There was an excellent turnout for our first “In” meeting of the year – a Body Shop Evening. Our new chairlady, Di Barker, began by welcoming everyone and introducing the new committee for 2017 before handing over to Lindsey Imlach, the Body Shop consultant.

Founded in 1976 by the late British environmental and human rights campaigner the late Dame Anita Roddick, The Body Shop started life as a small outfit in Brighton selling just 25 products. Customers were encouraged to recycle packaging and there was a real emphasis on natural ingredients that were ethically sourced and cruelty-free. Now the range consists of over 300 products and there are more than 2500 stores worldwide.

The natural ingredients of these products come from all over the world, from Guatemala and the Brazilian rainforests, Ecuador and Cameroon to Ghana, Sudan and even Norfolk in the UK! They are all community-traded raw ingredients which play an important part in keeping village co-operatives and farms in very rural areas of the world as thriving businesses. Moneys raised help to pay for the education of children and young people, and also conserve the environment in which they live. Here in East Anglia there are nine flourishing family farm businesses, which might otherwise have failed, now growing crops such as camomile to produce Norfolk Essential Oils.

Lindsey passed round various creams and lotions for us to try and then there was an opportunity to buy some of the products. It was a very interesting and enlightening evening, and a very sociable time for everyone who attended.

Coming up we have a visit to Suffolk Police Museum, a meal out to the Wenham Queen, a talk about the Funny Side of Policing and another about Knickers!  (None of these are connected, by the way!)

Come and join us!