Heritage panel recognises Leicester as home of veganism

An information panel has been placed in Evesham Road, where Donald Watson lived with his wife

Leicester has been recognised as the home of veganism with a new heritage panel, installed to commemorate the man who coined the word.

Donald Watson and his wife Dorothy created the name while living in Leicester in the 1940s, the Leicester Vegetarian and Vegan Group said.

A new panel has been installed in Evesham Road, where Mr Watson lived.

Mr Watson became vegetarian at 14 after witnessing the slaughter of a pig on his uncle's farm, the group said.

The resident was a woodwork teacher and started eating a vegan diet after learning about milk and egg production.

Despite following the specific diet, he did not have a name to describe it.

The group said he coined the word alongside his wife while at the Palais de Danse in Humberstone Gate.

It is created from the first three and last two letters of the word vegetarian.

'Man of compassion'

Amit Gokani, from the group, said Mr Watson "wanted to better the world".

"He saw veganism as the salvation of humanity," he said.

"He felt that civilisation was now built on the exploitation of animals, so he wanted to move away from that.

"He was a man of compassion, he didn't like violence. He wanted to better the world."