A Lake District art shop has opted to shun Black Friday in favour of helping clean up the national park.
National Park Print Shop, based in Windermere, will be picking one pound of litter for every order placed in their online store over the Black Friday weekend, instead of offering discounts.
Owner Ian Battersby said the ‘Black Bin Bag Friday’ campaign aims to stand up for small, local businesses amid mass consumerism.
He added: “As a local, independent business we can’t compete with the massive discounts that big brands throw at us for Black Friday, but we can compete by giving back to our local community.
“By picking litter for every order made at our online store we can make a real difference to our local environment, making the Lake District a more beautiful place for everyone. Black Bin Bag Friday is our version of Black Friday, but better.”
Shoppers at National Park Print Shop’s Windermere store and studio can also get involved with the campaign.
Those interested in helping litter pick over the Black Friday weekend can borrow a litter picker and bin bag from the shop. Everyone who gets involved will be given a ‘Leave it better than you found it’ sticker for free as a thank you.
National Park Print Shop is an independent art shop and studio based specialising in affordable, contemporary prints with an outdoors twist.
Ian added: “We love getting out on the fells and swimming in lakes and tarns. Time spent in the outdoors is vital for our physical and mental well-being so it is important that we look after our natural environment.
“We are privileged to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and litter doesn’t just make our national park look untidy it can damage vulnerable habitats and endanger wildlife.
“We live by the ethos ‘Leave It Better Than You Found It’ and through the Black Bin Bag Friday campaign we hope to make a real difference to the Lake District. Even one bag of litter removed from the national park is a positive step!”
