It was Vegan Life Live at the Alexandra Palace in London last weekend. It was great to see this show return after being absent from the vegan calendar for the last couple of years, having now merged with the Om Yoga Show to create a much bigger event that spanned over two halls. There was a time when people would travel far and wide to be able to try vegan food or products but now it’s hard to make these big iconic vegan shows viable when you can buy 10 types of vegan chocolate from your local supermarket.
The show did well though, especially the food vendors because the vegan hall acted as the de facto canteen for all the people visiting the yoga show!
It was also the first major vegan show that Lisa and I took our 20-month old daughter Awen to, and what a wonderful experience it turned out to be. Usually we keep Awen very close in busy public spaces but we could let her lead the way and explore the hall, knowing that we were amongst ‘our people’ and there was no chance of her picking-up a non-vegan food sample. So many people took delight in Awen dancing in front of the speakers at the burger stall, or hugging the giant avocado next to the kids meal stand, or just running from one area to the next with Lisa and I following leisurely behind.
We spent some time wandering around the Om Yoga Show too. One person saw me wearing my Vegan Business Tribe t-shirt and asked “Are you raising your baby vegan?”. I’ve been asked this a lot, mainly as I’m usually wearing something with a vegan slogan on and I’ve often got Awen sat on my shoulders (it’s her favourite mode of transport) so I’ve got a pre-prepared response:
“All babies are vegan”, I replied with a smile, “until you decide they are not”.
It always leads to a moment’s confusion, followed by understanding. But I don’t try to take the moral high-ground. I have two grown-up children that I raised as meat-eaters, because I was a meat-eater at the time. But getting ‘another go’ with Awen is a real blessing. Vegan kids are one of the most powerful tools the our movement has.
David 💚🐷🌍
David’s thoughts from the week, published every weekend for members only.
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