London vegan news, reviews & events
Today I came across a news story that made me pause.
The RAF has announced that air crews who identify as vegan will now be able to wear uniforms and boots that don’t use animal products. You can read the full piece behind the Telegraph paywall.
My feelings are a bit complicated.
Read more below.
Sometimes tofu gets a rough deal.
When people joke about veganism, they often laugh about sad blocks of white stuff with zero flavour.
But here’s the truth. Tofu is one of the greatest foods on the planet and it is delicious, nutritious, versatile, and affordable.
Read more below.
One of the most common things I hear when someone finds out I am vegan is a variation on the same tired question. “But don’t you miss cheese?”. Sometimes they say bacon, sometimes it’s chocolate.
Whatever the word is, the sentiment is the same. People think veganism is about restriction and missing out on enjoyment. About what we can’t do. About what we have lost.
It’s often said in a sympathetic tone. Poor old me, right?
But I’ve never looked at it that way. To me, veganism is about what we choose to do. It is about the compassionate choices that shape our plates and our shopping habits… and how it feels great to make those choices!
Read more below.
This is a first for FGV.
I am experiencing the delights of attempting to write and post a blog entry using an iPad. It is not a lot of fun.
Read more below.
This week I received the heartbreaking news that a special person in our community has passed away.
Our friend Shrina has left us and I am devastated by her loss.
Read more below.
Need to laugh to stop yourself from crying because of the state of the world?
Take a listen to the latest episode of Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) podcast with me and Josh.
In episode 59, we chat about:
You can watch/listen via YouTube:
Stream via Apple Podcasts:
Watch/listen via Spotify:
You can browse older episodes on the YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify channels.
Follow Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) on Instagram and Threads.
If you appreciate my blog posts and the work I do to support vegan business and challenge injustice, please consider making a one time small donation of a couple of quid online here. You might also be in the position to sponsor my work on an regular basis via Patreon.
You can order my book ‘Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t’ online now. It has been out a while now but is still a good read. You can also listen to the Audiobook read by me!
Follow me on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, and Blue Sky.
One of the things that has been swirling around my mind lately is the difference between celebrating who we are as a community and the far more troubling rise of nationalism.
On the surface they can sometimes look similar. Both can involve waving flags, singing songs, and shouting loudly about identity. But in practice, they couldn’t be further apart.
Read more below.
There was a time when I would jump on a train without thinking twice and head to another town or city. I adored discovering vegan cafés, supporting independent vegan businesses, and turning up at vegan events all over the country.
Those trips were always a highlight, a way to feel connected, and an opportunity to share what’s going on beyond London on this blog.
But things have changed.
Read more below.
The year trundles on and the podcast trundles on.
In episode 58 of Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong), Josh and I talk about a lot of nonsense, share some interesting (to us) topics, and go on a whole rant about the cost of medication.
We reminisce about visiting NYC, talk about the legacy of Blondie, and I quiz Josh on which clebrities are alive and which celebrities are dead.
Take a listen/watch via these links below.
Watch/listen via YouTube:
Listen via Apple Podcasts:
Listen/watch via Spotify:
You can browse older episodes on the YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify channels.
Follow Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) on Instagram and Threads.
If you appreciate my blog posts and the work I do to support vegan business and challenge injustice, please consider making a one time small donation of a couple of quid online here. You might also be in the position to sponsor my work on an regular basis via Patreon.
You can order my book ‘Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t’ online now. It has been out a while now but is still a good read. You can also listen to the Audiobook read by me!
Follow me on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, and Blue Sky.
Hey friends
For the past fifteen years some of you have been following me through ups and downs, through activism, celebrations, and also through my own personal challenges. One of the biggest struggles I have spoken openly about is compulsive eating disorder and the impact it has had on my health. This has never been easy to share, but honesty has always felt like the best way to stop myself carrying shame that doesn’t belong on my shoulders.
Just over a year ago I began using Mounjaro with medical support. In that time I have lost a significant amount of weight. The decision to make this change has been about more than numbers on a scale. My motivation is to protect both my physical and mental health, to do everything I can to avoid long term illnesses such as diabetes, and to reduce the chances of heart problems later in life. It has been a big adjustment, and I have tried to stay as transparent as possible on my blog, social channels, and podcast because I know many of you value that honesty and because it helps me feel less alone.
Now I find myself with a question for you. I am only one kilogram away from moving out of the obese category, according to NHS guidelines, and into the overweight category. I am not saying you will see me strutting down a Parisian catwalk anytime soon, but my appearance is already drastically different from how most of you have known me over the past few years and beyond.
That brings me to the name Fat Gay Vegan.
