The Vegan Pod

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. 

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 enjoy vegan festive food? How do we shop for loved ones whilst sticking to our vegan values?   Joining us to help answer these questions, are Louise Macbeth, owner of Beck Hall – England's first 100% plant-based hotel – and author and recipe developer Katy Beskow.       The views expressed by guests on The Vegan Pod are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.