New Business Flood Recovery Fundraiser

Hello, my name is Keith and I own Our Precious Earth, a small business in Minehead, Somerset, which I opened in February 2023. I did my first beach clean as a young boy back in 1971 and have seen firsthand how plastic has impacted our environment, especially the sea. It was one day last autumn when I was removing plastic from the tide line and wondering what could be done to help when I had a ‘light bulb moment’ to open a plastic free shop. I went home and drew up a business plan and searched for eco-friendly, sustainable and ethnically sourced products. I decided everything in my shop had to be as eco-friendly as possible, not just the stock but the paint, floor covering, lighting, and all fittings. The shop is a real conversation piece. One customer recently commented, “This is more than a shop, it’s an education!” Exactly what I wanted it to be.

on Sunday 17th September, we had 100mm of rainfall in just a few hours-the highest since 1969. This sadly flooded numerous homes and businesses in the area. Unfortunately, when I was setting up my business, I couldn’t get flood cover on my insurance as the town has had flood in the past. As I had put all my money into the business, this has had an effect on my finances due to losing my specialised flooring underlay made from recycled vehicle tyres, and sustainable sisal carpet payed on top. I lost all stock at lower levels as, being plastic free, everything is packed in paper/cardboard packaging. I’m looking forward to getting the shop back to normal which will take a while due to my budget.

I have been asked if I have a ‘GoFundMe’ page which I wasn’t thinking about doing but have been asked a few times now. If I reach my target, that will be amazing! If I go over, I will ensure it is used for some worthwhile projects to help make a difference. Thank you for your time.