An international conservation charity based in Suffolk is one of three organisations to benefit from a new campaign raising awareness about the impact of meat production on health, welfare and the environment.

Meat Free Week, which launched this week in the UK, aims to encourage people to think about the consequences of eating too much meat, while supporting charities associated with tackling those problems.

The World Land Trust, which is based in Halesworth, aims to protect biologically important and threatened habitats across the globe, has been selected as one of the beneficiaries because of the links between deforestation and meat production.

The campaign has also received the backing of a critically acclaimed cafe in east Suffolk, which has produced a special meat free menu, with £1 from each sale going to the WLT. Darsham Nurseries Cafe has been offering a different vegetarian dish each day throughout the week, which started on Monday and ends tomorrow.

Lola Demille, who is a chef at the cafe, said “It’s undeniable most of us eat too much meat.

“By bringing fresh garden veg to the fore, and with careful use of quality ingredients, we hope to show that reducing your meat consumption needn’t be such a hardship.”

The cafe, which celebrates its first anniversary next month, already supports sustainably produced meat, which it uses in its dishes along with produce grown in the nursery.

Originally started in Australia, Meat Free Week launched in the UK for the first time this year. It asks people to go without meat or seafood for seven days and seek sponsorship to aid the three charities, the WLT, Beating Bowel Cancer and Compassion in World Farming.

Visit uk.meatfreeweek.org for details of the campaign. Visit www.darshamnurseries.co.uk for the cafe.