A partner episode for our World Mental Health Day Special, in which Vegan Society CEO, Libby Peppiatt, interviews Billy Thompson, who leads the amazing team at The Retreat animal sanctuary in the south of England. How does the team at The Retreat make sure they're taking care of themselves while they help those who can't do the same?

The Vegan Society marks World Mental Health Day with a special edition of the Vegan Pod. Vegan psychologist, author and communications coach, Clare Mann, and Animal Justice Project activist, Ayrton Cooper, join Damian Watson to discuss some of the triggers of poor mental health in vegans and how to look after yourself while you look after those who can't look after themselves.

The Vegan Trademark made international headlines in September, following the world-first vegan certification of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC.  But what does the Vegan Trademark mean and why is it so valued and trusted by consumers and manufacturers alike?  Vegan Society Sales and Marketing Manager, Karen Spinner, and Vegan Trademark Team Leader, Caroline Bolton, join Damian Watson to discuss the power of the sunflower. 

Do you have a pension? If so, how vegan is it? How vegan can pensions and other investments be?     Lawyer, Jonathan Dennis, and independent financial adviser, Chris Welsford, join Damian Watson to discuss an ongoing case where a vegan is challenging their employer’s pension investment strategy and what the case might mean for other vegan investors in a predominantly non-vegan investment market.

With summer upon us at Vegan Society HQ, the latest Vegan Pod focuses on the best European city breaks for vegans and looks wider afield at life for vegans internationally.    Writer and teacher, Woody River, provided the latest Vegan magazine recommendations for Europe-bound vegans. Woody has lived all over the world and is joined on the the Vegan Pod by former TV and radio reporter, Rob Olver, who spent much of his career in Germany and now lives in Spain.   Host, Damian Watson, has also been known to exhibit symptoms of wanderlust so, between all three, this makes for an international and intriguing episode of the Vegan Pod.

The Vegan Society has described the findings of the UK government’s latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey as “very concerning”. The survey followed the confirmation of the Food Strategy Advisory Board, which includes the chairman of Cranswick PLC, one of the biggest factory farming companies in the UK.      Vegan Society Senior Dietitian, Emily Angus, and Public Affairs and Policy Manager, Alistair Currie, join Damian Watson to discuss why the UK is in a perilous place when it comes to food policy.

Is the future vegan? That’s certainly our hope at The Vegan Society - and it’s the subject of one of our ongoing campaigns and a major part of our 80th anniversary exhibition at the Library of Birmingham. But what might a vegan future look like? Animal rights author, scholar and curator, Kim Stallwood, and Vegan Society Campaigns Manager, Hannah Montgomery, join Damian Watson for a look into a vegan crystal ball.

PR consultant Karin Ridgers, founder of vegan PR agency Mad Promotions, and Holly Johnson, editor of Vegan Food and Living magazine, join our host, Rachel New, to discuss how to counter misinformation about veganism in the media.

On today’s Vegan Pod 'Children’s story books – advocates for animal compassion?', Rachel New is joined by Tina Newman, creator of @ViviTheSuperVegan, and Jodie Barchha Lang @GreenVegan1, author of Nero the Brave Little Bull.   Grab a cuppa and settle in for vegan story-time as the trio discuss how children’s books can inspire and empower mini vegans on their journey to compassion, and their role in education.

Today on The Vegan Pod, we’re talking supplements and whether they’re essential to a vegan diet.

Today on The Vegan Pod, we’re revisiting a previous episode tackling the misconception that vegan cooking is difficult and takes time and effort. In this episode, guests Madeleine Olivia and Johnny Morillo help set the record straight, in a bid to inspire future vegans. Maybe you were even one of them! Why not refresh your memory and listen to the full episode on vegansociety.podbean.com or search “The Vegan Pod” on Apple Podcasts and Spotify  🎙️

In the latest episode of The Vegan Pod we’re diving into the history of veganism, tracing the movement’s roots back to the founding of The Vegan Society in 1944 and exploring how it has grown and evolved over the decades. We’re fortunate to have two incredible guests with us for this episode. First, we’re joined by Kim Stallwood, an animal rights author and scholar with decades of experience in the movement. Also joining us is Matthew Cole, a sociologist and lecturer whose research has explored veganism, anti-veganism and the cultural construction of human-animal relations. Together, they explore the founding of The Vegan Society and unpack some of the challenges faced by vegans over the years.  The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.   

