OxVeg Online News November 2009
Dear Member Happy World Vegan Day! November is also Vegan Month (sponsored by Animal Aid), so if you've ever fancied exploring a vegan diet, why not try it this month? If you would like practical guidance, recipes, or support from a vegan 'buddy', please contact me at the details at the bottom of this email. At the recent AGM, Paul Appleby and Sue Tibbles stood down from the committee. We thank them both for their tireless work for the society, and are pleased that they will continue to help out. Hope to see you all soon, Heather Shepherd OxVeg Secretary CONTENTS: 1. AGM 2. Walks 3. Internet Links 4. Closure of Abingdon Health Food Store 5. Review of Owl by Desmond Morris 6. 'Animal' evening at Blackwell's 7. Research study of vegetarian diet during pregnancy 8. Omega Fatty Acids 9. Veggie Christmas Kitchen 10. Forthcoming Events 1. AGM The recent OxVeg AGM was attended by seven of our 104 members. A new committee was elected, comprising Heather Shepherd (Secretary), David Huish (Treasurer), Paul Freestone (Media Representative), Rachel Foster (Campaigns Co-ordinator), Pam Hopcraft (Stalls Co-ordinator), Andy Shepherd (Membership Secretary) and Denise Watt. One post that was not filled was that of Website Manager. Although Heather will continue to update the website as required she would be grateful if some one could take on this role (you don't have to be a 'techie' although some experience of website management - your personal website, for example - would help): volunteers please contact Heather at the address below. Please give the new committee your full support. Two long-serving committee members stood down at the AGM - Sue Tibbles and Paul Appleby - although both will continue to play an active part in the group, Sue liasing with the many other local organisations with which she is active (including Oxford Trades Council and Oxfordshire Green Party) and myself as newsletter editor. I was surprised and delighted to be presented with a cake and bottle of wine in recognition of my 26 years on the committee, including 25 years as secretary, and my wife Galina and I were truly honoured to be made life members of OxVeg. Galina did wonder what she has done to merit the award, but I reminded her that she has had to put up with me for the past 20 years (we first met in November 1989), so by my reckoning that makes her a deserving recipient, and she is always trying to convert our friends to veganism. You can read the minutes of the AGM on our website www.oxveg.co.uk (Username: member Password: oxveggie). 2. Walks One member suggested that we should organise some sporting activities. As not all of our members are in the full flush of youth we took this to mean that organising some walks, perhaps with the option of a picnic in summer or a pub/cafe lunch at other times of the year. Therefore, if any member would like to 'host' a favourite walk for other members please contact the secretary at the address below, giving brief details of the proposed walk. The walk can be anywhere you like, although the start and finish points should ideally be accessible by public transport from Oxford where most of our members live. If there is a veggie-friendly eating place (or convenient picnic spot) en route so much the better. 3. Internet Links Deepa writes reviews of veggie-friendly/unfriendly restaurants, making it easier for vegetarians to find yummy places to eat. With over 4,500 hits in the first six months, this food blog is already generating a lot of interest. Visit: www.fussyveggie.blogspot.com "Killing Fields: the battle to feed factory farms" is the name of a short film produced by a coalition of pressure groups which "documents the experiences of some of those caught up in Paraguay's growing conflict over soy farming and reveals, for the first time, how intensive animal farming across the EU, including the UK, is fuelling the problem". As much as 97% of the global soybean harvest is converted to animal feed for poultry, pigs and other intensively reared animals. Paraguay is now the world's sixth largest producer of soy, with large tracts land being turned over to the crop at the expense of local farmers, leading to hunger, the depletion of natural resources and health problems linked to frequent application of pesticides. To view the film and to find out more go to www.feedingfactoryfarms.org . "Meat is a wasteful use of water and creates a lot of greenhouse gases. It puts enormous pressure on the world's resources. A vegetarian diet is better." So said Lord Stern of Brentford, former chief economist of the World Bank and author of the influential 2006 Stern Review on the cost of tackling global warming, in an interview for The Times. You can read the full story at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6891362.ece 4. Closure of Abingdon Health Food Store I am sorry to report that Frugal Food, the health food store in West St Helen Street, Abingdon, that offered OxVeg members a 5% discount, closed down at the end of October. Proprietor Val Stoner told me that they could no longer make a go of it, which is a great shame as the shop had been open for at least the past 20 years. Frugal Foods' closure provides further evidence that small, independent food shops are finding it increasingly difficult to compete against the supermarkets, especially during a recession. The moral of the story is 'use them or lose them'. At least there is still a branch of Holland & Barrett in Abingdon, and the town does have a very good Waitrose. 