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 polic...
Jun 28, 2025•41 min•Ep. 38
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.
May 31, 2025•32 min•Ep. 37
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.
Apr 27, 2025•44 min•Ep. 36
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.
Mar 31, 2025•38 min•Ep. 35
Today on The Vegan Pod, we’re talking supplements and whether they’re essential to a vegan diet. Vegan Society dietitians Angela Rymer and Emily Angus join us to set the record straight on supplements and whether it’s possible to sustain a healthful vegan diet without them.
Feb 27, 2025•37 min•Ep. 34
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 🎙️
Jan 29, 2025•41 min•Ep. 33
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 ...
Nov 29, 2024•55 min•Ep. 32
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 ...
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 31
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....
Sep 18, 2024•51 min•Ep. 30
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. Register...
Jul 31, 2024•49 min•Ep. 29
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...
Jun 05, 2024•55 min•Ep. 28
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 Montgomer...
May 21, 2024•42 min•Ep. 27
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.
Apr 10, 2024•48 min•Ep. 26
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...
Mar 08, 2024•53 min•Ep. 25
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 John...
Jan 29, 2024•41 min•Ep. 24
In the latest episode of The Vegan Pod, and the final episode of 2023, we’re getting into the festive spirit and talking all things Christmas. Whether you’re planning your Christmas day meal, assembling a gingerbread house, attending your works Christmas party or buying gifts – the holiday period can be tricky to navigate when you’re trying to ensure everything is suitable for an ethical vegan lifestyle! So how can we embrace holiday traditions as vegans? What are the best swaps we can make to e...
Dec 20, 2023•33 min•Ep. 23
In the UK, women are around twice as likely than men to be vegan – but why is this? That’s what we’re asking on the latest episode of The Vegan Pod. To help us explore the barriers that men face when it comes to living a vegan lifestyle, we’re joined by geographer, lecturer, and writer Dr Catherine Oliver and author, academic and spokesperson for Animal Rising, Dr Alex Lockwood. The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society....
Nov 28, 2023•39 min•Ep. 22
In the latest episode of The Vegan Pod, we’re discussing the importance of offering nutritious vegan food in public services such as schools and care homes. Despite the UK’s established and growing vegan community, we continue to face challenges in accessing healthy and nutritious food, with some public sector menus failing to consistently include a single vegan option. In this episode we’re joined by two guests to help us discuss this issue, both of whom are doing fantastic work in this area to...
Oct 26, 2023•38 min•Ep. 21
The latest episode of The Vegan Pod explores the plant-based food market, asking whether the “vegan bubble” has really burst amid reports of drops in plant-based sales. We’re joined by Joe Hill, co-founder of One Planet Pizza and Rik Roberts, General Manager at Crackd The No-Egg Egg, to discuss highs and lows of running a vegan business, to celebrate their successes and to explore what the future of the plant-based food industry might look like. The views expressed by our guests are not necessar...
Sep 27, 2023•43 min•Ep. 20
In this episode of The Vegan Pod, we're asking “Should veganism be used as a vehicle for comedy?”. Does vegan humour reinforce negative assumptions about veganism or help to tackle them? How can we deal with non-vegans who choose to make jokes about the vegan lifestyle? This month we were joined by two long-time vegans and professional comedians, Chris Stokes and Ishi Khan, to help us answer these questions and understand whether it’s possible to toe the line between making people laugh and simu...
Aug 29, 2023•42 min•Ep. 19
In July's episode of The Vegan Pod, we’re exploring how protest laws are impacting the vegan movement and discussing how we can be effective activists in the current political climate. In this episode, our host, Rachel New is joined by Dr Alex Lockwood, spokesperson for the activist group, Animal Rising, and Dr Steve Cook, Associate Professor of Political Theory who’s research focusses on justice for nonhuman animals and the ethics of activism. The views expressed by our guests are not necessari...
