Babipur Observer Ethical Awards 2014

Here at Babipur we’re extremely proud to have been shortlisted in this year’s Observer Ethical Awards in the best retailer category.  Babipur was founded back in 2007 by husband and wife team Peter (that’s me) & Jolene.  We stored boxes under the bed and stayed up late at night creating the website.   Things have come a long way and to be involved in such a well respected award ceremony, now in it’s 9th year, is a big thing for us.

So we hopped on the train and headed down to the big smoke to attend the awards.  A bit of a change from our usual surroundings here in Snowdonia, there aren’t so many sheep in London.  We met some truly amazing and inspiring people.  People who have dedicate their lives to change for the better, whether it’s saving the planet, saving badgers (that’s Brian May’s job) or improving the lives of others.

Our personal highlights – Meeting Carry Somers founder of the “Fashion Revolution” driving change within the fashion industry to try and prevent future disasters such as what happened at the Rana Plaza factory last year killing 1130 garment workers.  An unthinkable event in this country but the cause is driven by our hunger for low cost clothing.  Fashion revolution is a campaign to raise awareness and get people asking the question “who made your clothes”.  Meeting Anne power, figurehead of the anti-fracking campaign, at 82 she could choose to sit at home watching corrie but she rather be out campaigning.  Also hearing the story of Peter Wilcox who won the lifetime achievement award.  Peter is the captain of Greenpeace’s Rainbow warrior, he’s been blown up by the French, jailed by the Japanese and the Russians and nearly crushed by a US naval destroyer.  You can read more about his eventful life here.  And of course the delicious wine and cocktails were a big highlight too.

We’d like to congratulate Riverford organics who picked up the award for best retailer, that was our category but never mind there’s always next year 🙂

Big thanks to everyone who helped to get us nominated and everyone who voted for us.

Oh and I forgot to mention that the BIG highlight of the night for Jolene was seeing some bloke called Colin Firth, she went on and on and on about it.

Peter Barton