Bath

The Community Farm

The Community Farm is a community-owned social enterprise, growing and selling organic food through a box delivery service, which includes fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat and a selection of groceries.

“Our aim is to help people develop a better understanding of where their food comes from, reconnect with the land on which their food is grown, and learn more about sustainable farming.”

Aside from the produce that comes fresh from their fields, The Community Farm chooses to work with local organic farmers and producers, meaning that the products on offer are selected based on their production methods and what is in season, so that they are of a high-quality, and are local and Fairtrade. To provide fruits and vegetables all year-round, some produce needs to be imported, however, with an aim to reduce air miles, you can rest assured that nothing is imported by airfreight.

The Community Farm produce is farmed on Grade 1 agricultural land in Chew Magna, overlooking Chew Valley Lake. The fruits and vegetables are Soil Association certified 100% organic, which is great for taste, health and for the environment. The 15-acre site is a haven for wildlife, thanks to their nature-friendly farming methods.

“Not only does organic farming produce very tasty fruit and vegetables, it also provides a rich habitat for wildlife to thrive in. Amongst the plethora of wildlife living on the farm are tawny owls, skylarks, swallows, linnets, kestrels, hedgehogs and deer.”

The term ‘community’ is absolutely key to the farm Their 500 shareholder members have a say in how it’s run, plus the profits go towards providing learning experiences for children, adults and vulnerable people.

Furthermore, The Community Farm is intent on reducing waste. You will see very little packaging in their farm outlets, their delivery boxes can be returned, reused and eventually, recycled, and any surplus produce goes to food projects or food banks.

The Community Farm delivers to Bristol, Bath, the Chew Valley, Frome and Weston-Super-Mare. To sign-up to their organic box scheme, visitthecommunityfarm.co.uk/boxes/ or purchase produce direct from their Veg Shed at Denny Lane, Chew Magna, their Organic Farm Shop in Green Park Station, Bath (open Tuesday to Sunday), or their Wednesday market stall at Southmead Hospital, Bristol.

https://www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/
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Veg Box enquiries:
Email: box@thecommunityfarm.co.uk
Phone: 01275 295029

Sleepy Doe

If anything makes you want to snuggle up and have a restful night, it’s the organic Sleepy Doe sleepwear, designed for mother and child.

Prior to starting up Sleepy Doe in 2016, founder, Sophie, had eleven years’ experience in the fashion industry. Today, in her collections, she prioritises long-lasting quality and comfort, beautiful print and design, and ethical manufacturing, whilst using her success to support small businesses that share a similar ethos.

“All fabrics are handpicked with quality at the forefront and products are carefully designed with subtle design details, bringing comfort with an effortless style to the mini – and twinning – bedtime wardrobe.” – Sophie, Founder.

Low-impact inks are used in the printing methods, and are all printed onto soft, ecologically sourced organic cotton, certified in accordance to the most up-to-date Global Organic Textile Standard. The garments are each manufactured and printed in a small, independent U.K. factory.

Although Sleepy Doe was born in Bath, the products can be found in many hand-selected independent stores worldwide, as well as in Fortnum and Mason in London. Email hello@sleepydoe.com to find out about stores near you, or visit the website to make purchases and see the whimsical past and present collections.

https://sleepydoe.com/
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Email: hello@sleepydoe.com

SmartSquid

The fashion industry is said to be the second most polluting industry after oil. Sarina, founder of Smartsquid, is passionate about building a sustainable fashion business, only using garments from certified sustainable suppliers, and using low-impact inks for her beautiful prints, showcasing creatures that, in her opinion, ‘need a bit more appreciation’.

“Smartsquid focuses on creating unique items to spark ecological conversations.” – Sarina, Founder.

Smartsquid is a wonderfully transparent business, making sure that its customers are aware of the origins of the materials used, whether it’s organic cotton, recycled fabrics or water-based Soil Association certified organic inks.

EarthPositive or Stanley/Stella t-shirts are used as a base for SmartSquid designs. The cotton for these garments is grown in India on an organic cotton farm, where the entire production process is certified in accordance with the latest version of the Global Organic Textile Standard. When the t-shirts are made from recycled fabrics, they are made using a blend of pre-consumer recycled organic cotton and post-consumer recycled plastic. The finished garments are certified under the Global Recycle Standard and the Organic Content Standard by the Control Union Certifications.

What really makes Smartsquid garments original, however, are the print designs. There are currently two collections available: ‘Ocean Creatures’, features whales, sharks, seabirds, grey seals, turtles and dolphins, with 20% of profits going to The Ocean Clean Up. The ‘Dung Ecology Collection’ features dung beetles, blow flies and earthworms.

