news > 15 November 2008

Free food and information stall in Wembley

Ealing Road can be likened to a high street in Mumbai, with it's thriving Indian communities and businesses. Vegan Campaigns volunteers set up a stall at a prime spot on Ealing Road.
Most of the visitors were Indian, and mainly from the Hindu community, although we also had some Jain and Muslim visitors. Unsurprisingly, therefore, most of the visitors were already vegetarian, so our aim was to inform them about the cruelty of the dairy industry and hence introduce them to the vegan way. The Hindu community is known for its reverance to cows, so when we explained what actually happens to cows to produce the milk we consume, most visitors were shocked and eager to take away information.
There is clearly a lack of awareness among the Hindu and Jain population about what cows and calves really have to go through to produce the milk they consume. At the same time, however, there is a genuine interest to know more, and especially how to veganise the food they are normally used to eating.
I think there is immense potential for Hindus and Jains, who are already vegetarian, to go vegan - they simply need information and guidance on how to take the next step.
Ealing Road has a number of vegetarian-only outlets, including restaurants and vegetarian supermarkets, so after we'd finished our stall, we enjoyed a delicious and reasonably-priced meal, and stocked up on some provisions from the supermarket.
Vegan Campaigns intends to have a stall on Ealing Road again soon.

We always welcome help on these stalls. For more information about upcoming vegan food giveaways and information stalls, click here..