG. School Libraries Most junior schools and all sec-ondary schools have a library for general use. It would be re-ally good if a recent copy of The Vegan was on display in these libraries so that everyone

ment, but if you would like a recent copy sent to your school just send us 50p (in stamps if you don't want to buy a postal order or send a cheque) and the name and address of your school and we will send a copy direct.

Ark Ark is a new en-v i r o n m e n t a l

group formed to encourage greater aw-are-

ness and personal responsibil-ity for the planet.

"The earth is sick and dy-ing. So too is the human race. For we are systematically de-stroying the fabric of the planet which gave us life, and transforming it into a sterile wasteland. We foul the seas

and pollute the lakes and

rivers with our wastes ... we sub-ject do-mesticated animals to

cruel meth-ods of intensive or ' factory' farming

and each year we slaughter thousands of mil-lions of wild birds and ani-

mals for sport or ornament. The world cannot bear this terrible burden . . . "

Ark has produced a glossy 40 page manifesto, a 7 minute video featuring Dawn French as the earth(!) plus a range of vegan household products which are now available in supermarkets. It also plans to open a chain of vegetarian [and vegan?] fast food restau-rants. Its plan is to reach as wide an audience as possible

Although the group started in Britain, its intention is to become an international movement with support groups being established all over the world. Already there is a network being created in Britain. People who join Ark are invited to make subtle but important changes to their lifestyle, thereby reducing the pressure on the environment. There is a six point pledge that can be undertaken. For fur ther details please contact Ark, 498-500 Harrow Road, London W9 3AQ. 01 968 6780.

STICKERS!

elve stickers of the same de-sign on each sheet. Five sheets for 99p(incl. p&p). Please specify the design(s) re-quired using the letter code. Orders to: The Vegan Society (Merchandise), 33-35 George Street, Oxford OXI 2AY


It had been raining, but now the sun shone and a little girl who was nearly

six, her even littler brother and Sam the dog, had gone out to play.

Their shoes and socks got soaked and their big blue ball sent up spray as it skidded across the grass. The game was to keep the ball away from Sam the dog. Suddenly, Sam the dog got to it first and ran off to a bench where an old man was sitting. Because no-one was trying to get it, Sam the dog dropped the ball and lay, a little soggy and panting, on the grass. The old man pat-ted his head and picked up the ball. The two children ran to get it.

The old man, who was quite the oldest man they had ever seen, smiled at them and said what a good dog they had to look after them. Just then their mother arrived carrying the shopping.

"Hello," she said, "what are you two up to?"

"Oh they are having a love-ly time playing with the dog," said the old man. Then, look-ing at the little girl, he asked: "And what is your name then?"

"Rhuti Tootie," she replied. "What a funny name," said

the old man. "My real name is Suzanne,"

she said, "but Rhuti is what I am called."

"It's an African name," said her mum who's own name was Marjorie but who was known as Marjie Mum, "And this is Bernard."

Rhuti, called Rhuti Tootie, shouted: "He's called Bumpy Bernie." Bemie laughed.

"I bet I know why he Bumpy," said the old man.

"It's because I keep bumping into things," said Bemie. The old man said he thought that was why and they all laughed.

"He's only three," said Rhuti Tootie, and then she noticed that the old man had tears running down his cheeks. "Why are you crying?" she asked.

Marjie Mum looked a little em-barassed, you could always tell by the way she smiled. The old man smiled too, crinkling up his nose.

"I 'm a very old man," he said, "older than you could possibly think."

"Older than grandpa?" asked Rhuti Tootie.

For even younger readers

is called "Much older." The old man smiled again.

"Why are you crying?" asked Bumpy Bernie.

"I have stopped since I met you two." He dabbed at his eyes with a crumpled handkerchief, "But I'll explain." Fish "I have been travelling all round the world and I was crying because of what I saw. First I went to sea. There, I saw ships dragging the fish out of the water in great nets so that they drowned in air."

"You can't drown in air," said Rhuti Tootie. Oh dear, what a strange man this was.

"You are right in one sense," he re-

sponded, "but fish cannot breathe in air." Marjie Mum

thought it was all very cruel. "Yes," the old man said, "I

could barely watch the fear and pain of the fish as they thrashed about, slowly dying."

"Why were the fish killed? asked Bumpy Bernie. Marjie Mum knew this: "It 's so that children can have fish fingers for tea."

"But we don't eat fish!" ex-claimed Rhuti Tootie.

"I know," said the old man, "that 's why I am smiling just a little." Rhuti Tootie was puz-zled. How did he know that she did not eat fish before she had told him? Forests The old man stared into the distance. "After that we landed in a country far away where there were forests. The trees were very tall and colourful birds flew from branch to branch. There were delicate flowers, spiders and snakes. I stood and looked in wonder, then all of a sudden, all the an-imals rushed past me in terror so that I could hardly keep my feet ."

"Why?" asked Bumpy Bemie. He was good at asking why.

"Well," said the old man, "I looked in the direction from which they had come and I "A fire!" cried Rhuti Tootie, "Just like in Bambi."

saw great clouds of smoke." "A fire!" cried Rhuti Tootie,

"Just like in Bambi." "Yes," said the old man,

"but when I got closer I saw that this was no accident."

"What had happened?" It was Marjie Mum's turn to ask a question.

The old man sobbed. "There were men setting fire to the forest." What did Bumpy Bernie say? You've guessed it, "Why?"

The old man sighed. "They burned the forest to grow grass for cows to graze." That is not so bad thought Rhuti Tootie, for cows need homes too.

The old man, looking into her mind said: "These men did not have kind hearts like yours, no sooner had the cows eaten the grass than the men rounded them up and took them to a large build-ing — just like a factory. Leaving the factory were lorries laden with beef burg-


ers for people to eat in England. I looked inside the factory and saw great vats of blood and the cows were hanging by their hind legs — dead. You ask why I am crying. The forest was destroyed, the animals m a d e homeless and the cows all murdered — just so people could eat meat . "

"We don ' t eat meat ," said Rhuti Tootie, almost in tears herself, "we are vegetar ian."

"Yes, vegetarian," added Bemie, ex-cept he could not quite say it properly. He had found the old man so interesting that he had not bumped into anything for a whole ten minutes. Rhuti Tootie and Bumpy Bernie were excited at seeing the little calf. He had a fine brown coat and moist, trusting eyes.

"Yes" beamed the old man," my tears nearly stopped when I met you. Perhaps my life all those years ago was not in vain."

"What is your name?" asked Bumpy Bernie.

"Francis ," replied the old man, "I am f rom a little town in Italy called Assisi." The Calf Just then a farmer walked by leading a

little calf. The little calf kept crying out for its mother and in the distance a cow could be heard calling to her little calf.

Rhuti Tootie and Bumpy Bemie were excited at seeing the little calf. He had a fine brown coat and moist, trusting eyes. Marjie Mum said "Look Bernard, look at the little calf!"

Once more tears streamed down the old man 's cheeks. Rhuti Tootie thought, oh dear, he 's always crying.

"Are you alright?" asked Marjie Mum. She was worried because the old man looked ill and seemed to be fading away.

"Do not concern yourself with me," he replied, "I can see where the farmer is taking the little calf."

"Where?" asked Rhuti Tootie. The old man looked solemn. "The farmer is tak-ing the little calf to be killed and he will cut the little calf 's throat." Now the old man looked angry. Bernie and Rhuti were aston-ished and upset.

"Why?" cried Bernie.

"Why?" added f Rhuti, "the calf \ r / f

must have done «» i /.

killed." The old man said: "No, the little calf

has done nothing wrong but his mother is producing milk for him and the farmer wants to sell it and make himself rich. People will drink the milk and put it on their cornflakes."

Old Francis was grief stricken. He looked even more faded and their ball he was holding dropped to the ground and rolled away. Rhuti and Bernie ran to get it but Sam the dog got there first. When they looked round the old man had gone — nowhere to be seen.

Marjie Mum said: "Let'& go home now."

"Who was that man?" asked Rhuti Tootie.

"Well, he called himself Francis from Assisi and perhaps he really was. When we get home I will tell you about him."

something terri- / J ft

ftES!?* V j M I llluslr. J BrtlSl

ttinlqng 5\hmd? There must be many readers who would like to offer financial support to the Vegan Society in its unique work but have limited means at their disposal. There is, however, an easy way of helping regardless of present circumstances — by including a legacy to the Society in your Will. Great or small, such legacies can make a real and enduring contribution to the promotion of vegan ideals.

For those who would like to make a bequest to the Society the following form of words is suggested: "I bequeath to the Vegan Society Ltd, Registered Charity no. 279228, presently at 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY, the sum of £ , and declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other authorized officer of the said Society shall be good and sufficient discharge of such legacy."

Property left to the Society is another valuable contribution to our cause. If you wish to will land or property to the Society, please write for details of how to arrange this.

BATTERY CHICKEN PROTEST

Saturday 11 November 1989 BIRMINGHAM

Assemble 1.00pm Chamberlain Square for short MARCH through city centre.

Reassemble 3.00pm at Beckett's Farm, Withal, nr. Birmingham for RALLY.

Speakers include: Richard Farhall, Vegan Society

Trevor Hall, NAVS Richard Mountford, Animal Aid

Tim Phillips, Turning Point Robin Smith, BUAV

Chico White, Tamworth Animal Welfare Food and stalls!

Contact: CAFAA, PO Box 156, Cardiff CF5 5YD Tel: 0222 569914


OUT AND ABOUT

THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW Chris Aston, Campaigns Organizer of the Campaign

Against Farm Animal Abuse (CAFAA), investigates the welfare of some of the Show's 'exhibits'

The 1989 Royal Show, held at the National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, was as

artificial and contemptuous towards the ex-hibited animals as ever. We attended the Show hoping, as with previous visits, to see signs of serious consideration being given to the accommodation and welfare needs of the animals on display. As usual, our hopes were dashed. Sows in Distress Perhaps 100,000 people — mainly from farming and agribusiness backgrounds — visit the Show to catch up with trade inno-vations and to 'enjoy' the development of new arable and animal husbandry tech-niques.

One established technique is imprison-ing highly curious, intelligent and socially aware animals in dimly lit sheds. Individually stalled and unable to turn around, the life of a Stoneleigh sow is not a happy one — a message the Campaign Against Farm Animal Abuse (CAFAA) has repeated over the last five years.

The unit housed forty sows, forced to face in one direction; standing on slatted, metal grids; lacking bedding and compan-ionship; showing signs of a burning desire for freedom — something they will never have during their I61/2 week period of pregnancy.

One sow, in a strange crouching posi-tion, appeared to be pleading her escape. Perhaps later she may have been trans-ferred to the farrowing house where, in an equally restrictive device, she would spend three weeks acting as a milk bar for her young. The expectation of her captor would be for her to produce two litters of ten piglets per year, with a target of five lit-ters over two years.

After weaning, the sow would be moved to her stall in the sow yard and, usually within 7-10 days, would be mated with a boar to begin the whole, wretched process again. The boars — though not stalled — are frequently housed in a state of solitary confinement.

The Show's fattening stock fared no bet-ter: variations on flat deck and kennel pens were dimly lit and overcrowded, and pos-sessed inadequate ventilation, humidity and temperature control.

Whether as sow-suckling piglets, early weaners, finishing porkers, baconers, or heavy hogs, the animals suffer boredom, frustration and stress — deprived of free-dom, pasture and fresh air. Every aspect of their lives is regulated. On the day we visit-ed the pig units, temperatures rose to the mid Eighties. The automated ventilat-ion/humidity system provided scant com-fort to those imprisoned — those who would have little chance of escape in the event of fire. Hens Entombed The poultry unit, under the direction of a new management promising an 'egg-cit-ing' future for the industry, was equally distressing.

Over thirteen thousand Shaver Starcress Brown battery hens aged 49 weeks were incarcerated. Bedraggled, featherless and three to a cage, each bird had just 50x45x50cm and 10cm trough space. Their instinctinve needs — scratching, dust bathing and stretching their wings — were frustrated.

