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Have a green Valentine's day
Impress your loved one by giving them an eco-friendly present on Valentine's Day. Sarah Madison presents her top 10 green gifts.
1. When the wind blows
Hand-made in Nepal from recycled materials, this adorable cat draught excluder is practical, environmentally friendly and fun. It's made from recycled cotton and stuffed with flaxseeds. The cute cat face is hand-embroidered, although I've no idea why it's so sad looking. It's 94cm in length, so it's fine for stopping drafts from most doors.
Details: Cat Draught Excluder costs 17.50 plus P&P from Fairwindonline.com (www.fairwindonline.com; 020 8374 6254).
2. Clean up your act
This beautiful gift box of four organic and handmade soaps looks good enough to eat. Featuring a variety of different scents, including wild lavender, spicy orange, geranium and rosebud, only the purest essential oils have been used. Simply cut a slice off the bottom and keep the rest to decorate and scent your bathroom.
Details: Organic handmade four soap gift box costs 11.99 plus P&P from Ecocentric (www.ecocentric.co.uk; 020 7739 3888).
3. Coming up roses
Combining natural aromas and organic ingredients, this rose-scented bath soak is the perfect way to unwind after a stressful day at work. It's even more fun if you share the bath with a loved one.
Don't forget to check out the rest of the Figs & Rouge body care range – everything is guaranteed free from parabens, sulfates and synthetic aromas and is approved by the Vegan Society.
Details: Figs & Rouge Rambling Rose bath soak costs 8.95 plus P&P from Love Eco (www.love-eco.co.uk; 01223 244710).
4. Say it with flowers
Nothing says 'I love you' better than a lovely bunch of flowers, but more than two-thirds of the bouquets on sale in our shops are imported from abroad and rack up a huge number of air miles when they're flown into the country.
A much better idea is to opt for a bunch of home grown flowers. Wiggly Wigglers offers a unique bouquet of seasonal blooms that are hand-picked on the day you place your order.
Details: Wiggly bouquet costs 35-55 plus P&P from Wiggle Wigglers (www.wigglywigglers.co.uk; 01981 500391).
5. Daisy chain
This gorgeous necklace is a mixture of natural seeds from the Amazon rainforest, amulets and charms hanging from a faux suede thong. Available in four colours, it's made by a women's cooperative in Manaus, Brazil, which works to preserve the rainforest and manage its resources in a sustainable manner.
Details: Daisy necklace costs 25 plus P&P from Jungle Berry (www.jungleberry.co.uk; 0207 7095 9225).
6. Monkey business
A winning combination if ever there was one, this fair trade chimp is handmade by a group of women in Kenya and comes with a big box of Petit Grandeur's Fair Trade Chocolate Assortment. What's not to like?
Details: Monkey Love Set costs 18 (including free delivery) from Ethical Superstore (www.ethicalsuperstore.com; 0845 009 9016).
7. L.O.V.E is all it takes
Great for beach trips, holidays and the weekly shop, this over-sized bag has been designed by Katharine Hamnett and is made from 100 per cent organic cotton.
The retro design is printed in the UK with water-based, eco-friendly inks and will fade after the first wash, giving your favourite new bag a cool vintage look.
Details: Slogan Tote Bag costs 35 (including free delivery) from Ethical Superstore (www.ethicalsuperstore.com; 0845 009 9016).
8. Putting on the style
If you really want to impress the man or woman in your life, you can't go wrong with this bottle of English fizz. Chapel Down is
one of the UK's leading wineries and its Brut NV sparkling wine is highly regarded by wine experts. Even better, you also get some delicious Cocoloco chocolates, a jute bag and a card with a handwritten personal message of your choosing.
Details: British Romance Hamper costs 31.50 plus P&P from Turnham Green (www.turnham-green.co.uk; 0797 221 6993).
9. A penny for 'em
Green, gorgeous and glam, these One Hundred Thoughts notebooks are made from 100 pages of quality recycled paper and bound with a limited edition pattern printed on recycled card. They're perfect for recording your thoughts, sketches and important phone numbers and addresses.
Details: One Hundred Thoughts Notebook costs 9.99 plus P&P from Love Eco (www.love-eco.co.uk; 01223 244710).
10. Waxing lyrical
These soy candles are prefect for adding a bit of flattering light to a romantic meal. Hand poured using biodegradable soy bean wax, each candle burns for up to 75 hours and is a healthier alternative to traditional paraffin-wax candles.
Details: Ciao Bella Soy Candles costs 15.99 plus P&P from My Vanity Case (www.myvanitycase.co.uk; 07500 351 043).
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Weather for Bakewell
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
