Vegan Prisoners Support Group www.vpsg.info P.O. Box 194, Enfield, Middx EN1 4YL. 020 8363 5729 [email protected]

News-sheet No:10 November 2008 ~ working with ~ Issued to: all Catering Managers VPSG/Vegan Society Awards - 2008 Prisons in the Private Sector

The standard of nominations for this cook nutritionally balanced dishes year's joint award continued to be high: and desserts. Some favourites are 21 Hylton Street after much deliberation The Vegan their in-house cooked vegan pies, Hockley Society and VPSG made their decisions wholemeal pasta dishes, quiche, Birmingham on the joint awards. vegetable stir-fry, brown rice risotto B18 6HJ Tel: 0121 523 1730 Awarded our Gold Star-Plus as well as dishes containing quinoa and millet. Fax: 0121 523 1749 HMP Lowdham Grange: Catering Manager Graeme Mann, Prison Shop: Vegan products are Catering Staff and Prison Shop available through the prison shop. PO Stuart Head Staff These include a variety of nuts, HMP Whitemoor seeds, dried fruits, vegan chocolate, Our first Gold Star-Plus award has vegan biscuits, soya desserts, been awarded to HMP Lowdham 'How I became involved with the fortified soya milk, Nuttolene, braised Grange (a SERCO prison) for their Vegan Prisoners Support Group tofu, and suitable toiletries, hygiene commitment to ensure equal oppor- and our achievements over the and bodycare products and even a tunities for vegans in all areas of last 7 years.' vegan toilet cleaner! their care. Their establishment has, My first contact with a vegan for three consecutive years, provided In addition fresh fruit and vegetables prisoner was in 1999 at Leicester a nutritionally balanced healthy are available for prisoners’ purchase, prison. At the time I provided him option for this minority group. They including mangos and avocados. with what I perceived was a reason- have also ensured that vegans can able vegan pack. It contained soya purchase all their vegan require- Furthermore, individual orders of milk, peanuts, peanut butter, raisins, ments through their prison shop. body care/hygiene products can be 14 pieces of fruit and a salad ordered via mail order from Honesty provided at all meals. Well done HMP Lowdham Grange Limited, Lumford Mill, Bakewell, for winning our top award this year. Derbyshire, DE45 1GS tel: 01629 I can recall still feeling we were pro- 814888. Honesty are one of the Catering: All the vegan meals are viding what was required for vegans Prison Service's approved vegan cooked by vegan prisoners who even when I was at Pentonville mail-order companies. have at hand a variety of nuts, tofu, prison. There were some vegan beans, lentils and wholegrains to additions to the menus, but this was continued on page 3 very limited. continued on page 4

Prisons in the Public Sector Gold Star Award Winner Contents Isle of Wight Prisons: Catering Manager David Clough and team 2008 VPSG/Vegan Society Isle of Wight Catering Team was nominated by one of their vegan Awards prisoners again this year who felt that their continued efforts to ensure a Stuart Head, HMP Whitemoor nutritional and varied vegan option should be recognised with another award. This won them one of our three Gold Star awards. 2009 Awards 5-a-day The majority of vegan options are freshly prepared in-house and include HMP Whatton tofu, vegan cheese and a variety of vegetables and fresh fruit. There is also a number of vegan desserts offered with soya cream or custard. The Fortified Soya Milk vs new winter menu offers vegetable paella, lentil tagine, mushroom Unfortified Soya Milk stroganoff, vegetable korma, stuffed peppers, black-eyed beans/spinach, Recipes lasagne (using vegan cheese) and fassoulakia yahni! Current Vegan Lists They also provide healthy wholemeal baguettes and are currently catering Prison Shop - Equal for approximately 70 vegans. Opportunities for Vegans continued overleaf 2009 Awards: Nominations 5-a-day

