The UK is blessed with a thriving vegan community that spans the whole country as well as online, providing valuable spaces for people to meet up and share news and views about being vegan & the latest vegan products, as well as getting involved in social groups, activism and campaigning. People new to veganism especially will find support and like-minded people within these groups, helping foster a deeper commitment to this way of life whilst supporting grassroots initiatives, campaign groups, local independent traders and a host of events and social activities.

 

Online

There are so many vegan groups online! Just about every angle of veganism is covered by an online group, ensuring people new to veganism can find people with the same interests and hobbies. Many cities, towns & regions have a thriving local online group – Bristol Vegans and London Vegans being an example of two such groups, both with thousands of members and multiple posts each day, keeping people informed about what’s happening locally.

 

Regional

There are many thriving regional vegan groups that meet up in person as well as online, getting involved in local initiatives and activities, many of them social. Bristol Vegans meets regularly (usually monthly) to gather face to face usually in cafes, restaurants and eating places so people can socialise over food, and there’s a regular Bristol Vegans Drinks meetup in a local pub too for people who prefer socialising over drinks rather than food. Bournemouth has a very active vegan social groups, as does the Northeast, and London, with regular meetups for meetings, talks, presentations as well as food and drink. There’s been a proliferation of vegan pop ups for food recently, as well as gatherings for fine dining, and regional groups make an excellent way of meeting new vegan friends, something that can be a bit of a challenge for some in the early days.

 

National

There are a number of national vegan social groups that cater for special interests, often with regional activities and meet ups. Vegan Runners UK is an excellent example of a national vegan social group for people who like to run, and if you are thinking of starting a new vegan venture, Vegan Business Tribe is a great place to find fellow entrepreneurs and business people. There are a number of sporting groups too, such as Green Gazelles Rugby Club and of course the famous vegan football club, Forest Green Rovers, and there are plenty of vegan five a side football teams to join for those who prefer playing over watching. Health professionals will find plenty of support from the Plant Based Health Professionals UK, artists can find their home with the global Art of Compassion Project, and there’s even a brand new all vegan choir to join if you like singing! Check your local and regional vegan groups of news and updates on what’s happening in your area.

 

Podcasts & Media

News sites like Plant Based News and Vegan Food & Living are invaluable resources to keep up to date with what’s happening in the broader vegan world, and there are plenty of fabulous vegan podcasts that help foster vegan communities and put a spotlight on developments and activities across the broader vegan community, as well as diving into vegan philosophy, street activism, the latest food products and some of the high achievers within the community and their successes and achievements.

 

Vegan Events & Markets

Most towns and cities have their own vegan event these days and there has been a proliferation of markets this last few years. They are mostly independent and full of independent traders with products that aren’t available in the supermarkets. Vegan events have provided the backbone for the proliferation of vegan activities and regional groups, bringing large numbers of like-minded folk together in one place, providing a catalyst for a myriad of vegan initiatives and occurrences. Vegan events and markets always benefit from more support, promotion, engagement and attendance and people new to veganism are encouraged to get involved with their local vegan events and markets, providing great places to meet new people and discover new vegan initiatives.

 

Campaigns and Activism

At the heart of our vegan communities, along with all the social activities lies campaigning and activism. Activism has provided a reliable hub for regional groups to flourish and grow often bringing in people new to veganism to get involved in local activities. There are now a multitude of groups and campaigns to get involved in, ranging from online campaigns like the Plant Based Treaty and Plant Based Councils (mainly sending letters to councillors and politicians, and signing and sharing  petitions) through to groups like Viva!, We The Free and Animal Justice Project that run demonstrations and street outreach. These groups tend to have a strong social side to their work too, with participants meeting up regularly for food and drinks as well as training workshops and advice on street outreach. Joining one of these groups and getting involved with local campaigns is a great way to get to meet new vegans! Groups like Veggies in Nottingham also run a wide variety of vegan activities and social events, with venues like the Sumac Centre (Nottingham) and The Base Centre in Bristol providing ongoing spaces for meetups and social gatherings.

 

Comedy and Music

There’s a growing vegan artistes’ community with comedy a noticeable strong point, with regular vegan comedy nights across the UK, and a thriving vegan musical scene with a proliferation of vegan acts and artists this last few years – keep an eye out in your regional groups for news and updates. Several of the vegan events host comedy and live music regularly too, including Vegan Camp Out & The Bristol Vegan Fayre.

 

Whatever your interests, if you look around you’ll discover other vegans with shared interests as well as shared values, and getting involved with local community activities and gatherings is a really important aspect of the broader vegan community.

 

Animal Sanctuaries

A number of thriving regional vegan communities have grown up around animal sanctuaries, often bonded together by volunteers involved with the sanctuary and various supporters initiatives. Animal Sanctuaries especially are faced with large and regular costs with little support from grants and funding for vegan activism, and rely on strong support communities for their survival. Getting involved with your local sanctuary is very fulfilling on multiple levels.

 

 

Vegan Events & Markets – Diary

Why Go Vegan