Look Local, Look Sligo with Sligo Food Trail this Christmas
Sligo Food Trail is spearheading the Look Local, Look Sligo campaign aimed at supporting local businesses which at the same time promotes sustainability. It’s a timely reminder to shop in Sligo at a time when the local economy needs a boost and shopping sustainably is front of our minds. Look Local, Look Sligo is a Sligo County Council initiative supported by the Creative Ireland Fund and Sligo: Live Invest Visit. Over thirty businesses are taking part.
Marie Casserly, Chair of Sligo Food Trail enthusiastically endorsed the initiative saying, “I really urge everyone to Look Local, Look Sligo this Christmas. It would make a huge difference to the environment and to the economy if each of us changes our buying habits just a little. Support your local shops and producers instead of faceless multi-nationals.”
Sligo has a vibrant network of small businesses all over the county each offering exceptional value and variety for the seasonal shopper which makes purchasing a pure pleasure. Customers will find a stunning selection of gifts guaranteeing minimum food miles and maximum quality. Gift boxes, grazing boxes, breakfast boxes and hampers, jams and jars, sweets and treats, cheeses and wines.
Many businesses are making a real effort to be environmentally friendly and to offer quality local and sustainable options.
The Wellness Shop in Wine Street, Sligo has a strong ethos of stocking local, Irish, organic and environmentally friendly products. All their delicious food products are packaged in eco-friendly, plastic free packaging and they offer a choice of green gift wrapping options too. Choose from a mouth-watering selection of hampers (regular, vegan or gluten free) plus organic vegetarian and vegan Christmas fare prepared in their own kitchen. Order online for delivery.
Warm up this Christmas with Osta Café & Wine Bar who have supported local suppliers since they opened in 2006. Ósta use packaging which is 99% compostable and organic, ethically sourced coffee and tea. They are a proudly carbon positive business.
Nook in Collooney have an extensive range of hampers, grazing boxes and breakfast boxes with some vegan options. Nook consistently uses produce from small and medium sized independent Irish businesses including chocolate, cheese charcuterie and condiments. This keeps the food miles low and the local economy moving.
Coopershill House in Riverstown farms venison and is in the process of becoming fully organic. It’s the only red meat recommended for people on a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet which will definitely put it on some Christmas dinner tables.
Check out one of the seven local markets in Sligo, all of which look fabulous in their festive finery – Achonry Farmers Market, Beltra Market, Strandhill Market, Rathcormac Market, the Farmers Market at IT Sligo, Cliffoney Country Market and Quayide Christmas Market.
The overall vision is a smart, sustainable, and socially inclusive Sligo; one that cherishes its vibrant communities, protects and celebrates its unique environment and rich culture, and is a champion of innovative growth and development. It is clear that the county as a whole is moving in this direction and several significant recent awards are testament to this. Strandhill was proud winner of the EU European Destination of Excellence Award recognising it as the best emerging destination that promotes sustainable tourism. Both IT Sligo and Sligo hospital won prestigious Green Flag awards and both educational and sports sectors have also been honoured. Sligo Rovers won an SSE Airtricity sustainability award and Cloonacool school won an ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Award.
Collectively these indicate a move in the right direction and by joining in with your Christmas shopping choices this year, you can do your bit to ensure the momentum continues.
Why shop local this Christmas?
- support local producers
- reduce travel time
- cut down on packaging
- reduce air miles by buying local produce
- sustainable gift offerings
- boost the local economy
- create jobs
#LookLocalLookSligo