“The dung ecology depicts the degradation of a dung pat, a really important process that needs some attention. Recent work suggests that dung beetles and flies are negatively affected by some common pesticides. We need these creatures for farming to run smoothly!” – Sarina.

Smartsquid products currently only for sale on the website listed below. Click here to find out more about the Smartsquid ethos.

https://smartsquid.online/
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Email: smartsquidink@gmail.com

Tuck It In

“When looking for bedding for my young son, I wanted something fun, gender neutral and responsible, and found it really hard to get all three. I didn’t want to compromise, so I started Tuck It In.” – Lucy, founder.

Tuck It In creates beautiful handmade bedding for babies and young children, using organic or Global Organic Textile Standard certified fabrics and natural dyes, which give the finished pieces lovely, soft colours that complement one another perfectly. Materials used to make the dyes vary from carrot tops, to pomegranate, to dahlias and even locally sourced walnuts.

Lucy also runs workshops, where you can learn the various methods she uses for Tuck It In, including quilting and patchworking for beginners, and natural dying using food waste that you would find in your own kitchen waste bin. You can find out more about her workshops here.

Furthermore, Tuck It In often offers seasonal products which are well worth looking out for, such as Christmas stockings, and delicately designed and hand printed moon phase calendars.

You can find Lucy at the Frome Independent market, or follow the link to the website where the items can be shipped worldwide.

https://tuckitin.bigcartel.com/
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Email: hello@tuckitin.co.uk

Castle Farm

Castle Farm is all about fresh, local, quality produce, to make delicious hearty meals. Castle Farm is situated on an organic farm in Midford, not too far out of Bath, but far enough to feel like you’ve left the hustle and bustle of the city. On chillier days, you can cosy up in the big refurbished shed, or bask in the warm sun by the thriving veggie garden and friendly cows.

Castle Farm is best known for its seasonal produce, sourced straight from the farm, as well as from small, local suppliers, meaning that they are supporting local businesses and reducing air miles at the same time.

“We are living our dream at Castle Farm, we cover a huge variety in our offering, just enjoying cooking for the love of it, making our guests feel really special whether they come Wednesday breakfast or a Saturday supper club.” – Leah, co-owner.

Roti bread and mussles — Credit: Neil White

You’re sure to be impressed with the efforts that this family-run business goes to, to ensure that they are as ethical as possible. They compost and recycle everything that they can and are constantly striving to cut waste and upcycle any spare ingredients.

Castle Farm is open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Saturday and they offer a wonderful Sunday roast. Furthermore, the Friday curry nights, and Saturday supper clubs are not to miss. Keep an eye out for their cooking courses, which have included seasonal vegetarian cooking, a pasta cookery class and a cocktail masterclass.

https://www.castlefarmmidford.co.uk/
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Open Tue–Sun
Address: Castle Farm, Midford Rd, Midford, Bath BA2 7BU
Email: castlefarmcafemidford@gmail.com
Phone: 07564 783307

Relish

Relish vegan catering is one of those new small businesses that has absolutely taken off! Founder, Amy, is passionate about spreading the plant-based diet and ‘normalising’ vegan food, and she does so very successfully with her array of cakes and dishes that are made to order. Possibly the best thing about Relish is that, when biting into any of their products, you would be surprised that it’s vegan at all, as it tastes just as indulgent and delicious as any non-vegan cake.

“We make food that’s considered ‘normal’ so it’s not off-putting or daunting for meat-eaters or vegetarians to approach us.” – Amy.

At Relish, they do their best to buy fair-trade ingredients and avoid supermarkets where possible, but their main focus is minimising animal cruelty and the impact that the meat and dairy industry have on our planet.

“We respect all animals and therefore do not feel the need for them to suffer in order to make food that we can make just as well (if not better).” – Amy.

From stunning celebration cakes, to flavourful sausage rolls, to their infamous Bakewell tarts, Relish bakes have become a favourite in Bath, and you can them in many cafes scattered in and around the city, including Cascara, Friends are Electric and Society Café.

Keep an eye on the Relish Instagram page, where Amy often posts budget-friendly, delicious and healthy vegan recipes, which are especially wonderful for those who are transitioning to a vegan diet or are simply trying to incorporate more plant-based meals into their daily lives.

https://www.relishvegan.co.uk/
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Email: relishvegan@hotmail.com

Bath Culture House

Bath Culture House is a fermented food and drink business that supplies to cafes and stores all over Bath, Bristol and Somerset. The soul of Bath Culture House, Lucie, hand makes tasty, belly-friendly products that are all vegan and gluten free, packaged by hand using eco conscious recyclable materials, void of any single-use plastics.

