Doing Our Bit For The Environment
Photo by Guillaume de Germain
While we might not be as committed environmentalists as Swampy we do try at Workshop to consider the impact of the decisions we make in choosing our suppliers and partners. This isn't meant to be an exercise in self-congratulatory backslapping, more an opportunity to reflect on what we are doing and think about where we can improve. For example, did you know that our electricity supplier is Good Energy, the UK's first to supply 100% renewable electricity, which is generated in Britain from sun, wind, water and biomass? When we signed up with Good Energy they didn't offer gas, but now they do, so we're going to have a look at that and see if they could be our gas supplier too.
Much of our furniture is recycled, upcycled or pre-loved and where possible from local suppliers. The desktops came from Re4med a Devon-based supplier of reclaimed hardwoods and bespoke joinery; the large tables in the Main Room and Cathedral Room were sourced through The Consortium on Jewry Street and most recently we commissioned Southampton Wood Recycling Project to make a new large desktop (we also got the scaffolding boards for the new kitchen shelves from them).
Each week we compost our waste from the kitchen where our suppliers for coffee and tea include Winchester Coffee Roasters in King's Worthy and the exquisite boutique that is Char Teas (as well as Nescafe and Yorkshire Tea tbh).
In terms of supporting and partnering local businesses within the last two years Workshop has made pledges to Play to the Crowd (Theatre Royal Winchester), The Nutshell Arts Centre, Winchester Creatives and TEDxWinchester. We also encourage members to contribute to Miranda (Rocketlaunch) Rock's annual whip round for cinema tickets for residents of Winchester Churches Night Shelter.
Who gives a crap? You might say. We do! Which is why they're our toilet paper supplier (they donate 50% of profits to build toilets - most recently $5.85 million in July 2020 - bravo!).
Last but not least we're always happy to mention our resident expert on environmental affairs and co-founder of Shipped by Sail, Will Adeney. For those that don't know already, Shipped by Sail are a low emissions import/export compnay who import olive oil and coffee beans to the UK using a network of sailing ships. Amazing!
Next steps - Strata Designs' idea to create an urban greening zone in the well at the front of the building on Southgate St is one we'd like to progress, perhaps in partnership with our landlord St Johns and Winchester BID.
