It seems that life has awakened all around .... blink and we might miss the magnificent transformations.
Eruptions of colours are bursting out of the ground like nature's fireworks.
The sound of the birds and the smell of spring are most definitely in the air.
One of the most captivating visions of this time of year has got to be the purple haze of bluebells in the woods - one of the most serene and magical carpets that could ever blanket the ground.  
And lets not forget the soft buzzing of the bees as they set to work busily on the dancing dandelions, which in turn radiate their glorious sunshine glow. 
Of course the leaves have populated the trees again too and animals have emerged out of hibernation with their babies in tow. Such an amazing time of year.
The vision, smells and sounds of spring will always bring a warmness to the day.
Awe inspiring and precious.

This week has been national vegetarian week, which encourages people to go meat free. An essential step towards becoming vegan.
Hopefully this has been instrumental in helping people to realise how easy and fulfilling it can be to omit meat from their diet.

A lot has been happening in the past weeks with environmental activism taking place across numerous countries. There have been large protests in London and even school children have been getting involved.
The perspective of balance and the impact that humans have made on the environment has strongly come under focus.
We shall be looking at this in more depth within this newsletter.

3 Valley Vegans are extremely proud with one of out members winning an award.....more on this later. 

So kick back with a good old cuppa, or maybe even treat yourself a fruity Pimm's in the sun whilst enjoying this months edition of our newsletter.

XX

Every year approximately:

2.6 million cattle

10 million pigs

14.5 million sheep and lambs

80 million fish 

and 950 million birds 

are slaughtered in the UK for human consumption.

I have to be honest here and admit that I have never really known what haggis is.
I've now done a bit of research and traditionally haggis is made from offal (the liver, heart and lungs of sheep - eurghhh, nice!!!) which is minced with oatmeal and suet amongst with spices etc.
It is said to be the national dish of Scotland.

Interestingly in 1971 the import of Haggis from the UK to America was made illegal. This is because fluids such as phlegm and also acids from the stomach of the animal can enter into the lungs during slaughter. With haggis containing approximately 15% of sheep lung it was therefore decided to be a health hazard and so became a prohibited food. 

Luckily vegan haggis is now available to buy, which is enjoyed due to it's much loved taste, versatility in recipes and as a component to many various meals. It also doesn't contain any of the questionable ingredients found in the traditional haggis, of course. 

It is very nutritious - containing nuts, beans, lentils and cholesterol lowering oatmeal.
Compared to the meat version, which is high in saturated fat and calories, vegan haggis is very healthy.

Now I have done my research I think I shall be trying this and seeing what all the fuss is about.
Why don't you accompany me on this journey of discovery.
I have included a haggis recipe on the link below if you want to attempt making your own, although they are also available to buy.

Enjoy  :-)

We are very lucky that our valley has its very on haggis company, which is of course vegan too - just what we love!

The haggis is made from whole ingredients without the use of palm oil and are low in saturates and high in omega 3.
It is made using the traditional spices with the meat being replaced by nuts, seeds, pulses and spices. The strong spices replicate the meat version perfectly, so much so, taste-wise it is difficult to tell the difference between the two. 

The great thing is, is that they are already cooked so they can be eaten hot or cold as part of a meal, or in a salad or packed lunch and also freeze brilliantly.

Andersons Haggis have also recently created a mushroom pate` although not yet available via shops they can be bought direct. And rather excitedly-hot off the press (hot from the cooking pot!)-I have been informed that there will be a tomato version out soon also.
Both pate`s are still in the planning stage but should be available throughout the UK soon.

Joanna, who owns and produces Anderson Haggis will have a stall at Halifax Borough Market on May 30th as part of the Calderdale Food Network. She will be selling both haggis and pate`.

A lot of our local shops already stock Andersons Vegan Haggis.
In Hebden you can find it at  both Valley Organics and Pennine Provisions, in Halifax it is sold in Food Therapy.

Alternatively they can be bough direct from the manufacturer by calling 07722630733 all year around.