Automated food and water supply, egg collection, light, temperature, humidity, ventilation, plus a compterized feed com-pound and predator-free housing, showed the agribusiness mentality in its sickening 'glory' and the hen in her nightmarish real-ty-

Overcrowded Broilers In the broiler units we were able to view the birds through a glass panel. Each house stocked 4,000 one month-old Ross birds — gasping for air and struggling for space.

A notice explained that the process would last nine weeks with the birds mar-

iiiustr. R. Benford keted at 48-60 days, weighing 2.25kg. The

object of the system is to produce the best possible carcass, heaviest weight, and most cost-effective feed conversion ratio.

In 1952, a male broiler chicken would be slaughtered at ten weeks, weigh 3.301b and have a feed conversion ratio of 3.60. In 1985, the broiler would be slaughtered at seven weeks, weigh 5.301b and convert feed at 1.97. In the UK alone there are 1.31 million birds crammed into broiler units and laying cages.

At most agricultural shows it is unusual for the public to have access to such obvi-ous cruelty. Typically, an event — essen-tially a conspiracy of powerful agribusiness interests and public-funded departments — is about gloss, self-congratulation and keeping undesirable issues such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy(BSE), bovine somatotropin(BST), listeria and salmonel-la, well under wraps.

Despite constant pressure from CAFAA — including the initiation of a Central TV investigation of the pig unit — the (in-creasingly) grotesque suffering of the ani-mals at Stoneleigh continues.

For further information send an SAE. to: CAFAA, 3 George Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 9RG.

CAFAA is organizing a national demonstration against A.E. Beckett & Sons Poultry, near Birmingham on Saturday 11 Novemberl989. [See Diary Dates and ad. on page 14}.


V egetarians — who are they, what do they think about food and

what do they eat? These were the questions

posed in a survey by Alizon Draper and her colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The study, The Diet of Vegetarians in Greater London (published June 1989), financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), was initiated be-cause of concern that little is known about the increasing number of ' n e w ' vegetarians in Britain.

One hundred and thirty-sev-en 'vegetar ians ' were recruited with the help of the Vegan Society; Vegetarian Society; lo-cal radio stations; restaurants and shops; and social networks. There were 38 vegans, 52 lacto-ovo-vegetarians and 37 demi-vegetarians — who usually avoided fish, or meat, or both.

The subjects recorded their food intake for three days and underwent a structured interview, during which they answered questions both on how often they ate various foods and on their rea-sons for, and attitudes to, a vegetarian lifestyle. There was no control group of regular meat-eaters but the subjects ' di-ets were compared with government rec-ommendat ions and previous surveys of relatively young individuals in southern Britain.

Findings In general, the results of the survey were what one might expect and were similar to comparable studies. All three 'vege-tarian' groups had moderate intakes of energy (calories); high intakes of fibre and polyunsaturated fat; and low intakes of saturated fat — all in accordance with current popular dietary advice. Meat and — in the case of the vegans — other ani-mal foods, were replaced by increased intakes of cereals, legumes and nuts, and a (high) consumption of fruit and vegeta-bles. These factors would be expected to result in low rates of corony heart dis-ease and some cancers.

In the vegan group, average intakes of magnesium, iron, and vitamins A, B j , Bg, C, E and folic acid were well above the Recommended Daily Amount (RDA); whereas average intakes of pro-tein, zinc, iodine and vitamins B2, B j 2 and D were slightly below. While the recommended levels are deliberately set a littie above the average requirements of individuals, and none of the vegans had

VEGANS IN THE GREAT METROPOLIS T I M K E Y ASSESSES THE RESULTS OF THE LATEST

SURVEY TO FOCUS ON 'VEGETARIANS'

British people is dairy pro-duce: it comes largely from the fortified food given to the cows and from contami-nation of milk by iodine compounds used for disin-fecting teats and milking equipment.

Much has already been written about vitamin Bj2 but it is worth repeating that it is advisable for vegans to ensure they receive a regular supply.

Zinc and Vitamin D The argument for increasing the intake

of zinc and vitamin D is less convinc-ing. Zinc intakes have been somewhat below recommend-ed levels in many studies of both vegetarians and meat-eaters, with no signs of defi-ciency. The major source of

vitamin D for most British peo-ple is sunlight rather than food — although a dietary source

may be important for those who are niustr. R. Benford exposed to little sunlight.

any ob-vious signs of

nutritional deficiency, the authors make the tentative suggestion that the low av-erage intakes of zinc, iodine, and vita-mins B j 2 and D in the vegans may be of some concern and that increased intakes It is interesting to note that a major source of iodine in the diets of most British people is dairy pro-duce: it comes largely from the fortified food given to the cows and from contamination of milk by iodine compounds used for disin-fecting teats and milking equip-ment.

from food or supplements "could do no harm and might prevent the onset of a deficiency state in some cases". This suggestion appears to be most reasonable for iodine and for vitamin B12-

Iodine & Vitamin B12

The iodine content of land plants is de-termined by the amount of this trace ele-ment in the soil (which in most of Britain is not high). Deficiency of iodine can cause serious diseases such as goitre in children and myxoedema in adults. Adequate intakes can only be ensured by eating seafoods (e.g. seaweeds); plants grown in iodine-rich soil (which cannot readily be identified!); or by taking sup-plements.

It is interesting to note that a major source of iodine in the diets of most

Non-food Matters As far as the 'non-nutritional' character-istics of the vegans are concerned, it is particularly difficult to interpret the find-ings of this study because the sample was not particularly representative: pre-dominantly young to middle-aged, well-educated, professional and dispropor-tionately female.

In contrast to the lacto-ovo and demi-vegetarians, more of the vegans lived alone, cooked for themselves and be-longed to a "relevant organisation". The authors speculate that the findings may result from "the demand of the vegan lifestyle, (which) tend to make social mingling with the omnivorous popula-tion difficult".

All three vegetarian groups were dis-trustful of the food industry and of con-ventional medicine, and were convinced that their diet was beneficial to their health. Sixty per cent of the vegans had adopted their diet for ethical reasons, compared with 50 per cent of the 'lacto-ovos ' and 30 per cent of the 'demis ' . Approximately 20 per cent of all groups had adopted their diets for health rea-sons.

The most striking and encouraging feature of the study is that it was under-taken at all, that a large, detailed exami-nation has been conducted at one of the leading British centres for nutrition teaching and research —financed by the MAFF — is a clear indication of the rapid increase in the numbers of, and in-terest in, vegetarians — of all types.

16 The Vegan, Autumn 1989 M

New Soya; 100% vegetable margarine


MENU 1 * Battered. Mushrooms

with Avocado Sal^e/ *Leek and Walnut Lasagne

Mixed Salad Spiced Apple Crumble

o

Battered Mushrooms 8oz (225g) firm mushrooms 6oz (170g) wholemeal flour

1 scant teaspoon baking powder 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

approx. third of a pint (200ml) soya milk seasoning to taste

vegetable oil for frying Wipe the mushrooms clean and dry thoroughly. Button mushrooms are ideal for this recipe, but if you use larger ones, cut them into thick, even slices. Make the batter by whisking together the flour, baking pow-der, oil and enough milk to make a thick, creamy mixture. Keep beating for a few minutes. Add seasoning.

Dip the mushrooms into the batter and deep fry on a medium heat until golden. Drain. Serve hot with sauce.

Avocado Sauce 1 large, ripe avocado

squeeze of lemon juice garlic salt or half a clove of garlic,

crushed pinch of marjoram 1-2 tablespoons soya mayonnaise, or yoghurt or tahini

seasoning to taste Mash the avocado flesh until smooth. Add the other ingredi-ents, mixing well. The soya mayonnaise, yoghurt, or tahini

MENU 2 Sweetcorn Soup *Ratatouille Pie Pureed Potatoes

*Parsnip Coleslaw Autumn Fruit Salad

(Grapes, Blackberries and Sliced Bananas)

with *Cashew Cream

Ratatouille Pie 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

loz (30g) margarine 1 large onion, sliced

1 large aubergine, sliced then cubed 2 courgettes, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced 3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped

seasoning to taste 1 clove garlic, crushed

bay leaf 1 tin chick peas

For pastry: 6oz (170g) wholemeal flour 1 teaspoon baking powder

3oz (85g) margarine approx. 3 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon sesame seeds or mixed herbs (optional) Heat the oil and margarine together in a large pan. Add the onion, stir, cook briefly. Add the remaining vegetables, sea-soning, garlic and bay leaf. Stir again, cover the pan and cook gently for about 15 minutes or until just tender. Remove the bay leaf, add the drained chick peas and turn the mixture into a pie dish.

Put the flour into a bowl, mix in the baking powder. Use fingertips to rub in the margarine until you have a mixture like fine breadcrumbs. Add just enough cold water to make

_ u J i — r t c :i_i

sua. reason me sauce, cover ana cnm unni neeaea.

Leek and Walnut Lasagne 8 sheets lasagne

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced

1 red pepper, sliced 2oz (55g) walnut pieces

loz (30g) wholemeal flour half pint (285ml) soya milk

seasoning to taste parsley

loz (30g) breadcrumbs extra nuts and parsley (optional)

Drop the sheets of pasta into a large pan of boiling water and cook for about 6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, then lay them on to a clean tea towel, ensuring they do not touch.

Use half the vegetable oil to saute the leeks and pepper slices for a few minutes, then cover the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes (check that they don't burn — add a trickle of water if necessary). Stir in the walnut pieces.

Heat the remaining oil in a clean pan, add the flour and cook for one minute. Add the soya milk. Cook, stirring con-tinually, to make a thick, white sauce. Season and add some chopped parsley.

Lightly grease a shallow tin or dish and lay a third of the lasagne across the bottom. Spread half the leek and walnut mixture over this, then some of the sauce. Repeat, then add the remaining pasta and the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake at 375°F/190°C (Gas Mark 5) for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with extra nuts and parsley sprigs before serving (optional).

m

f with 'Caring Cook' Janet Hunt The darker evenings are as good an excuse as any to

entertain at home. The only trouble is that most people assume that inviting friends to dinner must be expen-

sive. Of course, this may be the case — but it isn't necessari-ly so. You can dish up impressive meals without forking out your last penny, but it does require a little extra thought and planning.

One very useful trick is to splurge on a luxury ingredient — the kind that can turn an everyday dish into something special. An avocado, for example, can go a long way if used imaginatively. So can a fresh pineapple and even a small punnet of out-of-season strawberries. Try sprinkling a few pistachios over a cabbage and carrot slaw — or adding chopped olives to a marrow and tomato dish. Artichoke hearts turn a simple pizza into something unusual — use the tinned variety if you can't get your hands on a fresh one. A few mange tout give a lift to a stir-fry and a nut cream spooned over an apple crumble changes its char-acter completely. Little touches like grated lemon peel, fresh parsley, a few chicory rings and so on, add visual interest too.

Another trick — if you have little cash but plenty of time — is to make up the more complicated dishes that few peo-ple bother to do at home these days.

Lasagne is a bit of a fiddle — but worth it. So is puff pastry, but used to top a simple (and inexpensive) mixture such as mushrooms, celery and kidney beans, it proves well worth the effort. Even home-made baps, fresh from the oven, can make your guests feel especially welcome.

And to end your meal: your very own tofu cheesecake, fresh fruit sorbet, or dried fruit sweets served in paper cases with a cup of coffee.

The following menus will help you get started. Substitute where necessary and be prepared for some nice surprises!

dougn aside in a triage ior nan an nour;. Roll out into a circle and place this over the top of the

vegetables, rolling it down over the edge. Prick with a fork. (For extra flavour add seeds or mixed herbs — either when kneading dough, or sprinkled on top of pie). Bake at 375°F/190°C (Gas Mark 5) for 20 minutes, or until crisp and beginning to colour.

