You're never too old to GOVEGAN

Dr Barbara Sharp, 69, made the change, now she's encouraging others

- VERONIQUE HAWKSWORTH.

When most people picture a vegan, they probably don’t imagine someone approaching their 70s. But the truth is, veganism isn’t a trendy fad. While some believe a vegan diet is just for teenagers hell-bent on making their parents’ weekly shop as complicated as possible, I’m living proof that you can go vegan at any age and feel the benefits.

An animal lover since childhood, having meat on my plate never felt right. I loved my pets, so treating other animals as food seemed hypocritical. Through my teens, I had endless debates with my parents, encouraging them to adopt a vegetarian diet. But that was the 1960s, and attitudes towards alternative diets weren’t as advanced as they are today. Moving out and living independently for the first time, I took control of my diet and switched to vegetarian wholefoods.