Fix It F**k Brexit - Meribel

On the 4^th of April, The Boot Lab’s “Fix it F**k Brexit Tour” came to Meribel. An eco-fundraising event to stop clothing and ski products ending up in landfill. There was a “Bring & Buy Shop" a “Fix It Don’t Ditch It Workshop”, “Buy a Tee Plant a Tree" and “Ski Sharpening”.

People from all over the Three Valleys came over to donate their unwanted ski gear, salopettes, jackets, goggles, etc... They were then repaired and sold, all proceeds are used to plant as many trees as possible. And any clothing left, is donated to the refugees living in Annecy. For every Planks item, we sold on the day, we also donated a euro to plant a tree.

On the day, we had Gina, local seamstress, to fix any clothing problems. She gave new life to old ski gear. The Boot Lab also repaired broken hardware, boots and skis, there’s no challenge these guys can’t take on! There was also the Skis Direct Team on hand to service your skis, and again help plant trees with any donations made. We also had Hannah in the shop with her all natural skin care products, “There Is No Planet B”. A planet-friendly company, all plant-based products, vegan, plastic-free skin care, personal care, cosmetics and candles. And again, she plants one tree for every product purchased.

For each euro that was raised, a tree will be planted in Kenya’s Kijabe Forest, a highland mosaic ‘Afro-alpine’ forest that was once dominated by trees, such as the East African pencil-cedar and African olive. Roughly one-third of the original high-canopy forest still stands and provides important habitat for biodiversity. The forest is only about 5,000 hectares, but a community of almost 200,000 people depend on it for water, wood, and agriculture. Increasing pressure for land poses significant threats to the region, leading to the over-extraction of resources and illegal timber harvesting. Planting trees here will help protect this vital ecosystem, promote environmental education, and foster sustainable livelihoods through seed collection and ecotourism.