GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK
This Christmas give back to our coastline when you choose presents for friends and family with our selection of crafts, upcycled neoprene and those that directly benefit marine charities
From island producers to ocean charities to recycled marine waste items, there are plenty of gifts that will do good for more than just the recipient this Christmas, writes Rae Ritchie
Whether you love Christmas shopping or loathe it, it’s satisfying to find presents that don’t just benefit the recipient. One way to start your search is to think about a place that means a lot to the person you’re buying for. Is there somewhere that they go back to year after year, or a place that they always speak of fondly? If you share happy memories – new or old – about a location, even better.
EVOKE HAPPY MEMORIES
Once you’ve settled on a spot, there are different approaches to choose from. If nostalgia is what you’re after, then look for brands such as For the Love Of The North, where retro-style prints of North East England (right) evoke the glory days of the seaside holiday and raise money for Northumbria’s NHS Trust’s Bright Charity at the same time (from £10, fortheloveofthenorth.co.uk).
Another option is to give a present that both supports a good cause and enhances the recipient’s connection to an area. The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, for instance, now allows gifting of its Friend membership. In return for
a donation, the Friend will get updates throughout the year, including bi-monthly video diaries straight to their inbox (ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk/shop). Apply for an annual subscription to the Barmouth Sailor’s Institute and you’ll sustain a unique part of the area’s history – and provide somewhere for the giftee to visit whenever they’re there (£5, barsailinst.org.uk).
Books can tick both these boxes too. Think about where the sites of historic, scientific or artistic interest are in the area you are looking at. For example, Friends of Rye Harbour sells The Shingle Shore,
a beautiful photography book with more than 500 images of the nature reserve’s past and present (£15, rhnfriends.co.uk).
Buying Christmas presents from local artisans is another way to nurture a sense of connection with a place and also support it, particularly when this year’s travel restrictions may have prevented the usual flow of tourists and their spending. And thanks to the internet, distance or remoteness are not issues. The Iona Craft Shop stocks a selection of items made from the wool of the island’s sheep, as well as hanks of single origin Iona wool for the talented – or even just enthusiastic – knitter (from £10.95, ionacraftshop.com).
In the same region, the difficulties caused by Covid-19 inspired Rhoda Meek to create Isle20, a website that brings together artists, craftspeople and tiny food producers from across the Scottish islands in one place. A sea glass hanging from the Isle of Tiree, £15, and a handmade driftwood pen from the Isle of Mull, £36, are just two of the treasures listed (isle20.com).
MAKE A DONATION
Another approach to looking for gifts that give back is to focus on those companies that are contributing to worthwhile causes. Whoever you’re buying for, you can find brands offering products to help tackle coastal issues.
Salcombe Brewery donates 5p from each bottle of Seahorse beer sold to The Seahorse Trust, which works to conserve seahorse species that breed nearby (£17.50 for a case of eight 500ml bottles, salcombebrewery.com). Every four Lavender and Sea Salt candles sold by social enterprise Goodwash will fund a training qualification at Challenge Wales, a volunteer-run organisation which encourages young people to achieve their potential through learning at sea
(£16, goodwash.co.uk).
Beer and candles are classic Christmas presents. So are socks. Every pair from Critically Endangered Socks supports the world’s most at-risk animals, with 10% of the sale price of the organic cotton Maui Dolphin Striped Socks going to UK-based charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation (£12, criticallyendangeredsocks.com).
Jewellery is a popular festive choice as well. Océan Bohème in Brighton pledges to give a minimum of 5% of profits to ocean conversation groups, primarily Surfers Against Sewage, plus many of its boho designs integrate natural elements, such as shells and sea glass (prices from £20, oceanboheme.co.uk).
If it’s youngsters you need to buy for, check out the toys and accessories from Pompom, such as Polar Circle balancing toy (£19.95), Coastal Creatures wooden animal set (£19.95) and Pete the Penguin slippers (£29.99) – not a scrap of plastic in sight (shoppompom.com).
INVEST IN UPCYCLING
A different way to source gifts that give back is to shop with brands that upcycle waste materials into items that make great presents. In Cornwall, Waterhaul transforms waste fishing nets into sunglasses (waterhaul.co), while up in Orkney, A Frayed Knot uses traditional knotting techniques to turn discarded fishing ropes into doormats (facebook. com/pg/Afrayedknot).
Plastic Oceanic is likewise involved in a transformation project, which it describes as a four-stage repeating cycle: clean up ocean plastic, process the unrecyclable plastic, make products from ocean plastic and make money to clean up ocean plastic. Items forged from the rubbish it collects include cufflinks set in silver plate (£32, plasticoceanic.com).
Some companies have even joined forces to deal with plastic waste. Wyatt & Jack on the Isle of Wight makes