Twitter account and Instagram : @AndersonsHaggis

Dandelions

Dandelions are a beautiful and hardy wild flower that can be found across Asia the US and all over Europe.  In the UK they burst out of the ground in the months of April to June. 
The name dandelion is derived from dent-de-lion, which is the French translation of the Latin dens lionis and it means "lion's tooth".
It is named such because of the distinctive manes of yellow flowers and the jagged shape of their leaves.

Described as a weed by many people, they are actually classed as a herb and hold an abundance of amazing qualities and useful properties.

They are an extremely important flower for the bee, whose numbers have been ever declining in recent years. The bees depend on the nectar and pollen of dandelions, because they bloom at a time when few other flowers do.

Dandelions are a great natural fertiliser, because they draw calcium, potassium and iron from deep in the earth into their leaves.  When they decompose this mineral rich organic matter then nourishes the top layers of soil.

A very exciting property is that dandelions are fully edible. Their flowers, leaves and even roots can be eaten. They not only provide nourishment, but also help the body in numerous other ways due to their medicinal values.

They support healthy liver and kidney function and can be used as a natural detox.
Holistically they are used to settle the stomach, improve skin conditions, treat constipation, heartburn and even hormone imbalance. It is thought they can help to balance blood sugar levels, increase appetite and lower cholesterol.
People have used dandelions to treat mastitis and even encourage breast milk production.
Other uses are to treat gallstones, joint and muscle pain, bruises and intestinal gas.

An easy way to introduce them in your diet is to eat the flower heads and leaves raw on salads. The new, small leaves are the most tender.

The leaves can be incorporated into endless dishes as they can be stir-fried, sauteed, steamed, baked and creamed. They are a great source of vitamin A and C and potassium.

The roots are often used in soups and stews or within meals in addition to other vegetables.
There are many recipes online for ideas.

Dandelion tea can be commonly found in the shops and dandelion honey is a great vegan substitute to honey. Honey of course  is  produced by bees and so is not vegan. See the link below for a dandelion honey recipe.

TIP

The leaves of the dandelion contain natural sodium and so can actually be dried, ground and be used as a seasoning in replacement of table salt.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the atmosphere in 2018 had the highest concentration of carbon dioxide it has ever had within the last 3 MILLION years!

Carbon dioxide is the main contributor to global warming.

 Animal agriculture is the the second highest source of global greenhouse gas emissions.

For decades now scientists have been talking about the impending disaster of climate change and the world is finally  beginning to listen and take things seriously.
The question is - are we too late?

Climate change is happening before our eyes. It is beyond theories and suggestions.

The earth's atmosphere is warming which is affecting people and animals in real time.
The threat and reality of wildlife extinction is increasing. 
Animals, people and nature, in certain parts of the world,  are finding it difficult to adapt to new climates and also to adapt to the weather patterns that are already beginning to change.
Polar caps can be seen to have reduced significantly in size. They are melting at an alarming rate. 
Ocean levels have risen as a result.

There are many causes of climate change:

* Burning fossil fuels for energy have changed the balance of the carbon cycle

* Breeding cattle into existence creates alarmingly high and unnatural numbers. This is done in order to supply the meat and dairy industry. Cattle produce massive amounts of methane gas which is released into the atmosphere.

* The increase of carbon dioxide raises the atmospheres temperature, as it traps the sun's heat.

* The destruction of forests across the globe has had a huge impact. The vast majority of this tree clearing is to grow feed for livestock. Forests naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the air. So not only is carbon dioxide increasing at a dangerous rate, but there are also fewer trees available to help absorb and counter-balance it. 

Humans have created all these issues.

In October 2018 scientists predicted that we have only 12 years to make significant and dramatic changes before the global temperatures reach an irreversible tipping point.
We are the last generation that can stop climate change.
What a monumental and sobering realisation!

Our younger citizens across the UK have been inspired to take action on Climate Change. Many took the empowering decision to make their voices be heard on the subject by taking part in organised school protests to spread the message of global warming.

Schools across the country hit the streets with banners conveying very strong messages. Voicing their fears of having their futures ripped from them, they hoped to urgently persuade the governments of the desperate need to act now.

Children interviewed showed real understanding of the global catastrophe that hangs over the world, information relayed  throughout the protests were eye opening and the facts that the children shared were extremely hard hitting. 

