Bohemia Village Voice

Angela with Fair Trade stand

Is there really a market for elephant droppings? Apparently yes! When the charity that Angela van Aalst worked for until last September lost its funding, she found herself made redundant.  She realised that the work opportunities in her field were few and far between.  By chance she heard of a couple of importers who traded only in Fair Trade goods, dealing directly with families and small communities in Nepal, India, Indonesia and Africa, where the inhabitants made jewellery and decorative items for the home. After checking out the authenticity of these companies Angela decided to start her own business selling through gift fairs and Home Party Plan. Since April this year she has been travelling around events in Sussex showing the items produced by the artisans. She’s had stalls at St Paul’s School Summer Fete and Markwick Terrace Dog Show.
She has several home parties booked in the area, the next being in Amherst Road. "It’s always difficult to get yourself known," she said, "but bit by bit people are returning again and again and the diary for home parties is gradually starting to fill, particularly with Christmas not far away." Apart from the ethnic style jewellery she sells there are some interesting and ingenious items such as small cars and motorbikes crafted from old tin cans, purses made from rolled-up crisp packets stitched together, key ring animals from old paper, tinted and plaited and a collection of hand carved wooden items. What about the elephant droppings? “Some of the table coasters  I sell are made from elephant dung, and no, they don’t smell!” Angela van Aalst: www.vaft.co.uk
[Our thanks to Colin Green for help with this item]