Horsham Vegan Market (first published in West Sussex County Times)

Pires Place Vegan Market is conveniently placed in the centre of Horsham in Piries Place.  It’s a regular event and takes place on the last Saturday of each month from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Featuring up to 16 stalls, the vegan market offers tasty cold food varying from plant-based artisan ‘cheeze’, pies and savouries through to the most delectable cakes & sweet treats, with some gluten-free options of course!  There is a hot food stall each month, often hotdogs (vegan of course!), and a new-comer offering a range of freshly made vegan pizzas.  You will also find non-food stalls at the market selling anything from make-up and body care through to eco-friendly household goods and gifts, all of course, completely vegan and not tested on animals.

For many, the transition to veganism is triggered by awareness of the disrespect and cruelty to animals with factory production of fish, land animals and their milk products.  For others it may be for health reasons, as it now generally accepted that a well-planned plant-based diet generally brings many long-term health benefits.  But for most, the decision to follow a vegan lifestyle goes hand in hand with knowing that it is a more environmentally friendly way of living.  Moving towards plant-based diets can have a significant positive impact on the environment, cutting out ‘poo pollution’ and deforestation as land is used more directly to feed humans, rather than growing soya to feed animals to feed humans.  In fact, eating a vegan diet could be the “single biggest way” to reduce your environmental impact on earth, according to a study at the University of Oxford in 2019, where researchers found that cutting meat and dairy products from our diet could reduce an individual’s carbon footprint from food by up to 73 per cent.  Buying local makes it even better!

The interest in veganism is growing rapidly around the world and there are some excellent vegan alternatives to most animal based foods these days, so a vegan lifestyle is becoming far easier.  Piries Place Vegan Market brings you small independent traders offering the best in vegan food, so whether you are a fully-fledged vegan or just making small steps towards a kinder way of living, you are sure to find something of interest at this local monthly market.  And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better – all profits from the pitch sales at the market are split between local charity, Holbrook Animal Rescue, and Animals Asia (both UK registered charities).  For further details visit @veganfesthorsham or email veganfesthorsham@gmail.com.

By Helen Crabbe