Parsnip Coleslaw 8oz (225g) white cabbage, finely shredded

1 large parsnip, peeled and shredded 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

half bunch watercress, trimmed vinaigrette dressing or soya mayonnaise

1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

Stir together all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add dress-ing or mayonnaise, using the minimum amount necessary to moisten vegetables. Sprinkle with seeds (if using). Cover and chill until needed.

Cashew Cream 8oz (225g) cashew pieces

water or soya milk to mix optional flavourings: syrup, maple syrup

vanilla essence, rosewater Grind the nuts to a fine powder. Add enough water or soya milk to make the mixture thick and creamy. Serve as it is, or flavour to taste.

All recipes are for four average servings. An asterisk before a menu item indicates that a recipe is supplied.

Illustr R Benford lllustr. R Benford

NEW on the VEGAN SOCIETY BOOKSHELF

The Cruel Deception: The Use of Animals in Medical Research

by Dr Robert Sharpe.

mam' m m

A detailed study demon-strating both the bar-barism and scientific invalidity of vivisection. £8.99 (incl. p&p)

A wide-ranging examinat ion of h u m a n abuse of ani-mals . Chapters in-clude: bloodsports, s laughter and farming, an imals in entertain-ment , vivisection, and anthropocentr ic con-servation. £6.70 (incl. p&Lp)

ASSAULT AND BATTERY

by Mark Gold

A critical examination of factory farming and its effects on animals, people and the envi-ronment. £6.70 (incl. p&p)

Home Ecology

by Karen Christensen

Ways and means

by wh ich the

indiv idual can

improve his/her

environment and

quali ty of life. £5.70 (incl. p&p)

Orders to: The Vegan Society, 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2 AY Please send an SAE marked 'Publications' for a full list of titles available from the Society.


Retrospect Donald Watson continues his regular column on our movement's early history

ural food, even if all other conditions of life are right. This was, and is, the physiological case for ve-ganism. As propagandists we should make more use of Huxley's table of com-parative anatomy which gives nearly twenty exam-ples to show where our anatomy and functions are identical to those of the frugivorous apes and dif-ferent from those of the carnivores. It is useful in debate when the cruelty -cowardice - conceit ap-proach fails.

For thousands of years, sometimes through necessity, but usually through wrong choice, man has been trying to tum himself into a carnivore, driving his square peg into na-ture's round hole, with dire con-sequences at the comers.

Donald Watson, first Secretary of the Vegan Society

The term 'early vegans' has come to mean the few who started the

movement in the 1940s. A bet-ter description would be 'latter-day vegans'. The early vegans were probably a more numer-ous group consisting of most of the human race — before hu-mankind invented tools to sub-due and kill animals.

Some of our early critics told us that this was pure con-jecture since it referred to a pe-riod before recorded history. So it did, but it was conjecture based on sound deduction, for how could early man have ob-tained the food of a predator without the body of a predator to kill it, or the means to cook it to make it edible? He would, of course, have had access to plen-ty of animal food such as earth-worms, grubs, frogspawn, small slow-moving mammals, rep-tiles, raw eggs and carrion — all of which he must have found as unattractive as we do today. In any study of human diet this long period must not be ignored, for it was then that our anatomy and digestive sys-tem evolved.

We can assess food on ethi-cal grounds, or on grounds of appearance, smell or taste, but once it is swallowed all our control ends, we pass it over to the forces of nature and if our choice has been wrong we pay the price — as indeed is the case with other animals.

Natural Frugivores Any animal can be brought down by depriving it of its nat-

Hygiene Hazards Today, our new system of pur-veying food — which depends on a sophisticated system of re-frigeration — adds even more to the health hazards. How of-ten do we find a packet of frozen peas that is solid, prov-ing that at some point since packing the peas have thawed and been re-frozen? This may not be as serious with peas, but what when it happens to meat, fish or made-up dishes suitable for vegetarians? Food manufac-turers and suppliers have over-whelming commercial reasons for keeping standards as high as possible, but the whole system is balanced on a knife edge of safety, which becomes even more precarious when the food is sold.

A diet that is based largely on foods that are hygienically packed in shells, husks, pods and skins seems even more at-tractive today that it did in 1944 — especially when we remem-ber that every mouthful of com-mercially produced animal food today probably contains antibi-otics from feedstuffs. Could not this be the cause of the increas-ing number of diseases arising from the breakdown of the im-mune system? Here, some of us

speak from the depths of our medical ignorance — but we al-so speak from the heights of our common sense.

Into the Wind It was difficult in 1944 to find anyone else who was going our way. Hector Nichols, who man-aged London's best known veg-etarian hotel in Palace Gate in the 1930s and '40s, told me that no-one had ever asked for veg-an food.

For many years before 1944 I had been secretary of the Leicestershire Vegetarian Society where it was my job to arrange speakers for the month-ly meetings. None ever chose to speak on the wider interpreta-tion of the vegetarian defini-tion. The nature cure school of therapy approved the use of dairy foods and extolled the use of yoghurt. Dugald Semple — the 'Scottish Thoreau' — who was my sympathetic chairman when I introduced veganism at the International Vegetarian Union in 1947, claimed to have been a vegan for several years; however, this enthusiasm did not extend to his books where he advocated raw milk rather than pasteurized.

Edgar Saxon, a gifted writer and speaker, wrote derisively in his magazine Health and Life about "this flight from the ani-mal". Milton Powell, a well-known naturopath and psychol-ogist, warned about transferring too readily our own sensitivities to those of animals (he later re-lented and wrote a glowing tes-timonial for publication in The Vegan News [later to become The Vegan. Ed.]).

Edmond Szekely, founder of Cosmotherapy, wrote about the

misguided people who would not use milk and were prepared to let the cow suffer with her full udder. This naivety spelt the death-knell for cosmothera-py for some of us. Dr. Josiah Oldfield, founder of the Fruitarian Society, advocated "the kindly fruits of the earth together with the pre-digested fruits of cows and fowls".

Henry Salt [anthology re-viewed on page 26. Ed.] in his book The Logic of Vegetarianism had a chapter entitled 'The Consistency Trick' in which he referred to the "cock and bull" arguments of those opposed to the use of milk and eggs. It was but a re-peat of what Edward Maitland had written in 1875: that farm-yard operations (castration) were justified because they al-lowed the animal to live a use-ful life. This view was greeted with silence by the vegetarian movement — a silence that pre-vailed until we broke it in 1944. Not before time.

Now, nearly half a century later, with our increased knowl-edge and experience, we can see what pressing human prob-lems are related; that ttiey will be solved together or not at all; and veganism will be central to their solution.

In a world planned by the or-thodox for the orthodox, the difficulties in applying the idea are great — though not nearly so great as they were. As with all other ideals, compromises sometimes have to be made. If there have to be Dunkirks our sights must always be on the fi-nal objective. Economics and hygiene are pressing hard at present to vindicate our early vision.

ANIMAL LIBERATION: A GRAPHIC

ANIMAL LIBERATION

by Lori Gruen, Peter Singer and David Hine. A powerfully illustrated introduction to the subject. £5.70 (incl. p&p) Orders to: The Vegan Society (Merchandise), 33-35 George Street, Oxford 0X1 2AY.


Sadler's Tcfles Hilary Sadler continues her regular column on everyday aspects of vegan living

Show time is upon us once more with a vengeance and, with the

big national agricultural shows out of the way, the smaller towns are having their turn.

Last year 's show season was marred by an accident when some shire horses bolted. Consequently, regulations have been tightened up in order to protect the ' innocent' show-go-ing fanners and their families from the 'dangerous' beasts they come to gawp at. Despite this, things very nearly went wrong at a show when a bull panicked and made a dash for freedom — through the crowds. Nobody was injured but the bull ended up sedated, 'safely behind bars' . Cruelty in Court The darker side of farming has had another airing locally with yet another prosecution for cru-elty to animals. In the latest in-cident, dogs and pigs were found dead and dying in a scene of utter degradation. I was amazed to read that this abysmal neglect occurred (ac-cording to the defence lawyer) because those concerned were so keen to care for animals that they had taken on too many. If this was the quality of their car-ing I dread to think what their idea of neglect might be!

The defendents were fined and banned from keeping dogs or pigs for 8 years. The fines did not cover the cost of the

prosecution. Pencader's dog cruelty case

has also been judged: those concerned were fined and banned from keeping dogs for 10 and 20 years. Local feeling remains outraged: not only were the fines again nowhere near enough to cover the prose-cution costs, but the guilty left behind large debts with local businesses — for, of all things, animal feed. Too Slow Margaret Langrish* — whom you may remember went to Spain at Easter to try to prevent the stoning of small animals in terracotta pots — has recently written to draw my attention to a petition she is organizing to the European Parliament.

In April, it published a draft regulation banning the import of furs caught with the leg hold trap. Unfortunately, the EEC Commission has given coun-tries still using this method of trapping up to nine years to in-troduce a more humane alterna-tive. Margaret has estimated that 385,000,000 animals will die if the leg hold method con-tinues to be used for the full nine years. Her petition calls for the ban to be introduced by 1991. Free Slush A friend recently brought me a leaflet she had seen advertised in the window of our local 'Master Butcher' —

Dewhursts. A delicate pastel pink, it featured — in soft focus — what was obviously intend-ed to be a glamorous portrait of the romantic novelist, Barbara Cartland. The deal is: if you buy enough dismembered bits of animal bodies you are enti-tled to — wait for it — a free Cartland book!

Twelve pounds worth of flesh is all it takes to claim your romance. Titles include A Heart in the Highlands (a meal of haggis perhaps?) and Desire in the Desert (camel steaks maybe?). Incomplete Picture The thousands of holidaymak-ers flocking to this part of west Wales are the target of many of the enticing leaflets packed into the Tourist Information Centre. A common form of entertain-ment offered is a visit to a local farm. One advertisement in-vites children to help feed the Jersey calves between 4 and 5 pm; at the same time up to 50 people can safely view the calves' mothers being milked. However, there is no mention of the times you can watch the

calves being torn away from their mothers or the slaughter of those who will not be kept on as milkers. "See how a working farm is run" — what lies.

My tales are not entirely full of woe! A local enterprise called the Body Centre has been investigated and has been found to supply non-animal de-rived, non-tested products un-der its own label — a welcome expansion of cruelty-free choice in the area.

Finally, feeling the urge to go out for a meal the other night, I rang a couple of local eateries to see if they would be able to feed me. Whilst neither of them had a vegan menu — or even advertised vegan food, they both said they would be happy to cook whatever I want-ed, given a bit of notice. What's more, they even seemed to know what a vegan is. I haven't investigated the places yet but I'll work on it and report back at a later date.

* Margaret Langrish can be contacted at


Prison Eye

An increasing number of prisoners are joining the Society: by mid-

July the figure stood at 356. However, due to the varying attitudes towards veganism within the management of the UK's 140 penal establish-ments, achieving uniformity in decision-making is very much an uphill task. Only the dietary aspect of veganism is officially recognized by the Home Office and so many prisoners feel this is the furthest they can go.

Toiletries Availability of cruelty-free toi-letries continues to present a

major problem. The Society has exerted constant pressure on the Home Office to encour-age it to issue guidelines stat-ing that suitable toiletries must be made available, either by mail order or via the prison canteen. Currently, it is left to the discretion of the governor. A few governors are sympa-thetic to the vegan ethic; the remainder require a lot of per-suasion!

A few months ago the Home Office announced it was unable to initiate a change from animal-based soap to a vegetable alternative because of the additional cost that would be incurred. However,

discussions with one of the vegetable soap suppliers who had contacted the Home Office revealed that the company is in a position to reduce the penal system's soap bill! I leave you to draw your own conclusion.

I am particularly keen to re-ceive details of those prisoners who have access to suitable toiletries. This information can then be used to exert pressure on those establishments failing to take this issue seriously. Non-prisoners can assist by writing to the Home Office at the address given below.

The National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) would like to hear from any inmate experiencing difficulties ob-taining vegan toiletries and clothing. Once it has received sufficient complaints it will take the matter up with the Home Office.