For a prison to qualify for nomination Gold Star Award Two to three pieces of fruit can form of one of our awards they need to Any prison being nominated for three part of the 5-a-day, but if only two not only provide the basic nutritional consecutive years will be considered are provided then the other three recommendations listed below, but for one of our Gold Star awards. The portions should be provided by any also provide a healthy, varied vegan recipients of this award will need to of the following: option: keep their standard high each year to hold on to their Gold Star award. Broccoli - 2 spears; 5-a-day including 2-3 pieces of Cabbage green/red, cooked - 1 mug- fruit and rainbow vegetables/dark Gold Star-PLUS: our top award ful; green leafy vegetables Each year there will be only one Cabbage green/red, raw, sliced- 2 Gold Star-Plus award. To be the 7oz mixed nuts/seeds weekly to handfuls; recipient of this award (whether in consist of at least one brazil daily Carrots - 3 heaped tablespoons; the public or private sector) the to provide selenium and some Cauliflower - 8 florets; establishment will not only need to walnuts to provide omega 3 Tomatoes - 1 medium; be nominated for their culinary skills, 3½ litres fortified soya milk Peas - 3 tablespoons; but will also need to ensure equal weekly Spring Greens cooked - 1 mugful; opportunities are available through Sweetcorn - 1 cob; a variety of pulses/beans their Prison Shop for vegans. (All the above are examples of one portion) tofu

Entrants will not only be judged on www.flavourphotos.com Three heaped tablespoons of the overall nutritional content of their chickpeas, kidney beans or lentils vegan options, but also their can also be counted as only one originality and use of wholegrains to portion per day. ensure a tasty healthy balanced diet is provided. Potatoes do not count since they are a starchy food. There are five annual awards. Nomination forms and full details on how to apply will be included in our Well Done HMP Whatton! Spring newsletter. The prison must Congratulations to Wayne Shooter, be nominated by either a prisoner, chef at HMP Whatton, finalist in their Area Catering Manager, the The Vegan Catering Challenge VPSG or The Vegan Society. organised by The Vegan Society. It took place on Monday 27 October Wayne Shooter’s main course: vegetable 2008 and was open to all main- tower with chickpea ravioli. stream chefs.

VPSG/Vegan Society Awards - 2008

Prisons in the Public Sector 2nd Year Award Winner etc. Not all prisoners would choose continued from front page HMP Winchester: Catering the lunchtime raw meal and so there Manager Tim Smith, Officer are also such choices as veggie Gold Star Award Winner Caterer Alan Cotton and team burger, chips and beans. HMP Downview: Catering Manager This is HMP Winchester's second 1st Year Award Winner Everton Cummings and team year to be nominated by a vegan HMP Grendon: Catering Manager HMP Downview was nominated prisoner as the vegan choice con- Tim Mayhew again this year for an award and sists of a variety of healthy raw food: they scooped a Gold Star award. chopped red/green cabbage, HMP Grendon was nominated by a Their vegan choice includes dishes beetroot, broccoli, courgette, prisoner: "for their availability and containing nuts, tofu, Quinova, sweetcorn, peppers, mushrooms, understanding of the vegan diet". barley, plantain, okra and brown rice. tomato, celery, onion and cucumber They include in their vegan option In addition there are plenty of hearty accompanied by either tofu, home-made soups, pecan nut roast, bean and lentil dishes on the menu beans/lentil or quinoa and a choice butternut squash roast, wholemeal as well as stuffed peppers, cottage of either pasta or jacket potato. pasta, brown rice, a variety of green and orange vegetables and fruit. pies, vegetable pizzas and interest- The fruit choice consists of apples, ing vegan Caribbean dishes. Plenty oranges and bananas. The dinner of fresh fruit is available as the choice is always a good wholesome healthy option. hot meal: vegetable stew and dumplings, shepherd’s pie, stir fry First Year Award Winner FORTIFIED SOYA MILK HMP Sudbury: Catering Manager Paul Welton/Deputy Catering vs UNFORTIFIED Manager Craig Jones and team

