Created in Kent It s not easy buying Christmas presents. With so much choice out there, how do you pick the perfect gift? This year, why not see what Kent has to offer? Words by: Francesca Baker. Pictures by: Manu Palomeque Buying local benefits everybody. Research on spending by local authorities shows that for every 1 spent with a small or medium-sized business, 63p stays in the local economy, compared to 40p with a larger business. A thriving high street attracts visitors, makes for social interaction, and builds a nicer community environment. Your Christmas gift will be unique and special. Knowing the story behind a product and present can make the giving and receiving that much more enjoyable. Here s a few places to do your Christmas shopping right on your doorstep. Happy & Glorious Happy & Glorious in Cranbrook is not just a positive name but a positive place. Owner Kate Tompsett has been working in retail since the age of 17, starting out online then exhibiting at fairs before renting her first pop-up shop in 2014. She had a shop in Ashford for a year as part of the regeneration scheme, which gave her the chance to leave her full-time job and test out the high street in an affordable way. In January Happy & Glorious moved to Cranbrook. Focusing on British-made gifts and homeware came naturally to Kate. I m a farmer s daughter and was always encouraged to buy British goods where possible. I know the provenance behind all of my products and I feel as if I ve created a little community of wonderful, talented people, and that my shop is at the heart of it all. Kate hosts guest artists and workshops in order to open up the space to more people, and create a sense of connection. In store you can find everything from candles, bath treats, cushions and throws to diffusers, Owner Kate Tompsett of Happy & Glorious stationery, lighting, art and ceramics. I only buy things I genuinely love, she says. I try to keep a classic, beautiful look to all my products, with the occasional twist of silliness. I look for quality products with a mid-range price tag so that people can see that British products, while a little more expensive than imported goods, are still affordable. Over the last few months Kate has designed her own collection of hand-made Christmas decorations and has been busy testing design ideas and making the products too. There are Christmas decoration workshops lined up, and she ll be taking Happy & Glorious back out on the road to exhibit at some festive fairs. 47 High St, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 3EE Original gifts from Happy & Glorious www.happyglorious.co.uk 4 25
The Little Red Hen The Little Red Hen is Alix Leeds. She uses traditional metalsmith techniques and silver clay to design unique jewellery. I love living in the Kent countryside and take inspiration from the natural world around me. I enjoy the design process and every stage from the first sketches I make, to the finished piece reflects this love, she says. Her jewellery is stylish but practical and comfortable enough for everyday wear something that matters to her as a busy mum. Not only does Alix sell locally in places such as Made in Ashford and Canterbury Whitefriars Food and Craft Market, but she buys locally too. It s part of what s called the circular economy. I have many friends who run small businesses and I always try to buy locally, especially at Christmas. When a product has been hand made, a lot of time and care goes into the process and I think people really appreciate that and enjoy owning something that is unique. www.redhenjewellery.wordpress.com/ redhenjewellery@gmail.com Jewellery by Alix Leeds of The Little Red Hen 26 kent-life.co.uk
Melissa Dawkins, manager and founder of Made In Ashford Made In Ashford Made In Ashford is not only a shop for the community, it s also a community in itself. A cooperative of around 40 small businesses, members all rent a space in store and some also work shifts on site. Beginning as a pop-up in October 2015 as part of Ashford Borough Council s programme for town-centre regeneration, it was such a success that they stayed open permanently. As well as selling products, the Made in Ashford scheme offers support and help to nurture the businesses with networking breakfasts, nights out and training. Being a community means that for both sellers and customers alike the shop is a very different shopping experience, according to Melissa Dawkins, manager and founder. When you buy something from our shop it has been created in Kent and the money is going back into a Kentish business, she says By buying local you are keeping our high streets alive and giving small businesses the funding they need to reinvest and do something even better. As a platform for small, local, creative businesses to experience selling in Ashford town centre, there s a varied product range, including driftwood signs, personalised cutlery, keyrings, hand screen-printed fabrics, vintage reproduction clothing and wire crochet jewellery. Things are done with a smile at Christmas, so as well as special decorations and products there will also be mulled wine, mince pies and a special Christmas rock n roll DJ. 26 Park Mall, Ashford TN24 8RY www.madeinashford.wordpress.com 4 Proud to be Made In Ashford A Kentish icon - Made In Ashford 27
