insideKENT Magazine Issue 98 - May 2020 | Page 20

KENTPRODUCERS Kent Producers Special Feature CONT. ROMNEY MARSH WOOLS: SUPPORT THE NHS MACKNADE: SERVING KENT FOR OVER 170 YEARS Romney Marsh Wools are donating 15% of sales of their Wool Fat Soap to NHS together, the charity which supports the health & emotional wellbeing of those at the frontline of the NHS. The soaps and handwash are made using lanolin, a naturally occurring fat found in sheeps’ wool, which comes from hand selected fleeces from the family’s flock of Romney Ewes. Lanolin is well known for its protective properties and is used within all of Romney Marsh Wools’ toiletries, to create a range which not only cleans but also moisturisers. At this time of year founder Kristina would usually be out across the county selling at spring events, but with the current restrictions is now selling solely 20 online, with home delivery available both locally and nationwide. Romney Marsh Wools is a family run business, established in 2008 by Kristina and her husband, Paul, and was born through a firm belief in raising the awareness of all the benefits wool can bring. Based just outside Aldington, on the Romney Marsh, the flock is made up of over 1,000 Romney ewes and 150 Merinos. The range includes throws, cushions, clothing, yarn, and knitting kits, as well as toiletries, and may be ordered online for home delivery. All donations will be made automatically with each purchase, details of qualifying products can be found on the online shop. www.romneymarshwools.co.uk The leadership being shown across Macknade during this period is fantastic at all levels and the team have swiftly created a safe & welcoming environment for customers to shop. Amongst other things, we have reduced the number of people in the shop at any one time, implemented a new queuing system and are offering a contactless collection service for our customers. This is very important to our community and they are hugely grateful. A defining aspect of the COVID outbreak is how our team have started a new business from scratch by creating and operating a brand new delivery service in the space of one week to continue servicing our clients. This is available to all residents in Ashford, Whitstable, Faversham, Canterbury & Sittingbourne and we are continually evolving so we can expand to new locations. Orders can be placed via our online web form or over the phone with one of our team who have quickly transitioned from baristas & chefs to telephone operators! It is a hugely difficult time and we have had to close parts of the business in the short term to protect them (our café and Elwick Place), but it has shone a light on our strengths and all that is positive about what we do as a team day in day out. Looking beyond the present disruption, there will be many fantastic opportunities for us to create new spaces and meaningful jobs that deliver on the aspirations of our community. For more information about Macknade’s delivery service and hampers visit macknade.com