A social, educational and campaigning group formed in 2002

We're also on Facebook, with around 60 members at present. Vegans, vegetarians, or anyone interested in the vegan way of life, are all very welcome at any meetings or events. If you'd like to go on our EMAIL LIST to receive news of future events please email us at  

NEXT MEETING  Sunday 20th May 2012 at Ystalyfera (13 miles north of Swansea). Social and pot luck lunch from midday onwards - to coincide with the MCL (Movement for Compassionate Living) AGM weekend in Ystalyfera on 19th/20th when a few people attending Saturday's AGM will be staying over. Full details were sent out to everyone on our email list on 11th May. No bus service to Ystalyfera on a Sunday so please let us know if you want or can offer a lift.

25-27 May 2012  Bristol VegFest at the Amphitheatre and Waterfront Square in Bristol (2-8pm Fri, 11-8pm Sat/Sun). Free entry. A few people from Swansea usually travel to this major event - get in touch if you want or can offer a lift, or want to meet up with others.

9-24 June 2012  Gower Walking Festival Over 70 walks to choose from, £3 per walk, advance booking necessary. Contact Malcolm (see panel below) if you're interested in joining in any of these walks, and at the same time meeting up with another vegan or two.

4-18 August 2012  Vegan Camp The Camp is in Cumbria this year and, as usual, some people from the Swansea area will be going. Family-oriented but many single people go too (for part or all of the fortnight).

In the recent past we've put on a variety of events - the usual social events with pot luck meals, occasional discussions/talks, picnics/walks in the summer, and so on. And now and again we've tagged along with other existing environmental-type events, or connected with other local groups. In 2011 we also showed the new Vegan Society film Making the Connection at the Environment Centre, and visited a forest garden at Ystradgynlais.

At the moment we're arranging fewer meetings, but if anyone has suggestions about future events (or anything else), or would like to organise something, then please do get in touch.

Some local vegans are also active in national groups. Vegfam ("feeds the hungry without exploiting animals") is a charity based near Llandovery. MCL (Movement for Compassionate Living), who promote environmental veganism, are based in Ystalyfera. Vegan Views magazine is now printed, and partly produced, in Swansea - copies can be downloaded free from their website. 

The UK Vegan Society is the place to go for basic and more detailed information on veganism - see for example their booklets/leaflets page (which includes a useful catering guide for hospitals should you ever find yourself in one). The noticeboard at the Vegan Village site is excellent for all sorts of vegan-related adverts: accommodation, events, projects, and much more. 

The Vegan Society's new film Making the Connection can be seen online at the 
Environment Films website. It's 30 minutes long, and features a variety of vegans talking about their diets and lifestyles (a chef, MP, dietician, athlete, young mother, and several others). It's also on YouTube, where it's split into eight chapters. If you're interested in showing the film to a group of people you can get a free DVD from Environment Films (or from the Vegan Society).

Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude - as far as is possible and practical - all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.