Actor and comedian Mike has been a regular host and compere here at Vegfest for many years now. Lately he’s been busy with various film and television roles, commercial work, and his speciality, cameos in music videos, most recently working with the likes of Mimi Webb, Rachel Lorin, Girli, Jorja Smith, Savannah Knight, Yves Tumor, Demuja, Kofi Stone, Holly Humberstone, Comanavago, Grian Chatten, Royal Blood and even Deep Purple.

He loves to support Vegan businesses and was pleased to endorse LoveRaw’s recent commercial campaign by playing the 80s Milk tray man, now a vegan chocolate convert.

I am an American observational stand up comic who is also vegan

Dr Ishani Rao is a final year NHS GP trainee and emergency medic moving into humanitarian and conservation medicine. She has a small charity called Buckets of Love that does good deeds whilst having a lot of fun. Her time is spent between volunteering, her job, cuddling her rescue cat, dancing with her friends and her masters in Global Health Policy. She has recently done 10 NHS talks about plant-based diets and sustainability, and has spoken at large festivals such as Vegan Camp Out and Yogific. A talk about burnout in animal activists was really well received for Animal Rebellion recently. She is keen to share with you her interesting experiences in medicine and regarding mental health.

Louie Falls is a comedian who likes to talk about his experiences as a larger vegan as an excuse to perform rather silly wordplay. He has a passion for animal rights, vegan food, and all cats.

Cathy is an up-and-coming comedian originally from London but who swapped the city for the sea. She got into stand-up accidentally when she signed up for a workshop she thought was about something else. Cathy’s jokes, delivered in a dry, deadpan style, are mostly about cats.

Dark, blue anecdotal comedy.

Demand 1   |  Relinquish:  Stop the problem increasing No land use change, including deforestation, for animal agriculture

• • No building of new animal farms
  • No building of new slaughterhouses
  • No expansion or intensification of existing farms
  • No conversion of plant-based agriculture to animal agriculture
  • No conversion of any land for animal feed production
  • No clearing of forests or other ecosystems for animal grazing, animal rearing or animal farming of any kind
  • No new fish farms or expansion of existing aquaculture farms
  • Protection of Indigenous peoples; their land, rights and knowledge
  • Ban all live exports
  • No new large-scale industrial fishing vessels

Demand 2   |  Redirect:  Eliminate the driving forces behind the problem Promotion of plant-based foods and actively transition away from animal-based food systems to plant-based systems

• Declare a climate emergency – join the 1,900+ local governments in 34 different countries that have already done so
• Food security should be placed as a priority for all nations, with a focus on ending poverty and hunger and making nutritious food accessible for all
• Acknowledge and support the pivotal role small farmers have in feeding the planet; support them to maintain (or restore) autonomy over their lands, water, seeds and other resources
• Prioritize a switch to plant-based foods in Climate Action Plans
• Update government food and dietary guidelines to promote wholefood, plant-based food
• Design public information campaigns to raise awareness about the climate and the environmental advantages and health benefits of plant-based food, nutrition and cooking
• Aim to reduce the public’s consumption of animal-based food through education in schools
• Transition to plant-based meal plans in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and government institutions
• Mandate honest labelling of food products, including cancer warning labels on all processed meats which have been declared carcinogenic by the World Health Organization
• Introduce a meat tax (including fish) with proceeds funding restoration of land destroyed by animal agriculture
• Subsidize fruits and vegetables to make a wholefoods, plant-based diet more affordable and end food deserts that hurt low income communities
• Redirect government subsidies for animal agriculture, slaughterhouses and industrial fishing to environmentally-friendly production of plant-based food
• End government subsidized advertising for the meat, dairy and egg industry
• Create green bonds to fund a transition to a plant-based economy
• Provide financial support and training for farmers, ranchers and fisherpeople to move away from animal production to diversified (ideally organic agroecological) plant-based systems

Demand 3   |  Restore:  Actively healing the problem while building resilience and mitigating climate change Restore key ecosystems and reforest the earth

• Reforestation projects to be rolled out in appropriate ecosystems using native tree species to restore habitats to a previously similar state
• Reforestation and restoration of the oceans is prioritised by designating additional areas of the oceans as zero fishing Marine Protected Areas (known as Highly Protected Marine Areas – HPMAs)
• All existing Marine Protected Areas should be declared strictly no fishing zones and converted to HPMAs
• Active programs rolled out to replant critical carbon absorbers in the oceans, such as seagrass beds
• Restore key degraded ecosystems which are essential for carbon sequestration cycles: mangroves, peat bogs, forests, some types of grassland
• Focus shift on nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation
• Subsidies made available for farmers and landowners who practise good land stewardship and are actively restoring the land and the associated ecosystem services (such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity, flood defence, general climate change resilience)
• Subsidies made available for rewilding and reforestation projects
• Incentivised subsidies / grants for farmers to switch from animal agriculture to diversified plant production
• Cities: increase trees and wildflowers, increase green community projects, wildlife corridors, green rooftops, local growing schemes, work towards biodiversity increases
• Enhance food justice by providing access to healthy food for all, especially low-income communities of color
• Repurpose available land freed up from animal grazing and animal feed production for: rewilding, reforestation (if appropriate), returning land to Indigenous people, nature reserves, hiking zones, community growing, allotments (if appropriate), agroecological food growing (where possible)
• Shift of some land ownership into community hands so the land can be repurposed for reforestation, green space and community food gardens and allotments

Plant Based Treaty Endorsers

What is the Plant Based Treaty?

The adoption of a Plant Based Treaty as a companion to the UNFCCC/Paris Agreement will put food systems at the heart of combating the climate crisis. The Treaty aims to halt the widespread degradation of critical ecosystems caused by animal agriculture, to promote a shift to more healthy, sustainable plant-based diets and to actively reverse damage done to planetary functions, ecosystem services and biodiversity.

The Plant Based Treaty has three core principles:

Relinquish

No land use change, ecosystem degradation or deforestation for animal agriculture

Redirect

An active transition away from animal-based food systems to plant-based systems

Restore

Actively restoring key ecosystems, particularly restoring forests and rewilding landscapes

A comedian with 20+ years experience who has entertained audiences around the world.

Lee Brace is an award-winning actor, comedian and writer. He recently won 22 awards for his short, 1920's-style, ​silent movies starring hapless fool, SILENT LEE. Among these awards included ​Best Actor, Best Comedy, Best Short, Best Web & New Media and Best Silent Film. Lee was also the winner of the British Comedy Guide Pro's Video Contest and was recently crowned The UK Pun Champion at The UK Pun Championships 2023!

He won Best Supporting Actor at The New York Film Awards for his role in multi-award-winning comedy, WHO IS ALICE which is on Amazon Prime, and more recently played nerdy receptionist Martin Harvester in BBC's Doctors, alongside comedian Joe Pasquale.

Lee Brace has been writing and performing comedy for over 20 years and became a fan-favourite as rubber-faced recluse and regular caller, 'Ross Feratu' and 'Gladys' on The Jon Holmes Show on Talk Radio and BBC Radio 2.

Lee performed his debut solo character show, 'A Night With Ross Feratu and Friends' during this year's Brighton Fringe and is now working on his next show, which he aims to perform next year.

Praise for his work:

"Utterly hilario!!!" - Dawn French "Lovely. Nice Lee." - Eric Idle ​"Lee's physical comedy has that heartwarming feel of the classics. Pure joy!" - Rhys Darby “Really strong and distinctive. The characterisation is great.” - Matt Lucas "Love him. Fantastic." - Zoe Ball "The greatest comedy thing since clowned bread!" - Jon Holmes (BBC Radio)

Lee has been vegan (for the animals) for 2.5 years and, when he's not writing his blog (aptly titled 'PLANT-BRACED', he enjoys writing poetry, short stories, sitcoms and online sketches.

In his spare time, Lee is also a keen amateur photographer and has been recognised by RANKIN (for his Sky Arts show), picked out by CHRIS PACKHAM (for his Self Isolating Bird Club Calendar) and selected by ​SUFFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST (winning first prize in their nature photography competition). He was also a Finalist (as well as 'Highly Commended') in the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition. Lee is also currently writing 3 children's books due for release in 2024.

Funny Women’s best show award nominee, Ishi Khan has been a stand up comedian for 12 years, regularly performing on the Comedy circuit. She’s produced & toured several solo shows, usually in response to current affairs through themes of unity, freedom & equality. A sentient being, Ishi is born to tickle, play and sing to the moon. Skipping along on the comedic yellow brick road, dancing through rain, snow, sun and wind, rainbow lover, unicorn rider. One day she hopes to do a cartwheel and ride a bike, not at the same time. She speaks English, Punjabi and fluent Cat.  She loves to connect. So go ahead and make her day by ...

stopping by her website: www.2funny.org.uk

adding her as a friend on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ishi2funny/

connecting with her on twitter/insta/Linkedin @ishi2funny

Press / Awards: 

As seen on BBC 1, ITV and heard on Radio 4, BBC Asian Network and various regional BBC radio

**** “Very Funny! Very Silly indeed!” Female arts 

Funny Women’s Best Show Award Nominee 2013/2018

Leicester Asian Awards best comedian nominee 2018

“Engaging Raconteur” Three Weeks

“Side-splitting! rib-tickling!” Loughborough Echo

Selected as 1 of 100 artists to showcase at Zealous X showcase in Southbank’s Oxo Tower, London.

Most dedicated can award - University’s Rag society  :)

Sonja Quita Doubleday performs as clown stand up Cheekykita

Drew Cameron is an award winning ‘stand-up chameleon’. Voted Best Variety Act 2013 by the NEA, (National Entertainment Awards).

Semi Finalist on BGT and voted ‘Best new comedian’ on ITV.

In 2014 Drew was Brian May's first choice to compere his Wildlife Rock Concert!!

If your looking to book an original and versatile impressionist, Drew Cameron is suitable for all types of events, from corporate promotions, voice over work, comedy clubs and theme nights through to private events.

As well as live comedy events, you may have also seen his impressions on TV shows such as the Frank Skinner Show, or Dead Ringers.

LOOKALIKES AND MEET AND GREET

What is extremely popular are Drew Cameron’s lookalikes gate crashing your events - DEL BOY, UNCLE ALBERT, MANUEL, MR BEAN, ALI G, OZZY, VICTOR MELDREW, FRANK SPENCER or MICHAEL CAINE.

These are used for all kinds of events, PARTIES, CORPORATE EVENTS, WEDDINGS ETC.

He regularly get 5 STAR REVIEWS from the clients.

Some events Drew starts with meet and greet and then finish with some stand up. It is very flexible.

WARNING!!

Watching Drew Cameron can seriously damage your health. A woman literally died laughing at one of his shows. It was an honour for him to be asked to perform two weeks later at her wake!

“Absolutely Mind boggling performance! Must be seen (and heard) to be believed” – Time Out magazine

“Great confidence, script and impressions. You are the Stand Up we’ve been waiting for!” – Piers Morgan. (Britain’s Got Talent)

“the best Del Boy, Uncle Albert and impressionist I’ve ever seen” - Bobby Davro

“Drew you were awesome, fantastic MEGASTAR; so incredibly funny, talented, warm and friendly. We absolutely loved you." - Conservative Association

Carl is an accomplished stand-up comedian and is a regular at all of the finest comedy clubs in the UK and Ireland, he has been nominated for the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy award for Best Newcomer with Relax Everyone, it’s Carl Donnelly! and Best Comedy Show with Now That’s What I Call Carl! Volume V.His conversational, silly sense of humour has seen him win a host of awards (Chortle Best Club Comedian 2017; Chortle Best Newcomer 2007; Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2007; among others)

As well as being a notable British comedian Carl has ventured overseas to Australia and regularly appears at the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

Carl has also appeared on various TV shows including Mock The Week (BBC 2), One Night Stand (Dave), Stand Up for the Week (C4), Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC Three), Stand Up Central (Comedy Central) and Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Dave). His radio appearances include The Back End of Next Week(BBC 5live), Loose Ends (Radio 4) and Act Your Age (Radio 4) as well as being a regular guest on talkSPORT. He has co-hosted a radio show for the Fubar Radio app and an acclaimed podcast that he recorded with Chris Martin.

Carl and fellow comedian Julian Deane currently host the podcast Two Vegan Idiots.

Actor and comedian Mike has been a regular host and compere here at Vegfest for many years now. Lately he’s been busy with various film and television roles, commercial work, and his speciality, cameos in music videos, most recently working with the likes of Mimi Webb, Rachel Lorin, Girli, Jorja Smith, Savannah Knight, Yves Tumor, Demuja, Kofi Stone, Holly Humberstone, Comanavago, Grian Chatten, Royal Blood and even Deep Purple.

He loves to support Vegan businesses and was pleased to endorse LoveRaw’s recent commercial campaign by playing the 80s Milk tray man, now a vegan chocolate convert.

Phil is a stand up comedian based in Salisbury. He started gigging in 2018, performing in London and Bristol and many places in between . Those places include Komedia in Brighton, Museum of Comedy in Leicester Square, Angel Comedy in Camden, as well as being lucky enough to open for Glenn Wool and Mishka Shubalay in Bath. He took an extended break during 2020/2021 (for obvious reasons) having literally just got through to the semi finals of the South Coast Comedian of the Year. Since lockdown, he has once again continued to perform and hone his absurd style of comedy in and around the South of England.

5 years, comedy circuit, based in Brighton, Sussex, (also European comedy festival's, Inc Malta, Portugal, Barcelona, and Balkans.

Patch Plays, is a vegan theatre company that produces exciting new plays about animal ethics and the environment. Critically acclaimed comedy 'Meat Cute' will be performed fresh from its run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Join Lena as she tries to veganise her tinder dates in the name of animal activism.

Adrian is a white guy with a beard. Before that he was just a Romanian. Where did it all go wrong?

Dave is a number 1 best selling author, award winning comedian and presenter

He’s presented for BBC's Tomorrow's World and has appeared on BBC, ITV & Channel 4 on such shows as BBC Breakfast, Lorraine, Loose Women, The Jeremy Vine Show, Morning Live as well as appearances on Radio 1, Radio 2 & Radio 4.

His book Weight Expectations became a best-seller just 3 days after being released. Dave has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, Metro, Cosmopolitan, GQ & Reader's Digest

As a stand up comic, Dave has performed 6 solo shows at The Edinburgh Fringe and received an award for his show Normally Abnormal at The Houses Of Parliament in 2014.

* * * * * - Arts Award Voice * * * * * - Bunbury Magazine * * * * * - Voice Mag * * * * - The List * * * * - Edinburgh Festival Magazine * * * * - Three Weeks * * * * - Broadway Baby * * * * - Broadway World * * * * - Wee Review * * * * - Entertainment Now * * * * - Ed Fringe Review * * * * - Fringe Explosion * * * * - Theatre & Art Reviews

‘Thank goodness for Dave; he tells his invaluable story with humour and tongue in cheek charm...hilariously entertaining’ - Mail On Sunday

'quirky, moving & hilarious' - Indy 100

‘This is one comic you have to make the effort to see’ - The Scottish Herald

Holly Hall is an Actor, Writer and Comedian who won BBC New Comedy Award's Digital Comedian of The Year in 2021 with her comedy sketch ‘When podcasts go wrong’. She wrote and starred in BBC Three comedy short ‘It’s what she would have wanted’ which also stars Fiona Allen, Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Kate Robbins. As an Actor, Holly has appeared on The Last Leg (Channel 4) in sketches with Adam Hills and her childhood hero Mr Blobby, DMs Are Open (BBC Radio 4 Extra) and she performs regularly on the improv comedy circuit.

Luke Poulton is a comedian who tells stories about being autistic.

Essex Comedian of the Year 2019.

Pali is a performance artist with a holistic approach who has incorporated Oracle cards into her acts for Secret Cinema, West End Musical Brunch and Alfies Antique Market. She has also enjoyed lending her talents to the portrayal of dramatic characters such as the late great Elizabeth Taylor and Queen Cleopatra at live events. Alongside Vegan food, Pali regards laughter as the best medicine; she is currently represented by John Peters Management.

Alwin has been in and around comedy since 2008 and Vegan since 2018.

A member of the award winning Wierdos collective and Leicester Comedy Festival nominated Consignia.  Co MC of alternative comedy night Wondersplash at Three Hounds bottle shop in Beckenham.  Alwin’s comedy may involve props, including wigs, animal masks and 2 dimensional  moving mouth posters.

Tom has appeared on Live at The Apollo, Roast Battle and The Stand Up Sketch Show as well as presenting the viral LAD Bible series In My Personal Space. He has supported Joe Lycett, Ricky Gervais and Jack Whitehall on tour and done four solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.

“A genuinely exciting talent” ***** THE HERALD "Hits the millennial sweet spot" **** METRO “A star in the making” TIMEOUT

A vegetarian for 20 years and a vegan for 7 (sorry cows and chickens for those 13), in his new show Tom discusses, among other things, how big companies masquerade as climate activists when in fact they're just using cute jingles and soothing voice-overs in their ads to cover their tracks. He also looks at why he thinks more people aren't vegan, even with the overwhelming evidence of it being a positive.