The importance of HMP Sudbury was nominated this fortified soya milk in the year by one of their prisoners as vegan diet their vegan option includes nuts, It is essential, in order to tofu, veggie deli meat substitute, ensure sufficient calcium hummus, vegan cheese and soya and B12 in the vegan desserts as well as a variety of fresh prison diet, to provide fruit and lots of healthy green 3½ litres fortified soya vegetables which include broccoli, milk per week. This is sprouts and cabbage. readily available from The vegan choice also includes 3663 and the recom- ratatouille, roasted vegetables and mended daily issue is many dishes containing kidney 2x250ml Alpro fortified beans, chick peas and lentils as well sweetened soya milk, The use of Redwood’s Cheezly (prod- as choices containing water (code 82980, 250ml, chestnuts. uct code 2698) seems to be growing. It case 15). is appearing frequently in diet sheet records which is good news as vegan Prisons in the Private Sector cheese is one of the popular protein continued from front page mainstays of the vegan diet in and out MIXED NUTS vs Gold Star Award Winner of prison. It is available from 3663 and PEANUTS Lansdowne Fine Foods: see insert. HMP Bronzefield: Catering Mixed nuts are required Manager Jamie Gibson and team in order to help provide Bronzefield was nominated this year, selenium and omega 3 for the third year running, by several in the vegan prison diet. Winchester Trial Food prisoners. Prisoners can start the Peanuts are not a nut, day with yeast extract on toast and Many thanks and appreciation to SEO but a legume. Whilst cereal with a varied hot lunch. This is Paul King at Winchester Crown Court they have their own ben- followed in the evening with a for supplying nutritional and tasty efits in the vegan diet healthy raw food choice consisting vegan lunches for several strict vegans they do not provide of shredded cabbage, beetroot, on trial this year. either selenium or tomatoes, cucumber and peppers, omega 3. accompanied by a variety of protein sources such as braised tofu, nutto- lene, quinoa, brown rice, millet, beans or lentils. There is always First Year Award Winner First Year Award Winner plenty of fruit available and soya HMP Exeter: Catering Manager HMP Stafford: Catering Manager yoghurts for dessert. Gary Spilsbury and team Barry Bramhall and team Several vegan prisoners at HMP HMP Exeter was nominated this year HMP Stafford has been nominated Bronzefield have written asking if as they have catered this year as they provide a varied Trudi Cawley could be mentioned in successfully for vegans even during and interesting vegan diet. Their our newsletter as Jamie's best the civilisation of the catering team vegan dessert menu includes supporting team member which we and with the complications involved banana and pineapple fritters, baked are more than happy to do. in being a local prison where the apples, poached pears, fruit crumble prisoner workforce can change every and fruit filled pancakes. Vegan Note: HMP Bronzefield (a KALYX six to eight weeks. prisoners are also provided with prison) was the first prison to list vegan cheese, nuts and seeds and Organica Chocolate and a limited Numerous healthy vegan dishes are vegan flapjacks. number of specialist toiletry products available containing brown rice, for their vegans, in their prison shop. green lentils, red lentils, barley, Wholemeal bread and baguettes are Vegan prisoners can also order a chickpeas and kidney beans. also on offer and a multi-choice few hygiene, bodycare and make-up vegan option which includes mush- products from Honesty Limited. They have also incorporated the room stroganoff (using soya milk of However, HMP Lowdham Grange's vegan diet into the N.V.Q. training course), lentil and courgette dhal and canteen sheet lists fruit and vegeta- given to prisoners to raise rice, broccoli and cauliflower bake, bles and a more flexible mail order awareness. black-eyed beans in spicy tomato from Honesty Cosmetics and this is sauce and rice to name a few of the why they were awarded the Gold- dishes. Star Plus. Recipes Sweetcorn Fritters by HMP Gartree Cottage Pie with a Twist 8 oz (225g) plain flour 1. Make a batter with the flours, by Stuart Head, HMP Whitemoor 8 oz (225g) chick pea flour baking powder and water. Add 1. Prepare soya mince with onion 1 oz (30g) baking powder herbs, spices and sweetcorn. and mixed vegetables. Thicken with 1 bunch fresh coriander, if not Season to taste with salt. vegan gravy mix. Cool in a blast available use powdered 2. Deep fry using small potato scoop chiller or fridge. mixed herbs to taste as a measure. Serve with boiled 2. The twist. Top with mashed carrot, 2 tbsp turmeric rice, sweet chilli, spicy tomato or swede and parsnip. Cook through 2 tbsp chilli powder sweet & sour sauce. Serves 20. the oven as normal. 5 lbs (2.4k) sweetcorn, steamed for 5 minutes Many thanks to HMP Gartree for this Many thanks to Stuart Head for this salt to taste recipe. recipe.

