The team behind the hugely successful Stroud Vegan Fair will be hosting a similar event in Cirencester this Sunday.

The event – which runs from 10am-4pm – will give visitors a chance to enjoy a range of vegan food and also purchase goods made by cruelty-free and ethical companies.

More and more people are turning to veganism, which is music to the ears of Daisy Botha, the organiser of Sunday’s event.

She said: “I think we live in a world now where we are more connected and because of the internet people are doing their own research into the things they care about.

“The effect that intensive meat and dairy farming has on the environment is a big reason for people making the switch to veganism, but people are also learning about the health benefits of a plant-based diet as well as becoming more aware of the animal rights movement.

“Our fairs aren’t just aimed at vegans though, you don’t have to be a hardcore vegan to enjoy handcrafted, artisan cakes or delicious, organic burgers for example.

“We always try to encourage non-vegans to come along and browse the extensive range of products our traders have on offer. The sort of stalls you can expect to see at Cirencester range from cruelty-free beauty products, vegan pizzas, ethical clothing brands, zero-waste household products, handcrafted jewellery, local and national charities, gluten-free (as well as vegan) baked goods, vegan cheeses, cookbooks and so much more! With over 45 stalls there is plenty to see.”

Many of the traders at Sunday’s event are from Gloucestershire, including several companies that specialise in gourmet vegan cuisine.

Daisy continued: “We have a lot of traders from Gloucestershire. Making sure that local businesses are represented at our events is something that is very important to us.

“We have falafel from Cheltenham, burgers and Jamaican patties from Gloucester, nut butters and chocolate from Stroud, chutney and scones from Cirencester and of course a lot of cakes and other sweet treats - all made in Gloucestershire.

“We have a few people at Cirencester selling a variety of products such as natural, plastic free deodorant and make up as well as handmade bath bombs, skincare and haircare. We will also have Cirencester based ANI Skincare with their full range of natural beauty products, candles and oils.”

Daisy has been instrumental in the rise of vegan events in Gloucestershire and she’s got ambitious plans for more events to be held in the county in the coming months.

She added: “The plan is to have lots of vegan events pop up across the Cotswolds throughout the year. We’ve held Vegan Fairs in both Stroud and Cirencester but are now looking at events that are slightly different from the norm.

“We will be running a Vegan Oktoberfest with Seitan’s Grill and Vegan Punks at the Malthouse in Stroud in October, which will be an evening celebrating local beer, vegan German food and live music. It will be the first of its kind in the South West of England which is very exciting.”