5. Review of Owl by Desmond Morris Owl by Desmond Morris, Reaktion Books, 216pp, pbk, 123 illustrations, 91 in colour; ISBN 978 1 86189 525 7, £9-99 (reviewed by Paul Appleby) The celebrated writer, broadcaster, surrealist painter, anthropologist, zoologist and Oxford resident Desmond Morris needs no introduction. He is the author of more than seventy books, including The Naked Ape (1967), The Human Zoo (1969) and The Human Animal (1994), and his many television programmes have included Zootime (1956-67), The Animals Roadshow (1987-89), The Animal Contract (1990) and Animal Country (1991-96). Owl is Morris's first book about birds. In the introduction, he explains how a heart-rending boyhood encounter with an injured owl instilled a sense of identification with these unique birds, characterised by their broad, rounded heads, flat faces and forward-facing eyes which gives them "an unusually human quality". Owls also have an air of mystery (as they are mainly nocturnal predators few people have seen an owl in the wild) and they have been associated with witchcraft and death. On the positive side, owls have been portrayed as wise, protective birds. They have been depicted by artists as diverse as Hieronymus Bosch and Pablo Picasso, immortalised in books and poems, used as emblems for sports teams and very occasionally kept as pets (Florence Nightingale delayed her departure to the Crimea following the death of her pet owl Athena, previously rescued from the Parthenon in Athens, to arrange for the bird to be embalmed). Owls are widely distributed, with nearly 200 species colonising every continent except Antarctica, although 11 species are listed as endangered and 6 species are critically endangered. Their tubular eyes provide remarkably precise vision (tests with barn owls have shown their visual sensitivity to be at least 35 times greater than that of humans), whilst owls' acute sense of hearing enables them to locate hidden prey in total darkness. Although they are expert hunters, owls are sometimes mobbed by other birds, emboldened by safety in numbers, which perhaps explains why they are rarely seen during daylight hours. Like other titles in Reaktion Books' Animal series, Owl describes both the natural history of owls and their place in human folklore and culture. Profusely and attractively illustrated, Owl is an entertaining and informative book. Whatever guilt Desmond Morris might have harboured following that fateful boyhood encounter has surely been expiated with this book. What a wise old owl he is. (See below for details of an opportunity to buy a signed copy of Owl.) 5. 'Animal' evening at Blackwell's Bookshop (from Maria Kilcoyne, Publicity and Rights Director, Reaktion Books Ltd) Snail, Moose and Owl are three of the latest titles in Reaktion Books' (www.reaktionbooks.co.uk) Animal series, which includes 34 books ranging from Ant to Whale. On Thursday 26th November at 7pm, authors Jonathan Burt, Kevin Jackson and Peter Williams will talk about their contributions to the Animal series at Blackwell's Bookshop, 48-51 Broad Street, Oxford. The evening will also feature a book signing by Desmond Morris. Jonathan Burt, series editor and author of Rat will talk about how he conceived of this highly acclaimed series in the early 2000s and introduces the latest authors to be published. Peter Williams, author of Snail, will talk about this much-loved, yet much-loathed, little animal. He asks us to reconsider the snail as a dignified, ancient creature that deserves our respect. Kevin Jackson's Moose, - a 'whimsical, witty and very entertaining survey', according to The Guardian - shows how this noble creature has played its part in human history. Desmond Morris, the legendary zoologist and writer, and author of The Naked Ape and The Human Animal, has now written the beautifully illustrated Owl. In his latest book he investigates one of nature's most popular and intriguing creatures. He will be present to sign copies of this latest addition to the Animal series. Tickets for the evening cost £2 from the Customer Service Dept, 2nd Floor, Blackwell Bookshop, Oxford (tel 01865 333623). 6. Research study of vegetarian diet during pregnancy Natasha Clarke writes: "I am currently in my third year studying Human Nutrition at Manchester Metropolitan University. I have always had a keen interest in the vegetarian diet and have decided to base my dissertation on this. I am going to be focusing on vegetarian females of birth-giving age and will be comparing the nutrients consumed with pregnancy guidelines. From this I hope to establish areas of people's diets which may need to be improved during pregnancy. I'm looking for vegetarian, female participants aged 18-35 to fill in a 3-day food diary for me. If you are interested, please contact me by email on: Protected email address . Thank you." 7. Omega Fatty Acids (by Heather Shepherd) Some of you may have heard the recent media coverage on these essential fatty acids, such as Radio 4's The Food Programme (EFA's) broadcast last week. One expert interviewed said that the body was unable to use the short-chain omega 3 acids from plant based sources, and that long-chain omega 3 acids from animal sources (e.g. oily fish) were required. I've asked Paul Appleby to clarify this for us: The problem is the low conversion rate of short-chain omega 3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid; LNA) to the long-chain omega 3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA) in typical Western diets with a high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. The conversion rate has been estimated