Animal Rights Prisoners There are currently four 'ani-mal rights prisoners' detained in Her Majesty's Prisons: Sean Crabtree, Ronnie Lee, Geoff

Sheppard and Roger Yates. You can support them by drop-ping them a line or making a donation to their defence/wel-fare funds. For details send an SAE to Support Animal Rights Prisoners (address below). SARP is a support group which provides information on pris-oners, financial assistance, and arranges prison visits.

Finally, a reminder that the Society has produced a Prison Information Pack. It includes details on prison life, com-plaint procedures and vegan toiletries.

Sandra Hood

Useful Addresses SARP, Box 5911, London WC1N3XX

Home Office, Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H9AT.

NCCL, 21 Tabard Street, London SE1 6BP.

L bllege of Purther Education. Plymouth.

DEPARTMENT OF CATERING STUDIES This nationally and internationally renowned department for catering education offers the chance to study at a:-

B/TEC NATIONAL DIPLOMA (VEGETARIAN & VEGAN) This course is run on a full time basis for two years includ-ing a period of extended study in Southern Italy. For Application Forms and further information, please apply to the Head of Department Kings Road, Devonport, Plymouth PL1 5QG or 'phone (0752 264739)

CRUELTY —FREE CANDLES

AT: l ,TWGAPJACK TfcRM LUP6VAN, KNZENCe COfcNWfiCL TKZO SX-O.

SEND SAE FOR CATALOGUE

CALLING AUTHORS & ARTISTS The Editor invites authors, artists and cartoonists to submit material for possible publication in The Vegan. Negotiable fees payable for work of suitable quality. Please write to: The Editor, The Vegan, 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY. MSS or other original work submitted to be accompanied by an SAE.

VICCO Vajradanti Unique Ayurvedic Toothpaste A completely n a t u r a l product {

containing 18 va luab le he rbs . VICCO V a j r a d a n t i is made in a c c o r d a n c e with the ancient Indian sc ience of Ayurveda . Highly Concen t ra t ed — Long last ing P leasan t Fresh T a s t e — Fresh Brea th Contains No Suga r — Flouride Free N O W AVAILABLE FROM WHOLEFOOD SHOPS OR PRICE £1.25 FROM: M a n d a l a Imports . 7 Ze t land Road. Redland. BRISTOL BS6 7AQG

Contains no animal ingredients


Spotlight on ... Disabled Against Animal Research and Exploitation (DAARE) The fourth in an occasional series on the history and activities of kindred organizatioj

At the age of two and a half I was diagnosed as having Chronic Juveni le Arthritis. T h e disease,

for which there is no cure, af fected all m y jo in t s — destroying my cart i lage, de-fo rming m y body and wast ing m y mus-cles. B y the t ime I was f ive I had spent t w o years in hospital and was restricted to us ing a wheelchair .

I had a lways felt uneasy about the v ivisect ion issue. I secretly disapproved on mora l grounds but dared not voice m y opinions . I was afraid to show m y disap-proval in case I appeared ungra tefu l — af te r all, was I not the one w h o would ul-t imately benef i t f rom such exper imenta-t ion?

'You're lucky, you can walk away from this poster. Please give generously'

I ignored these feel ings for many years , until o n e day, in m y h o m e town, I not iced a mass ive advert isement . It de-picted a w o m a n in a wheelchair with a cap t ion that read: 'You ' r e lucky, you can walk away f rom this poster. Please give gene rous ly ' . I knew the charity in ques-tion f inanced vivisection and I suddenly real ised that my image was being used to raise f u n d s that would ul t imately cause pain and suffer ing to mil l ions of animals. I wan ted n o part of it.

Preparation I spent the fo l lowing months researching the facts concerning vivisect ion. It did not take m e long to discover that experi-men t ing on animals was not only moral-ly un jus t i f iab le but also scientifically un-rel iable. Along with the major i ty of the popula t ion I had been brain-washed into th inking that animal exper iments told us about h u m a n s when, of course, they only tell us about animals .

Shor t ly af ter this revelat ion I wrote an art icle for the British Union for the Aboli t ion of Vivisection (BUAV) ex-pla ining how people with disabilities could g ive their support to the animal r ights movemen t . I finished by suggest-

ing that somebody ought to start an ani-mal rights group for disabled campaign-ers.

Weeks later I received a letter from an American, Dana Soule, who had been severely disabled since birth. She was unable to walk and suffered painful spasms in her muscles. Dana had also discovered the myth behind animal ex-periments and was working voluntarily for an American anti-vivisection organi-zation.

After months of planning we formu-lated a unique animal rights organization — Disabled Against Animal Research and Exploitation (DAARE). We needed help to launch the group so Dana ap-proached People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in Washington and I approached the BUAV. We explained that a group of disabled and chronically ill people would give strength and credi-bility to the movement and attract a great deal of attention from the public and me-dia. The BUAV agreed to fund DAARE and Dana came to the UK for the launch.

Success DAARE is now 3 years old and is a tremendous success. During our first year I discovered that I was not the only one with a disability who wanted an end to animal experiments. We have mem-bers from all over the world with varying degrees of disability and chronic disease.

The work of D A A R E is multi-faceted. We produce a range of literature that is specifically targetted at the disabled community which explains why it is im-portant for us to reject vivisection. We have spokespersons who give lectures to schools, colleges and disabled organiza-tions.

We supply, on request, an updated list of medical charities who do not fund ani-mal research. The public likes to give money to research charities so it is vital that we offer them an alternative. Self-help organizations are particularly im-portant because they offer practical help and give advice on living with a disabili-ty; do not fund any sort of research; and educate both the disabled and able-bod-

Sue Croshaw, DAARE

ied that it is possible to live with certain forms of confinement — there is life af-ter disability!

We also: write to our specific disabled charity and voice our objections if they support or fund vivisection; support non-animal research methods such as human cell, tissue and organ cultures, computer models and clinical studies; and cam-paign for funds to be redirected from ani-mal experiments to areas that will direct-ly benefit disabled people such as increased allowances, affordable aid-s/adaptations and better access.

"What some of these animal rights people need is a good dose of paralysis to give them some per-spective."

The 'Other Side' Of course we have our opposition! An article featuring the views of a recently-formed group, Incurably 111 for Animal Research, has been appearing in regional newspapers throughout America. Its members are under the impression that the animal rights movement will jeopar-dize their chance of a cure. I was able to reply to this article on behalf of DAARE and consequently it was printed in over 30 newspapers. Unsurprisingly,


Incurably 111 for Animal Research has the backing of the Californian Biomedical Research Association!

Another example of how some dis-abled people are under the impression that vivisection is their only hope is the recent outburst of a spinal injured man in Canada: "What some of these animal rights people need is a good dose of paralysis to give them some perspec-tive." Members of DAARE were able to point out to him that we actually knew what it was like to have paraly-sis and thanks to an-imal research will continue to do so.

Barriers It is important to remember that some people, like myself, will never be cured in the true meaning of the word. My dis-ease has caused irreversible damage to my body — no amount of animal re-search will benefit me. Many DAARE members are in the same position.

Unfortunately, we live in a society obsessed with 'physical perfection', where the media constantly bombards us with images of the 'perfect' body. Understandably, some disabled people believe that the only way to be accepted

is to join the millions who walk on two legs. This is exploited by the vivisection industry when it (constantly) claims to be on the brink of a 'miracle cure' — but, of course, it needs more funds!

Naturally, I would prefer to be able-bodied, because the quality of my life would improve. Many disabled people cannot work and so cannot afford goods and services that would improve their

quality of life. If finance was not a prob-lem and attitudes changed then my de-sire to be able-bodied would disappear.

Of course we need cures for chronic and fatal illnesses and we need to be free from pain — but animal experi-ments are not the answer. We must de-velop non-animal research methods and practise preventative medicine if we want to see major medical advance-ments. However, those of us who know our condition will not change must be allowed to accept this fact.

It infuriates me to see my friends

struggle with inaccessible housing; inad-equate allowances; limited resources for aids and equipment; and impossible public transport facilities — when mil-lions of pounds are being spent on use-less animal experiments. DAARE is a vehicle through which these feelings can be expressed.

Finally, I would like to express a con-cept that DAARE members feel is ex-

tremely important: the disabled experi-ence and animal ex-perimentation paral-lel. People who are disabled or have a chronic disease have often experienced feelings of frustra-tion and anger as a

result of living with various forms of confinement. This can give them a unique insight into the feelings of ani-mals which are born and bred in isola-tion or suddenly find themselves in a frightening environment. Most people with disabilities have experienced isola-tion, fear and pain. We would never wish this discrimination on another liv-ing being — human or non-human.

For more information — including details of the Able-b port

^DisaffeS j ^ t y a i t i f b SZnimab

<R(fearc/u S j c£xj>(oi(a(iorv


Reviews

Loaves and Fishes — an Illustrated History of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 1 8 8 9 - 1 9 8 9 MAFF £7.95 Pbk, ISOpp If ever there was poetic justice it is that the propaganda planned in 1989 to celebrate 100 years of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) has been effectively ruined by repeated revelations about the sorry state of the British Food industry.

Given the bungling incom-petence of the Ministry, it al-most seems inevitable that in-stead of printing articles about how much we owe to its poli-cies and guidance, newspapers and magazines have been full of accounts of salmonella and listeria; Filthy and barbaric slaughterhouses; the dangers of food irradiation; and the failure of MAFF to protect consumers (and animals) from the ruth-lessness of producers.

As you might expect from a book published by the Ministry, Loaves and Fishes is a careful-ly selected history of its activi-ties over the last 100 years. Although there are some very interesting photographs and il-lustrations, there is a significant absence of anything to do with factory farming. Nevertheless, if you can accept the prejudiced viewpoint, there are some inter-esting features.

For instance, it is fascinating to compare today's food policy (or lack of it) with the war time efforts of the then Ministry of Food. A fit and healthy popula-tion was needed to fight fas-

cism and so there was signifi-cant emphasis on self-sufficient agriculture and a balanced diet. In retrospect, much of the nutri-tional advice given looks hope-lessly mistaken — but at least the Ministry tried.

Anyone taking a more disin-terested look at MAFF would want to address the key ques-tion of how and why it allowed itself to fall into the pocket of the National Farmers' Union — a fact acknowledged by those of all political persuasion.

As I write, nearly 400 peo-ple are suffering from salmonella poisoning — thought to be caused by cold, cooked pork — and the new Minister of Agriculture, John Selwyn Gummer, is showing no signs of breaking the tradition of total complacency that has been a feature of his Department. But that's a story you will not find in Loaves and Fishes. • Mark Gold

The New Consumer Pilot Edition, June 1989 New Consumer Ltd. £1.95 Page ten of this new magazine mentions the difficulties of "swimming against the tide" — yet, if ever a publication 'swam with the tide', this is surely it.

The tide of information now engulfing the poor old 'caring consumer' —much of it pumped out daily by the main-stream media — is threatening to become an unmanageable flood. The 'green' bandwagon has become so crowded that there can hardly be any space left for anyone else to clamber

aboard! With so many 'green' publications already devoting so much space to 'ethical' con-sumption, this magazine (to be launched in September), will compete in quite a crowded market.

The New Consumer is an ambitious project, over and above the publication of a mag-azine: there are plans for books, guides, merchandise, a research programme — even the forma-tion of New Consumer groups "seeking to work on issues of creative consumer power" at local level. The intention is to "provide the public with high quality information" — a simi-lar aim to that of The Ethical Consumer which appeared in March.

Whereas The Ethical Consumer (an alternative Which?) concentrates on spe-cific products and the compa-nies providing them, The New Consumer clearly means to be more varied and wide-ranging in scope: the pilot edition fea-tures sponsorship, organic farming, the BST scandal, Tesco's 'green' policies, co-ops etc. — as well as useful product and company information. The New Consumer is sure to be a success and because of its dif-ferent approach is likely to take its place alongside The Ethical Consumer — not supersede it.

