Veganville

The first four vegans arrive at their new home in Merthyr Tydfil and waste no time setting up a welcome event in the town centre. Tensions among the group soon rise as it becomes clear that, although they share the same goal, their attitudes to spreading the plant-based message are very different. Meanwhile, Merthyr residents have mixed feelings when it comes to veganism. Some are open to the idea, but others believe that animal products are part of balanced diet and many simply enjoy the taste of meat. With Jodi and Rikki keen to win the community over with kindness and cake, and Joey adopting the hard-hitting approach of playing abattoir footage in the town square, will the local community and the vegans be able to accept each other’s point of view?

It’s week two in Merthyr Tydfil, which sees a change of tactics for the team as they are joined by a muscle-bound vegan, personal trainer and body builder Korin. The number of gyms opening in the area is on the rise and Korin quickly muscles in on a bodybuilding competition. But many local gym-goers say they rely on animal protein for nutrition, and Korin struggles to persuade them otherwise. Elsewhere, Dan heads to the pub to have an honest chat with some young meat lovers, while Jodi spends time with the tightly knit farming community at the town’s market. Following a highly charged visit from the vegans to the local abattoir, farmers voice their concerns about the interruption and call for their livelihoods to be respected.

It’s the final week for the five vegans in Merthyr Tydfil. Jodi comes up with a new plan to spread the plant-based message by enlisting fellow Welsh vegan and local hero, Dirty Vegan Matt Pritchard. The group secure a pitch at the farmers market, where Merthyr residents sample vegan hot dogs and the vegans set up a toy dog on a BBQ, complete with fake blood. Meanwhile, Joey is challenged to assess his approach after spending time with a mother-of-two who is looking for nutritious and affordable meals for the whole family. As the three weeks draw to a close, what kind of impact have the vegans had on the community of Merthyr, and what have they learnt from the meat-eating locals?