Take Part - Harrogate Walk to School Day 8th October
Walk all or part of the way to school on Friday 8th October for #walktoschoolday and be part of the change we need to protect our planet! Be sure to let everyone know that you’re a ‘Zero Hero’ who is playing your part in helping us lower the carbon footprint of our district. Coordinated by Zero Carbon Harrogate and the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition this event is part of Harrogate’s first Climate Action Festival. Find out how you can take part here. If you want to share your story or photos with us we’d love to see them! Find us on Facebook or Instagram or tag us #harrogatefairtradeshop
Read on for more information about the school walk for children in rural Sri Lanka.
How
Why
2021 is a great year for our first district Climate Action Festival (CAFé) as this year the UK is hosting the COP26 global UN climate summit, which will attract huge interest. Many local people want to know what they can do to help reduce the damage being done to the climate.
Harrogate Fair Trade Shop is committed to creating a better world by supporting fair business practices that change lives and benefit communities. Find out more about us. The farmers who grow our food and many of the artisans who make our products are already suffering from the effects of climate change. We’re dedicated to reducing the impact we have, for all of us. This means:
- sustainable materials
- handmade products
- shipping not flying
- reducing plastics
- recycling as much as possible
We invest in projects that benefit the producers and communities we work with. One of the suppliers we work with is Lanka Kade. Set up to develop local craft skills in Sri Lanka to provide stability and security for families, they supply handcrafted wooden toys using non-toxic paints and sustainably sourced rubber wood. Check out the range here including the popular Noah's Ark complete with colourful animals.
The School Walk in Rural Sri Lanka
Each wooden toy purchased directly supports Lanka Kade’s Educational Foundation which provides books and daily milk drinks to several disadvantaged rural schools. Many parents can’t afford to buy exercise books and they’re not provided by the Government. For some children the milk is the only nourishment they get during the day. The foundation provides books and pencils to ensure all children have equal access to education and give them a good start in life.
Walk to school on Friday and you’ll be sharing the journey of children like these and others all over the world.
Lanka Kade reduces environmental impact by using renewable energy sources, replacing plastic with paper offcuts for packaging and minimising shipping frequency. The wood is natural wastage from rubber plantations because trees are cut down when they stop producing latex so that new ones can be planted. Offcuts are transformed into the smallest animals in the collection - like the ladybird.
If you’d like to see the animals we’d love to welcome you to our little shop find us here. They make perfect Christmas presents and at the same time you’re helping small independent businesses in Sri Lanka to flourish, providing books and milk for schoolchildren, at the same time as saving the planet. Phew, busy day!