Jul 26, 2023•35 min•Ep. 18
Is it expensive to eat a vegan diet? That's what we're asking on June's episode of The Vegan Pod. Host, Rachel New, is joined by Vegan Punks, Dan and Jess and best-selling cookbook author, Katy Beskow, to help tackle the myth that it's costly to be vegan and discuss delicious ways to keep your food shop budget down! The views expressed by our guests are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.
Jun 27, 2023•41 min•Ep. 17
In May's episode of The Vegan Pod, we're celebrating Spring by talking all things gardening! Host, Rachel New, is joined by vegan gardeners Matthew Appleby and Danielle James, who help us understand how to make our gardens animal-friendly and offer advice on how to grow successfully whilst limiting our impact on natural ecosystems. The views expressed by our guests are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.
May 23, 2023•34 min•Ep. 16
April saw thousands of runners take place in the London Marathon, in this episode of The Vegan Pod, we talk to two vegan runners who completed this year's race! Host, Rachel New, talks with Matthew Fordham and Emily Goyal to hear their running stories, their experience of the race and how they've fuelled themselves for their training on a vegan diet. The views expressed by our guests are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.
Apr 26, 2023•38 min•Ep. 15
In this episode of The Vegan Pod, we're asking "Do companion animals make vegans hypocrites?" For vegans, there can be a number of questions and concerns when it comes to taking on a companion animal, from the overarching question “is it vegan to keep an animal?” to questions around breeding and adoption, and, of course, what to feed them to keep them happy and healthy. To help us with this fascinating and important discussion, host Rachel New is joined by Veterinary Professor, Andrew Knight, an...
Mar 27, 2023•41 min•Ep. 14
Happy Valentine’s Day! In this month's episode of The Vegan Pod, we’re talking love and asking - would you have a vegan wedding even if it meant losing guests? Joining us on this episode, to discuss organising and hosting vegan weddings, we have Tomi Makanjuola, vegan chef, writer and content creator, who had her vegan wedding at the end of last year, and Sian Bowron, who’s been running her wedding planning business, Amythest Weddings, since 2012. The views expressed by our guests are not necess...
Feb 14, 2023•28 min•Ep. 13
Happy New Year and welcome to the first episode of the Vegan Pod 2023! January is a time for fresh starts, resolutions, and making positive changes for the year ahead. One thing lots of people are considering this year, is their environmental impact - a Vegan Society survey has found that over half of Brits planned to make a resolution this year with an environmental goal in mind. Joining us on this episode to discuss low-waste living and veganism, we have Camilla Gaillardin, co-founder of vegan...
Jan 17, 2023•40 min•Ep. 12
Christmas is upon us and, naturally, in the latest episode of The Vegan Pod, we're talking all things foodie and festive! Host Rachel New is joined by Sandra McLaren-Stewart, Founder and Director of Saorsa 1875, the UK’s first 100% vegan hotel in the Scottish Highlands, and food blogger Vegan Olive. Together, the trio discuss the delicate business of hosting non-vegans at Christmas and the ever-increasing range of vegan seasonal goodies to appease their palettes. The views expressed by our guest...
Dec 19, 2022•39 min•Ep. 11
In celebration of World Vegan Month, our latest episode of the Pod is exploring how veganism has grown and how it is experienced across the world. To help us on this cultural journey, host Rachel New is joined by Nadia Mckechnie and Saori Kondo, founders of Vegan Consulting Japan and Brighde Reed, co-founder of Vegan World Travel. As well as being the official trademark agent for The Vegan Society, Saori and Nadia are helping to raise the vegan profile in Japan while Brighde's worldwide luxury t...
Nov 21, 2022•43 min•Ep. 10
In October's podcast episode, we're celebrating Black History Month. Joining host Rachel New are chef Ngwafu Tansie, whose catering service Gwafuvegan specialises in West African food, and recipe creator and food photographer Livhuwani Tshikhudo, to share insights into how veganism ties into their cultures and some of their favourite ingredients and dishes to create and adapt.
Oct 27, 2022•40 min•Ep. 9
