The sun is shining and England is finally out of lockdown! What does this mean? Young Mary’s is headed back on the road to do what we do best! Markets and pop up events were our bread and butter before the world changed in March 2020. It’s been a long slog since then but here in the UK some sense of normality is finally back. 

A new baby means I can’t quite hit the ground running as I’d like, but we’ve managed to fill our calendar with some exciting events to wrap up the second half of 2021. 

Our first stop? Manchester! 

31 July we’re headed to Manchester for the BOBExpo Manchester - a place to discover black owned buinesses in the UK. We're heading up as part of the Jamii team. Young Mary’s will be joining a handful of other Jamii partners so if you’re in Manchester come show us some love :)

​May 2021 has been a pretty exciting time for us at Young Mary’s HQ but of all the accomplishments we’ve made to date, we think this one tops them all! 🍼 

Please join us in welcoming the newest, and by far the cutest member of the Young Mary’s team who finally decided to join us earlier this month! Lola will be taking some time off after this week’s pop up in London to welcome the little guy properly. We still have quite a bit available through the website but if things start looking sparse, don’t worry, you can still get our candles through our online and in person partner retailers - all of whom are listed and linked below. 

In the meantime, we’ll be back soon, bigger and better than ever! 👶🏾 

London: Diverse Gifts
Bristol: Prior Shop 
Glasgow: The Vegan Kind
Gloucestershire: Bloom Wellbeing
Wiltshire: Spacecraft Westbury

Online: Jamii, Vectis Karma, Ishq

#lightamatch #strikeaconversation #wellbeback

Spring is a time of new beginings and it's in that vein that Sam and I have some news we'd like to share. The Young Mary's family is growing! And not in the usual way!

We'll be adding a new and permanent member to our team in the coming weeks and we couldn't be happier about it.

To celebrate properly we've also decided to team up with Nigella Boutique home of beautifully curated hampers for mamas to be and their little ones. Created by Leana, her hampers provide a balance of products for baby and mama whilst focusing on supporting Black and ethnically diverse businesses.

We thought it'd be the perfect way to celebrate this new milestone and enjoy a little pampering before things get very very real.

Wish us luck!!

Lola xx

It’s been a long long winter, but it seems we’ve finally made it out to the other side. UK lockdown 3.0 (or was it 4.0) is just about over and we’re celebrating the best way we know how! 

Along with 11 other small businesses, Young Mary’s is heading back to Boxpark Shoreditch for another round of Inspired By Africa. For one month (12 April - 9 May 2021) we’re heading back to London to bring music, vibes, and good times to all you well deserving people. So come and enjoy our unique Pop-Up experience!

And yes, we’re bringing the Afro beats! 

Unit 15
Boxpark Shoreditch 
12 April - 9 May 2021

You can find all the participating brand on Instagram:
@Inspired__by__Africa
​@afi_akos
@african.chica
@blacknificentuk
@jobili_active_wear
@kese_cushions
@leanne_creative
@monas_collection_
@rufinadesigns
@simplygracetots
@shimiroseuk
@itsyoungmarys

While it certainly doesn't feel like it - winter is coming to an end sooner rather than later. As usual, that means it's time for us to say bye to our Winter African Wonders. Lesotho and Madagascar are going away at the end of the month (don't worry, they'll be back when days start getting shorter again). Which means it's time to welcome...

Côte d'ivoire and Tunisia!

Tunisia only launched last year, then the pandemic hit so it still feels quite new and fresh to the Young Mary's collection. I describe it as a 'citrus burst' with notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon and peach. It's a bright and wonderful way to bring in the spring. 

​Côte d'ivoire seems like an old classic now. Sweet, chocolatey and rich! A well deserved indulgence after a pretty rough year. 

Both candles are available now and you'll also be able to get your hands on the few remaining Lesotho and Madagascar candles through the end of the month. 

Till next time :)
-Lola

We made it to 2021! Although it doesn’t seem like much has changed from 2020 I, for one, am grateful and thankful to have made it another year - and still be here going strong! In fact, going a bit manic if I’m honest.

The end of 2020 went crazier than I could have ever imagined which means things are looking pretty bare on the website right now but Sam and I are hard at work restocking as much as we can as quickly as we can. Having him helping out since opening back up from the holidays (a week earlier than expected) has been an absolute God send! #ShoutoutSam

While we’re working hard to get stock back where it should be, don’t forget! If there’s something you can’t find with us online, it might be available at one of our retail partners. Brick and mortar locations in the U.K. are still closed right now but most of them have online websites where you can shop for Young Mary’s goodies and discover some new independent brands to support while you’re at it.

Meanwhile we should be back up and running at full capacity in another two weeks! Until then, I hope you’re all having a lovely start to 2021 and thank you, as always, for being part of the Young Mary’s family and allowing our vision to stay alive.

-Lola :)

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Over the past month the Young Mary's family was able to raise over £230 to donate to equitysport and the amazing work they do in Sub Saharan Africa. 2020 has been a doozy of a year and while this Christmas won't quite be the same (at least in the UK) we hope this helps put some much needed smiles on very deserving faces.

It wouldn't have happened without all of you and we're beyond grateful for the love and support we've been shown this year and the fact we've been able to pass a bit of it on to a really good cause.

We wish everyone near and far a wonderful Christmas 2020 and a blessed start to 2021.

-Lola

Young Mary’s will be closing for the year on 15 December 2020 and reopening 15 January 2021.
Any orders placed in that time will be dispatched on Saturday 16 January 2021. 

For domestic UK orders, you have five more days to order for guaranteed Christmas delivery (order by 10 December) while all international orders are now stopped until the new year. 

And don't forget! We’re still raising money for equitysport. If you haven't seen our posts already,  equitysport is a charity that exists to advance equality, diversity and equal opportunity in and through global sport, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Between 15 November and when we close on 15 December, 10% of all Young Mary’s sales will be donated to this amazing organisation to help them carry on their work. 

That's all for now!
​-Lola :)