You know I work with Fry’s Family Foods, right? Working with such a loved, successful and respected vegan food company has quite a few positives and one such upside is getting the scoop on new products.
I am thrilled to announce this breaking news.
Year: 2015
Sadness and happiness
Today was World Animal Day and I celebrated by teaming up with Fry’s Family Foods for a trip to Hugletts Wood Farm Animal Sanctuary.
I will post in much more detail and with many more photos in the coming days, but for now I want to share this photo before I head to bed.
This is Radhe Priya walking alongside my partner Josh.
Radhe Priya was born completely sightless into a dairy farm where she was struggling to stay alive. Terrified and unable to manoeuvre to the feed within her cramped living quarters, time was running out for this heartbreakingly-beautiful cow.
Thankfully the kind people of Hugletts sanctuary gave Radhe Priya a safe, secure, loving and forever home and she was liberated from the dairy farm.
Today at the farm she rubbed her body gently against Josh and even though she cannot see, Radhe Priya followed him closely all around the paddock by using her senses of hearing and smell. It seemed like she never wanted Josh to leave her side.
I am devastated to think the happy ending for Radhe Priya is an uncommon rarity, but also thrilled for her. It was such a bittersweet experience.
I implore you to donate whatever you can to the special campaign I am running in conjunction with Fry’s Family Foods. We need to raise funds to build a new fence and purchase security cameras that will allow animals like Radhe Priya to live their lives in peace and security.
We have raised over £1,000 of the £13,000 target.
Please give now and share this post widely.
Bargain vegan pizza
Remember when I wrote about Firezza using vegan cheese?
You can go here to read my original post about this pizza restaurant chain with 17 locations. Piping hot pizza with Violife for all your convenience food desires!
There is something I think I forgot to mention in the original post. Every Tuesday, Firezza offers a very special deal that I managed to take advantage of this week. Check it out below.
Electric bicycles
You all know about the vegan cruise I am a part of over New Year’s Eve. You cannot possibly have escaped my excitement. (If you have, click here for more info)
I just found out some extra information for those of you who have already booked a cabin on the cruise down the Danube.
The ship we are travelling on includes electricity assisted bicycles that can be used during shore stops. You can cycle around some of the gorgeous towns and cities we visit!
Also, there are these super nifty GPS and information devices for passengers that are pre-loaded with guided tours, directions and cruise commentary. Check out the video below.
The video shows both the bikes and the handheld devices.
I thought I couldn’t be more excited for this cruise, but I am now!
Go here to read about the cruise and here to book one of the remaining cabins.
New vegan cookbook
You all know tibits, right?
This central London restaurant and bar has for many years been a favourite haunt of compassionate diners, especially since they have made every Tuesday ‘vegan day’ on their self service food boat.
The vegetarian restaurant appears to exploring the vegan angle more and more these days, with the latest big news being the release of a 100% vegan recipe collection called Vegan Love Story.
80 plant-based recipes are housed in a gorgeous hardcover, accompanied by enticing colour photos. It really is a joy to flick through.
You can buy the new vegan cookbook by tibits (in partnership with Zurich restaurant Hiltl – the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world) by popping into the restaurant on Heddon Street in Mayfair, or online here.
Let’s hope this book is another step in the journey of tibits becoming a fully vegan restaurant.
How would you like to win a copy of the vegan cookbook by tibits?
Fall-ing for cupcakes
A change in season means a change in cupcake flavours at Ms. Cupcake in Brixton.
I spotted this gorgeous autumnal flavour during a recent visit.
Other flavours for the cooler weather include Lemon Matcha, Speculoos, Black Bottom (with cream cheese baked in!), Apple Crumble Custard and finally, Blackberry.
How GORGEOUS do all of those sound?
Catch the special seasonal varieties until November in store and visit the Ms Cucpake stand at VegfestUK London on October 10 and 11, 2015.
Follow Ms Cupcake on Twitter and Instagram.
Vegan Bake Off
Roll up for the BIGGEST celebration of cruelty-free cake to ever be staged in the UK.
Join your guest host and judge Fat Gay Vegan as he nibbles his way through the entries before naming the winners of the West Midlands Vegan Fest 2015 ‘Vegan Bake Off’.
There will be prizes. There will be drama. There will be a very full FGV!
Categories include:
– Decoration (cakes only/judged on appearance)
– 14 and Under (any baked item by people aged 14 or under/judged on taste and appearance)
– Chocolate (any baked item with chocolate as the star attraction/judged on taste and appearance)
– Stallholder (open to cakes, cupcakes, slices and cookies by stallholders/judged on taste and appearance)
– Cheesecake (raw or cooked cheesecakes/judged on taste and appearance)
You can enter one item in one category only. The cost per entry is £1 per item. All entries will be sold after judging with all profits from entry fees and sales to be donated to a local charity.
You will be able to drop off your entry to the Fat Gay Vegan stand on either Saturday or Sunday of the fest with the cut off time being 3pm on Sunday. No entries will be taken after this time.
The judging room will be open to the public after 4pm. The judging room holds approximately 100 people and entry will be on a first come basis.
Go here for more information on the West Midlands Vegan Fest 2015.
Let me know you are interested in entering the Vegan Bake Off or have plans to attend as a spectator with an RSVP on the Facebook event.
Extra note: you can supply extra cake for tasting/judging purposes if you do not want your entry to be cut during the tasting process. You must also include a list of ingredients with your entry.
Guide to vegan Surrey
Check out this AMAZING guest post from a reader with the same name as me. No, not FGV. His name is Sean M. and he has kindly put together a wonderful guide to vegan eating in Surrey.
Sean has indicated this is only part one of his vegan exploration of Surrey, so watch out for the second instalment later in the year.
Take it away, Sean!
Humpit
Leeds has some really great stirrings in relation to vegan food. I’m not about to declare it a vegan hotspot that you will be bowled over by, but the Northern city is certainly coming along leaps and bounds in recent years.
Check out this 100% vegan hummus and falafel cafe situated in the city centre.
Fundraising update
As you have probably seen online, I have teamed up with Fry’s Family Foods in order to raise money for vegan-run Hugletts Wood Farm Animal Sanctuary.
The campaign is off to a flying start. Check out the video update below for the latest news on the campaign.
I am thrilled we have already raised £1000 but we still have a long way to go. Hugglets urgently need funds to restore all of the fencing around their property, as well as install new security cameras to keep the rescued animals safe.
Please donate now and share this news widely.
Competition news
Would you like to visit Hugletts Wood Farm Animal Sanctuary with me on World Animal Day courtesy of Fry’s Family Foods?
Fry’s is kindly sponsoring a minibus that will travel to the sanctuary on World Animal Day, Sunday October 4, 2015. Lunch and snacks on the day will be provided by Fry’s and passengers will get a chance to meet some of the rescued animals up close and personal.
How to enter?
Take a photo of yourself holding your favourite Fry’s Family Foods product and share on Twitter or Facebook. Make sure you use the hashtag #HumanKind and tag @frysfamilyUK for your chance to win a double pass on the bus.
Three pairs of tickets will be given away. Winners will need to make their own way to and from Central London on Sunday October 4, 2015. The bus will depart at 9:30am and return at approximately 6:00pm.
