National Vegetarian Week is the healthiest, most compassionate, planet-friendly week of the year. A week that could change the way you shop, cook and eat for ever. The 14th - 20th June is the ideal time to give vegetarianism a try.

Look out for events and promotions in restaurants, bars, supermarkets, health food stores, canteens, schools etc.

The week culminates in Vegfest '99, a vegetarian food and lifestyle extravanganza on Saturday 19th June. The free, family event features scrumptious food, cookery demonstrations, entertainment, stalls and giant inflatables! The festival takes place at The Castlefield Events Arena, Liverpool Road, Manchester from 11:00am - 5:30pm. Come and join in the fun!

Join the masses

There are already four million vegetarians in the UK and the numbers are increasing at the staggering rate of 5,000 people per week. It has been estimated that we will all be vegetarian by 2030!

Vegetarianism - why it makes sense

There are hundreds of great reasons to go vegetarian. Whatever you're concerned about, vegetarianism makes perfect sense. Here's why...

Nutritious · Bursting with vitamins, minerals, iron, protein, carbohydrate and fibre - a vegetarian diet has all the nutrients your body needs for good health. And with such a variety of nutritious foods available, eating a well balanced, vegetarian diet is easy.

Healthy · Research suggests that vegetarians suffer less from hypertension, colon and prostate cancers, obesity, heart disease and a host of other ailments. Vegetarians are so healthy, it has been calculated that a lifelong vegetarian saves the NHS over £45,000!

Compassionate · Animals are sentient beings, have complex emotions and feel pain. Most farm animals are reared in unnatural, intensive conditions. Going vegetarian is a positive step towards ending animal suffering. A life-long veggie saves around 1000 animals and half a tonne of fish.

Planet-friendly · Rainforest continues to be cleared to make way for cattle grazing, and our seas are being over-fished to the point of collapse. A vegetarian diet is less polluting, makes more efficient use of natural resources and is less destructive to the natural world.

Mouth watering · And the food tastes fantastic! With such a diversity of foods and dishes to try, you will never be bored on a vegetarian diet.

It makes sense - Become a Real Food Lover!

Set your own pace. Not everyone can go vegetarian overnight. Start gradually.

What's a vegetarian? Someone who does not eat meat, fish, poultry, game and who also avoids slaughterhouse by-products such as animal fats.

What do they eat? Everything else! The possibilities are endless. Check out your supermarket or health store and discover what you've been missing.

How do I know what foods are vegetarian? Read the labels and look for the words 'suitable for vegetarians'. Ideally, look for The Vegetarian Society's V symbol of food approval.

What to avoid - Yuk! Non-vegetarian ingredients are found in strange places. Avoid animal fats, chitin (from crab shells), gelatine, cochineal (from crushed insects) and non-vegetarian suet.

Dishes to try - Yum! Buy a good vegetarian cookbook and you could be tucking into smoked tofu koulibiac, spicy noodles with spring vegetables and spicy peanut sauce and chocolate raisin and amaretto ice cream. And if the thought of eating such exciting dishes sets your taste buds tingling, why not join by Direct Debit in June or July from the form below and we'll send you our free recipe book, to show you how.

For more information about going vegetarian call 0161 925 2000 today and request your FREE info and recipe pack.

Working harder than ever

· Raising awareness and campaigning on vegetarian issues.

· Providing information to the media, health professionals and individuals.

· Working closely with schools to inform and educate.

· Working with the food industry and improving catering standards through our Cordon Vert Cookery School.

· Convincing people that going veggie is the best decision they will ever make.

Yours free as a member

· A quarterly magazine, packed full of news, features, recipes and campaign updates.

· A membership card, offering hundreds of discounts when eating or shopping.

· A Members' Hotline, our experts are waiting to answer your questions.

· Access to information on everything from baby nutrition to travel information.

· The chance to make contact with a local campaigning group.

· A welcome pack when you join.

· Join by Direct Debit, before July 30th, and we'll also send you a FREE copy of our MOUTH WATERING recipe collection - Feeding the Imagination, worth £8.95!

details of the latest National Vegetarian Week