Wow! What a year it has been! Thank you to all of our fantastic customers who have made this year one of our busiest yet - we couldn't do it without you. Our team have got together to share some of our memories of 2021, as well as share our intentions for the coming year...
What has been your highlight for the year 2021?
Leona: One of my highlights for the year has definitely been seeing the Artisans & Adventurers team double in size! It has been lovely getting to know my new colleagues and seeing the brand I love so much flourish. Amy & Bee are a joy to work with and I'm so proud to have been a small part of their journey.
Bee: There were two highlights - my lovely business partner had a baby which was a brilliant thing to happen and he is the best little cuddler in the world and I also managed the first trip since March 2019 and visited our artisans in Ghana.
Amy: The birth of my son, Maximilien and the reopening of our shop post-Covid which went hand in hand with hiring three new fabulous team members! Getting nominated for the Holly & Co. Awards was also a brilliant boost after battling our way through the past 18 months of uncertainty.
Nicola: Highlight of the year has been starting to work here! I have always loved Artisans & Adventurers- so its genuinely a dream come true to work here.
Natalie: Definitely being nominated for the best High Street shop in the Holly & Co awards!
Dosh: The highlight of 2021 for me was meeting my friend Emma.
What one thing do you hope to improve on in the year 2022?
Leona: I am hoping to spend more time learning dressmaking in the new year! I love sewing and find it to be really beneficial for my mental wellbeing and I'd love to improve the skills I have gained this year.
Bee: I hope that the world gets back to being a better place and we all learn to love each other and care and respect each other a little bit more. For myself I want to continue to cut down on my waste and try to buy as little plastic as possible.
Amy: I am excited to expand our jewellery collections this year. In addition to this I’ll be looking at how we can make our printed textiles even more sustainable and deepening my knowledge of our complex supply chains to ensure that we are making the best choices possible for the environment. I’m really excited about expanding my knowledge of block printing this year and hope to carry our prints through onto exciting new products.
Nicola: I hope to further reduce my meat consumption this year! I am a flexitarian with many food intolerances so my choices are slightly limiting at times, but I will be aiming to have more meat free months this year, as well as trying to limit over all consumption outside of these times to max twice a week.
Natalie: To improve my confidence and improve sales in our shop.
Dosh: I hope to improve my knitting skills.
What charity will you be supporting this year?
Leona: I will continue to support Mind, an incredible mental health charity based in the UK that help people with all sorts of mental health issues and diagnoses.
Bee: I don't support one individual charity but I help out where I can with the people we work with in Africa supporting them in times of need with school fees, money for food and medication etc. This way I know the the money I am sending is going straight to the source.
Amy: We will continue to support African Promise through the sale of our Kenyan products and Bee and I hope that 2022 will be the year that we establish similar long term partnerships with educational charities in the other countries we work in.
Nicola: African Promise!
Natalie: African Promise.
Dosh: I support Friends of The Earth.