Made in Kent Made in Kent is developed by and is the trading arm of North Kent Mind. An art and gift store based in Gravesend, it sells goods from piccalilli to jewellery, and everything in between. Kent is full of talented artists and makers and we are proud to showcase these amazing items in store, says manager Charlotte Barton. We have been trading now for a year and a half and have loved becoming part of the local community. While the range of products and gifts is amazing, the real wow factor is their support for North Kent Mind. All profits go to support the vital work they do. Even more important is that the shop is run by a dedicated team of volunteers, all of whom are in recovery from mental health issues. They are supported to develop confidence and skills to help get back to work, and so far 17 volunteers have found employment since the project. By learning the business skills on the job, their longer-term recovery prospects are supported. But this isn t your usual charity shop where discarded items end up. We are constantly sourcing products, analysing sales and also listening to our customers to really help us identify what it is our customers are looking for, says Charlotte. We are always looking for products that are different and not something you would find in every other store. We work with artists and makers identifying what the future developments for their ranges might be. With a range of small stocking fillers and larger personalised gifts, there s really something for everyone here. 54 High St, Gravesend DA11 0AY 01474 329602 www.madeinkent.org.uk Charlotte Barton of Made in Kent 28 kent-life.co.uk
Cara Kemp of Lower Hardres Farm Shop Lower Hardres Farm Shop Christmas isn t Christmas without some delicious food and tasty treats. Naturally Kent has that covered brilliantly. Cara and Simon Kemp run Lower Hardres Farm Shop, and their farming background and strong relationships with local suppliers means that they create delicious packages all year round. 2017 marks the shop s 10-year anniversary, having opened in 2007 to sell their own farm meats and as many local products as possible. I will also buy in produce from local people s allotments if they have a glut and need to sell some, says Cara, thus helping to minimise waste. They sell everything from Kentish cobnuts to local cherry wine, local cheeses, bread, milk and specialist sweet and savoury products. Suppliers include Cheesemakers of Canterbury, Wye-based The Wooden Spoon Preserving Company and Simpson s of Hawkhurst the home of Handmade Goupie, which is a chewy, chocolatey confection. Lots of people have lost the connection of where their food comes from. Buying local means you are more likely to see the producer of the product, says Cara. The Kemps offer pick-your-own fruit including raspberries, tayberries, plums, gooseberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and blackberries, and the in-house butchery means that the meat is the freshest possible. This Christmas we will be selling local Christmas trees, locally reared turkeys, meat and game, and lots of other goodies such as honey, jams, marmalades, apple juice, wines, ciders, beers, cheese and more, she says. You can either pop in to do your shopping, or they ll make you up a special Christmas hamper to your taste. Lower Hardres, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 5NU 01227 700947 www.lowerhardresfarmshop.co.uk Polly Had A Dolly One of the suppliers to Made In Ashford is Staplehurst-based Lydia Stonely, the designer and maker behind Polly had a Dolly. She has made dolls for as long as she can remember, seeing it as a natural progression from playing with them, and as a child she enjoyed creating rag dolls from kits with her mum. It was motherhood that ignited the passion again. When my eldest daughter arrived I wanted to make her a special doll, sewn with love especially for her. I made another for my second daughter and it reignited my love of dollmaking, she says. But this isn t about just a pretty plaything. I try to design and make dolls that will stimulate a universe of imagination, creating the most magical of moments, through simple expressions, natural materials and tactile fabrics, Lydia explains. The dolls are stuffed with lambs wool, which is not only eco-friendly and antibacterial but it is also comforting and absorbs a child s heat. One of the great things about buying local is that some of the maker s personality comes through the brand and product. My doll-making business brings all parts of me together, says Lydia. It allows me to combine my creative skills, my business mind and motherhood. Each year Lydia brings out a special range of festive dolls. This year she s making tiny Santa baby dolls in crackers, velour baby elves and Scandinavianinspired winter dolls. www.pollyhadadolly. co.uk 29