The selection of kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, vegan “chease”, and the newest product, kimchi ketchup, all promote a healthy digestive system and have proven to be popular around the area, as you can often see Lucie joyfully rushing around, delivering the goodies in person.

Furthermore, Lucie teaches classes at Demuths Cookery School where she shares her knowledge and skills to enable people to do fermentation at home and teach them the importance of good gut health.

Find Bath Culture House products at Harvest, various vegan festivals and markets, the Sunday market at the Tobacco Factory, G&D Free in Keynsham, Chi Wholefoods in Bristol, and more.

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Email: info@bathculturehouse.co.uk

Yellow Shop

Yellow Shop is a clothing store that specialises in retro and vintage clothing from the USA and Europe, working with selected suppliers to buy, sort and revitalise retro clothing, so that customers won’t find anything that they might find in other UK second-hand stores.

“Our major demographic is the younger generation and its very satisfying to be able to develop their interest in retro clothes, shopping responsibly and ethically.” – Chris, manager.

90% of Yellow Shop stock is pre-owned, showing that you can dress fashionably without impacting the environment in the way that the fast-fashion “throwaway” industry does. In store, you can find anything from one-off pieces that are handmade, American labels that are otherwise unavailable in the UK, down to well-known brand names available at a fraction of the normal cost.

When you wander across the brightly painted store front in an otherwise stone coloured city, with its trend-heavy stock, it is no surprise that Yellow Shop has been standing strong for over 20 years. “We give the clothes here the love and care that they deserve ensuring that they are in the best possible condition before they are made available for our customers.”

https://www.yellowshop.co.uk/
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Open 7 Days
Address: 72 Walcot Street, Bath BA1 5BD
Phone: 01225 404001

Beyond the Kale

If you’re looking for food that’s delicious, healthy, filling and ethical then you can’t go past Beyond the Kale, a vegan café/restaurant that also caters for those who follow a gluten free, and/or a refined sugar free diet.

The friendly staff at Beyond the kale work to minimise their impact on the environment by using local seasonal produce, and offering compostable packaging, whilst incentivising customers to bring their own packaging for take away food and drink. However, there is also the option to eat in, where you can sit amongst the rustic second-hand furniture and enjoy the smells of freshly baked banana bread and herby roasted vegetables.

“Our business is local, independent and we were the very first 100 per cent vegan cafe in the area. We like to think we have inspired others to follow our lead.” – Ayshea, owner.

Beyond the Kale is known for its choice of juices and smoothies, comforting breakfasts and flavourful lunches. Almost everything on the menu is prepared in house, with a large percentage of their produce sourced locally and certified organic.

You can find Beyond the Kale cosily tucked away in Green Park Station, where it is open 7 days a week, and especially bustling on Saturdays when the Bath Farmers Market is taking place just outside the door.

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Open 7 days
Address: Green Park Station, Bath, BA1 2DR
Phone: 01225 424121

Belle Isle Botanicals

You can find delicious smelling candles and skin care products in every second shop these days, but majority of the time it’s hard to know what the ingredients are and where they have come from. Belle Isle Botanicals is doing everything right, prioritising transparency with their products, and building a business that gives back.

“We really believe in the power of plants, so all of our skincare is 100% natural. We use organic cocoa butter, shea butter and pure essential oils to create products that actually work, without the unidentifiable ingredients you often get from larger brands.” – Roseanna, founder.

All of the ingredients that are used in making their products are sourced from trusted UK suppliers and nothing gets wasted. There are no single-use plastics in sight, and all orders are packaged with paper, cardboard and recyclable tape. They also encourage their customers to re-use the tins by sending them back to be refilled. Furthermore, leftover wax is used to create unique candles, and they sell the ones that go a little bit wonky at half the price of the regular candles.

Belle Isle Botanicals is a vegan business, so you can rest assured that no animals are harmed in the making of any products. They use soy wax instead of beeswax, vegan friendly fragrance oils, and plant-based ingredients wherever possible.

But wait, it gets better… at Belle Isle Botanicals, charity donation is the drive behind the business. They donate 10% of the profits to a different charity every quarter. “I actually had to be talked out of donating 50% of profits because, apparently, you need to make money to run a business.” They have recently donated to Bloody Good Period, as well as DOTS, Isle of Wight Pride, and created a Pride candle from which 20% of profits go to Stonewall.

You can find Belle Isle Botanicals at numerous markets and festivals around the Bath/Bristol area, including the Bristol Harbourside Market, the Bath Artisan Market, selected vegan fairs and more, or you can buy the products online at the link below.

https://belleislebotanicals.com/
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Email: info@belleislebotanicals.com