However, both magazines lack sufficient information about price and product avail-a b l y — key issues for those on low incomes. Also, I would prefer The New Consumer to be more incisive and hard-hit-ting, investigating corrupt cor-porate practices and abuses of power. Unfortunately, there is something about the hype and colourful packaging that recalls the fake, superficial gloss that wraps all the underlying nasti-ness of our consumer society. With its cheerful pictures of 'ethical' products and bright young 'alternative' en-trepreneurs, it celebrates con-sumption and the affluence that makes 'choice' possible — along with the purchase of a 'correct' lifestyle. In the end the smugness irritates. Too many claims are made for 'con-sumer power' — yet its politi-cal effectiveness remains un-proven.

This is not to denigrate the approach, merely to recognize its limitations. The myth of 'consumer sovereignty' needs

to be exposed not reinforced — after all, it is the lack of oppor-tunities for genuine creativity in so many lives and the de-spairing belief that 'There Is No Alternative' to the capitalist free market, which leads to pre-occupation with the bits of choice that remain.

The real issue is whether ethical consumption can mean very much in an unethical sys-tem. • Barry Maycock

The Liberator Various Artists Deltic Records/Artists for Animals Distributed by Pinnacle Records Cat: Delt LP3 A 14-track (18 on CD) Artists for Animals compilation al-bum, The Liberator draws to-gether a broad sample of singers and songwriters who, between them, touch just about every area of animal exploita-tion.

The highlights of the album come in the most harrowing tracks. Robert Wyatt makes full use of his genius in 'Pigs' one of the cleverest, simplest songs I have heard in a long time. Similarly, Anne Clarke and Patrick FitzGerald evoke simul-taneous chills and anger with 'Toros', an account of the ma-cho matadors: "But his strength is just a thin disguise/as the brave bull stares through his eyes/at the emptiness of these peoples' lives".

Nobody can accuse Chumbawamba of sitting on the fence. Their rumbling com-ments on the animal rights movement come in the form of 'Knit Your Own Balaclava'. The track ends with well-known TV and radio presenter James Whale ranting his pre-dictably ignorant views on lab-oratory raids. Then someone rings him up...

Other aspects of The Liberator are much more som-bre: Shellyan Orphans' 'Suffer Dog' is almost a lament, deal-


ing with the tiea between the misery of vivisection, human vanity, and the self-serving leg-islation that encourages it; Kalima mix sorrow, despera-tion and New Age Jazz in 'Rain Forest'; and sit com writ-er Carla Lane recites a terse, vivid piece of prose entitled 'The Abattoir'. Elsewhere, The Style Council attack blood-sports with scathing lyrics and a tight, bitter guitar.

In 'One Million Hamburgers', the Frank Chickens expose the absurdity of the bui^er bar industry with their funky-clever arrange-ments and Captain Sensible lends a raucous tone to the al-bum with 'A Sporting Life'. His scorn for the pink cham-pagne brigade is magnificently directed: "When you're rich/the world is your pantry".

The Duritti Column, Josi Without Colours, TV Smith and The Cleaners From Venus all have tracks that lend the al-bum musical variety and allows it to embrace the animal rights movement with a rich diversity of approaches.

The Liberator is not full of ranting polemic — relying up-on the listener's reaction to the music as much as the lyrical content. It may enforce your views; it may change them; it may do neither — but buy it anyway. The music is good and the money could not be going to better places. • David Spence

ANIMAL WARFARE

Animal Warfare David Henshaw, Fontana £3.99, Pbk, 214pp David Henshaw was responsi-ble for the 1986 Brass Tacks TV programme on the militant side of the animal rights move-ment. Animal Warfare is the natural follow through to that programme.

The movement presented him with a subject that was "often impenetrably bizarre" — after all, how many other

movements can unite tweedy stalwarts from the shires, British Movement supporters in Union Jack t-shirts and black-clad anarchists with bright cockatoo haircuts?

Animal Warfare traces the growth of the more extreme side of Britain's animal rights movement from the inception in 1973 of the Animal Liberation Front (then the Band of Mercy) and its entryism into other, more legitimate pro-ani-mal organizations.

The chapter which discusses the anti-speciesist philosophy of the movement obviously covers the vegan and vegetari-an heartland — where personal commitment lies deepest.

Most of the remaining chap-ters are taken up with examin-ing the increasing violence against the animal abuse indus-try and the growing acceptance of this escalation, not just by the ALF's 'godfather', Ronnie Lee and other well-known key personalities in the movement, but also by the incredibly di-verse band of rank and file sup-porters who have become in-creasingly frustrated with the appallingly slow progress of more traditional campaigns.

The author — albeit reluc-tantly — admits that physical and economic ALF attacks do close fur departments, put abusers out of work and raise insurance premiums.

Other chapters cover the feelings of the vivisectors (the ALF's main target); the less vi-olent, well-organized Animal Liberation Leagues (the author is clearly more impressed with them); and the increased in-volvement of Scotland Yard — especially, since the 'Mars Bar' hoax of 1984, the quietly per-sistent PC Colin Wiggins.

But whereas the book's em-phasis is on animal rightists' violence, it scarcely touches the intense violence of the slaugh-terhouse, the factory farm and the vivisection lab. — the very raison d'etre of the movement. There are no photos of animal abuse to help the impartial reader understand the rage felt by activists, and the author clearly accepts the scientific end justifying the means in the vivisection lab., whilst persis-tently refusing to acknowledge the link with the science labs of Auschwitz and Dachau.

But regardless of the omis-

sions and a few nitty gritty in-consistencies, this is a well-re-searched book, with an index which usefully and thoroughly chronicles the growth of the an-imal rights movement over the past 16 years.

It is sensationalist but fasci-nating at the same time, and gives many a chuckle along the way. A must for those involved in the movement — at any level. • Dave Wet ton

— THE-SAVOUR OF SALT A Henry Silt Anthology MWRtt «Wl

The Savour of Salt — a Henry Salt Anthology (Eds.) George Hendrick & Willene Hendrick Centaur Press £12.95 H b k , 204pp Henry Salt was bom in 1851 and died in 1939. Educated at Eton and Cambridge, he re-turned to Eton as Assistant Master, however, by 1884 he had given up his job — deter-mined to "work for humanitari-anism". He had made this step partly through discovering so-cialism and vegetarianism and partly by realising the connec-tion between simple living and a "juster social state".

He then moved to a cottage in the wilds of Surrey where he attracted to him many of the well-known socialists whose acquaintance he had made at Eton: George Bernard Shaw, William Morris, Sydney and Beatrice Webb, and even Ramsey MacDonald.

In 1891, Salt and some friends formed the Humanitarian League, whose purpose was to "proclaim the general principle of humaness" underlying the various discon-nected efforts of societies such as those working for peace, ani-mal welfare, social justice and prison reform.

During his life, he published nearly 40 books — most urging

human reform but there were some biographical studies of 'poet naturalists' like Thoreau, Jeffries and Shelley. One of his best known books, Animal Rights , published in 1892, is described by Peter Singer as the "best of the eighteenth and nineteenth century works on the rights of animals". And his Plea for Vegetarianism was mentioned many years later in Ghandi's autobiography.

It is, though, in The Creed of Kinship (1935), that Salt's essential philosophy can be seen in his call for a new reli-gion: "It is my hope that what may be called a free or rational religion founded on kinship, and expressing itself in un-selfish deeds, will eventually take the place of the many su-perstitious beliefs that have in the past been regarded as reli-gions, and in many cases con-tinue to be so honoured." This creed — a contract of human and sub-human relationships — he described as "so simple", that it "may at present appear but slight and negligible in comparison with the complicat-ed doctrines theology has piled up: in reality as the one sure and abiding hope for mankind, it will include and out last them all".

The Savour of Salt — with nearly 200 pages of extracts from his writings — will help dispel the loneliness and deso-lation which Salt himself recognised was a consequence of those who realise they are "living among savages".

The incredible sagacity of his writing, combined with not a little humour, make this book one of the most enjoyable, im-portant and vital you could own. • Simon Wild

Reviewers Mark Gold is Campaigns Director of Animal Aid Barry Maycock is a member of the Green Line Editorial Collective Dave Spence is a free lance writer/reviewer specializing in music Dave Wetton is Treasurer of RSPCA Members' Watchdog and former Hunt Saboteurs Association Secretary. Simon Wild is Press Secretary of Southern Anti-Bloodsports Society


Shogxnound

In recent months I have been labouring long and hard over the new edition

of the Cruelty-Free Shopper and I feel tempted to tell you about some of the interesting new products and companies that I came across for inclusion, not to mention the misappre-hensions, sheer stupidity and at times near-criminal ignorance that I encountered. Alas, space does not permit, and you will just have to get your own copy! I need all the space I 've got here just to keep you up to date on products that have appeared since the last issue. Busy Time The long hot summer has clear-ly been a busy time for the manufacturers of frozen desserts. How nice it is, for the kids especially, to be able to walk into a health food shop and come out with a vegan carob ice or one of Genice 's Cornettos — now available in strawberry and raspberry ripple, as well as the original hazelnut. At the Living Without Cruelty Exhibition in July the tubs of dairy-free ices made by McNabs in five different flavours sold out well before the end. (Beware, by the way, of the new dairy-free ices by Berrydales, all of which con-tain honey.) Adding to the choice are two new ranges: one from Granose, under the name of Sweet Sensation — available

in Vanilla, Black Cherry, Raspberry Ripple and Tutti Frutti — and the other, from Unisoy, under the name of Maranelli's, comprising Vanilla, Chocolate and Raspberry Ripple. The Unisoy range is free from added sugar and sweetened with apple juice, as are their soya 'yogarts' which are now available again in Black Cherry, Peach Melba, Raspberry and Strawberry. Last but not least on the ice-cream front, Sunrise have brought out their Ice Dream in a new Coconut version, and their oth-er flavours are now available in 4-litre catering packs for guest-houses and restaurants. Going for Gold? Look out in Sainsbury branch-es and elsewhere for Unisoy 'Gold' , alongside the White Wave soya milk. This newcom-er has added calcium and vita-mins and is sweetened with ap-ple concentrate. But if Plamil is your preferred brand you will be pleased to leam that Plamil Ltd 's increasingly popular sug-ar-free soya milk in the blue-liveried cartons is now avail-able in a 1 -litre size. The large multiple firm of Haldane Foods has also launched its own soya milk in two vari-eties— organic sugar-free and added sugar — under its new Hera So Good label, under which you will also find a new vegan margarine. The vegetable

margarine supplied by the mail-order firm Food Watch is veg-an and its products are now available from a number of re-tail oudets. Another new mar-garine which is more likely to be available in the north and in branches of William Low Supermarkets is called Gold Blend; made by Rowallan Creamery in Kilmarnock, it comes in 250gram blocks and is clearly marked as suitable for vegans. In a Squeeze For breakfast Jordans have launched Multigrain Puffed Cereals and also Traditionally Flaked Wholewheat & Raisins. Under the very appropriate name of Easy Blend, that old faithful in the kitchen, Modern Health's Vecon Vegetable Stock, is now also available in a squeezy bottle. How much easi-er to add to soups and stews, and to make up a hot drink. A new gravy mix on the market is made by G. F. Dietary; this is wheat-free and gluten-free, and each canon contains four handy sachets. If you are looking for something decidedly spicier to add to your cooking try Gramma's Health Pepper Spices. They not only pep up your cooking but are said to have medicinal properties too. They come in neat little glass jars with a helpful leaflet, and you can choose from Mild, Hot, Extra Hot and Super Hot — phew!

