Goodbye from us and THANK YOU for your support
It’s time to end the party I’m afraid. It’s been an amazing time setting up the shop – especially meeting many of you at markets before covid – but the cost of replacing stock without really hiking up our prices these past few months has just become unmanageable.
It was never about the money, it was about offering an affordable Fairtrade eco alternative, but as we feel it across all sectors and our lives, the cost of living has just pushed greener (and especially fairly traded) choices and non essential spending right out the window for many and so it’s no longer sustainable for me to keep going at the moment.
Maybe we can be back one day 🤞🏽 but for now it’s party over for us so a huge huge thank you and lots of love for your support ❤️
Donation to DEC
Thank you to all my lovely customers who ordered during our commitment in the last week of July to donate £1 from each sale to the Disasters Emergecy Committee Covid appeal. We were able to raise £38 and topped the rest to to £50 to provide essential hygiene kits to two families
Donation Towards a Place at Ivy League University
After reading about this incredible opportunity for Iranga our monthly donation for June (£30) went a little way towards funding for her place at university – read her story here https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk.
Donation to the Minnesota Freedom Fund
Each month I donate a percentage of profits to a charity, organisation or individual. For May ($50) we have chosen Minnesota Freedom Fund. To read about the work they are doing and to donate directly you can visit their website here https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/
Let Toys be Toys Award
Delighted to receive recognition for the forth year running from Let Toys Be Toys for our efforts to ensure everything we sell and the way we sell it is free from gender stereotyping. As a parent and business owner it’s a topic close to my heart and I believe play should not have any gender restraints or expectations. Our products are for all children and always will be. Read how gender marketing also creates more waste over at lettoysbetoys.org.uk/toysandourplanet.
COVID 19 UPDATE
We are open again after a few weeks off to get homeschool set up and get our heads around these uncertain times. Please allow extra few days for delivery. Wishing you and your loved ones well.
Featured in Woman’s Own for Earth Day
Featured in April’s Woman’s Own Earth Day feature, we talk about the changed her family have made to be more Earth kind.
Donation to Refuge
Following the COVID19 lockdown announcement and what this may entail for victims of domestic abuse, our donation this month (£25) goes to Refuge.
Donation to WIRES
In response to the fire in Australia, we have used profits from our soft toy sales ($50AUD) to donate to WIRES who are rescuing and helping many animals effected by the fires and drought. https://www.wires.org.au/
Crisis at Christmas Donation
For our alternative Black Friday 2019 we raised (through donating 50% of profits from the day to the Crisis at Christmas appeal) enough to book two places. “Thousands of people will be without a home this Christmas and are in urgent need of the unique package of support that Crisis offers”. For further information see crisis.org.uk
Membership Approved
Registation successful we are member 00054! See Vegan Traders Union for further information and a growing list of ethically minded businesses.
Croydon Business Awards – Highly Commended
Plastic Free Party Bags was a finalist in two categories Women in Business and Best New Start Up of which I won Highly Commended. Thank you so much Croydon!
Party Kit Network Partnership
We are the recommended eco party bag supplier for the amazing Party Kit Network. With over 300 kits available for hire across the UK this incredible initiative is saving party planners money and of course a huge amount of waste generated from parties. To find your local kit or to start one up see https://www.partykitnetwork.uk/
Ruby Stands Up for What We Stand On
My nine-year-old daughter has been busy this year standing up for what we all stand on as part of the School Strikes and XR for Kids. I’ve been incredibly proud as she has addressed the crowds by invitation outside Downing Street and The Department of Education questioning why children are not taught about the climate emergency. The videos of her speeches are on our Insta page.
Wind Powered Website!
We are always searching for greener ways so are now …green hosted! This means our webshop is powered by 100% wind energy. The hosting servers, routers and cooling systems are all powered by this renewable energy source purchased from UK wind farms.
Let Toys Be Toys Award
We receive recognition for our efforts in supplying gender neutral party bags and gifts. Why it Matters:
“Kids should decide for themselves what they think is fun. Why put these limits on play?
Play matters. Children need a wide range of play to develop different skills.
Marketing matters. Directing consumers in this way is restricting children’s play.
The real world has moved on. These gender stereotypes are tired and out of date”
Extracted from LTBT – For further information on their campaign see their website http://lettoysbetoys.org.uk/why-it-matters/
Be The Change Awards 2019 FINALIST!
“The Be The Change Awards are an up and coming new initiative for the social impact sector, recognising ethical & sustainable brands with a powerful impact story to tell. Around the world independent, ethical & sustainable brands are having a positive impact on communities, people and the planet. We want to recognise, celebrate and raise the profile of those brands who are working towards the Sustainable Development Goals and creating positive impact in inspiring and world-changing ways”.
Plastic Free Party Bags was delighted to be a finalist in the Baby and Children’s category and we had a brilliant night at the awards hosted at The Museum of Brands in West London.
Animal Justice Project Ambassadors
Being kind and considerate to others is at the heart of everything we do here at Plastic Free Party Bags – and that includes all animals as well as the Earth. We were honored to be asked to be AJP Ambassadors and continue to support them each month. To learn more click here
The Telegraph
Our Ultimate Gift Bundle1 is featured in The Telegraphs How to have a plastic-free Christmas that won’t cost the earth feature video. To order yours click here
Walk 10k for Shelter Raising Over £200 for the 2018 Sleepwalk Appeal.
A very soggy but beautiful December night walk across London’s Bridges. It took twice as long as Poppy insisted on getting strokes and pats from about 10k Londoners! Profits from the weekend sales plus some very generous top ups from customers enabled us to donate £208 to Shelter.
Huffingdon Post
Fantastic coverage of our mission in The Huff just a few months after we opened. The full article is here
Baby London
Another complimentary article on our story and plastic free goodies. Full piece here
