Research, Policy, and Campaigns
Why we campaign
VfL exists to support older vegans and vegetarians. That support can take many forms. We work with individuals, and with members of the care sector.
Sometimes patterns emerge that can mean we need to look past individual cases to campaign for changes at the structural level. This can mean working to change government policy, regulations, or how things work in practice across whole sectors such as care homes or hospitals.
We focus our resources on the areas that we believe are most important to older vegans and vegetarians, and where we feel we are able to have impact. Our work with individuals and care homes helps us to see the most important issues, and we also conduct and commission research to help deepen our understanding.
Our campaigns in the care sector in particular are informed by the inquiry we conducted in 2021 with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vegetarianism and Veganism on respect for religious and philosophical beliefs while eating in care.
Campaigns
Educating the care sector
Evidence from our inquiry suggests that many staff members in care do not have adequate knowledge of catering for religious and philosophical beliefs. We are campaigning for mandatory qualifications for all care workers, to include both explanations of vegan, vegetarian and religious diets, and training on the laws and regulations that protect the right to practise these diets.
We have formed the Special Dietary Network of organisations representing different religious and philosophical beliefs, who have a shared interest in protecting these diets for those receiving care.
Extending good practice in care settings
We have worked with the Care Inspectorate in Scotland to produce a self-evaluation tool and guidance for care services and inspectors, based around ensuring quality indicators are met for vegans and vegetarians. We are working with the three other UK care inspectorates to roll out a similar approach across the nations.
Strengthening regulation
We are working with the four UK care regulators to strengthen protection for philosophical beliefs, and for vegans and vegetarians in particular. This includes tweaking regulatory wording to emphasise existing protections for philosophical and religious beliefs, and asking all regulators to recommend all care establishments have a poster in their meal preparation area explaining vegan and vegetarian diets.
Vegan medicines
Older people are the most likely in society to be taking medication on a regular basis. Many vegans and vegetarians feel passionately against the presence of animal-derived ingredients in the medicines they take. We are calling for mandatory labelling of medicines containing ingredients of animal origin, and for government to act towards mandating switching towards plant-based alternatives wherever viable for new medical products.
VfL Annual Awards
We run an annual Awards for Excellence in Veg*n Care Catering to celebrate some of the wonderful practice that exists in the care sector. We think that care caterers who make a special effort to create delicious and nutritious vegan and vegetarian meals deserve special recognition – and hope that celebrating their success will help to inspire others.
Key resources