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A major vegan Facebook group has seen its membership surge to more than 100,000 – and documentary The Game Changers is cited as the reason.
Vegan Food UK, where members share recipes, advice, and product finds, was founded in 2015. It is now the first vegan group in the UK to reach that milestone.
In the last month, since the film was released, member requests have skyrocketed by a staggering 415 percent.
Vegan Food UK
Vegan Food UK, which sees an average 500 posts, 6,000 comments, and 28,000 reactions per day, was founded by Brighton-based, vegan husband and wife team, Liam and Janine Day, who have backgrounds in journalism and design. The pair say have now ‘dedicated their lives to normalizing vegan food and making it more accessible across their large social channels’.
As well as the Facebook group, these include a Facebook page, YouTube channel and Instagram account sharing recipes, new finds, and vlogs. Every week they host educational sessions*.
In addition, the organization’s annual Vegan Food UK Awards – the largest vegan awards in the UK – take place in December. Last year, more than 30,000 votes were cast in just 10 days.
New member
According to the Days, new members have cited The Game Changers as their motivation in joining the group, with Vivienne Leigh deciding to ditch animal products after ‘seeing how strong and healthy the athletes [in the film] were and how much energy they had’.
“What really hit a nerve was when the guy training the men protecting animals from poachers spoke about how he felt. It made me feel ashamed of eating animals,” she added.
“My journey so far has been great. I have more energy and am really enjoying everything I eat. The group has helped me by being there with ideas 24/7, and feeling that I am part of a community.”
‘Extremely proud’
“We are extremely proud to be the first vegan group in the UK to reach 100,000 members,” Group Co-founder, Janine Day, said.
“It has been a difficult, but fun and the journey is far from over. We are committed to helping more people in the UK to go vegan for the animals, the planet and their health.”
‘So many blokes’
Group Co-founder, Liam Day, added: “We have seen so many changes over the years, but no change has been so dramatic as with the launch of The Game Changers documentary.
“With a predominantly low male representation in the vegan movement, it is now incredible to see so many blokes wanting to join our group as well as other genders – thanks to The Game Changers.”
*The educations sessions include:
Monday – Wholefoods
Tuesday – Vegan 101: Learning the Basics of Veganism
Wednesday – Support for Small Vegan Businesses
