An online marketplace selling artisan goods from independent retailers is donating a portion of its Christmas profits to nearby schools.
Gifted Local, set up by a mother-of-three from Crouch End, sells products from more than 80 independent businesses on its website including from traders in Highgate and Muswell Hill.
Over Christmas, for every purchase made by parents from each participating school, the online company is donating 10% back to that school.
Some of the schools involved in the scheme are Highgate Wood, Fortismere, Campsbourne, Alexandra Park, Tetherdown, St Aidan’s, St James and Parliament Hill’s PTA.
Crouch End founder Helen Robinson told the Ham&High: “I set up Gifted Local due to a frustration of not being able to get to my local shops to do my Christmas shopping with my three small kids in tow.
“I ended up doing all my Christmas shopping online with the big internet giants, it was so easy but the guilt was immense.
“I know how important it is to support my local community and to spend my money where it matters so setting up Gifted Local was a lightbulb moment where we offer the best of both worlds: an online marketplace that gives you the feel-good factor of buying locally online.”
Helen, who runs the business with Florence Eavis, warned that many local stores are fighting to stay afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the same time, she said shopping locally had taken on a “whole new meaning” as people want to stay closer to home.
Her business, which sells everything from gift boxes to homeware to Christmas cards, has seen sales rise by 140% from January to September.
“With us, people can buy beautiful and unique pieces made in their neighbourhood while using their purchasing power to sustain local businesses,” Helen said.
“We also encourage people to shop local by offering a more sustainable shopping experience.
“All products bought from our sellers come with minimal packaging and are hand-delivered where possible, cutting down the delivery mileage.”
She added: “Money spent with us will mean that that money is then used to buy a coffee in a local shop, to take their kids to a local ballet class or swimming lesson.”
For more information about Gifted Local click here.
The Ham&High’s Shop Local campaign is designed to highlight the hidden – and not so hidden – gems on our high streets. If you run a shop in our area we should be shouting about, contact our reporter Michael on michael.boniface@archant.co.uk or 07805 403 545
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