Wildcrafted Wellness Weekend in the UK | A Sea-full of Goodness in Cornwall
Island Spirit Founder, Kirsty Barnby has been on quite the adventure around the UK with her cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats. The trip has inspired her to create our first wildcrafted wellness retreat in England. We couldn’t be more excited! This is…
May 8, 2021
Let us Build Back Fairer on World Fairtrade Organisation Day 2021
By Kylie Barton
This World Fairtrade Organisation Day, the theme is #BuildBackFairer. The pandemic has further exposed the many issues with our global systems in trade, communication, and prioritisation. COVID has been a damaging force, but it has also provided us with an opportunity to pause, rethink, and change…
January 12, 2021
About Us
We are the world’s first travel company to be a member of the World Fairtrade Organisation. Offering authentic island based trip to Fiji, Sri Lanka, UK, Barbados and Vanuatu.
We are a British registered Community Interest Company.
From volunteering on coral reefs to remote, island camping and yoga,…
March 12, 2018
Coconut Wireless – Newsletter – February 2017 to 2018
Written by Laura Griffith and Kirsty Barnby
We hosted our first ever Fairtrade, Wildcrafted Volunteer Coral Gardening trips for four different UK and US Universities. It’s been an incredibly rewarding year so we’d love to share our best bits with you…
2017 ACHIEVEMENTS ON OUR VOLUNTEERING TRIPS
We had an eye-opening,…
December 1, 2017
Fiji Presides Over International Climate Change Conference
The UN Climate Change Conference held in Bonn, Germany this November was held to look at next steps for the international community following on from the Paris Agreement. And our very own beloved Fiji was the presiding nation with Fijian Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama assuming the presidency of COP23.
Timoci Naulusala opens COP23 High Level Segment
He held the attention of more than 1000 people at the opening of the high level segment of #COP23. View a speech by #TimociNaulusala of Naivicula, Wainibuka in the province of Tailevu.
Posted by Fiji Times Online on Wednesday, 15 November 2017
The…
October 1, 2017
Sri Lanka’s Mangroves
Written by Kylie Barton
Sri Lanka is an absolute gem, with its long sweeping sandy coastlines, interesting tea plantations, and exotic flora and fauna. One of the most magical things about Sri Lanka is its abundance of mangroves.
The shallow, shore-hugging waters that dot the landscape provide the perfect…
March 20, 2017
Continuing the Legacy of Sharkwater
Written By Kylie Barton
Sharkwater is an important documentary created by Rob Stewart, which aims to dismantle the harmful stereotype of the shark which is ultimately leading to its demise. It is with great sadness that the world learned at the beginning of February, the man who devoted his…
September 28, 2016
Coral Gardening to Combat Bleaching
Written By Kylie Barton
The South Pacific region is famed for its glorious corals, but as we can see from the decline of the Great Barrier Reef which has depleted by fifty per cent, these structures need our protection.
Coral bleaching is something which occurs when corals experience severe changes…
March 3, 2016
Our story. On the ground during Cyclone Winston
Written by Kirsty Barnby
Bula from Fiji! We are still smiling!
We at Island Spirit have worked alongside these island villages for over six years. We are raising money after Fiji was battered by the strongest recorded cyclone in the Southern hemisphere, category 5 Cyclone Winston, on 20th February 2016.
We…
February 9, 2015
Island Spirit in a Coconut Shell
Written by Kirsty Barnby
Here is a short video summarising Island Spirit in a coconut shell! For a more detailed description, we covered some of our key principles and information on who we work with in a previous blog here.
To view more content from Island Spirit, please check out our…
April 4, 2014
A history of Fiji and the Commonwealth
Written by Kylie Barton
It has recently been announced that Fiji will take part in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Fiji has, like many ‘developing nations’, had a turbulent history with the Commonwealth, and so we at Island Spirit thought this recent development is a good point to…
December 16, 2013
Sustainable Tourism in Fiji is on the rise
Written by Kylie Barton
With the encroaching aid cuts, sustainable tourism in Fiji is an increasingly hot topic, and Island Spirit are at the forefront of the campaign to maximise the sustainability of all tourism in Fiji and to conserve the natural environment and help Fijian’s find alternative…
November 18, 2013
Power to empower!
Written by Kylie Barton
In our last post we discussed the ability of mobile technology to aid development and empower local populations, but this depends on innovative energy solutions – like solar power for example. So now here at Island Spirit we want to look at how such sustainable…
‘A Future dependent on Responsible Tourism’ – Let’s all play a part
Written by Kylie Barton
As organisations across the sector prepare to gather for World Responsible Tourism Day this week in association with the United Nations World Tourist Organisation (UNWTO), we here at Island Spirit thought we would take a little look at what is on the agenda this year.
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October 24, 2013
Bouma National Heritage Park in Fiji
Written by Kirsty Barnby
Protected areas such as the Bouma National Heritage Park that have little active management and are under some threat from expanding small-scale subsistence and cash-crop agriculture – especially kava (yagona), is our priority. Here at Island Spirit we take our guests deep into the forest to experience…
June 4, 2013
Taveuni’s very own new Tagimoucia Festival
Written by Kirsty Barnby
I am helping to organise this little island event. We have a super team full of great ideas and at least twenty free workshops from composting to diving, skateboarding to weaving. Please contact me or dive@taveunioceansports.com if you would like to take part!
When:
- Saturday 24th August 2013
- All day…
February 27, 2013
TIES – How can travellers find authentic experiences that are culturally respectful socially sensitive
Written Originally for TIES – The International EcoTourism Society
TIES is a non-profit association committed to promoting responsible tourism practices that benefit conservation and communities. Island Spirit was featured in their latest article, read here. The subject covers tourism’s social and cultural impact on the local communities and destinations.
Or Read a snippet here:
November 9, 2012
How to be Small Fry at the World Travel Market
Written by Kirsty Barnby
I entered the hustle and bustle of the WTM Excel Arena event shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of billion dollar companies such as: Virgin Travel, Emirates, Trip Advisor, Best Western and the like.
We were all bees to a honey pot and to say I felt like…
