One of the founding members of the Lake District Foundation Youth Panel, Amy Bray, has spearheaded the opening of a plastic free shop in the Lake District.
The shop is called Another Weigh, a plastic free, zero waste shop, the official opening will be on Saturday 12th January in Penrith at 6 Angel Lane, Penrith.
Zoe Hedges, originally from Kent and moved to Cumbria in 2013, led a successful crowdfunding campaign that attracted over 100 investors in order to establish and kick start the shop. All profits from the new shop will go to Another Way, a charity established by Another Weigh co-owner’s daughter 16 year old Amy Bray.
Another Weigh will sell products ranging from cereals, pulses, snacks and pasta to cloth sanitary pads, straws and nappies, cleaning liquids and much more. Customers need to bring their own containers and fill them with exactly how much they want of each dispensed product. Each product bought minimises waste, reduces cost to the customer and is a single use plastic bag saved from landfill or from finding its way into the ocean.
Zoe says, “As a nation and as a world we are facing an unprecedented challenge surrounding waste. Leading from the ground is where we as individuals and communities can contribute. The response to my plan to open a zero waste shop in Penrith was amazing. People are clearly ready to change how they shop. Consumers are aware of the need to reduce waste and Another Weigh gives them a way to do this. You buy just the amount you need then you don’t have lots of food leftover in your cupboards. If you need just a tablespoon of spice for a recipe, you can buy just that!”
Penrith Mayor Cllr. Scott Jackson will officially open the shop at 11am on Saturday 12th January along with owners, Zoe, and Chris and Emma Bray.
Commenting on the Another Weigh initiative the Mayor says, “We can no longer be under any illusion of our impact on this world and ethical choices are ever more at the forefront of our thoughts. It is however difficult for people to buy with confidence and to be sure their choices will have the desired effect of reducing damage to our environment. I am glad to welcome Another Weigh and shops like it who allow customers to purchase responsibly and sustainably and look forward to this becoming the norm on the high-street.”
On opening day and for the first week, annual membership to Another Weigh will be available at half price and this will entitle customers to 10% off all food goods whilst they are members. Annual membership is reduced to £15 for this opening offer.
Within the shop there will be will an area dedicated to providing information, via the charity Another Way, on the environment and how individuals can help sustain it. This stems from efforts that Chris and Emma’s daughter Amy has made to establish a plastic free home and also at her school in Carlisle.
Amy says, “We really hope to gain the support of the Penrith and the wider Cumbria community in our efforts to reduce waste generally and to start this off we are setting a target to attract 1000 people prepared to make a personal pledge to reduce their own waste, be it packaging, food or other products. We hope to demonstrate that there really are many people out there who care enough to do something about the environmental challenges facing us. We will provide heart shaped pledges for people to fill in and pin to a board in the shop.”
Another Weigh will initially open every Tuesday to Saturday 9:30 to 17:30, at 6 Angel Lane.
For further information, visit Another Weigh on facebook @AnotherWeigh.