All the Way To cool you down I can really recommend a superb range (more than twenty varieties) of organic fruit and vegetable juices made by the German firm of Rabenhorst. But be-ware again, three varieties — Rosy Cheeks Red/Gold, Eisenblut, and Summertime — contain either added honey or lactose. Lactose in a juice? Yes, apparently used to give it 'body'. The Biotta range of or-ganic juices is not vegan for the same reason, so you need to read the small print even on juices. For a wide selection of the Rabenhorst juices and lots more besides, if you are ever within striking distance of Rhos-on-Sea, Clwyd try and make a detour to do your shop-ping at the Whole in the Wall wholefood shop at 77 Rhos Promenade. It is another of the all too few 'all the way' vegan enterprises and as such deserves

support. Among the goodies on offer there is a super new cheese alternative spread called Scheese. Made by that enter-prising outfit Green Dragon Animal-Free Foods, it comes in jars in two flavours — Smoked Gouda and Cheddar. Demand that your local health food shop stocks this, and in case of difficulty, since it is not yet very widely distributed, the firm's telephone number is 0248 680267. The same firm has brought out its popular sal-ad dressing in a new variety — 'Nnaise with Tarragon. A tasty pate made from carrot, onion and celery, and which can be served either hot or cold, is made by La Terrinerie. Clearly labelled as vegan, look for it in the chilled cabinet.

Spick and Span On the domestic cleaning front there is now a considerable choice of vegan products avail-able, and it is no longer neces-sary to send away for such items. In the new Shopper you will find carpet shampoos, win-dow cleaners, furniture polish and more. The Little Green Shop offers a particularly wide range and their products are now in branches of Lifecycle and elsewhere. If you feel able to use your influence in your place of work to bring about a change to environmentally sound products the Ecover range (entirely vegan, except for the washing-up liquid) is now available in large sizes suitable for use in hotels, schools, hospitals, etc. Another new name to look out for is Astonish, made by a firm called Emm & Bee; it comes in two forms — as a stiff paste for harder surfaces and as a cream cleaner. We are assured that the products are both vegan and biodegradable.

Astonishing Range When it comes to toiletries and cosmetics, dare I say it again you'll just have to consult the Shopper to see the astonishing range of new stuff, but to take just a couple of items: from Weleda there's a Citrus Deodorant and Citrus Bath Milk; and from Dolma we have tasty Fennel, Mandarin and Spearmint Lip Balms. The lat-ter company (mail order ad-dress: 19 Royce Ave, Nottingham, NG15 6FU) also does a new range of Foot Shampoos to ease those aching feet after all that shopping!


Stocks of the first edition of The Cruelty-Free Shopper were exhausted in late August, some 20 months after the title's launch in December 1987, with total sales topping a magnificent 10,000 copies — a Vegan Society record. Congratulations to author Lis Howlett and to all

those who helped the UK's most comprehensive guide to animal-free commodities to achieve such a high level of success.

For the benefit of vegans, lacto-vegetarians and others seeking to end, or at least reduce, their dependence on animal and animal-tested products we are pleased to announce a sec-

ond, thoroughly revised and greatly expanded edition of this unrivalled practical aid to cruel-ty-free living. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd in association with the Society, it is

available NOW for just £3.99 post-free .

Orders to: The Vegan Society (Merchandise), 33-35 George Street, Oxford 0X1 2AY. Cheques/POs payable to 'Vegan Society Ltd'.


VINO NASTIES What, you may ask, could be

more natural than the contents of a bottle of wine? Surely the

only thing to worry about is whether the vigneron washed his/her feet before leap-ing into the fermentation vat? Unfor tunate ly not, commercial wines — whether Grand Crus or humble Vin de Pays — are a minefield for the unsus-pecting consumer. The problems begin in the vineyard ... Chemical Attack From the moment the vines bud in March, to the time the grapes are picked in September, the vines are subject to ceaseless application of chemicals: artifi-cial fertilizers, systematic growth pro-moters, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and arachnicides. Not only do these t reatments devastate fragile eco systems, they a lso threaten both wine producer and consumer .

The mos t serious health effects came to light in the mid-1980s in the slums of Los Angeles and the favelas of Mexico City: women w h o had worked in the vineyards of California and Oregon be-gan to give birth to deformed babies. The most likely culprit, 2,4,5-T — first used as a defol iant (Agent Orange) in Vietnam — is now the focus of a ' ban ' campaign; however, it is only one of dozens of chemicals commonly used in vineyards known to be carcinogens, mutagens or al-lergens.

The abuse of the grape does not end in the vineyard, European Economic Communi ty (EEC) regulations allow wine-makers to use almost thirty chemi-cals to flavour, colour, clear and other-wise treat wine. One, potassium ferro-cyanide, has been banned in the U.S. Furthermore, producers m a y add illegal substances such as diethylene glycol, sugar beet and methyl alcohol . Organic Perhaps unsurprisingly, organically pro-duced wines have taken the wine world by storm over the last year, appearing in wine bars, restaurants, off- l icences and health food shops.

Considerable emphasis is placed on good husbandry and natural fertilization. Pests are kept down by encouraging birds and by the application of — for ex-ample, rhubarb juice, garlic infusions and high pressure steam treatment of the soil.

S j C / i v e Q U * * ^P1"5 the qrapes j

tlluslr. J. Breese

THE VEGAN SPECIAL OFFER

2 Gros Plant VDQS 1988 2 Gros Plant VDQS 1988

(excellent Blanc de Blanc) 1 Muscadet de Sdvre et Maine sue lie

AOC 1988 (classic dry) 1 Gaillac Blanc AOC 1988

(delicate, fragrant med-dry) 1 Buigundy Chardonnay AOC 1987

(full-bodied med-dry) 1 Bermersheimer Klosterberg QmP 1987

(med-sweet Kabinett) 1 Blanquette de Limoux AOC

(delightful sparkler) 2 Vin de Pays de Cotes du Tarn

(warm fruity red) 1 Cotes du Rhone AOC 1987

(fresh, spicy light-bodied) 1 Gaillac AOC 1986

(smooth, elegant, distinctive) 1 Burgundy AOC 1986

(rich and satisfying) £45 including delivery

Send you name and address (bltx:k capi-tals), telephone number, special delivery instructions (if necessary) and your pay-ment (cheques payable to 'Vinature') to: Vegan Special Offer, Vinature, 16 Cotton Lane, Moseley. Birmingham B13 9SA.

Chemicals are also excluded from the actual wine-making process (although a strictly limited amount of sulpher diox-ide may be used to prevent oxidation — provided it has been obtained from natu-ral flowers of sulphur). Because grapes unsprayed with herbicide sport rich and vigorous natural yeasts, there is no need for cultured yeasts to be added at the fer-mentation stage.

Growers may have their own favourites ranging from isinglass to silicon dioxide to the revolting colle d'equarrissage — knacker's glue.

Without artificial additives, organic wines are a true reflection of the charac-ter of the grape, the location of the vine-yard, the peculiarity of the year and the skill of the wine-maker.

Nasties All wines are cleared (fined) in order to remove impurities. In Bordeaux the prac-tice is to use egg white; whereas in Burgundy and the Rhone milk casein and potassium caseinate are more widespread. Throughout southern France, Spain and Italy, gelatine d 'os (marrowbone jelly) is generally used — although many farmers simply shovel dried blood into the cuve. Growers may have their own favourites ranging from isinglass to silicon dioxide to the revolt-ing colle d'equarrissage — knacker's glue.

There are alternative fining agents: powdered limestone; special clays like bentonite and kiesselghur; vegetable plaques and liquid casein made from plant proteins. The problem for vegans is knowing precisely what went into each bottle. The Good News Because of the close relationship we en-joy with our vignerons, together with our frequent visits, we can guarantee whether or not a wine is suitable for veg-ans to enjoy.

Those wines described in The Vegan Special Offer as vegan are made without the use of animal fertilizers, animal prod-ucts and chemicals/synthetics. Take up our offer and discover the taste of real wine.


Fostbag Contributions to Postbag are welcomed, but accepted on the understanding that they may be edited in the interests of brevity or clarity. Send your letters to: The Editor, THE VEGAN, 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX12AY

Growing Pains Following my article in the Spring 1989 Vegan, I feel I should point out the reserva-tions we have about veganic farming.

To farm without livestock involves the manipulation of an eco system naturally containing a balance of plants and animals, to a farming system which will produce satisfactory yields of plant foods only.

Trials in veganic farming on the Continent have revealed gradual and significant reduc-tions in yields, quality and soil condition over the years, com-pared with mixed organic farm-ing systems. So, enthusiasm for this type of fanning must be tempered by the evidence that a sustainable veganic system has not yet been developed.

Additionally, do we have the moral right to manipulate the environment so far from its natural balance? Conventional agriculture has grossly distorted natural processes for the last fifty years — and look at the environmental and health prob-lems that are now becoming ev-ident as a result!

I feel we must proceed with caution in the development of sustainable veganic systems. I look forward to further collabo-ration with the Vegan Society to reach this aim. • Susan Millington, Elm Farm Research Centre. Human 'Output' The article on veganic farming missed a very important point:

somebody once said that the best fertilizer is obtained when food has been passed through an animal — including a hu-man. I am surprised Dr. Susan Millington has not mentioned this.

I have grown food with my own 'output' for ten years. When you bury human output immediately there is no prob-lem — apart from the effort.

I use what I call an 'earth bucket' in which earth is placed to cover the output. The content is buried in the ground.

This may seem primitive but those flies buzzing around every manure heap cannot get to mine. • Frank Flowers, Manchester Discovery I would like to reply to Leah Leneman's 'quarrel' with The Vegetarian Guide to the Scottish Highlands that there is an absence of entries in the Outer Hebrides.

Since compiling the Guide I have discovered four places do-ing vegetarian food in the Outer Isles. Anyone know of vegetar-ian/vegan establishments in Orkney and Shetland? • Jane Clarke, Avoch By Example May I suggest that one hesitates before attempting to persuade others to go vegan? Though you might just succeed, I think it better to quietly set standards and then those close to you may witness the benefits, think about it, ask questions, and

even contemplate emulating you.

Arising out of discussion, give your reasons for making the change and the benefits you have experienced, and allow others to decide for themselves — without coercing them into a decision.

In lecturing I find that when I present an unusual idea unemotively it creates more ra-tional discussion. • Dr. David Ryde, Beckenham Medicinal Plea Could you ask your readers to write to as many natural medicine companies as possible — e.g. New Era, Lanes, Nelsons — asking them to con-sider vegans when they formu-late new medicines and alter old ones?

I am sick to death of lac-tose, gelatine and other non-ve-gan nasties going into these products. • Lesley Roberts, Southwark Resolution I have just discovered that Oxfam is involved in a poultry rearing scheme in Tanzania.

Perhaps I have been naive enough to believe that Oxfam is not involved in animal ex-ploitation. Now that I have had my eyes opened I will not be donating again. • Robert Bayliss, Halifax

Thankyou I would like to thank the par-ents who completed my ques-tionnaire on the topic of wean-ing babies onto a vegan diet.

I am delighted with your replies — particularly those of you who supplied additional in-formation and letters. The let-ters acted as an inspiration to me in the writing of my study.

I wish all vegan parents the best in the raising of their chil-dren on the vegan diet. • Julia Heyes, Blackpool Sounds Painful As a 'Venglish' (vegan newspeak) contribution how about replacing 'running around like a chicken with its head cut o f f ' with ' running around like a butcher with his living cut off!' • John Middleton, Dagenham

SAVE THOSE ENVELOPES! 100% recycled paper, non- animal gum, re-use labels.

Two packs: 'Globe' — black & green on white , o r

'Give Bottle the Boot' — b l a c k & r e d o n w h i t e

£1.50 per 100 (inch p&p) Orders to: The Vegan Society (Merchandise),

33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY For a full list of sales goods please send an SA.E.

marked 'Sales Goods'


Noticeboard Diary Dates 30 September.Vegan Society AGM, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1.

