Chorley Vegan Society: "It's the easiest time to become vegan"

Rachelle Bell first considered veganism in the Autumn of 2014. "I worked at The Body Shop, a cruelty-free, ethical retailer, where everyday I was promoting the fact that cruelty to animals was unnecessary whilst tucking into a sausage roll for my lunch," she says. "It just didn't click at the time."
Chorley Vegan Society's first meeting at Astley Park in 2018.Chorley Vegan Society's first meeting at Astley Park in 2018.
Chorley Vegan Society's first meeting at Astley Park in 2018.

Spurred on by her new vegan housemate, Rachelle committed to a plant-based diet at the start of 2015 and hasn't looked back since. "There are many reasons why people choose to live a vegan lifestyle - animal welfare, climate change, health, and human rights being popular ones - but personally, I went down this route for the animals," she says.

Between 2014 and 2019, the number of vegans in the UK quadrupled to over 600,000 people. Greater awareness of meat's eye-popping carbon footprint, of the animal cruelty involved in food production, and of the health benefits of a plant-based diet have cast veganism into the mainstream. And Chorley Vegan Society is very much part of the latest vegan wave.

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Having moved from the Lake District to Withnell where she now lives, Rachelle was convinced she couldn't be the only vegan in the area. After posting on the Vegan Lancashire Facebook page, she received a few replies and organised a meet-up at Astley Park for a vegan picnic. "There was ten of us - ten!" says Rachelle, 29. "I thought that was incredible in itself so I made a Chorley Vegan Society Facebook page for us all to share recipes and restaurants that had vegan options."

Chorley Vegan Society at The Indian Place in the town.Chorley Vegan Society at The Indian Place in the town.
Chorley Vegan Society at The Indian Place in the town.

Now boasting over 550 members, Chorley Vegan Society meets every month and is a big part of the growing green movement in the town. "When I first went vegan, it was more [people's] lack of understanding rather than negativity: people couldn't comprehend what vegans could eat and thought we ate lettuce and tofu," explains Rachelle. "Any lifestyle that challenges a core belief can be portrayed unfairly.

"If you can convince people to try vegan food and prove that it isn't so weird, that's half the battle and the response [in Chorley] has been fantastic," adds Rachelle, who is also involved in Green Living Chorley, another local green group. "With celebrities promoting the lifestyle, the benefits to people's health, and the surge of vegan menus and options available, it's the easiest time to become vegan."

Contrary to Rachelle's initial fears that the society would soon run out of local establishments to frequent for their monthly vegan soirees, the proliferation of vegan-friendly options has kept members well-fed indeed with some restaurants even asking the group to come and try their exclusive vegan menus.

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"I'm a massive foodie and love to eat all different cuisines [and] one of the biggest misconceptions about vegan food is that it is bland or boring," explains Rachelle. "Before being vegan I used to eat the same food all the time but once you start cooking from scratch and experimenting with seasonings and textures, it's actually fun to recreate vegan versions of traditional meals.

Chorley Vegan Society having afternoon tea at Charnock FarmChorley Vegan Society having afternoon tea at Charnock Farm
Chorley Vegan Society having afternoon tea at Charnock Farm

"I think that veganism will continue to rise in popularity," continues Rachelle. "Some brands have created meat-alternatives that are barely distinguishable from the animal-derived versions with mainstream companies such as Greggs, McDonald's, and KFC all offering vegan options and what with the negative impact that intensive animal agriculture is having on the planet and our health, more people will turn to veganism."

Broadening their plant-based horizons, Chorley Vegan Society have even enjoyed vegan afternoon teas of late as well as a trip to Blackpool and a vegan Christmas party. A handful of members even went to the Vegan Camp Out festival in Nottingham last summer.

"Our vegan community here in Chorley is amazing," says Rachelle. "I'm proud to call them my friends."