Behind the scenes in Bacup...

As Partnerships Officer, I have the unique opportunity to visit many different businesses across the region to understand more closely the environmental challenges and sustainability victories local organisations are making to help nature and wildlife succeed.  

My most recent visit to Bacup was no exception. Our new partners, ‘Little Green Feet’ has been created by two ambitious team members from footwear importer JBI Ltd. Debbie Sutcliffe, Designer and Claire Ireland, Divisional Sales Manager are two talented wildlife supporters that wanted to make a change in 2023. 

They have launched a back-to-school shoe collection made from recycled materials. In our visit Debbie describes ‘footwear is so tricky with the many components, each one having a different material with a different purpose. In one simple shoe you have the sole, the sock, lining, laces, eyelets, and the heel.’ This makes the shoe a recycling nightmare and a sturdy shoe fit for children running around and enjoying their time at school shouldn’t be easy to break down into parts.  

The team describes the certifications they needed to apply for in this range's creation. With sustainability at the core, the pair have been tasked with understanding the nature of recycled materials, and the knowledge they needed to acquire on the use of more environmentally conscious materials. I was curious to ask if this process, which seemed lengthy, more expensive, and time-consuming, had deterred them from taking an easier route at any point. The answer was a resounding and glorious ‘Not at all.’ The team described how long they had wanted to do something like this, and how passionately they felt about the project. 'We also send any unwanted samples to Upcycle Labs to be turned into various new products including Bee Bricks to support UK wildlife' Even their trial and error period has been considered,  as a Partnership Officer, I was delighted. 

From our conversation this was clearly a bold step in a new environmentally minded design process. Debbie and Claire were thrilled to be driving the new direction for a company that has been nestled in the heart of the South Pennines, established in the heart of the community for over 80 years.  

‘When we presented our ideas of creating this brand and working with The Lancashire Wildlife Trust, the directors were so pleased and supported our vision and recognized the importance of what we were doing for future generations and for the planet.’ 

Little Green Feet have a passion for educating future generations on how to ensure the world is a better place and their range is a fantastic way for children to get involved and have fun safeguarding our planet. Each pair of shoes comes with a packet of local native wildflower seeds which can be grown at home, for the proud new shoe owner to see the benefits for our wildlife. Not only that, with every pair of shoes sold, but a donation also goes straight to Lancashire Wildlife Trust to continue our vital work to restore habitats and protect wildlife.

The range also includes some wild characters, Ellie the Bee and Sam the Spider that feature on the lining of the school shoes and brightly adorning the vibrant wellington collection. 

‘We wanted the characters to be relevant to young children in our communities. We explored many species of animals, but we always felt that local wildlife, that children could connect with was vitally important’  

It was clear to me whilst sipping coffee with this dynamic duo that ‘keeping things local’ was part of the very fabric of the business. Claire describes the impact that founder John W Johnson had on the surrounding community, creating charitable trusts and ensuring that investment was secured for the area. The family feel of this business weaves through our conversation as we discuss Debbie's’ exploration of nature reserves with her sons alongside the long-standing friendship between Debbie and Claire encouraging each other to embark on this new idea and sustainable way of working.