by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
The Bradshaw’s are just a normal British family living in a two-bed-semi, in the small town of Westerham in Kent. Emily is a teacher and James works in London (nine-to-five ‘for the man’). They have one son, Lucan, who is now 2½ years old. Pretty normal so far!
However, this year they have made an unusual New Year’s resolution. Frustrated by our failing economy and fully riding the current wave of nation pride, the Bradshaw’s have chosen to see if they can survive family life buying only British goods and services. Let’s put this into perspective – everything from the mortgage to the toilet roll must be the product of a British company operating in Britain and employing British workers. Is British manufacturing in such a poor state that one family cannot survive without foreign imports? This family are about to find out.
Throughout their challenge they will keep a running commentary, through their blog www.britishfamily.co.uk and their Twitter account (@britishfamily), on the difficulties they face while trying to buy British. They hope to highlight the gems of British manufacturing they find along the way, offer practical tips to help lead a truly British life style and even having a go at making a few things themselves along the way.
Ultimately, the Bradshaw want to find out if we are anymore an island, and if it is possible to make living entirely British a viable long-term option.
It would be nice to find that we can live entirely using British-made products but already looking as computers and cellphones it will be a no go simply as, even while, some computers are, in fact, “Made in Britain”. The parts almost all are “Made in China” be this hard drives, chips, or whatever.
When it comes to cellphones there is not one single one, that I am aware of, that is made in UK and many other companies that appear to be British have their products, in fact, made abroad, and that includes even the likes of Wilkinson Sword, and many other.
On the other hand some companies have remained British and some have in-sourced manufacturing again from the Far East. In other words they have brought manufacturing and thus jobs back home.
Trying to live entirely on and with British-made products is indeed a serious challenge and one can but with the Bradshaw’s luck and we all look forward to see how far one can live on and with British only made products.
© 2013
