A BUSINESS woman in York has set up shop with the aim of giving the local community an opportunity to reduce waste.

Mel Metcalf, who has lived in Clifton for more than 20 years, has set up the Giftery and Small Shop of Changes, in Burton Stone Lane.

The shop is split into two separate sections.

The ‘Giftery’ area allows customers to purchase a range of gifts, cards and products made from recycled goods.

Meanwhile the ‘Shop of Small Changes’ section is a non-food zero waste shop in which customers can bring their own plastic bottles to stock up on various products including shampoo, conditioner, washing up liquid and cleaning products.

Mel said: “With climate change developing at such a fast rate, we want to do our bit to reduce waste and prevent damage to the environment by setting up a business like this.

“Sometimes people want to reduce their plastic waste but they don’t know where to begin, we wanted to help with that.”

Before the shop opened, a trial run took place last Saturday and Sunday, and Mel said she received very positive feedback.

She went on to say: “The trials went really well. The reaction was really amazing and the community have been really lovely so far.”

Before setting up her new shop , Mel owned a gift business for several years. They used to travel around music festivals selling gifts and promoting the zero waste products at those events.

She said it felt like a “natural progression” to then open up this shop in her own local area.

Mel said The Giftery and Small Shop of Changes is the only shop in York to stock the ‘Beauty Kubes’, a plastic free alternative to shampoo and conditioner.

Mel said: “Clifton is our community and we couldn’t wait to work in the heart of it.

“We don’t mind which section of the shop you’re coming for, we will always be happy to help anyone.

“We want everyone to enjoy their time in our new little shop, we want to keep everyone smiling, while working to achieve our aim of reducing as much plastic waste as we can.”

Mel will run the shop through the week.

However, on a weekend it will be run by her husband, Andrew, and her son, Harry.

The shop, on the corner of Burton Stone Lane and Surtees street, was formerly the York Flower Company.