The Vegan Society is now offering a third off Life Membership to anyone aged 65 and over, and is honouring long-term supporters, those who have been a member for over 30 years, with free Life Membership.
The idea was brought forward by the charity’s Council of Trustees last year who felt it was important to recognise older members and thank those that have shown loyalty to the society over the years.
To commemorate the occasion, a specially commissioned Vegan For Life enamel badge is also now available to all life members for free.
There are currently five different membership offers available to those who want to support the work of the society. A life membership starts at £350 a year and is a great option for those who want to show their commitment to the cause.
There are currently more than 795 individuals with Life Membership – ranging in age from 92 to 20.
Stephen Sanders, Senior Supporter Services Coordinator at The Vegan Society, said: “Our Life Members have shown a loyalty and commitment to both the vegan movement and The Vegan Society so we felt it was really important to honour them in a special way. The money from our membership schemes helps our work in promoting the vegan lifestyle and provide information and guidance on various aspects of veganism. We do this in several ways including; our Campaigns and Policy work, our Vegan Rights Network, our Vegan Trademark, our in-house dieticians and most recently through our Vegan Education Network, which encourages vegan-inclusive lessons and meals in schools. We wouldn’t be able to do the work we do without our members – so thank you!”
Life Member Amy Austin, 69, who first joined The Vegan Society in the 80s, reacted to the news: “I was vegan for years before I heard the term! Back in the day I remember having to travel miles to get tofu and go all the way into London for vegan margarine. To me, being a Life Member shows my real commitment to veganism and The Vegan Society, and my advice to anyone wanting to become vegan is just do it! Do it for yourself, do it for the animals and do it for the future of the earth we share with the animals. They don’t have a choice but we do."
This feeling is shared by another Life Member, 82-year-old Brian Burnett, who joined in 1992. Brian said: “I'm vegan for a range of reasons, but mainly for my own self-respect - it doesn't make sense not to be. I've been an environmentalist for all my adult life - and have a university degree in ecological sciences with considerable practical experience of natural history. Livestock farming is extremely damaging to the natural environment, the national economy and the nation's health. Veganism has changed enormously over the past half century or so, and especially in the past 2-3 years.”
“Factory-made vegan foods were rare. Today, there's a huge and increasing range, with every supermarket making special displays for vegan food products. It's also easier to find vegan clothes, footwear, cleaning products, etc., and it's becoming easier to eat out at pubs and restaurants but still not as easy as we'd like!”
There are great benefits to joining The Vegan Society, including access to 10% off our multivitamin, VEG 1, and over 100 third-party discounts such as 10% off at Brave Foods, ETHCS Clothing and Holland and Barrett, 15% off at the Body Shop and 20% off at Green Box Botanicals and Raw Halo Chocolate.
At a time when the cost of living is at an all-time high and people’s finances are feeling the squeeze, our discounts are there to help with every aspect of living a vegan lifestyle, from clothing to footwear, cosmetics, and toiletries and even places to go on holiday. As a member you will also get a subscription to The Vegan magazine. This is published every quarter and features essential updates on all of our recent work as well as interviews with influential vegans, recipes, competitions, advice, shopping and more.
To find out more about the various memberships on offer visit Get Involved | Join | Become a Member of The Vegan Society. To get your free Vegan For Life Enamel Badge contact the Supporter Services team at membership[at]vegansociety[dot]com or 0121 523 1730.
