A ZERO-waste pop-up shop that was operating once a week in Woking Market has switched to being a free local home delivery service.

Bare + Fair has a website on which customers can order refills of eco-friendly household cleaners and toiletries.

Company owner Mel Hemmings and a staff member are delivering more than 100 litres of refills, as well as other products, every week.

“So far we've saved an estimated 2,000 single use plastic containers during the lockdown,” said Mel.

“I also included a Donate to Woking Foodbank page on the website where customers can buy much-needed household items to donate as they do their own shopping, which we have been delivering to the foodbank on their behalf.

“We have been blown away by the generosity of our customers who have so far donated over 100 litres of household products and toiletries, as well as hundreds of toilet rolls.”

Mel started the company after hearing about the zero-waste movement and adopting the principles of living in a more eco-friendly manner at home with her husband Will and their three young children.

The lifelong Woking resident wanted to find somewhere in the town where she could buy refills and other products, which led her to set up the company with help from the borough council’s start-up scheme.

Bare + Fair had been running a stall in Woking town centre for just over a year when the coronavirus lockdown forced it to close.

“I spent a couple of weeks working out things like home schooling but then so many customers contacted me to ask when they would be able to buy from me again,” added Mel. “It was really nice and so I thought that I could make the deliveries and help people who need to stay at home.”

She said she has also been hugely impressed by the generosity of customers who have bought donations for the foodbank.

She said her supply chain has been operating well, although with a few difficulties, and the panic-buying in the very early stages of the coronavirus crisis led her to help the foodbank.

“As a trade customer, I was still able to get plenty of things like toilet rolls and so I thought I would give some to the foodbank where there was a need.”

Deliveries are being made in the GU21, GU22, GU23, GU24 and KT14 postcode areas.

For more information, visit www.bareandfair.co.