University college to host 100 percent plant-based ball

London - When will Aotearoa universities follow the biggest celebration at a Cambridge University ball in the UK which will be sustainable and vegan?

There's growing understanding among students of the environmental costs of meat and Cambridge’s Darwin College is making history by serving a fully vegan menu for its traditional ball this year.

The sustainability-driven black-tie event on June 23 will cater to hundreds of students with a selection of artisanal dishes. Each will be developed to align with the ball’s Orient Express theme, representing the cuisines of Istanbul, Paris, and Venice.

Catering services will be provided by local companies. In addition, vegan wine will be supplied by English winemakers to further reduce the event’s environmental impact.

The Darwin ball will be their greenest yet and a plant-based menu is paramount to the success of their aims.

Darwin College is one of Cambridge’s most sustainable colleges so it’s fitting they should be the hosts of Cambridge’s first vegan ball in the nearly 200-year history of the event.

Darwin hopes to prove that meat-free doesn’t mean no fun at end-of-year celebrations

Darwin’s ball committee claim to be determined to prove that unforgettable events don’t have to cost the environment. However, it admits the meat-free stance has drawn criticism. Particularly, it says, from attendees who only learned about the menu change after buying a ticket.

Despite limited backlash, the committee stands by its removal of animal products. It hopes that other Cambridge colleges will follow suit in future years.

Cambridge's most famous students include Sir Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Dame Emma Thompson and King Charles.

Darwin’s animal-free menu announcement comes a few weeks after the Cambridge Students Union voted in favour of transitioning away from meat. However, Cambridge is not the only university to be embracing plant-based eating.

Last year, students from 20 UK campuses came together to demand meat-free catering at their higher education sites. The campuses move cited the environmental impact of meat and dairy as their main motivation.