Shop Local Love Local
#Lockdown2020
When faced with unprecedented challenge, we as a people miraculously overcome adversity by being brave, innovative and exceptionally creative.
We would like to recognise the local retail heroes of our little town here in Henley-on-Thames, who despite being faced with significant challenge to maintain their livelihoods during the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic have showed true survival spirit in how they adapted overnight to offer revised propositions to stay afloat.
We commend their resilience and creativity and for this reason my family and I committed to doing as much of our food purchasing from local small business owners and producers during the 2020 Lockdown so as to ensure we keep our local community thriving as well as reduce the impact that unnecessary supply chain handling/transport has on our environment. We are by no means perfectly green, but we are actively trying to make better choices on a daily basis which we hope will add up to a bigger impact over time.
I would like to recognise and give a huge and heartfelt BIG MASSIVE THANK YOU to:
Charlotte Sutton from Time For Tea Vintage for the deliciously fresh Vegetable & Fruit Boxes. The absolutely stunning Birthday Cakes freshly baked and delivered on my behalf to surprise 2 special birthday ladies and of course, the celebratory special VE Day 75th Year Afternoon Tea Box that we enjoyed during the social distancing picnic during on our front lawn with our neighbours celebrating and remembering those who sacrificed so much for us www.timeforteavintage.co.uk
A round of applause to English Farm for the organic meat box which included a fantastic selection of the most succulent ribeye steaks, quarter pounder burgers and one of my go to stew comforts, oxtail. It does not get fresher than picking your meat up from the farm www.englishfarm.net
The freshly baked bread, baguettes and iced donuts (yum) from Lawlor’s The Bakers – those donuts are seriously delicious! www.facebook.com/Lawlors-The-Bakers
Thank you, Hurley House Hotel for seamless app based ordering and 100% contact free collection of their stunning freshly made Sushi! Who would have thought we’d find this little gem only a stone throw away from home? www.hurleyhouse.co.uk
Alice at For Small Hands – Thank you for the fantastic baking boxes delivered to all the little people in our lives – they loved it and we loved their creations. It gave Mums a planned activity for the day and a nice break from home schooling.
Thank you Charlotte from SaveThymeCooking – delicious cooked meals (and amazing chocolate brownies) delivered straight to our door. As a busy twin mum, having a cooked and prepared meal made with fresh ingredients from scratch delivered straight to the door ready to go in the oven is simply a treat! www.savethymecooking.com/
Who knew we had a local creamery?!? A very well deserved nod to Nettlebed Creamery for the stunning award winning cheeses – we just couldn’t get enough of the fantastic Bix! Buy Direct: www.nettlebedcreamery.com
Last but not least, Purple Foot Wines – thank you for the great selection of wines to pair with our Lockdown dinners (and the odd lunch) Delivered straight to our door – without which I am a little ashamed to say, no meal would have been complete. Don’t judge me, join me! www.purplefoot.co.uk/
If Coronavirus has taught me anything it is that we can change, adapt and innovate at lightning speed and that where there is a will, there is always a way. I have also learned that convenience does not always mean fast or mass produced! In our case, hopefully it will be a new sustainable way of buying as much as we possibly can locally from independent producers and suppliers to support our wonderful and innovative local farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses working tirelessly to serve the great people of Henley.
#CommunityMatters #BeKind #ShopLocal #lovelocal
Warmest wishes
The Wild & Rust Team