Connect for Intermediaries has unveiled the Veganuary Workplace Challenge to encourage both companies and individuals in the mortgage industry to try going vegan for January.
Connect CEO Liz Syms became a vegan almost three years’ ago after watching a documentary, What the Health.
Syms (pictured) is now looking to encourage more of the mortgage industry to go vegan for a month and to raise money for three charities at the same time. Connect is doing this by supporting Veganuary which is run by not-for-profit organisation that encourages people worldwide to try a vegan diet for January and beyond.
Syms is running a team challenge. So far, 20 people from the mortgage industry are involved but more people are encouraged to join either as a fundraiser participating in Veganuary, or as a sponsor to motivate the existing fundraisers and see how everyone is getting on.
Everyone interested is encouraged to register athttps://cmortgages.co.uk/veganuary-emails, they will then receive support emails from Syms every day throughout January, with recipes and answers to commonly asked questions.
In order to raise money for charity at the same time, Connect also has a Virgin Money giving page at: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ConnectVeganuary so even people who do not want to take part can support those trying out Veganuary and follow how they are getting on. Any money pledged will be divided between three causes: the charity Veganuary, WWF and Cancer Research UK. Everybody pledging money will also have the option to be included in the daily Veganuary updates.
Anyone who also registers directly at www.veganuary.com/register will also receive a Veganuary Celebrity Cookbook and a recipe video every day from a selection of top chefs. Everyone who signs up for the Veganuary challenge will also receive deals on vegan meals at a number of high street chains.
Syms said: “Since following a vegan diet I have felt healthier and fitter. It made perfect sense when I discovered that vegans live, on average, eight years longer than omnivores and a vegan diet lowers your BMI, increases energy and cuts the risk of developing dozens of diseases.
“I have also come to understand more about the benefits plant-based eating has for animal welfare and the environment. Eating animals is the largest contributing factor in habitat loss and extinction with millions of acres of forest felled each year to make way for livestock production.
“Veganuary is, therefore, the perfect time to help my friends and colleagues in the mortgage industry who are ‘vegan curious’ to try out a vegan diet to see how much better they feel and raise money for charity at the same time.”