Sign up for Veganuary today and meet local people doing the same
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Recent research estimates that in the past 12 months the number of UK vegans increased by 1.1m to a total of 2.5m, representing 4.7% of the adult population.
There are many reasons why people choose to go vegan. Some for their health as a vegan diet is often linked to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.
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Hide AdOther people wish to prevent cruelty to and exploitation of animals. And others do it for environmental reasons as meat-based products put a huge strain on water and land use. In Brazil alone, the equivalent of 5.6 million acres of land is used to grow soya beans as feed for animals in Europe, all of which is land that has been deforested, leading to loss of habitat and plant and animal extinctions.


But have you heard of Veganuary? It’s the annual challenge that promotes veganism and educates people by encouraging them to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January. It’s a growing phenomenon with 1.8 million people worldwide signing up last year (up from less than 750 000 the year before).
And the good news is that there is help on hand here in Melton Mowbray. The Melton Vegan Groupeas meet once a month for a shared vegan meal where everyone brings along a dish (sweet or savoury) on an agreed theme to enjoy with the rest of the group. The charge is £5 a head and new members will be guaranteed a warm welcome and don’t even need to contribute a dish!
Their Veganuary meal will be held at 6.30pm on Wednesday 8 January at the United Reform Church on Chapel Street and the apt theme for this time of year is comfort foods.
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Hide AdIf you’d like to learn more about the group and let them know that you wish to attend this month (as there is a limit on new members), search for Melton Vegan Groupeas on Facebook or email [email protected].
For more information about Veganuary, visit Veganuary 2025 | Home | The Go Vegan 31 Day Challenge.