Membership Terms and Conditions

You are here

» Membership Terms and Conditions

Thank you for joining The Vegan Society.

The following are our terms and conditions of membership and you should read them, (and our Memorandum and Articles of Association found in the Members’ Area) carefully as they set out your rights and obligations as a member of The Vegan Society (a "Member" or "you" in what follows).  

  1. Background 

The Vegan Society is a registered charity No. 279228 (England & Wales) and SC049495 (Scotland). Our head office address is Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Birmingham, B18 6HJ. It will be referred to as "The Vegan Society" or "we" in these terms and conditions. 

  1. What do we do? 

The Vegan Society exists to eliminate exploitation of non-human animals by humans everywhere, by: 

  • Bringing about change in policy and the law; 

  • Persuading people (individuals and organisations) to choose veganism; 

  • Making it easier for people to be vegan/practice veganism. 

We achieve this vision and mission by providing information, supporting and advising individuals and health professionals, caterers, manufacturers, and influencing policy makers. We also fund vegan initiatives set up by members and supporters, and work with volunteers and partners towards making our vision a reality. We work with the media to help reinforce a positive view of veganism and to help a larger audience see that veganism is a rewarding, enjoyable and viable lifestyle. 

  1. Membership Benefits 

3.1 The membership benefits are as follows: 

  • Membership card 

  • Quarterly magazine, The Vegan 

  • Monthly members newsletter 

  • An online members area with access to over 100 discounts and a members Nutrition Hub 

  • Voting rights at the AGM (those that follow a vegan diet only) 

3.2  The Vegan Society does not guarantee the provision of member discounts however we will endeavour to keep the online discount list up to date and will follow up on any member complaints and the withdrawal or changes to the discounts provided.  

3.3  You will receive access to the online members area as soon as your payment has been processed. A welcome email will be sent to you within 3 working days. You will receive your new membership card in the post within 14 working days. 

3.4  Where you are not a resident of England and Wales, there will be a postage charge added to a paper-based membership payment in order for us to send copies of any publications which are sent by post.  

3.5  If a member moves outside of the UK whilst a paper-based member, The Vegan Society will give them the option to pay the additional postage charge or move to an Eco membership where they will receive copies of all publications, communications and other materials by email. 

3.6  Membership is for one individual only and membership benefits are personal and cannot be transferred or assigned. 

3.7  Membership benefits shall cease on a Member's death or an individual ceasing to be a Member. 

3.8  We reserve the right to vary, amend or withdraw these rights and benefits at our discretion. 

  1. Payments 

4.1  You can pay for your membership using a credit or debit card. If you live in the UK you can set up a Direct Debit: 

4.1.1  Direct Debit: This is our most popular payment method, and it helps The Vegan Society keep administration costs down. Through the Direct Debit Guarantee, you are protected and have the right to cancel payments whenever you wish. You can choose to pay monthly or annually. 

4.1.2  Credit or debit card: We use PayPal to take card payments. You will be directed to their website where you should select the option to pay by card. You do not need a PayPal login to do this.  

4.2  The credit/debit card information you provide for a membership transaction is used solely for the purpose of processing that membership transaction and no card details are kept on record. 

4.3 If you are not using your own credit/debit card to pay for the membership, you must ask permission of the credit/debit card holder before entering payment details. When you subscribe to become a member of The Vegan Society you are confirming that you have obtained the express prior permission of the credit/debit card holder. 

  1. Cancellation and Refunds 

You can cancel your membership at any time. We would be grateful if you could let us know the reason why. 

5.1.1  If you are paying by Direct Debit you can cancel at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. We would be grateful if you could also let us know that you wish to cancel your membership.  

5.1.2  If you are paying annually you can cancel by contacting the Supporter Services team on 0121 8279 905 (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm), email membership[at]vegansociety[dot]com or by post at Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Birmingham, B18 6HJ. We will stop any payments being taken when your membership is due to renew.  

5.2  Subject to clause 5.3, all membership fees are non-refundable once payment has been received. 

5.3  If you change your mind about your membership you must let us know no later than 14 days after your membership is granted. You do not need to give a reason to cancel, but if you do decide to cancel, we will refund your payment within 30 days of your cancellation. 

5.3.1  If you wish to cancel your membership and request a refund for a payment that you have made, please contact our Supporter Services team on 0121 8279 905 (Mon-Fri 9am to 5pm), email us at membership[at]vegansociety[dot]com or by post at Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Birmingham, B18 6HJ. 

  1. Termination of membership 

6.1  The Vegan Society reserves the right to terminate membership by a resolution of the directors that it is in the best interests of the charity that such membership be terminated due to the member bringing the charity into disrepute.  

6.2  A resolution to remove a member from membership may only be passed if:  

(a) the member has been given at least twenty-one days’ notice in writing of the meeting of the directors at which the resolution will be proposed and the reasons why it is to be proposed;  

(b) the member or, at the option of the member, the member’s representative (who need not be a member of the charity) has been allowed to make representations to the meeting, either in writing or in person at the meeting;  

(c) the resolution is passed by a 75% majority of all directors.  

6.3  Any member removed under 6.1 shall have a right of appeal to the Appeals Committee. 

  1. Your personal details 

Any personal information you provide will be processed in line with our privacy policy which is compliant to the data protection laws in the UK. 

  1. Making changes to your membership 

You can let Us know at any point throughout your membership if your circumstances change and you want to change your membership type or change of name or address. 

  1. Liability 

9.1  Subject to clause 9.3, The Vegan Society excludes all liability to members or to any third party for any loss of profit, or any special, incidental or any consequential damages (however arising, including negligence) arising out of, or in connection with any services, any benefits and/or any products supplied by The Vegan Society or its representatives which includes any company associated with The Vegan Society. 

9.2  Subject to clause 9.3, the liability of The Vegan Society is limited to the amount of the membership fee paid. 

9.3  Nothing in these terms and conditions excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by The Vegan Society’s negligence or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation. 

  1. General 

10.1  Membership of The Vegan Society (including but not limited to The Vegan Society logos, membership numbers or membership packages) may not be used by anyone to promote an individual or business, nor is membership of The Vegan Society an approval, endorsement or support of an individual or business. We reserve the right to cancel any membership we find to be in breach of this provision. 

10.2  These terms and conditions shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with English law and any dispute shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts. 

10.3  All members are bound by the Memorandum and Articles of Association of The Vegan Society. A copy of these is available on our website HERE. In the event of any conflict between these terms and conditions and the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Memorandum and Articles of Association shall take precedence. 

You can join today by completing our quick and simple online form. As a registered charity we rely on our members, and we are so grateful to everyone who supports us. For just £2 a month, your membership will go towards helping us to spread the word of veganism and create a world where animals are free to exist in their own right..  

Reg. Charity No: 279228 Company Reg. No: 01468880 Copyright © 1944 - 2024 The Vegan Society