A new Christmas shop proved popular with residents and visitors when it was officially opened last week.
The Christmas Shop in Chagford was opened by celebrity freelance writer, photographer and broadcaster, Adam Hart-Davis on Monday week.
It will raise money for the Chagford-based Joliba Trust, which was founded in 1992. The trust supports grassroots development work with farming and cattle-raising communities in some of the most marginal areas of Mali.
Residents and guests were able to browse the traditional crafts and hand-woven textiles, many of which were Fairtrade products.
Co-ordinator of the Joliba Trust Caroline Hart said she hoped the shop would raise awareness of the project: ‘All the money raised from the shop will go towards climate change and food security in Mali. ‘I founded the charity with an £80 loan to a group of women in Mali to plant vegetables. ‘It then grew into a fund which has now circulated some £2-million in tiny enterprise loans to village women in one of Africa’s poorest areas in the last decade.
‘We are now working in over 200 villages on a range of self-help projects.’ The work of the Joliba Trust includes the completion of 26 village wells, three maternity centres and training more than 800 village birth attendants to reduce maternal mortality. Their work on climate change also includes soil and water conservation, dune stabilisation and measures to reduce vulnerability to natural disasters.
This year the communities planted more than a million trees. Caroline Hart added: ‘By selling traditional crafts in the shop, we are keeping alive the old craft tradition in Africa. ‘It’s great to have the shop and the support of everybody who comes in and everyone is welcome.’
The Christmas Shop, which is at 1 Mill Street in Chagford, is open from Monday to Saturday until Thursday, December 24 from 10am to 4pm.
