Fund Zero Yorkshire Mark IV

This is a bit of an essay, but I’d love it if you’d take the time to read it. It will also make me feel a lot better about asking you for money if you know the whole story...Five years ago, I started Zero Yorkshire with a five hundred quid loan from family and a 20-year-old Nissan Micra. I did my first outdoor market, in Ossett, in the Spring of 2018. Needless to say, the regulars at Ossett market were both amused and, it has to be said, slightly baffled. The concept of 'zero waste living' even as recently as 5 years ago was something that had not been at all embraced.Regardless, I pushed on, doing a different market in a different spot in Yorkshire every day of the week for almost two years. Ossett was first, followed by Holmfirth, Hebden Bridge, Fox Valley, Pontefract, Wakefield and Mirfield, as well as various events and popups. Winters were hard and rainy days even worse, but comments from people who were genuinely excited that these options were available really pushed me on - I kept researching and learning and adding to the products I had available.The last 9 months or so of doing markets, was made a bit easier with the arrival of a sparkly new van (it was from 2013 but you try squeezing a market stall in a Micra for just shy of a year and anything would have seemed new and sparkly at that point!) I got a bit more professional, got some branding on the side, got a pop-up gazebo and, with the help of my mate's Dave and Jac, transformed the back of the van in to a little pop-up shop using reclaimed wood. It looked ace - it weighed an absolute ton but it looked ace.Sometime after that and, honestly, with the van on its last legs from the work of driving around Yorkshire (very, very slowly - due to the weight and the glass jars in the back) I was asked to do a pop-up stall at Globe Arts Studios in Slaithwaite (don't say it like that though - the locals pronounce it Slawit) and I was greeted with nothing but positivity and warmth from those who had seemingly been looking for something like this for a while.After a few months of interspersing the Slawit pop-up with my regular markets I was asked if I wanted a permanent spot in one of Globe's art studios. It was on street level, and would mean I could get out of the elements. It would also mean I wouldn't have to set off at 5am every morning, set up and then fend off questions like "There's a pound stretcher round the corner, why would I pay £4 for a toothbrush when I can get one for a quid?" A fair question, but it didn't make my days any easier, there was only so many times I could argue the benefits of a less wasteful lifestyle and I was getting tired of telling people that every toothbrush ever made still existed...Let's skip on a bit...3 years later, somehow surviving through a pandemic, rising costs and the general mess the world seems to be hurtling itself happily towards, England’s smallest zero waste shop has grown (mostly upwards - if you've been in, you'll know what I mean) and is supporting itself and me (just about!).Over those years I have had an amazing customer base and regulars who have genuinely become friends to the point where I went on holiday with some of them last year! You lot have given me the confidence to keep pushing and to keep Zero Yorkshire growing, that’s where Zero Yorkshire Mark IV comes in.I've found a new place! Still in Slaithwaite/Slathwaite/Slawit and 5 times bigger (although it would be impossible for it to be smaller) and the lease is signed. We’re sharing the place with Otso clothing, our long-time shop neighbour, friend and occasional t-shirt collaborator. (New t-shirt collab coming soon, by the way) There’s two floors, they’re taking upstairs and Zero, the ground floor. For the last 3 years everything I have wanted to do, and the community has asked for, can finally be done, but I will need your help!So what’s the 10k for I hear you cry! I know, it's a lot! The money raised will be going towards everything below (plus much more as things come up).Fridges For various plant-based milks, cow’s milk, yoghurt, kombucha, kimchi, houmous, and you know, whatever you usually buy from a fridge, really!Freezers Yep, wanna buy frozen peas, chips, hash browns, fruit, berry mixes, PASTRIES(?!) packaging free? Well, you will be able to.A peanut butter machine Let's be honest, this is just a gimmick, and a bloody expensive gimmick at that! Peanut butter machines cost upwards of £1500 second-hand, depending on the model, BUT it would mean you could buy as much peanut/almond/cashew/pecan/whatever butter as you wanted, and that's pretty cool. Saying that though, a peanut butter machine would be the last thing on the list (even though it's third on this one)Fresh orange juice machine (see most of the points above, just swap the nuts for oranges)Makeup and skincare. Ethically sound, sustainable, not tested on animals and plastic free, as well as refillable.Oils and vinegars I've delved in to this a little, but could do a full range, including local rapeseed oil, flavoured olive oils, chilli oils, rice vinegars plus more (maybe even Henderson's relish!)More and better With such a small place, it's always been a challenge to keep everything stocked up, with limited storage space available. Say goodbye to that issue! With funding help, I could stock larger quantities and more options of current or similar stock. It would also mean I could take requests more readily, as I often have to put these off due to shelf space limitation.Refills of ketchup and vegan mayo (yep, they exist)Fancy stuff I'm talking matcha, I’m talking pine nuts, saffron (whaaat), dried mushrooms, and more.Fun stuff! With more space and a cellar for storage, the option to use the shop for events and talks, socials and clubs could thrive.Local artists support Slaithwaite and the surrounding area is blessed with some amazing artists who take thoughtful approaches to how they do things and the art and products they create, I’d love to stock some of these options and in turn, support the local art scene.The boring things Cabinets, shelving, paint, signage, a sink (so you can try products out and for general ease when refilling messy things) and general retailling space.Oh and it'll hopefully look a bit like this (from the outside, anyway)I can't promise I'll be able to deliver on everything above, it's a wishlist really, but I'll damn well try! If the funding target is reached, there's no reason why the shop can't be stocked with everything on the list. I can say with confidence that the community has benefited from this tiny zero waste shop in their midst. As of April '23 this is a snippet of how much plastic and packaging Zero Yorkshire has saved from being thrown away:750 1 litre Tetra Paks (Minor Figures oat milk refills)3,500 1 litre bottles of household products (washing up liquid, hand wash, laundry liquid, surface cleaner etc)6,250 500g bags of our most popular ambient food refills (porridge oats, rice, lentils, muesli, pasta etc)1,250 250g bags of coffee beans450 plastic toothbrushes325 deodorants250 kitchen scrubbers (and they're terrible those sponges with the scour-y side - micro plastics galore!)Not bad for a shop smaller than a garage - imagine what we could do with even more options.Pledging with a difference.This isn’t a new concept, but it is one I’d like to embrace in this scenario.However much you give, you can have back, if you want.If you use the 'Money Back Scheme' when selecting your pledge then that amount will be available to you whenever you shop at Zero, however you won’t be able to take the full amount in one go (as that could leave me destitute quite quickly!) but you will be able to take up to 30% off your shop, until your ‘tab’ has run out. Plus you'll get an opportunity to check out the shop early with an automatic invite to our opening party, regardless of which pledge option you go for!To everyone that has supported my little shop, van pop-up and market stall over the years, I am beyond grateful for you. Not only have you kept a small business going and supported a family, you’ve helped reduce waste in our local communities and genuinely made real change. With this last push, we can create a kick-ass shop and make Yorkshire even better. Even if that means we won't be 'England's Smallest Zero Waste Shop' anymore! Our slogan is ‘Preserving what we’re proud of’ and we’d love to keep doing that.