Thanks to Ben Williamson from The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for this latest news. In his own words, Ed
Forget porridge: today’s prisons – recognising that inmates require healthy and humane meals on the road to rehabilitation – offer a wide variety of cruelty-free eating options. And none of them is doing a better job of meeting its inmates’ hunger for compassionate meals than HMP Isle of Wight, which PETA has just named one of the top five vegan-friendly prisons in the UK.
Prison food has traditionally gotten a bad rap, but not anymore. HMP Isle of Wight’s vegan menu includes such favourites as African stew, homemade vegan mince and bread pudding.
PETA’s Mimi Bekhechi says,
“Whenever you see convicted criminals turning away from a violent animal-based diet, it’s a good sign.
“We commend HMP Isle of Wight for helping to protect its inmates’ health and deeply held beliefs.
Others in the top five
Rounding out the top five are HMP Bronzefield in Ashford, which offers a choice of two vegan meals daily as well as a selection of healthy meat-free options in the canteen and the prison shop; HMP Coldingley in Woking, which serves its inmates homemade Cornish pasties, chickpea paella, vegan moussaka and bean-and-lentil patties and even makes its own vegan mayonnaise; HMP Kennet in Liverpool, where a vegan sausage casserole, shepherd’s pie and spaghetti Bolognese are all available; and Dorset’s HMP Guys Marsh, where delicious baguette fillings include tzatziki made with soya yoghurt, roasted peppers and onions and bean pâté.
The benefits of Vegan meals
The meat industry causes animals immeasurable suffering, as they are crammed by the thousands into filthy windowless sheds, wire cages, farrowing pens and other intensive confinement systems. Most won’t even smell fresh air or feel the sun on their backs until the day they are sent to slaughter.
Feeding prisoners pasta instead of pork chops will help decrease violence in our society. Vegan meals are also healthy, cost-efficient and easy to prepare. Most importantly, they promote non-violence, which is something beneficial to all prisons.
Each prison will receive a framed certificate and a letter of appreciation from PETA. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk
