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BVYM  (British Vegetarian Youth Movement)

       Anyway back to the veggie story.  I joined BVYM  and started going to a few meetings in London and met a girl called Kristina Quinn.  She was editor of the BVYM magazine and we both went to the big Intervega camp in Chigwell Essex.   A number of other Swansea people were there too.  Kristina was my first real girl friend.  We met fairly often at BVYM socials as well as being together for two weeks at the camp.  It was not long before I had to go away to Swansea University that I proposed.  She accepted and were officially engaged,  but Swansea and London were too far apart and though I had been up to London twice  (Hitch hiked) for weekends  It wasn’t long before a registered letter arrived with the engagement ring in!   Mind you we were NOT suited and that for both of us was a good thing (the breaking up.)  Though I know I was very HURT for ages.  I again was shy of girls!   BUT at a Quaker weekend work camp, just before Xmas, I met a girl I liked   and I started feeling like being wanted again by a girl.  But that was just a weekend stand!   BTW  I at that time and still do believe that sex before marriage is not right  (If a formal marriage is not believed in then I do accept that a firm commitment for life together for a couple is as good as marriage).  Anyway my faith in girls returned  but though I never found someone at college for a close relationship  I did have several friends who were girls. Anyway I passed my Teachers certificate (DIP EDUCATION)  and got a job at Edlington School near Doncaster.  I was a teacher there for 3 years and two terms before moving down to Tottenham in Jan 1969.  In my years at Edlington I never met anyone I really fancied, or anyone who fancied me.  Though I did get nearly into a relationship with a friend of my sister's, but that never worked out. (she lived in Reading area).  During my stay in Doncaster I did go on several BVYM day outings in the area and a holiday. Again I never met anyone at these meetings who became a close friend.  The photo of the young people jumping on a railway carriage was taken at the first of several BVYM summer holidays that I went on.  From that holiday onwards I only went on BVYM summer holidays, hoping I might meet up with some nice veggie girl.  For a couple of years I actually organised two Minibus/youth hostel BVYM  holidays touring Scotland, as well as a Camping coach holiday in the Lake district.  We also  had Easter holidays, whit holidays  went to St Malo one Easter for a week, but to no avail - I never met the right one.  When I moved down to London in my second teaching job at Weir Hall School (Borough of Enfield) after a short time I was asked to take over the running of the London Region of BVYM.  Organising being one of my main strengths, also got me attention and the chance to get to know people, and in particular female vegetarians.   It was at this time I decided I would only be interested in vegetarian girls.  I couldn’t imagine living with a non veggie person.  I inaugurated a twice yearly newsletter with trips and outings,  evening dos at members houses ( or flats etc) and also new to the list regular socials at the Veg Soc HQ in  London.  These usually tied in with the production of the national BVYM monthly magazine.  We also had regular ice-skating Friday evenings  ( to which I sometimes brought  a dozen or so kids from the school I taught at too).   It was during this period of about three years that I had several girl friends, one was the first time I refused to have sex with because I believed that sex was for after marriage,   we nevertheless stayed friends, but the gf/bf relationship went.  I had several other false starts.  The year that I organised the VEGFAM WALK  (Vegfam is a charity to raise money for vegan projects to help the third world) It was a 30 mile sponsored walk on a twice round a 15 mile tour of London, starting and finishing on Hampstead Heath, along Abbey Road and other London parks and landmarks.  Just over a 100 walkers took part and raided just over £1000.   At the time that was the single biggest sum of money ever raised for Vegfam.

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Vegetarian /Vegan

Page 2

My  “life”  Story

Email:   Chris

Rail running races

Jumping for joy

Two pictures from the Vegfam walk

Dilys is in this one

Christine in this one

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