Broiler chicken protest, Scunthorpe. Assemble 12.00-1.00pm Civic Centre car park, Ashby Road. March and rally. Contact: South Humberside Animal Rights Campaign, PO Box 6, Scunthorpe DN17 1HW. 1 October. Service dedicated to animals at The Methodist Church, West London Mission, 19 Thayer Street, London W l . 5pm. Address by The Rev. Lord Soper. Contact: The Christian Consultative Council for the Welfare of Animals. 01 735 4250. 2 October. World Farm Animals Day. 14 October. Co-ordinating Animal Welfare Meeting at the Friends Meeting House, 43 Charles Street, Cardiff from l p m - 5 p m . Items discussed will include puppy farming, region-al networks and Xmas Without Cruelty. As it clashes with the World Day of Action Against MacDonalds, leafletting will take place outside the Cardiff branch from 10am onwards. Further details: CAW 0272 776261. World Day of Action Against MacDonalds. Contact: London Greenpeace, 5 Caledonian Road, London Nl. 01 837 7557.

March against Central Public Health Laboratories, Colindale, and the National Institute of Medical Research, Mill Hill. Meet Colindale tube (Northern Line) 11am. Organized by Middlesex Animal Rights Society.

Exhibition: 'Who ' s Dying for a Piece of Meat?' Middleton Hall, Central Milton Keynes. Sales goods, leaflets, etc. Contact: Animal Action. Leighton Buzzard 378747. 15 October. Service of Intercession and Thanksgiving for Animals, St. Michael at the North Gate, Commarket Street, Oxford, 3pm. Contact: The Oxford Federation of Animal Welfare Societies. Oxford 57844. 16 October. World Food Day. 21 October. Anti-MacDonalds Fayre, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1, 11am-

10pm. Nearest tube Holbom. Contact: London Greenpeace, 5 Caledonian Road, London Nl. 01 837 7557. 22-29 October. One World Week. An annual focus for study and action on issues of justice, peace, development and environment in the British Isles. Contact: One World Week, PO Box 100, London SE1 7RT. 01 620 4444. 28 October. Campaign Against Leather & Fur's first 'Day of Action' outside a major leather outlet. Meet 1pm en-trance of Warren Street tube. Details: CALF, Box 17,198 Blackstock Road, London N5. 4 November. Animal Charities Fair, Town Hall, Oxford, 10.30am-3.30pm. Contact: The Oxford Federation of Animal Welfare Societies. 0865 57844.

Sponsored Walk in aid of the Cruelty-Free Data Base Appeal. Starts at Royal Forest Hotel, Chingford, London E4 (one min. from Chingford BR station). Send SAE for de-tails: Keith Chadney, 12a Endlebury Road, North Chingford, London E4 6QF.

Foxhunting season begins. Details: HSA, PO Box 87, Exeter, Devon. National demos co-ordinated by CAW 0272 776261. 2 - 5 November. Alternative Medicine & Complementary Therapies Exhibition, Kensington Exhibition Centre, Derry Street, London W8. Open 10.30am daily. Closes Thurs - Fri 8.30pm, Sat-Sun 6.30pm. Adults £3.50. Senior Citizens £2.50. Children £1.50. 11 November. Battery Chicken protest, Birmingham. Assemble 1.00pm Chamberlain Square for short march. Reassemble for rally at Beckett's Farm, Withal, 3.00-4.30pm. Contact: CAFAA, PO Box 156, Cardiff. CF55YD. 28 November - 23 December. Green Christmas Fair at the London Ecology Centre, 45 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HJ, 10am-6pm, Mon-Sat, admission free. 01 379 4324. 3 December. Annual Smithfield Demo against the Meat Trade at Earls Court. Details: Vegetarian Society 061 928 0793.

The Sanctuary Vegfam is offering 'The Sanctuary' as a venue for any residential event or activity compatible with the vegan eth-ic. It may also be booked as a holiday venue for non-smoking vegans/vegetarians. Voluntary workers are urgently needed to help with fundraising, adminis-tration, maintenance and enter-taining bed and breakfast/self-catering guests, in exchange for

Magic' Dust Apparently, 100 years ago a

German agricultural chemist, Julius Hensel, discovered that adding finely ground rock dust to soil had remarkable effects on crop plants: they not only grew faster and latter but seemed to be almost entirely re-sistant to insects and free of disease — needing no chemical fertilizers or pesticides whatso-ever. Details: The College of Soil Research, 5 Chase Side Place, Enfield, Middx. EN2 6QA. 01 363 8615. Paper Wise The National Council for Voluntary Organizations' Waste Watch Project has produced Recycled-Paper-Recycling: A Guide for Office Use. It covers paper consumption in the UK, recycled stationery and a guide to setting up an office waste pa-per collection system. It costs £2.50 (inc p&p) from: Waste Watch, NCVO, 26 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3HU. New Age Returns New Age Products has been rescued and continues to supply genuinely cruelty-free cosmet-ics, toiletries, health and house-hold products. Further details: LJ. Allen, PO Box 114, Guildford, Surrey GU2 SAG. 0483 68644.

Loadsagreenmags New titles jumping on the green bandwagon include: Green Magazine, a full colour monthly, soon to be available from your newsagent; and Buying Green, a £6 per year bi-monthly available from PO Box 14, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 3YL.

"U" Community Project Those interested in forming a school designed to be a flexibly pro-vegan, non-exclusive, non-uniformed, competition-free, alternative to those provided by the state and located in a low-cost housing area — e.g. Wales,

ct

Ronnie Shifted Animal rights prisoner Ronnie Lee (V02682) has been moved to HMP Channings Wood, Denbury, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 6DW. Nosh Vegan-owned Veenas, 8 Beacon Terrace, Torquay TQ1 2BH (0803 294902) serves Indian and Italian food daily, 12noon to midnight. A 10% discount is offered to Vegan Society mem-bers. Goodies Another 10% discount awaits Vegan Society members at Hunza Wholefoods, Syon Park Garden Centre, Brentford, Essex. Recital On 15 October, Jon Wynne-Tyson (author of Food for a Future) will be reading from The Extended Circle with the help of Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Sarah Badel and Christopher Timothy, at the Cheltenham Festival of Literature. The programme will include A Pinch of Salt, a one-act play about Henry Salt. Details: The Cheltenham Festival of Literature, Town Hall, Cheltenham GL50 1QA. SG Back The Animal Liberation Front Supporters Group newsletter is back in production. Details: ALF Supporters Group, BCM 1160, London WC1N 3XX.

Whole Earth

Competition Whole Earth is preparing a new recipe leaflet and wishes to in-clude vegan recipes. Original recipes — incorporating one or more Whole Earth products —should be sent to: Whole


SPEAKERS LIST Occasionally the Society is asked to provide a speaker for educational establishments, voluntary and charitable groups, and specific events throughout the UK. If you feel confident that you could give a talk on vegan-ism, the General Secretary would like to hear from you with a view to compiling a Speakers List. Contact: Richard Farhall, General Secretary, The Vegan Society, 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY

The Vegan Society's 1 1 t h Frey Ellis Memorial Lecture

EATING WITHOUT CRUELTY: MYTHS AND REALITY

Gill Langley MA PhD gave the 11th Frey Ellis Memorial Lecture to a packed hall at the 3rd Living Without Cruelty Exhibition on 17 June. A copy of 'Eating Without Cruelty: Myths And Reality' is available from the Society in exchange for a large SAE.

Earth, 269 Portobello Road, London Wll 1LR. A Whole Earth hamper will be sent to the supplier of the finest recipe. Closed Down The Animal Rights Movement Information Service, 14 High Street, East Budleigh, Devon has ceased operation. Any en-quiries regarding the circus co-ordination campaign that they were running should be direct-ed to: Co-ordinating Animal Welfare, PO Box 598, Bristol BS99 1RW. Abortion A new group is being started for vegetarians and vegans op-

.

Across the water The Animal Rights Movement (Fermanagh/Tyrone Branch), as well as campaigning on animal rights issues, is the only group running an animal rescue ser-vice in the west of Ireland. It desperately needs funds to build a much needed sanctuary. Please send donations (cheques payable to ARM Fermanagh/Tyrone branch) to: The Animal Rights Movement, do 5a Ann Street, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland BT74 7ES. Safe pussies Fully-elasticated 'Safety Release' cat collars are know available for safety-conscious moggies everywhere. Owners/guardians should send: £1.00 (for two collars); their address and telephone number (to be inscribed on the collars); the size/age of the lucky cat(s); and details of the required colours) to: 72 Knights Court, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 4DF. Proceeds to The Vegan Society. Shopper Slip Purchasers of the new edition of The Cruelty-Free Shopper are advised that owing to a technical error the name of the product manufacturer/distribu-tor does not appear opposite the entry under whiteners on p. 56. Please correct your copy by in-serting ELIKO* in the space opposite the text 'CoffeeMate (kosher parve sachet version), ParevMate.'

Local Groups


ACCOMMODATION A C C O M M O D A T I O N for fit vegan in ex-change for property maintenance/house-work and voluntary help for Vegfam. Write to "The Sanctuary', Nr Lydford, Okehampton. Devon EX204AL. N I C E R O O M available in comfortable, spacious flat with garden, sharing with woman, dog, 2 cats. £45 per week. London SE4. 01 692 0761 L O N D O N - S I N G L E R O O M in vegetari-an/vegan non-smoking house. CH, wash-ing maching. £45 pw inclusive. 5 mins walk tube. Tel: 01 368 5654. CATERING F R O M PRIVATE DINNER parties to weddings, A & D Catering will provide ex-cellent service with vegan food. Will quote for all areas. A&D Catering, 48 Hamstead Road. Birmingham B19 1DB. Tel. 021 -554-2349 . COURSES R E S I D E N T I A L Weekend/Day Courses .Wholefood establishment, no smoke. Norfolk village pub convened. Bunkhouse-style accommodation. SAE Castle Acre Staging House, PE32 2AG.

EATING OUT D E V O N . Willow Vegetarian Restaurant, 87 High Street, Totnes. Tel 862605. Wonderful food, mostly organic ingredi-ents used. Many vegan choices. Special nights every week.

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION

Rf H 18 VESA N

H O L I D A Y R E S T A U R A N T

0 G u i o e

F o r c o m p r e h e n s i v e list see Spec ia l - Interest Hol idays a n d Hol idays A b r o a d sect ions of The Vegan Holiday & Restaurant Guide

£2.99+35p p&p A B E R D E E N Vegan/Vegetarian bed and breakfast. (Non-vegetarians welcome). Central location, near bus/rail stations Open all year. Central heating, television and tea/coffee facilities in rooms. Packed meals available. Arden Guest House. 61 Dee Street, Aberdeen. Tel. (0224) 580700. A N G L E S E Y . Modem 6-berth caravan (not on she), animals welcome, 2 miles f rom Beaumaris. Ideal touring location. Tel. 0248 810530. B E X H I L L - O N - S E A . Vegan/vegetarian bed & breakfast. £7 per night. Radio, TV, tea and coffee facilities. Completely vege-tarian household. Vegan bedding etc.

10 Deerswood Lane, Bexhill TN39 4LT. Tel. 042 43 5153. C U M B R I A . Wholefood vegetarian/vegan B&B. No smoking. Evening meals. Open all year. Spectacular Pennine scenery. Loaning Head. Garrigill. Alston. Tel. 0498 81013. "FAIR P L A C E " . WatermiUock-on-Ullswater, Penrith CA11 0LR. Vegetarian

l.

HIGHLANDS, near Loch Ness. Vegetarian guest-house, vegan meals al-ways available. Disabled access. Gendale'. Mandally Road. Invergarry. Invemess-shire. Tel. 08093 282. ISRAEL. Vegan wholefood guesthouse in peac e

N E W F O R E S T village, peaceful down-land, nr. Salisbury, de&ghtful guest-home, wholefood, vegetarian, vegan, B&B, non-smoking. Tel. (Downton) 0725/21730. M A N C H E S T E R . B&B. Vegetarian. Vegan. Private house. Women only. Non-smoker. Central heating. Tea facilities in rooms. Open all year. Tel: 061 881 0346. S H R O P S H I R E . Bentley House. 18C house in unspoilt countryside, close Ludlow, Strettons, Ironbridge. Exclusively vegetarian/vegan wholefood. Vegan propri-etors. Central heating. No smoking. B & B , EM. packed lunches. Tel. 05887 255. ST IVES, Cornwall. Exclusively vegetari-an/vegan guest-house overlooking Sl Ives Bay. Close to beach a .

