The Vegetarian Federal Union (VFU) was a British vegetarianism umbrella organisation founded in 1889, which operated until 1911.
In July 1889, a group of individuals from the London Vegetarian Society met and drew up plans to form what would become the Vegetarian Federal Union. [1] It was originally intended to bring together all of the British vegetarian societies under the umbrella of a "Vegetarian Union", with each society having a number of votes proportional to its membership. [2]
In September, after the first International Vegetarian Congress in Cologne, Germany, the organisation was inspired to expand its focus to creating a global union of vegetarian societies. [2] It was officially started at a meeting on 1 October. [3] Arnold F. Hills of the London Vegetarian Society was elected as Chairman, [2] W. E. A. Axon was Vice-Chairman [4] and Josiah Oldfield was secretary. [5]
In 1895, the VFU's Executive Committee included Henry B. Amos, R. E. O'Callaghan, Josiah Oldfield and May Yates. [6]
The organisation was superseded by the International Vegetarian Union in 1908. [7] It ceased to exist in 1911. [2]
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat. It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. A person who practices vegetarianism is known as a vegetarian.
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