A Letter From the Founder and Director
For three decades and more, I have been passionate about issues of environmental conservation, social equity and sustainable development.
My career in the Third Sector for over twenty years illustrates this. My work with Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International in the noughties taught me a lot about issues of the interactions between human and natural environments. In my opinion, we should look to make that relationship kinder and more equitable for everyone.
Since then, I have worked tirelessly supporting people with ill mental health, homelessness, substance misuse addiction amongst many others.
As a social entrepreneur, I set up and ran a social club for that demographic and supported those who could do with that extra bit of support and have a hot meal at least once a week. The coffee shop experience we offered our patrons gave hundreds of people across London from every walk of life a safe place to socialize and discuss their busy weeks amongst each other.
Our project offered them a home away from home to establish new and meaningful friendships.
In due course, I also set up a gardening charity for those who may have experienced social isolation, and gave them lessons in horticulture, a place to exercise and even something to eat after a busy day volunteering in the garden.
Since then, I have specialised in a career in homelessness. To help people attend their medical appointments as well as advise a large homeless charity which offers world class services for thousands of individuals across the UK who benefit from their support.
Sustainable Café began because there is a huge gap in the market which needs to turn retail on its head. The simple “consume and throw away” bears little benefit to people or the planet overall. Instead, as a community, we should look how sustainability in consumerism can change.
When we buy a product, it should last longer than the average nine months and instead serve its purpose for as long as possible, giving that product a chance to entrench a role in our lives as well as help prevent waste pollution.
The people who make these products should embrace a good quality of life, remove aspects of exploitation and instead, have opportunities for education, a childhood and the universal right to health and a sound quality of life.
My passions for people and the planet are real. I genuinely want to see the next generations grow up with a cleaner, safer and more beautiful life than what I have experienced. I want to leave flowers in my footsteps rather than pollution.
My ambitions for Sustainable Café may be within reach. That the retail sector will begin to truly embrace sustainability at its core going forward. Genuine hope is tangible, whereby sustainable consumerism no longer just becomes a trend for the middle classes, but will be a norm for everyone.
Thank you for reading my story. I look forward to establishing meaningful, holistic relationships with our friends going forward.
Yours Sincerely,
Mark Banham
Founder and Director of Sustainable Café Ltd
