The first hair salon across all of the communities signed up to be a champion! Redefine in Poundbury decided to ensure that the biscuits they give to their clients only have, and will always only have, sustainable palm oil as opposed to unsustainable palm oil. Welcome Emma and the team!
It is amazing what brilliant companies we have here in Dorset. Firepot Food, based in Broadoak near to Bridport, produce award winning dehydrated expedition food critical to staying healthy in the wild. The range includes vegan, gluten-free meals, compostable packaging, and extra-large portions, and has been used in Antarctic expeditions as well as many many phenomenal adventures (cycling 18,000 miles around the world in 80 days anyone?). Now they will ensure that if there is palm oil in any of their products, that it will only be sustainable palm oil.
We have continued to have great publicity thanks again to Emily and Lizzie of DSPOC Ambassador Warrior Agency following the press release about the ongoing impact of Dorset Sustainable Palm Oil Community (DSPOC). The online Dorset View magazine, the Swanage and Wareham Advertiser and the Marshwood Vale magazine, reaching almost 60,000 people between them, all wrote about Dr Jane Goodall’s involvement as an Ambassador in the project.
Some of the communities managed to meet up with Faye and Cat (the SPOC instigators and co-ordinators) at Chester Zoo! It was the very first time we had got together, and I came back inspired by what everyone is doing. In a village called Mochdre in North Wales, a tiny primary school, led by one of their amazing teachers, is encouraging local businesses and organisations to only use sustainable rather than conventional palm oil. The Hull and East Riding SPO Community, launched in late September by The Deep, has already had a breakfast event with over 40 companies and both the Wild Planet Trust / Newquay Zoo for Newquay and Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) for Oxford continue to work hard supporting businesses and organisations to find out more about why it is important to understand what difference asking for sustainable palm oil could make. We also heard that Cat Barton of Chester Zoo had won several awards for her work around sustainable palm oil including the Third Sector’s Rising Star Award! Huge congratulations to Cat (and Faye who is often behind the scenes but plays an enormous part of the SPO team at Chester).
Inspiration can come from many places and this month, I was amazed by a lady called Abi from Arts2Educate who has written a musical on deforestation for 5 – 8 year olds! ‘Save our Land’ is an original musical about a young gorilla who lives in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with his family and many friends. He lives a playful life full of colour and fun until one day the colourful birds report that they have seen something horrible coming into their land. “We have heard they want to chop trees. We have heard they want to chop them down”. Can the animals work together to help save their land? The musical ties in with popular school topics including the rainforest, environmental issues, community spirit, working together as a team, friendship and supporting each other. It comes with teaching videos, art and music teaching resources, backing tracks and a script. If any schools want to find out more, please let me know and I can put you in touch.
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