Welcome to Viva!

Eating meat; fish and dairy causes environmental destruction, damages human health, contributes to global hunger and inflicts immense suffering on billions of animals across the world. Viva! believes that the solution to all these problems is in our own hands: the best way to stop the destruction and the cruelty is to stop eating animals now – go vegetarian, or better still, vegan. Through popular campaigns, solid research, undercover exposés and effective media skills we have brought the reality of modern farming into people's living rooms. We have enlightened millions, shocked most and changed the diets of many. You can help with these successes.
 

300 Badgers Descend on Cardiff!
Viva! National Rally a Huge Success

A huge thank you to everyone who attended Viva!'s National Rally for the Badgers on Saturday, June 28. The response was overwhelming, with over 300 people gathering on the steps of the Welsh Assembly's Debating Rooms. The message was resounding and echoed right across Cardiff Bay - No badger 'cull' in Wales (or anywhere else in the UK for that matter!).

A mother and father ‘badger’ were joined by children dressed as baby badgers. Surrounding them were hundreds of animal and wildlife lovers from across Wales and the rest of the UK. All were wearing eye-catching badger masks and holding dual-language signs saying ‘Stop the cull!’ and ‘Atal Y Cwlio!’.

Click here to read more and see pictures from the day.

 

Urgent Action for the Badgers: Contact Hilary Benn Today!

It has come to our attention that Hilary Benn (the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) will be taking a decision on the ‘culling’ of badgers in England within the next few weeks.

I know we often ask you to write, but it is absolute vital that the anti-‘cull’ voice outweighs the pro-‘cull’ one. Killing wildlife will not stop the spread of cattle TB. This may be our last chance to stop the wholesale slaughter of English badgers. Please write today and get everyone you to know to write as well. Click here for a sample email. Also, check out Viva!'s shocking new fact sheet on badgers and cattle TB – and why going vegan protects our wildlife – here.
 

Switch to Ecotricity (and help Viva! too)

Can you help Viva! find Britain’s Best Young Veggie?

A competition to find Britain’s Best Young Veggie has been launched by Viva!. The aim of the search is to get activists across the country competing for the sought after title. Any veggies aged 21 years or younger are being invited to compete, and once selected, the winner will be showered with prizes for being such an inspirational veggie. Entrants must be nominated to be in with a chance, and if they win, even their nominee will receive prizes from Viva!. To make a nomination, please visit Viva!’s brand new youth website www.vivaactivists.org.uk and click competition. 

TV star Martin Shaw becomes patron of veggie group Viva!

Prime time drama favourite Martin Shaw has become patron of Europe’s largest campaigning vegetarian organisation Viva!. Star of Judge John Deed, and vegetarian since 1971, Martin has backed the group for many years.

He says: “I support Viva! because they articulate the hopes and the aims of people who are conscious and want things to change. It’s the voice of kindness and compassion and someone needs to do it, I am delighted to become a patron.”

For the full story click here.

Thanks to star marathon runner Becky

Congratulations to Viva! supporter Becky Wood who competed the London Marathon on April 29 in three hours and 36 minutes.

Many thanks to Becky and all her sponsors for raising just over £1,000 for Viva! Well done.

Would like to help Viva! and our campaigns? Why not visit our campaign materials page to see our great range of campaigns material available to order. Click here for more information.

Staffordshire born TV celebrity campaigns for ‘tortured’ ducks and geese

Presenter of popular TV shows such as Pet Rescue, and patron of leading animal group Viva!, Wendy Turner-Webster is campaigning to make her home county a kinder place to live by making Staffordshire foie-gras free. She handed in a personally signed letter and evidence of the cruelty involved in its production to the head of the county council, John Taylor, on Friday (April 18) urging the authority to pass a motion to become the first in Britain to become officially foie-gras free. Read the front page article in Stafford's daily newspaper, The Sentinel by clicking here.

 

Livestock production is destroying the planet

Viva!'s HOT! campaign is battling to raise awareness of this vital issue. The most effective action people can take to reduce global warming and other environmental catastrophes is to change their diet – move away from meat, dairy and other animal products and go vegan! Click here to find out more about the campaign, get your free HOT! pack and find out how you can do your bit to save the world!

National Vegetarian Week - special discounts on veggie travel guides

To mark National Vegetarian Week, May 19-25, 2008, we are offering massive discounts on our veggie travel guides to the Lake District, Brighton and Bristol & Bath. Visit our online shop for more information about this offer.

Become a School Speaker
.... and do one of the most effective things you can for the animals!

Viva! and the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation School Speaker Training Day
Saturday, June 7, 2008 10pm - 5pm at Carrs Lane Church Centre, Carrs Lane, Birmingham B4 7SX
To sign up see here

British pig industry doesn’t deserve saving

Viva! urges consumers to boycott all pig meat

In response to a campaign by the British Pig Executive (BPEX) on 4 March, Viva! has made it clear that the organisation is failing to tell shoppers the whole story. We believe British pig farming is nothing to be proud of. Viva! has visited dozens of pig farms across Britain over the last few years and documented cruel methods of production which, we say, would shock most consumers. Our investigation into British pig farms revealed a picture of filth, overcrowding, dead and dying animals and widespread neglect. For more information on this story, read our media release. We are working to try and counteract this campaign – to save pigs' lives by going veggie! Go to www.piggles.org.uk to get involved and help British pigs.

Foie-gras Free Britain Gets Royal Stamp of Approval!

He has outdated thoughts on hunting, but Prince Charles has lent his support to Viva!'s campaign to make Britain free of foie-gras by instructing his chefs not to serve the stuff and refusing his Royal warrant to anywhere that sells it! Read more about this latest victory against the 'torture in a tin' here. The national publicity this is generating (including the Daily Mail and a double page spread in the Independent) brings the suffering of these birds into people's homes and helps bring about real change. It also follows hot on the heels of Fortnum & Mason dropping duck foie-gras following Viva!'s pre-Christmas demonstration! Find out more about the campaign and how you can get involved here.
 

It’s a Lifestyle thing…

Find out about the latest vegan products and win gorgeous goodies!

How Many Animals Could You Save By Going Veggie?

Find out with Viva!’s state-of-the-art animation at our new website, timetogoveggie.com. Designed especially for meat-eaters and the vegetarian curious (those that can make the biggest difference to the suffering of animals simply by not eating them), our new website is the perfect introduction to four big reasons to give up meat and fish: saving around 11,047 animals; improving your health; doing your bit to end environmental destruction; and helping people in the developing world to help themselves.

From the website you can invite those stick-in-the-mud carnivores you know to find out exactly what a difference to ending the suffering of animals and improving the world around them just with their knife and fork!