OUR FOUNDER, CAROLE BAMFORD
Carole Bamford has been a champion of sustainable, mindful living for over 40 years, driven by her profound belief that we need to work in harmony with nature, to nurture and protect it and treat it with respect.
As the founder of Daylesford Organic, she is recognised as a visionary in organic farming and food retail. A simple desire to make a small difference to the health and food of her family led her to turn their farmland over to organic, and what began as a collection of empty barns and fields has grown to become one of the UK’s most sustainable organic farms
Bamford was born out of Carole’s belief that what we put on our body is as important as what we put into it through our food. Through the clothing, bath, body and homeware collections she has been an energetic promoter of natural, organic beauty products and sustainably produced garments made from natural fibres.
Carole’s philanthropic work encompasses endeavours around the world, all with a strong focus on women and children. Her support of the NSPCC’s Staffordshire outposts began in the 1980s. Carole led the first phase of the ‘Full Stop’ campaign in 1999 which went on to become the biggest fundraising initiative in the NSPCC’s history.
Her longstanding love of and relationship with India led to the foundation of The Lady Bamford Charitable Trust, which was formed in 2001 with the objective of helping people from the most disadvantaged quarters in India access a better quality of life.
She believes that artisan skills, traditions and craftsmanship should be championed and supported, a belief that in 2019 led to the realisation of a longstanding vision – the opening of Nila House in Jaipur. A centre of excellence, Nila is dedicated to honouring and preserving the natural dye and handloom traditions of India. Its aim is to support artisans across India, to celebrate the art of indigo dyeing and to offer a dynamic platform for cultural and artistic exchange. Nila is part of the Lady Bamford Foundation and is a not-for-profit organisation.
In 2019 Carole launched Seed, a magazine dedicated to sustainable living hoping to gently inspire its readers to be conscious with their choices in order to have a positive impact on the future of our planet.