From the age of 15 Greta Thunberg has been active in the environmental awareness movement and has been instrumental in inspiring and encouraging children of her generation to help spread the word.
She instigated the first school strike outside the Swedish Parliament in August 2018 and this then kick started the school protests worldwide.    

Greta first began learning about climate change issues at the age of 11 and became very concerned that not enough was being done. She could see no point in school or other aspects of living a "normal life" whilst the threat of global environmental catastrophe loomed overhead. She recognised that there would be no future unless significant and urgent changes could be made. 

She became vegan with the knowledge of how damaging animal agriculture is to the environment. 
The carbon footprint that the industry leaves cannot be justified.
Animal agriculture produces 14 - 18% of all green-house gas emissions, which is greater than all transportation combined (including air travel).
Greta feels it is important for us all to go vegan for the sake of our survival. 
"You can't be a meat-eating environmentalist.  The fishing, meat, dairy and egg industries aren't just relentlessly cruel to animals- they're also a nightmare for the environment" 

Now at 16 years old she has become a phenomenal spokesperson.  She has made the world take notice and triggered  a climate strike in 133 countries. 
The movement was named as the Extinction Rebellion and an estimated 1.6 million people, mostly of school age, took part.  

She has since met the Pope, spoke at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, attended numerous conferences and even addressed the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Poland.

She has recently won a Prix Liberte` award which recognises and honours a young person who is "engaged in a fight for peace and freedom" .
She has also been nominated for the prestigious Nobel Peace prize.

The University of Manchester hosts an annual Volunteer of the Year event on 2 May 2019, recognising the achievements of its staff, students and alumni making a positive contribution with various communities around the world. We are delighted to announce that our own Phil Reed was shortlisted and subsequently awarded the “highly commended” certificate for his voluntary work with 3 Valley Vegans! His nomination highlighted the cookery demonstrations that the group have hosted, promoting healthy plant-based lifestyles and providing information to residents of Calderdale and beyond, plus his time with the core group meetings and implementation of digital technology and skills.

Please join us on Sunday 26th May for a canal walk from Todmorden to Littleborough.
We will be setting off from the Golden Lion pub in Todmorden at 11:00 am and then we will enjoy a leisurely  stroll along the canal-side to Littleborough where, with anticipated heightened appetites, we will relax at the Veggie Vixen cafe for a late lunch or afternoon tea.

If anyone cannot make the walk but would like to meet for lunch then the Veggie Vixen is situated at 38 Victoria Street, Littleborough, OL15 9AB

Fingers crossed for glorious weather :-))

Event. 

Friday 14th June is the official Stop Live Transport International Awareness day.

An event will be held at St Georges Square in Hebden Bridge between 11:00am and 2:00pm to raise awareness on the matter.
Everyone is welcome to participate or come and learn more.

3 Valley Vegan will be back with our information stall at Todmorden market again on June 13th.  

If anyone would like to help out for the odd hour or 2 then we would be very grateful.

Please drop us an email to volunteer, or for more information:
3valleyvegns@gmail.com 

Thank you.

For interesting videos and video footage of some of our events please visit our 3 Valley Vegan You Tube channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/channe...

We would like to remind you that 3 Valley Vegans have a Facebook page, a Facebook group and our own website...

Our Facebook page is open to the public and is updated with lots of  events both local and national, interviews, videos, information, news and tips from the wider vegan community. 
To like, or visit this page please click:

Facebook Public Page

The Facebook group is a closed group and is a good place to air and vent any local vegan issues.
Information relating to local shopping and/or eating out can be posted by members of this group and also if any businesses in the local area would like to promote any vegan products or offers then this is the group to use.
If you would like to join then please click:
Facebook Private Group

On our website you will find local eating guides, recipes, up coming and past events, blogs and lots of vegan articles.
What our group is all about is detailed on this side and our location and contact details. 
To visit the website please click on link:

Website

Eating out and shopping can be tricky when you're vegan, especially when just starting out. To make things a little easier, we have compiled a list of vegan-friendly eateries and shops in Calderdale:

View our Guide to Eating Out in Calderdale

View our Vegan Friendly Calderdale Shopping Guide

Have we missed anything off these lists? Please send your suggestions to tech@3valleyvegns.org.uk