#015 Fleece - an Arts and Crafts Cooperative

Welcome to the Inside Yorkshire Podcast, a podcast full of stories and tales from the people of Yorkshire. In todays episode Susan talks to Janet Phillips about how Fleece started and explores what makes it such a special place showcasing artists work.

Key Takeaways:

A cooperative, operating as a not for profit business, showcasing work from a variety of talented dales designers,makers and artists.
- The selection process involves all 5 founder members deciding which works to display
- Several of them had previous experience of working in cooperatives and bring their best ideas into running Fleece.
- In order to keep costs down they all pull together taking turns to run the shop.
The Threshing Barn and a Hong Kong gift distribution business
- Janet touches upon her previous extensive business success running an international distribution centre and establishing a craft centre in a converted threshing barn
- We also hear what decided her to move to Yorkshire

Valuable Resources:

https://www.fleece.org.uk

Fleece, Literary Institute, Reeth DL11 6TE

Telephone: 01748 884010

https://www.threshingbarn.com

The Threshing Barn, Reeth Dales Centre

Telephone:01748 884025

About the Host:

Susan has been living in Yorkshire for over 30 years. She is passionate about the county she has adopted as her home and she never ceases to be amazed at the wealth of talent ‘Inside Yorkshire’ and the tales that people have to tell.

About the Guest:

Janet Phillips is one of the 5 founding members of the Fleece cooperative. She has extensive business experience having run a successful international gift distribution company in Hong Kong and also a craft centre in a converted threshing barn. This led to the naming of her current business in Reeth Dales Centre.

Contact Method for Inside Yorkshire

Susan Baty-Symes

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.