is about 5-10% for LNA to EPA and 2-5% for LNA to DHA (Figures from Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis & Vesanto Melina). However, "most experts agree that adequate conversion can take place, providing sufficient LNA is consumed and factors that can depress conversion enzymes are minimized. Reducing intake of omega-6 fatty acids is especially important" (Becoming Vegan, page 65) and Davis & Melina recommend consuming a ratio of between 2:1 and 4:1 omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids. You can also find a discussion of the topic in Plant Based Nutrition and Health by Stephen Walsh. Linseed oil is by far the best source of LNA. Vegans with concerns about obtaining sufficient long-chain omega 3 fatty acids can take them directly in supplement form as they can be extracted from algae (the original source for fish), although the supplements are rather expensive (I think they are called V-Pure, or similar, a web search will find them). 8. Veggie Christmas Kitchen The Vegetarian Society's Veggie Christmas Kitchen is your one stop gourmet grotto for a meat-free Christmas - whether you are cooking for family, friends or Father Christmas. Packed with hints and tips, advice and festive food - there will even be a sprout recipe to jazz up the table. This online resource is now live on the society's website: http://www.vegsoc.org/christmas/ To help you celebrate Christmas, The Vegetarian Society are offering all local group members (which includes members of OxVeg) 25% off membership and gift membership (the offer applies to all membership categories, including youth membership). Simply quote 'LG09' to receive your 25% discount online at www.vegsoc.org/members or over the phone on 0161 920 2000. But hurry, this exclusive offer ends 24th December 2009. Finally, if you're into social networking sites, you can find The Vegetarian Society on Myspace: www.myspace.com/vegsoc Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2562261572 Youtube: http://uk.youtube.com/user/theVegetarianSociety Twitter: http://twitter.com/vegsoc and http://twitter.com/butcherscat 9. Forthcoming Events Thursday 5th November, 5pm. Talk on "The History of Vegetarianism", Seminar Room East, Mansfield College, Mansfield Road, Oxford. A talk by Paul Freestone - media spokesperson for OxVeg and VERO (Voice for Ethical Research at Oxford). Free admission & veggie food samples. Organised by VERO - further details at www.vero.org.uk . Friday 20th November, 7.30pm. OxVeg Dining Out Club meal at Al Salam, 4 Park End Street, Oxford. A Lebanese restaurant near the railway station with plenty of dishes suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Please email Natasha at Protected email address or telephone 01865 723760 to reserve a place. Saturday 21st November, 10am-4.30pm. One World Fair, Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford. There will be an OxVeg stall at this annual event organised by Oxford Oxfam Group. Please contact Pam on 01235 536762 or email Protected email address if you would like to help. Tuesday 24th November, 1pm. Lunchtime lecture "The 3Rs 50 years on" by Prof Michael Balls of FRAME (Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Research). Seminar Room West, Mansfield College, Mansfield Road, Oxford. Free admission, refreshments available. Organised by VERO (Voice for Ethical Research at Oxford) - further details at www.vero.org.uk . Thursday 26th November, 7pm. 'Animal' evening at Blackwells Bookshop, 48-51 Broad Street, Oxford. See above for details. Monday 30th November, 1pm. Lunchtime lecture "Models in Biomedical Research" by Dr Peter Kohl, Senior Reader in Cardiac Physiology, Oxford University, and Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) Project Coordinator at Oxford. Seminar Room West, Mansfield College, Mansfield Road, Oxford. Free admission, refreshments available. Organised by VERO (Voice for Ethical Research at Oxford) - further details at www.vero.org.uk . Sunday 6th December, 10am-5pm. Animal Aid Christmas Fayre, Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8. Lots of stalls, food, talks and ideas for a cruelty-free Christmas. Admission charge. Organised by Animal Aid (www.animalaid.org.uk). (Kensington Town Hall is only 10 minutes walk from the Oxford Tube stop at Notting Hill Gate.) Saturday 12th December, 10.30am-4.30pm. Winter Green Fair, Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford. There will be an OxVeg stall at this popular event organised by Oxfordshire Green Party. Please contact Pam on 01235 536762 or email Protected email address if you would like to help. Friday 18th December, 7.30pm. OxVeg Christmas Party at The Jam Factory, 27 Park End Street, Oxford. The Jam Factory (www.thejamfactoryoxford.com/restaurant.html) has been booked for the Ox Veg Christmas Party. The Chef is working up our own special menu and they did a great job last time with plenty of vegan options (including a gluten-free one too). It will be a great opportunity to meet other members in a fun and lively setting. Natasha would be grateful if those who would like to come, or are interested in coming, would let her know so she can give the restaurant an accurate estimate of numbers. Contact Natasha at Protected email address or telephone 01865 723760. OxVeg Online News is published on the first Sunday of the month and we welcome contributions from members. Please send your contributions to Paul Appleby, OxVeg News editor.
Author: Paul Appleby
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Story posted by on 2009-12-05 10:27:59.
