Vegan Essex Social

Ever since transitioning to become a Vegan I have felt a need to interact and mix with other Vegans, whether it be through the powers of social media or in person. The only difficulty I have had is that I haven't really known any Vegans in person so the only opportunities that I have had to meet any face to face has been at various events which I have attended or random people i've met out and about. And every time it has left me wanting more!

Being Vegan can feel a bit isolating at times, especially if you're going it alone, but I do think that the online Vegan community are amazing and act as a great support network. There are so many people and bloggers who I speak to online on a daily basis and regular chats that I take part in that really help me and others to feel less alone on this journey. But if anything this has made me want to put myself out there more and meet these people in person!

Over the past year I have become more and more aware of other Vegans living in my area of Essex and as I have built up relationships with these people it has become clear that we all have something in common. We all want to socialise and meet up with other Vegans! I often see tweets which read along the lines of 'it would be amazing if I could just go out for dinner with a bunch of Vegans' and I feel exactly the same!

There really is nothing quite like socialising with other likeminded people who share the same interests and passions as you do. All of these thoughts led me to come up with the idea creating the 'Vegan Essex Social' meet up. I decided that the time had come to put on an event which could bring all of these people together in one place to enjoy some good Vegan food, drink and chat! 

Essex is slowly but surely becoming more and more Vegan friendly and there are already a few excellent Vegan cafe's and restaurants that I have been to which I have decided will be my venues for the meet ups. 

My first event at 5pm on Sunday 18th October 2015 will be held at The Oak Tree in Leigh on Sea which you may recall I blogged about a little while ago. I absolutely love this place and the food is to die for! It really will be the perfect spot for the first event and I can't wait to get everyone together there to share in the experience. 

I am of course hoping that my first event will be a huge hit and a success and if that is the case then I will be looking to plan one every 3 months. Other venues I have in mind are The Den at 23 in Colchester and The Railway Hotel in Southend. I am also aware that The Waiting Room in Colchester have regular Vegan nights so this may also be an option. I have also seen that Affinity Restaurant in Leigh on Sea offer a Vegan friendly afternoon tea! And I will of course be looking for other suggestions so if you know of somewhere in Essex that offers a Vegan menu then do let me know by commenting below or emailing me. 

I am keen to keep the 'Vegan Essex Social' events relatively small and intimate because I think the whole point is that I genuinely want people to have an opportunity to chat, socialise and hopefully form new friendships so numbers will be limited for every event. I also want people who will be coming along alone to feel comfortable as I know this will be the case for many. Big Vegan events can be overwhelming and I have found that I don't always get a chance to meet up with or speak to people who I had planned to so I want my meet ups to feel more like a smaller gathering. 

Non Vegans, and what I like to call 'Veg Curious' people, are also welcome to attend so if you have a friend who is considering going veggie or Vegan and you want to convince them by showing them some amazing Vegan food then please do bring them along! Also if you are just outside Essex but would still like to come along then you are of course welcome to. 

I am so excited for my first event in October and over half the spaces have already been filled which is amazing considering we are only in July at the moment! 

The evening will include;

• A free welcome soft drink!
• A 2 course Vegan meal - £15 to be paid on the night (any desserts & drinks will be extra)
• A Vegan themed quiz with some lovely cruelty free prizes up for grabs!
• A chance to socialise with other Vegans from Essex (& surrounding areas), make new friends & meet some of your online buddies face to face!
• Special Vegan & Cruelty Free goodie bags to take home with you!

I am also hoping to secure a special surprise guest for the evening - fingers crossed! 

It should be a great evening and I am already looking forward to meeting everyone and of course eating some of the Oak Tree's gorgeous food again! 

To register your interest in attending the first event on 18.10.15 please email me at: thevnicelife@hotmail.com . Your attendance will be secured by a small £5 deposit which also goes towards the planning of the event and your goodie bags.

I hope to see you there! 

Sarah x