The owner of a new convenience store on Maldon High Street, which stocks a range of sustainable and Fairtrade products, has said he wants to be "part of the solution" to the climate crisis.

Edward Massey opened Yessam to customers on 13 November last year, but the shop had its official opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday (22 January).

Plume Academy principal Carl Wakefield opened the shop, at 8 Maldon High Street, alongside head girl Maisie Shorney and deputy head boy Charles Brunt.

Having the support of the school is particularly important to 33-year-old Edward in his bid to take climate action, which he has been passionate about since a young age.

"It's nice to have the school community on board - they're the next generation coming up," he said.

"When I was at playgroup, when I was four years old, I used to go round turning off the lights, saying: 'Don't waste electricity.'

"There we all were - in the playgroup with the lights turned off.

"Then, in 2019, Greta Thunberg telling adults to come join the cause to actually fight climate change and do something about it reinvigorated my passion to be green - so I took that on board."

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Edward has put his passion for taking climate action and being socially-conscious at the heart of his new business.

He aims to limit his use of plastic by selling products such as bamboo toothbrushes and shampoo bars, alongside selling other essentials, stamps, fresh fruit and vegetables, confectionery and handmade bread in his in-store bakery.

He hopes to expand his range of environmentally-friendly and Fairtrade products, and set up refill stations in the shop so people can bring in containers and fill them up.

David and Gill Parker from Chelmsford City Fairtrade Campaign came along to support the shop's opening on Saturday.

"I'm trying to reenergise people," he said.

"I want to be part of the solution and I think having a green store that is sustainable and Fairtrade is one way of doing that."

Yessam's extended opening hours - from 7am to 9pm on most days - also means it is there for residents when they struggle to find anywhere else open.

"We're a convenience store - if you need toothpaste or something at that weird hour, you can pop in."

You can find Yessam at 8 Maldon High Street.