Vegans cook up a feast of food (From Oxford Mail)

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Vegans cook up a feast of food

8:47pm Sunday 9th August 2009 in News By Fran Bardsley

Jane Alexander and other organisers

FOOD from all over the world with a slightly different slant will be served up at the second Vegan Food Fair.

The event, which takes place at the Wesley Memorial Church Hall, New Inn Hall Street, on Saturday, has been organised by Oxford Animal Protection and Animal Aid in an attempt to get people excited about vegan food.

Organiser Rachel Foster said: “The idea is that we show people how easy and delicious it is to be vegan.

“We want to promote a vegan diet to help animals, the environment, sustainability in feeding the world and also health.”

Last year’s event attracted about 400 people but Ms Foster said Saturday’s fair promised to be bigger and better.

An additional hall has been opened up to provide more space for stalls and food, while a total of 16 different restaurants – all from the city – will be dishing out free food, all of it meat and dairy free.

Food to tickle the tastebuds will include Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Greek and Italian dishes.

Ms Foster said: “There’s a huge range of stuff on offer, not just nibbles and samples, but a full plate of food.

“A lot of the restaurants involved are from just around the corner or on the Cowley Road.

“It doesn’t matter that these restaurants aren’t vegan or vegetarian themselves, people can still go out and get delicious vegan food from lots of places in the city.

“It’s not difficult or limiting to be a vegan.”

At the event, there will also be a range of stalls, most for charities, and other entertainment including speakers and films.

A massage workshop where people can learn how to massage their friends is also planned, along with taster treatments in things like reflexology.

Cookery demonstrations will be going on throughout the afternoon, which runs between noon and 4pm.

A magic and puppet show will take place to keep youngsters occupied.

Ms Foster said: “We want it to be a fun, family event where nobody has to put their hands in their pocket for anything.

“We just want to show everyone it’s really exciting to be vegan.”

She said she hoped hundreds would attend the fair.

Comments(13)

Grundon Skipp says...
10:26pm Sun 9 Aug 09

“We just want to show everyone it’s really exciting to be vegan.”

Er- no.

Unless you HAVE to be a vegan for medical reasons, I have a strong suspicion that veganism is related to some neurotic obsessive compulsive disorder, and sufferers should alleviate their heightened paranoia about savbing the World and all the fluffy animals by composting themselves immediately.