New eco-friendly shop aims to keep environment safe
ENVIRO GROUP MOVES INTO TOWN CENTRE SITE WITH ZERO-WASTE FOOD STORE AND ‘GREEN SKILLS HUB’
A NEW environmentally friendly “buy as much as you need” shop has opened in Uttoxeter.
The Globe Eco Centre has opened in the Old Mill, in Church Street.
It will create eco-friendly services including a zero-waste shop for food and household refills, an indoor garden with a refreshment area and a community recycling hub for “problem packaging”.
A new “green skills hub” will provide courses ranging from sustainable crafts, such as willow weaving, to seminars on climate change solutions.
The hub is the home of Precious Plastic Staffordshire, a volunteer-led project that turns waste plastic into beautifully crafted household items.
The centre is run by non-profit group the Globe Foundation, which aims to “protect and enhance the natural world by reducing the impact of modern living”.
Many Uttoxeter residents will already be familiar with Globe’s services from when the charitable group was based in Bramshall.
But the move will help it significantly grow its operation to support more people and projects.
Kate Copeland, founder of the Globe
Foundation, who lives in Uttoxeter, said: “Three years ago, we started in Bramshall Park with a group of six people, armed with a few litter pickers and hi-vis vests.
“Today we have grown the eco centre into a vibrant community hub that has supported hundreds of people and projects.
“We want to make people aware of the little lifestyle changes and educate them on what they can do and the importance of keeping our environment safe.
“We are immensely excited to bring the expansion and relocation of Globe Eco Centre to Uttoxeter town centre.
“With so much closing down in our lovely high street, it was important for us to create a social eco-community space and provide vital training and career opportunities in a time of most need.
“So far the shop has been very popular and we will be continuing with our online shop, for those who are isolating.
“We still have a lot of work to do in our new premises so the opening of our new facilities will be staggered as funding becomes available.
“We cannot wait to bring the rest of the building into use for community benefit and will continue our fund-raising efforts to restore it.”