I Could Never Go Vegan: free screening in Oxford

There will be a free-of-charge screening of the documentary film I Could Never Go Vegan at the Curzon Cinema, Westgate, Oxford, from 4pm on Thursday 18 April, 2024. The event is part of the Oxford Population Health Festival of Global Health. All members of the public are welcome to attend, but must register their interest by Friday 12 April via the link on the Oxford Population Health website, where further details can be found. The film will be screened at 4:15pm, followed by a panel discussion with the film’s director and others to be confirmed. Refreshments will be provided and a cash bar will be available for drinks, with the event scheduled to end at 8pm.

I Could Never Go Vegan will premier nationally on 10 April and is scheduled for cinema release on 19 April. The film aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the impacts of animal agriculture on health, animal welfare and the environment, presenting an educational yet non-confrontational narrative. It aims to inspire a dialogue about dietary choices and their broader implications, encouraging viewers to question and, perhaps, reconsider their stance on veganism. Viewers are warned that they may find some scenes distressing.

Director Thomas Pickering describes I Could Never Go Vegan as: “A film for anyone who has ever heard or said these words. It’s not uncommon for me to have daily conversations with friends, colleagues or strangers, and for them to utter these words to me. But why? That’s exactly what I wanted to explore in this film, seeking to find out whether the arguments that face the vegan movement are justified or not.”

(The Festival of Global Health is financially supported by a grant from the Van Houten Fund at the University of Oxford.)

One Planet Abingdon Changing Plates 2023

Throughout January 2023 One Planet Abingdon CEC are organising a series of events promoting a plant-based diet and encouraging people to make a small change in how they eat. The group will provide lots of information and support through talks, conversations, taster plates and workshops. There will also be vegan street food stalls every Saturday in Abingdon Market Place. With all this foodie inspiration we hope you might be able to change a plate or two and start to make 2023 a veggie year!

Full details of all Changing Plates events can be found here, with brief details below. Admission to all events is free of charge but booking via the website is required for most of them. One Planet Abingdon’s cafe and meeting place is located at the rear of County Hall, Market Place, Abingdon.

Changing Plates – Taster Plate Saturdays  One Planet Abingdon, 7/1/2023, 14/1/2023, 21/1/2013 & 28/1/2023, 11:00-14:00: Come along and try some vegan taster plates cooked by our volunteers.

Changing Plates – Street Food Saturdays  Abingdon Market Place, 7/1/2023, 14/1/2023, 21/1/2013 & 28/1/2023, 11:00-16:00: Damascus Rose Kitchen and Planted Plates will serve their delicious plant based food to the lucky residents of Abingdon!

Climate Conversations – Do veganism and action on climate change go hand in hand?  Back room of The Punchbowl PH, Abingdon Market Place, 12/1/2023, 19:30-20:30: We will be discussing “Do veganism and action on climate change go hand in hand?”. Come and have your say.

“Basic Arguments for Veganism” with Paul Freestone  One Planet Abingdon, 14/1/2023, 11:00-12:00: A talk by Paul Freestone covering a wide range of issues from factory farming and human health to the environmental impact of the meat industry.

Showing of “Eating our way to Extinction” + discussion  One Planet Abingdon, 20/1/2023, 10:30-13:00: Confronting and entertaining, this documentary allows audiences to question their everyday choices, industry leaders and governments. Followed by a discussion.

“Your diet and how it affects the environment” with Julia Spragg  One Planet Abingdon, 21/1/2023, 11:00-12:00: A talk by Julia Spragg from Greenpeace Oxfordshire about the organisation’s campaign to reduce our dependence on animal products.

Tofutorial – What to do with tofu!  One Planet Abingdon, 27/1/2023, 11:30-13:30: If you’ve always wanted to know how to prepare tofu and want some inspiration come along to our tofutorial! An informal session – no need to book.

“Why it’s green to go vegan” with Paul Appleby  One Planet Abingdon, 28/1/2023, 11:00-12:00: In this presentation, the former secretary of Oxfordshire Vegans & Vegetarians shows why it’s green to go vegan for the benefit of biodiversity and the environment, and to help reduce the risk of catastrophic climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions from farmed animals.

Viva! stall at Oxford University Freshers Fair

Viva! will be running a stall at the University of Oxford Freshers Fair on 6th & 7th October to talk to students about the positive impacts going vegan can have on the planet, their health and the animals. This year’s Freshers’ Tour is a part of Viva’s Eating the Earth wildlife campaign, spreading awareness around the fact that eating meat, fish, dairy and eggs is the leading cause of biodiversity loss worldwide – a fact that has major implications for the current and future health of our ecosystems. The Freshers Fair is normally held in the University of Oxford Examination Halls in High Street, Oxford.

Readers who are unable to attend the Freshers Fair are invited to check out Viva’s Freshers Guide to Going Vegan at Uni.

Paul Appleby

‘Cow’ showing at the Ultimate Picture Palace

The 2021 documentary film Cow, directed by Andrea Arnold, will be screened at Oxford’s Ultimate Picture Palace cinema on these dates and times:

• Saturday 5 February at 3:45 pm
• Sunday 6 February at 8:30 pm (socially distanced)
• Wednesday 9 February at 6:30 pm

Book at uppcinema.com

Cow is a portrait of the life of a dairy cow called Luma, unflinchingly chronicling her daily life, from grazing in green fields to giving birth, making milk, and everything in between. Andrea Arnold’s mesmerising documentary shows us the world from Luma’s perspective and raises questions about our relationship to the natural world.

Oxford Vegan Markets 2022

Sunday 23 January, 10:30 am – 4 pm. Oxford Vegan Market, Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1BX. Admission £3 (children free). Organised by Vegan Market Co.

Sunday 22 May, 10:30 am – 4 pm. Oxford Vegan Market, Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1BX. Admission £3 (children free). Organised by Vegan Market Co.

Sunday 30 October, 10:30 am – 4 pm. Oxford Vegan Market, Town Hall, St Aldate’s, Oxford, OX1 1BX. Admission £3 (children free). Organised by Vegan Market Co.