News archive: 2008

Britain’s Best Young Veggie 2008

Meet Britain’s new Best Young Veggie! She is 16 year-old Caroline, from Lutterworth in Leicestershire.

Fiona from Viva! and her friend Piggles caught up with Caroline and presented her with a trophy and a goodie bag of prizes including a £50 voucher to spend at Vegetarian Shoes.

Caroline to Viva!: “I was really pleased when I found out I won the competition! Viva! is a great organisation. I helped out at the Nottingham Veggie Roadshow in July and I saw just how friendly and passionate people who work there are.”

Caroline thought she was the only vegan at her new college. But after wearing one of her prizes – a brand new Vegan You Can’t Get Greener t-shirt to college – she discovered another vegan in one of her classes! So take a look through Viva!’s latest collection of merchandise and wear your beliefs proudly – it might help you to meet other veggies!

Caroline also featured in her local newspaper for being Britain’s Best Young Veggie. Well done Caroline!

As the national Queen of young veggies, Caroline had some tips for wannabe activists out there:

• spread the veggie message through leafleting and street stalls
• if you haven’t already, give up all animal products and switch to cruelty-free cosmetics
• have a go at fundraising for great causes like Viva!. Things like vegan cake sells work really well
• try and convert some people into veggies. Don’t be too pushy but that doesn’t mean don’t bother!
• Believe that you have the power to change the world for the better

Piggles continued his journey to visit Britain’s Best Young Veggie runner up, Flynn, 7, from Sutton Coldfield, at his local park, to present him with prizes for being such a great young vegan!

Flynn told Piggles: “I have been vegan since I was in my Mummy’s tummy! I love and care about animals and all living things. It’s not nice to eat animals, I like being a kind boy. I am a very proud vegan, I’m not hurting animals and I love the food I eat! I am going to be vegan for the rest of my life, when I am a man. My friend Harry is vegetarian because of me and two other friends want to be vegan too.”

Piggles asked Flynn what he would do if he was in charge of the world for a day: “I would make a formula, say it’s apple juice, and when people drink it they would realise they are hurting animals by eating them, and everyone would become vegan! I would also buy lots of toys!”