Mansfield's newest eco-friendly refillery opens in bid to encourage residents to 'go green'

Tara Cooper has opened Mother Earth on Toothill Lane and hopes to encourage more Mansfield residents to do their bit for the environment by offering a plastic free shopping experience.

The 43-year-old mother of four originally ran Not Just Desserts next door, but moved to the adjacent unit after rethinking her plans during the pandemic.

The shop had been empty for almost three years, so Tara set about renovating it, opting to take on the refillery side of the business, and finally opened on December 17.

Tara explains: “It has taken a long time with a few bumps along the way, but when I sit back and look at it I just love it.

"I decided to take over the zero waste side from my friend Beki and ditch the cafe side to focus on the refillery – we have so many lovely places to eat and drink in Mansfield town centre now but no zero waste shops.

"I still make vegan cakes and sweet treats to take away daily and take bespoke orders for celebration cakes.

“I’ve always been aware of the amount of plastic we all use, especially when you start a business, but having children who are very conscious about the impact our actions have on the planet has taught me a lot.

"Three of my children are vegan or vegetarian and have been for years, so they inspired me to look more into the environmental impact of things.

"We all need to do our bit in helping protect the planet, and I wanted Mother Earth to be a simple yet welcoming shop to do that.”

The shop sells store cupboard staples such as flour, rice, pasta, nuts, sugar and dried fruits, even a vegan Pick n Mix – and shoppers bring their own containers to refill.

They also stock household cleaning and personal hygiene products such as wash powder, antibacterial spray, shampoo, conditioner, dishwasher liquid and much more.

All of Tara’s products are vegan, cruelty free, chemical free and made with natural ingredients, and she has just started stocking local small businesses such as Henry and George wax melts.

For more information, check out Mother Earth on Facebook.

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