PO Stuart Head vided me with additional supple- The final touches ments to help in providing the The pack was finally enhanced with continued from front page service deserved, although I remem- some illustrations by Liz Cook. I The advice in the PSO5000 didn't ber thinking at the time that this was remember breathing a sigh of relief cover the total requirement and going to be something to do with an as it was sent off to the printers and therefore gave a limited view of what undercover report. I was extremely then dispatched to all prisons. sceptical as to who I was dealing the perception of a vegan was. My When the pack hit the desks of colleagues and I thought that vegans with and why I was under the spot- light. Catering Managers I received a call didn't eat meat, eggs or cow's milk from the VPSG to let me know they and lived on nuts and salad - how Building trust were inundated with calls from pris- wrong I was. After a few weeks the trust built up ons for answers to all those ques- Our first meeting and my knowledge improved to a tions they wanted answers to on The first time I came across the point where I could put ideas into their new helpline. place and help to provide a good VPSG was in 2001 when at Dealing with non-genuine vegans Highpoint and Edmunds Hill I had a service to all the vegans at my prison. This was aided by the fact I think we have all had to deal with phone call late one Friday afternoon those prisoners claiming to be from Jo-Ann Brown. She wanted to that I was in charge of the in-house canteen. vegans for the extra soya milk etc. speak to me about two strict vegans (so necessary for strict vegans), but I who had recently arrived. I was Catering Information Pack (CIP): found monitoring their meal selection interested in learning how to cater the seeds are sown and their prison shop purchases an properly for them and the other The VPSG asked me what I felt was easy way to sort them out from the vegans there so I took the time to needed to ensure Catering strict ethical vegans. chat. Managers would be able to cater for Butler Trust Award During our conversation I realised a strict vegan whatever prison they arrived at, without them calling each For the time and ideas I put into the that here was a source of knowledge CIP I received the Butler Trust Award at my fingertips on a specialist sub- one individually to offer help/advice. I suggested an information pack which and this has given an old caterer of ject. I was eager for information many years the stimulation to which would give me the ability to would provide a base from which all Catering Managers could work and improve what I offer to the service provide a fair service for this minority and my customers on a daily basis. group. I had no real clue of how or provide the service needed, without the vast cost of buying processed what to do for them to ensure I met The latest CIP and Prison News foods and pre-packed boxes. their nutritional requirements and sheets are now produced jointly by overcome those request complaints Slowly the VPSG and I started to the VPSG/Vegan Society, which that seemed to take up so much of plough though mounds of nutrition means the information we now have the day. information to put it into an easily to hand is a world apart from the box of food that barely covered the Upping the standard accessible form. I must confess it was an arduous task which we needs of the vegan 19 years ago The two girls in question then came along with fruit and salad. to my office and I was able to glean couldn't have accomplished without the help of the three nutritional advi- more information of what they ate P.O. Stuart Head sors, the final approval of Alan and what they required. This, linked HMP Whitemoor Tuckwood and of course not forget- to the information already provided October 2008 to me by the VPSG, helped me to ting the help and patience of my wife understand their specialist needs. Yvette, as all this was done at home in my own time. The VPSG as part of their study pro- Prison Shop - Equal Opportunities for Vegans

Vegan prisoners currently have very equal opportunities in place for prisoners. limited access to vegan products vegan prisoners in the public sector. through prison shops in the public Other hygiene/bodycare products sector. Our recommendations continue to be such as lip balm, sun cream lotion, more than realistic and are as hair colourants and make-up which This is a concern that we first high- follows: non-vegan prisoners have taken so lighted in 1994 to Aramark and which much for granted – and vegans have we featured in earlier prison news Basic vegan hygiene/bodycare had to be without for so many years sheets: see issues 1-4, May 2003- products listed on canteen sheets – can easily be made available October 2004, available for viewing amongst the many choices already through Honesty Limited, an on www.vpsg.info. available to non-vegan prisoners i.e. approved vegan mail order company a vegan bar soap, shampoo, already on a number of Facilities However, although we have attended conditioner, moisturiser, deodorant Lists at progressive prisons. numerous meetings with different and toothpaste. teams at Prison HQ since 2002, our We are hopeful that this coming year recommendations were still not In addition we recommend a vegan should finally see the ‘equal installed before the previous prison chocolate bar, sweet and savoury opportunity’ policy the Prison Service shop contract expired, due to various vegan biscuit, protein source such as is committed to put in place with the ‘operational difficulties’. Nuttolene or braised tofu, vegan assistance of Vincent Godfrey’s spread, cheese alternative, soya team. Update November 2008 yoghurt, flavoured soya drink and DHL/Booker awarded prison shop fortified soya milk. Finally we recom- Test case feedback contract mend that there should be healthy Our test cases around the country items available – suitable for all – will be providing us with information At a meeting with HMPS procure- such as mixed nuts and seeds, dried on the new prison shop additions. ment and DHL/Booker recently we fruit, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Update in February’s prison news were advised that the ‘new model’ No great demands, just basic healthy sheet. prison shop contract, recently award- alternatives to the many counterparts ed to DHL/Booker, will finally see readily available for non-vegan Current Vegan Lists