In the latest episode of The Vegan Pod, we’re talking about veganic agriculture—a method of farming that uses no animal products or byproducts in the growing process.  Joining us for this episode we have co-founder of the Veganic Agriculture Network, Meg Kelly, and pioneer in the field of stock-free organic farming, Iain Tolhurst. Together, they unpack the ethical and environmental benefits of veganic agriculture and explore how the movement can continue to grow. The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.    

As children enter the new school year and students head back to university after  summer, we’re asking: What is vegan-inclusive education and why is it important?  Two brilliant guests join us for this discussion – Plant Based Universities Lead Coordinator, Alistair Stewart; and Laura Chepner, Education Officer at The Vegan Society and founder of The Vegan Society’s Education Network. The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.   

Ultra-processed vegan foods have been a hot topic in the media recently and have been called out for having negative health implications. On the latest episode of The Vegan Pod, we explore the truth behind the headlines and ask: Are ultra-processed foods bad for us? How do vegan ultra-processed foods compare to their non-vegan counterparts? Are there benefits to choosing to eat processed foods?  To answer all these questions and more, we’re joined by guests Emily McKee and Jenny Chapman. Registered Dietitian Emily works here at The Vegan Society as part of our Nutrition Team, and biologist Jenny was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2023 to investigate the adoption, acceptance and trust of plant-based meat and authored the report “Processing the discourse over plant-based meat”.  The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.       RESOURCES: Processing the discourse over plant-based meat - Jenny Chapman Ultra-processed food and veganism: What are the facts? - Emily McKee Food labelling: nutrition information - British Dietetic Association Plant-based meat and health in Europe - The Good Food Institute

On the latest episode of The Vegan Pod, we’re celebrating World Environment Day by discussing how our relationship with non-human animals contributes to the climate crisis and asking what we can do to change it. Despite research illustrating the widespread environmental impact of animal agriculture, it is often an issue that gets left out of conversations about the climate crisis. To help us explore why this is and what we can do about it, we're joined by Dr Richard Twine and Dr Heather Marshall from The Centre for Human Animal Studies at Edgehill University. Together, with our host, they unpack the role that the current relationship between humans and animals plays in the environmental crisis, the impacts of the climate crisis on animals and how education can play a key role in encouraging wider adoption of veganism. The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.  

In the latest episode of The Vegan Pod, we’re talking about cosmetics and asking how we can make more conscious choices in our everyday purchases. Interest in vegan beauty is at an all-time high after growing steadily over the last 10 years but lots of people don’t fully understand what vegan beauty is or why they should be looking out for it.   To help us dig a little deeper into how our everyday choices can make such a difference to animals, we’re joined by two brilliant guests: Hannah Montgomery, our Campaigns Manager here at The Vegan Society, and Jay Bharj, founder of “Root Minerals” a vegan cosmetics brand.  The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.    

In the latest episode of The Vegan Pod we’re turning our sights to the art world and talking to two vegan artists, Rebecca Lanyon Willmott and Philip McCulloch-Downs, about how their veganism intersects with their artwork, about using art as a form of activism and how to ensure all of your art materials are animal-friendly. The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.   

On this episode of The Vegan Pod, we’re celebrating International Women’s Day and talking to two women doing some fantastic work within the vegan movement Fiona Oakes, founder of Tower Hill Animal Sancturary, and Poonam Doshi, founder of Lola’s Sanctuary, join our host, Maisie, to share their journeys with veganism, the challenges and successes of founding their animal sanctuaries, and to talk about women they find inspiring.    The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.   

In the first Vegan Pod episode of 2024, we're asking "is vegan cooking difficult?". A common stereotype is that creating vegan meals is complicated and time consuming, but is there any truth to this? As we approach the end of Veganuary, many people who are new to veganism will be deciding whether to continue the lifestyle or return to their old ways, and for a lot of people, convenience and ease can be a huge factor in this.   Vegan content creators and recipe developers, Madeleine Olivia and Johnny Morillo, join us for this episode to explore this subject and discuss how we can make veganism seem straightforward and accessible to those who might think otherwise!   The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.