TENBY. Enjoy Welsh hospitality at Duneside vegetarian/vegan guesthouse. Penally, Tenby, Pembrokeshire SA70 7PE. Central heating, open all year. Tel. 0834 3365. M I D WALES. Staylittle (Machynlleth 12 miles), vegan/vegetarian B&B for non-smokers. B&B £9.00 per person per night Optional evening meal. Tel. (05516) 425. NORTH WALES. Beautiful Victorian stone farmhouse just 3 miles from Snowdon and near Anglesey's sandy beaches. Luxury accommodation. Exclusively whol n

i N V E « D E \ £

Vegan Guest House Bal later

* Set in the Grampian Highlands of Scotland • Wholesome, healthy cruelty-free food

• Free use of cycles for guests SELF CATERING COTTAGE attached.

Fantastic scenery, endless walks 10% discount for vegan society members

No smoking. Tel. 03397 55759for details or

write to 11 Bridge Square. Ballaler AB3 5QJ

LAKE DISTRICT

BEECHMOUNT Hear Siwtvy, Ambleside,

Cumbria, LA22 0LB MB,

accommodation. Situated hi Oeeliix Potter's picturesque village of Nut Sawrey with Its oMa

worlde inn, 2 miles from Hawkshead. Lake Windermere (car ferry) 2 miles Delightful

ueorooms wim iB&conee, iv, etc., no nwy views over Eathwaite Water Ideal centre tor

lakes. lams. Mis and Gnadate Forts) AmWes*)e, ConfUon, and Bownua only • short

drive away For details and booking

Tel.

"Seapoint" Upway, Porlock, Somerset, TA24 8QE • Spacious E d w a r d i a n H o u s e

overlooking Por lock Bay • O p e n log f ires

• Coasta l /moorland walk • Trad/vegetar ian/vegan mea l s

• Spec ia l diets

m V ® • VEGAN/VEGETARIAN J

GUESTHOUSE IN THE HEART OF WALES

PARK CRESCENT, LLANDRINDOD WELLS,

POWYS. Tel. (0597) 2186.

Welcomes Vegans Vegetarian Guesthouse in the Lake District offers delicious and varied meals in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Vegans always welcome — please ad-vise when booking so we can plan our set menus accordingly. No smoking. Open for dinner to non-residents (book-ing essential).

r brochure to:

Tel: (07687) 72830

"Woetkete" The Saltings, Lalant St Ives, Cornwall

Tel (0736) 753147 Quiet Country Hotel overtoiling beautiful hdalestuary and bird sanctuary Britain's oldest vegetarian and vegan hotel is fam-ily owned and stands in its own grounds dose to beaches and unspoilt coastal walks Superb cuisine and friendly personal service. Some rooms with shower Awe en suite

For further information and hure please contact

Stannary Vegetarian Restaurant and Guesthouse

on Dartmoor Elegant 16th century

and Victorian dining and guest rooms

Quality cuisine that is animal friendly with many items always available lor vegans and those ol special diets L3CQUED

Ideal location lor walking or louring

*T (082 281) 897/8

Crosthwaite Mill Cottage LAKE DISTRICT - LYTH VALLEY

The perfect retreat for non-smoking vegans and vegetarians, next to our

unspoilt wajer mill. A very special place for bed and breakfast with evening meal

MAIL ORDER 'OUR CHOICE'

The 'Our Choice' collection of vegan natural beauty preparations arc brought to us by the people who care about the way we look, the way we feel, the beauty of na-ture WITHOUT ANIMAL SUFFERING.

For mail order details, please write to: 'Our Choice'. 30 Richdale Avenue. Kinon Lindsey.

Gainsborough, Lines DNll 4BL. Tel: (0652)648668.

NO ANIMAL INGREDIENTS -NO ANIMAL TESTING -NO ANIMAL HARMED

VEGAN AROMATIC BATH PRODUCTS, Hair Care. Perfumes and Skin preparations. For full information send SAE to DOLMA, 19 Royce Avenue, Hucknall, Nottingham NG15 6FU. Trade enquiries welcome. VEGAN BEDS! Cruelty-free, non-aller-genic, no CFCs, choice of comfort/support levels, handmade, sustainable limber. For our range of ethical products contact -Designerwares, Y Gorlan, Tynygonel, LL74 8QE. Tel: 0248 852019. LIQUID CONCENTRATE is the biodegradable liquid soap derived from co-conut oil, which is free from animal prod-ucts and animal testing. SAE for details: Dept EV, Janco Sales, 11 Seymour Road, Hampton Hill. Middlesex TW12 1DD. BON1TA SKINCARE — an exclusive VEGAN skin care range including bath oils and essential oils. Cruelty-free using natural ingredients. Details from Bonita (VN3). 23 Archers Close, Droitwich. Worcs.

MISCELLANEOUS 1RIDOLOGY: Bryan Wood, M.B.R.I.. Master Iridologist, Romford, Essex. Body diagnosis through the iris of the eye. Tel:


THE COAT OF MANY COLOURS 20th — 22nd October THE STAR, THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS

1st— 3rd December To be held at:

The Order of the Cross Snelsmore House,

Nr Newbury, Berks. RG16 9BG

Tel: 0635 - 4 1 2 2 6 6

THE FLOWERS OF HOPE Saturday, 18 Ncn/ember

10.30am- 1.00pm. Talks and sharing on the theme Vegetarian/vegan lunch available

To be held at: The Order of the Cross,

10 DeVere Gardens, Kensington W8 5AE.

Tel: 01-937-7012

THE CANCER HELP CENTRE, BRISTOL

Send for our free introductory brochure. The

full Therapy Pack costs £6.50, including details of all aspects

of our programme - vegan diet, stress-control,

psychologcal counselling and healing.

Cancer Help Centre, Grove House,

Clifton, Bristol BS8 4PG Telephone Help-line: (0272)

743216.

VEGFAM feeds the hungry — vegetable foodstuffs, leaf protein, horticulture, irriga-tion. afforestation etc.. The Sanctuary. Nr Lydford, Okehampton, Devon. EX20 4AL. Tel: 0822 82203. PERSONAL

but not wealthy, is searching for that spe-

E G E T A R I A N

A ) A T C H A ) A K E R S

V E G E T A R I A N A N D U N A T T A C H E D ? Get-together with many hundreds of l ike-minded members of all ages, locally and countrywide, for introductions, socials, holidays and friendship network - vegans also welcome.

For information ring 01-348 5229 anytime or write to

VMM, Century House, Nelson Road, London N8

NATURAL FRIENDS If you want to contact other vegans, consider using Natural Friends. Nationwide - 1 0 0 word ads - bi-monthlv membership lists - newsletter - sensible fees - many 100's of members. FIND OUT MORE -NOW!

Send a stamp to: NATURAL FRIENDS (VGN),

15, BENYON GDNS, CULF0RD, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, IP28 6EA.

TEL: CULFORD (028484) 315 CONTACT CENTRE

CONTACT CENTRE is a friendship agency, quite different from all the others. It enables you to choose your friend(s) from detailed advertisements or to write an advertisement yourself without disclosing your name and address. CONTACT CENTRE gives you full scope; you don't even have to complete a form. CONTACT CENTRE operates among other things a British Vegan Service, a British Vegan/Vegetarian Service and the International Vegetarian Penfriend Service without hidden charges and with many offers for a nominal fee. or even free. As we cannot tell all in (his advertisement, please find out how you too can benefit by requesting free details from Contact Centre, BCM Cuddle, London WC1V 6XX. Those who had their letter relumed, please do write again. You can join at half fees, sincere apologies. Full translational services from or into German, French and Dutch.

F A S T I N G W A L K S For some 5 years, organ ized small groups have been walk ing in the loveliest parts ot Europe whilst fast-ing. We cover 10-15 miles every day of the week. For most, it is a re-warding exper ience, both in losing weight and refreshing our minds a n d bodies. For further details, please contact

VEGANS W E L C O M E ! The Vegetarian Society Cookery Residential Cookery School always offers vega h

INTERAIL COMPANIONS sought for early Autumn by 25 year old vegan. Box 155. PUBLICATIONS AH1MSA. Quarterly magazine of the American Vegan Society. Veganism, Natural Living, Reverence for Life. Calendar Year subscription S15. Address: 501 Old Harding Highway. Malaga. NJ 08328, USA.

SITUATIONS VACANT SECRETARY/ADMINISTRATOR needed for Vegan Centre now being estab-lished in MADEIRA. Accommodation, food and small wage offered. Write with photo and CV for more details to Box No. 153 .

RATES AND CONDITIONS All prices inclusive of VAT Personal: £4.50 for 20 words (minimum). Additional words: 25p each. Commercial: £6.00 for 20 words (minimum). Additional words: 35p each. Box No: £2.00 extra Semi-display: £6.00 per single column centimetre Series discount (4 consecutive insertions): 10% PAYMENT Pre-payment please by cheque or postal order made payable to 'The Vegan Society Ltd' and sent to: The Advertising Manager, The Vegan, 33-35 George Street,

Oxford 0X1 2AY. Eire and Overseas: payment must be by sterling cheque drawn on an English bank or by interna-tional money order. PUBLICATION DATES March, June, September, December COPY DATES First of preceding month CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE The submission of an advertise-ment is deemed to warrant that the advertisement does not con-travene any Act of Parliament nor is it in any other way illegal or defamatory or an infringement of any other party's rights or an infringement of the British Code of Advertising Practice. The Vegan Society reserves the right to refuse or withdraw any advertisement without explana-tion. Although every care is taken, the Vegan Society cannot accept lia-bility for any loss or inconve-nience incurred as a result of er-rors in the wording, or the late or non-appearance of an advertise-ment.

Prospective advertisers note that all display advertise-ments (1/8th page or more) in The Vegan are now handled by Geerings of Ashford Ltd. For full details please apply to: The Vegan Advertisement Office, Geerings of Ashford Ltd., Cobbs Wood House, Chart Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1EP. Tel. 0233 33366.

When replying to an advertisement please mention that you saw it in The Vegan

KATZ GO

VEGAN Vegecat and Vegekit (vegan supplements), combined with recommended homemade recipes, provide your cat with all the necessary nutrients for a healthy, balanced diet.

6oz Vegecat (10 weeks supply) £5.85 6oz Vegekit (6 weeks supply) £5.36

Recipe sheet provided. Cheques/POs payable to: Katz G o Vegan Orders to: Katz Go Vegan, Vegan Society, Box 161, 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY.


THE CARING COOK Cruelty-Free Cooking for Beginners

Orders to (BLOCK CAPITALS THROUGHOUT PLEASE): The Vegan Society (Merchandise), 33-35 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AY Cheques /POs to be made payable to: The Vegan Society Ltd.

Ever w o n d e r e d h o w best to take, or encourage o thers to take, the first steps along the road of c rue l ty f ree cooking? Well wonder no m o r e - t o p cookery wri ter Janet Hunt has solved your pro-blem. The Caring Cook is a double breakthrough -on the o n e hand, making an ideal first vegan cookbook for beginners and on the other, being just the thing for older hands wishing to introduce fr iends and relatives to the art of compassionate eating. Its comprehens ive and varied range of everyday and special-occasion recipes, wealth of practical advice and helpful hints, and sturdy, wipe-clean cover make an unbeatable combination.

All you could want — for less than you'd expect.

by Janet Hunt

sugar free

Ptoim£ soya MILK

Please send me vegan recipe pamphlet I enclose a S.A.E.

< C3 LLl >

name-

address.

Plamil Foods Ltd. Bowles Well Gdns FOLKESTONE, KENT

Documents

The Vegan Autumn 1989