Harry Yearsley (updated 7.11.2008) N.H. Case (updated 7.11.2008)

Wicken Fen sage and apple grill Breaded vegetarian burger Wicken Fen carrot and coriander grill Vegetarian sausage Wicken Fen spicy bean burger (code 200082) Vegetable pie Wicken Fen tomato and garlic sausage Mixed ready meals and rice (code 0849) Wicken Fen meat-free veg sausage Plain tortilla wraps Ciabatta sandwich Findus falafel nuggets Onion bhajis Nasigorenge patties Strawberry and apple fruit set Noodle patties Lime and apple fruit set 14 inch deep pan pizza base Raspberry and apple fruit set Medway frozen unbaked all-veg puff pastry Mango and apple fruit set

For Xmas only Orange and apricot grill Lansdowne Fine Foods (updated 11.2008) Cranberry and apple grill Individually wrapped carrot cake Mixed bean pasty Individually wrapped cherry stollen cake Vegetable and nut en croute Individually wrapped lemon cake Chestnut and apple strudel Lentil and cashew nut in pastry Spinach and walnut in pastry Soya based sausage British Bakeries (updated 9.10.2008) Sausages Burgers Mothers Pride white medium sliced 800g Mothers Pride white thick sliced 800g Dry nut roast mix (rehydrate to 1.6 times dry weight) Mothers Pride brown medium sliced 800g Cashew nut mix Hovis soft white medium sliced 800g Hovis wholemeal farmhouse 800g White cheddar style cheezly Hovis wholemeal seed granary 800g Red cheddar style cheezly Hovis wholemeal medium sliced 800g White cheddar with bacon style pieces Hovis wholemeal thick sliced 800g Cheddar style with cranberries Hovis wheatgerm brown medium sliced 800g Garlic and parsley style cheezly Melting Cheezly (mozzarella, gouda, edam) Mothers Pride white fingers rolls x 12 ‘Cheating’ chicken, turkey, ham, garlic sausage Mothers Pride fruited teacakes x 4 ‘Cheating’ pepperoni, beef, chorizo Mothers Pride crumpets x 8 Streaky style vegetarian rashers (uncooked) Mothers Pride hot cross buns x 4 Vegetarian mince Mothers Pride white medium stay fresher 800g Chicken style pieces Mothers Pride best of both medium 800g Chestnut and apricot strudel Hovis soft white extra thick sliced 800g Soya yoghurt Hovis original granary medium sliced 800g Hovis original granary thick sliced 800g Details from: Lansdowne Fine Foods Ltd., Mothers Pride Derby scones x 6 2, Waterdyke Avenue, Southwick, Family Value sliced burger buns x 12 West Sussex, BN42 4DF Family Value soft white rolls x 12 Tel/Fax 01273 594130 Mothers Pride white baps x 12 e-mail [email protected] Plain Wrap 5 inch white baps x 4 Hovis golden wholemeal rolls x 6 Hovis soft white thick 800g Plain Wrap multigrain baps x 4 HMP Breakfast Packs (updated 13.10.2008) Breakfast pack 4 is for prisoners who choose the vegan diet. Cereals that are suitable for vegans are packed for HMP. They include frosted flakes, branflakes, wheat biscuits 3663 (updated 10.10.2008) and cornflakes.

Cooking and baking fat (code 04031 or 04032) Strawberry, raspberry and blackcurrant jams are suitable, as Baking and Spreading (code 04036) is marmalade. The tea bags are confirmed as heat-sealed Sun Spread (code 04051 or 04054) therefore no glue is used. The whitener/powdered milk is Sun Light Spread (code 04089) NOT included in the 'Vegan' pack as it is unsuitable for the Cheezly mature white cheddar style (code 2698) vegan diet. Soya milk is issued in lieu.

The above is a small selection of 3663’s vegan range