16 Jul 2023
In Defra’s Bees’ Needs Week we would like to shine a light and come out in support of the wonderful work that Anabel Kindersley from Neal’s Yard Remedies who is doing amazing work to help protect our bees. Here is a letter from Anabel explaining the situation and asking us all to support by writing to our local MPs:
Hello friends,
It’s been a while since I shared an update on the Stand By Bees campaign, and with Defra’s Bees’ Needs Week happening this week from 10-16 July, I thought now would be a good time.
As many of you are already aware, I have been in discussion with the Government, specifically Defra for the past year.
Very recently I had the opportunity to meet with Mark Spencer, the Minister responsible for farming and pesticide use at Defra. While I wasn’t expecting any immediate action, I had hoped that the Minister would be engaged and value the opportunity to hear from a coalition of over 100 businesses and NGOs that want to ensure high standards for environmental protection in Britain.
Unfortunately, this was not the case. The meeting has instead raised further concerns about the government’s willingness to address the use of toxic pesticides to protect pollinators and highlighted their reluctance to acknowledge the pressing need for action. It’s apparent that protecting our nation’s invaluable biodiversity has slipped down the agenda, with the National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (NAP) still yet to be published, despite its initial due date of 2018.
Although this was a disappointing outcome, it shows why we need to make our voices heard through continued, collaborative efforts to make this a pressing item on the political agenda. We need to keep the pressure up and as a collective, raise awareness of the critical need to protect our pollinators. After all one in three mouthfuls of food depends on them!
We’ll be encouraging our customers to write to their MPs in support of this long-awaited pesticide reduction plan and ask you to do the same. Please also keep sharing on social media and with your audiences too.
I appreciate that this is yet another letter to write, especially on top of your already very busy lives.
And though these things might seem small, our collective efforts WILL make a difference. Through sustained actions we will show our government, whether it’s this one or the next, that we won’t let nature be forgotten.
Very best and thank you again for your support,
Anabel
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We are guardians of people’s stories...
We ourselves are stories that weave and take shape through the thread, thanks to the gentle hands of the weavers.
The yarn, the loom, our and your stories, are the tools we have chosen to make what cannot be seen or touched, real and wearable. We give shape to the values in which we believe, we give voice to stories to be shared with those dearest to us, forever.
Not just exquisite works of art to wear, but ambassadors, ‘talking’ objects, timeless storytellers of meanings and values that we want to preserve and pass on.
Meet Isabelle, one of our talented handweavers!
Isabelle has long had an interest in textiles, ever since her grandmother taught her to sew.
She discovered weaving when visiting universities before applying to study. Immediately captivated by the woven textile displays at Loughborough University – the home of our George Wood looms – She became fascinated by how these complex woven structures could be created from just a few cones of yarn.
Isabelle enjoys the slow, hands-on process of weaving, appreciating how it demands your full and present focus, and is always excited to share the complexities of handweaving to our visitors.
Meet Helen, one of our talented handweavers!
As an advocate for sustainability and ethical production, handweaving appealed to Helen as the embodiment of slow, responsible craft.
She fell in love with the challenging yet meditative weave process during her textile degree at the Glasgow School of Art.
Helen adores that she can name the alpacas in the pieces that she weaves, as this level of provenance imbues the pieces with deeper meaning for both weaver and future owner.
We choose 100% undyed British alpaca fiber for our designs because it embodies the values we hold dear: sustainability, durability, and unparalleled luxury. Each fleece is sourced from carefully chosen UK farms where animal welfare is a top priority.
Our close relationships with breeders enable us to trace many of our yarns back to the individual alpacas, ensuring exceptional quality and transparency. The alpaca’s fleeces are left undyed, allowing the natural richness and unique tones of their coats to shine through in every piece.
In the UK, only 5–10% of alpacas produce fleece of the exceptional quality we require. Every fiber is meticulously selected for its fineness, crimp, luster, and colour, ensuring our pieces meet the highest standards of luxury and craftsmanship.
It has taken years for our weavers to attain the skill and knowledge required to create our handwoven items.
Handweaving takes precision and patience, with each warp prepared by hand and meticulously threaded through the shafts of the loom. Once weaving is complete there is a lengthy finishing process involving darning, stitching, washing and brushing – all by hand.
It can take our handweavers anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks to complete one of our Signature pieces.
Each piece in our Heritage handwoven collection has been inspired by Araminta’s deep love for the natural beauty of the Scottish landscape.
From the golden glow of the beech woodlands surrounding her family home in the Royal Deeside Corridor during autumn, to the ethereal light of the Scottish Highlands at dawn and dusk, the landscape is a constant source of inspiration for Araminta. The shifting interplay of colours, textures, and natural rhythms informs each handwoven piece, translating fleeting moments into timeless design.
Any moment in time could become Araminta’s next creation.
Meet Lisa, one of our talented handweavers!
Lisa studied weaving at Heriot Watt University, in the borders of Scotland – an area renowned for its textile production.
She always enjoyed creating things and was recommended to study textiles by her art teacher. When first starting out in her weave degree, she found the slow process of setting up challenging, yet today it’s her favourite part.
She finds peace whilst threading the loom, enjoying and embracing the flow.
Each piece has been lovingly handwoven and finished in our Edinburgh Atelier by our team of handweavers on vintage George Wood looms.
Araminta Campbell is one of the largest employers of handweavers in Scotland, fostering employment for talented craftspeople in Scotland plays a vital role in preserving the rich legacy of Scottish textile craftsmanship. Every thread woven in the Atelier carries with it the heritage and passion of centuries-old traditions, brought vividly to life through contemporary designs, and the work of our talented weavers.
It has taken years for our weavers to attain the skill and knowledge required to create our handwoven items.
Handweaving takes precision and patience, with each warp prepared by hand and meticulously threaded through the shafts of the loom. Once weaving is complete there is a lengthy finishing process involving darning, stitching, washing and brushing – all by hand.
When you choose one of our handwoven treasures, you’re not just owning a piece of Scotland’s rich textile heritage – you’re connecting with the hands that brought it to life.
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