High street hopes for ethnic ethical enterprise

Homeless Link member, Shekinah Mission, launches ethical trading post in Plymouth in partnership with disability charity PLUSS

Shekinah Mission and PLUSS are launching Worthwhile Ethical Trading in Old Town Street, Plymouth, on June 29, as a three-month venture. The stall will sell recycled or sustainable products with all the profits going back into the charity and social enterprise behind the venture. Funky bags made from inner tubes, bottle openers made from bike chains and belts created from fire hoses are just a small selection of the products that will be sold at the South West’s first all ethical trading post.

The trading post is the brainchild of Shekinah’s Steve Weymouth and PLUSS’s Rod Burnett who have formed a unique 50/50 partnership to create Worthwhile Ethical Trading.

Steve Weymouth developed Wood Knot Waste, Shekinah’s social enterprise which trains people in carpentry while turning unwanted wood into quality furniture. He was looking at ways he could sell its range of wooden frames, mirrors, candleholders, boxes and CD stackers when he started talking to PLUSS, whose Dragon Products social enterprise, run by Rod Burnett, makes a range of bags from the waste streams of expensive bed ticking.

They hope the joint social enterprise can grow to become the West Country’s first chain of Ethical shops. Products on sale will include the recycled wood products made at Wood Knot Waste as well as the bags, gift cards and other items made by Dragon Products.

Steve said: “I was looking for outlets that might stock our products and stumbled across a real niche in the market. There are many places specialising in ethnic products - but none selling ethical products. While many big stores pay lip-service to the idea, selling a few odd items, there is really nowhere that totally follows this mantra.

I am really hopeful that this social enterprise will take off and expand. I know many London stores which started up as stalls in Camden Market. We could be on the cusp of the South West’s first chain of ethical stores.”

Jenny Edwards, Chief Executive of Homeless Link, the homelessness umbrella organisation, said, “This is a fantastic example of the sort of entrepreneurial ideas that we are seeing in the sector. Not only will Worthwhile Ethical Trading provide an outlet for the crafts that are made in two social enterprises, but will also boost the employment opportunities and self confidence of two traditionally excluded groups. I wish it every success.”

The ethical trading post will help social enterprise and charities in the South West including PLUSS, an organisation who provide quality employment, training opportunities and equipment to disabled people across the West Country, and the Shekinah Mission with its day centres and highly successful work and training schemes in Plymouth and Torbay for the homeless and socially excluded. But it will also benefit people across the globe, including a woman’s co-operatives in Bangladesh and the Philippines who make striking shopping bags from old cement sacks and juice cartons.

Notes to editors

For more information on Shekinah Mission, contact Steve Weymouth on steve.weymouth@shekinahmission.co.uk or visit www.shekinahmission.co.uk

For more information on Homeless Link, contact Gill Perkins on gill.perkins@homelesslink.org.uk or visit www.homeless.org.uk