Crouch End entrepreneur launches online gift shop to cut down pollution
Helen Robinson. Picture: Gifted Local - Credit: Archant
A woman from Crouch End launched an online shop in October which aims to reduce pollution and support Haringey businesses.
Helen Robinson, 39, has three children, aged 11 months, three and six and she came up with the concept for Gifted Local last year at a particularly trying time for young families - Christmas.
Helen told the Ham&High: "Getting out of the house and getting anything done with my kids in tow is like climbing Mount Everest every day.
"Last year I was doing all my Christmas shopping on Amazon Prime but I felt really guilty about the whole thing.
"The packaging in itself was enough to drive me crazy, not to mention the pollution and congestion I was contributing to in the local area.
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"I went to a Christmas market in Crouch End and saw all these amazing products but thought: 'I wish I could just get these online.' It was a light bulb moment."
She wanted to create an online shop that supports local businesses and parents like her who are raising young children while trying to run their own start-ups.
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The website will sell goods from more than 30 local retailers across five postcodes in Highgate, Muswell Hill, Crouch End, Wood Green and Tottenham.
Helen said: "I'm asking all the sellers to hand deliver where possible and use minimal and recyclable packaging. Obviously it can't be like this 100 percent the time but it's the ethos of the website to reduce congestion and pollution where possible."
She said: "We eventually want to expand and be nationwide. We won't be able to stop people from ordering goods from across the country but we will offer free postage for purchasing goods from a seller that is local to you."
Visit giftedlocal.com to see the current range - which includes gifts, homeware, accessories for babies, fashion and experiences.
