Country_Homes_and_Interiors_-_November_2019

CLOCKWISE, FROM

TOPLEFT

Thepop-uptakes

placemonthlyin

thevillagehall;

plastic-freetoiletries

areamongthe

offerings;Gaynor

(left)andClaire

(right),withactress

HermioneNorris,

at their first event

We started an eco

supermarket in the

village hall

FriendsClaireAshtonandGaynorSoulsbyaresparking

a countrysiderevolution,tacklingplasticwaste and

shopping miles with their Pop-Up Eco Supermarket

FEATURE

SOPHIE GALE

PHOTOGRAPHS

HEDGEHOG PHOTOGRAPHIC

Inspirationforourpop-up

supermarketcamelastNovember

whenGaynorandI werechatting

overcoffee.Wetalkedabouta

morningspentdoingtherounds

ofindependentshopsinthearea,

buyingplastic-free,organicand

locallymadeitems.Allthosemiles

clockingup,whiletryingtobemore

sustainable.If onlythesewonderful

sellerscouldbebroughtunderone

roof...Gaynorsuggestedjustthe

solution– a pop-upsuperstore,for

eco-onlyproducts,atthevillagehall.

Iusedtoworkasa bankmanager

andGaynorwasa teacher.She

nowrunsa sewingworkshopand

pet-sittingbusiness.Withher

creativeskills,mybusiness

backgroundandoursharedloveof

sustainableliving,wemakea good

team.We’rebothfansoffarmers’

markets,butdon’tlikehowyou

alwayshavetoniptotheshopfor

a coupleofextrabitstomakea full

meal.Wehadsomethingfarmore

comprehensiveinmind– selling

everything from food to laundry

refills.Importantly,therewouldalso

bea recyclingandrepairssection,

witha seamstress,a cobbler,tech

repairsandknife-sharpeningservices.

Peoplewerequeuingalongthe

laneforourinauguraleventin

February.Wewereworriedit

wouldn’thappen,asa thickblanket

ofsnowhadfallenovernight.We

wereconcernedthatthesellers

wouldn’tbeabletogettous,but

nota singleoneletusdown.

Turnoutfromcustomerswasequally

impressive– wehad400,more

than 100 ofwhomarrivedonfoot.

Unliketraditionalsupermarkets,

peoplemingleandgettoknow

eachotheratourpop-ups.They

canalsolearnmoreabouteco

alternativesthere.Allweaskfrom

sellersis thattheysharethecostof

rentingthehall.Runningtheevents

isa labourofloveforus,whichwe

doforfree,andit’sbeensuccessful

beyondourwildestdreams.

Ourpop-upis inspiringthevillage

tobemoresustainable.Gaynor

and I now manage litter picks. We

gointoschoolstopaintrednoses

forComicReliefinplaceofplastic

ones.Ourpop-upfeaturedatthe

firstSherborneIndependentMarket

inJunethisyear.Thiswasa great

success– ourpresencehaseven

promptedSherborneChamberof

Commercetopushforplastic-free

status.We’realsoworkingclosely

withourdistrictcounciltodraftits

responsetotheclimateemergency.

Ourlogois a dandelionwiththe

strapline:‘Sowingtheseedsof

change’.Wechosea dandelionfor

itsassociationswithtimeandmaking

wishescometrue.Andbecauseit is

aprolificself-seeder.Wehaven’t

trademarkedit becausewewant

peopletocopyit!Wealreadyhave

followersonlineacrosstheworld,

andourdreamis forpop-up

eco-supermarketstogoviral.Things

arecomingfullcircle.Doingyour

shoponyourdoorstepwashowlife

workedinthepast.It needstobe

thewayweshopinthefuture,too.

FindThePop-UpEcoSupermarketon

Facebook and Instagram to learn more.

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LOCAL HERO

COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS 101