Fairtrade Christmas Fair

Golly, it was cold!

We were in the Buttermarket - and the mulled apple juice went really well! Most of it was produced locally, too - some of it at the community juicing session a little while ago up Cusop Dingle. We had to dash out in the afternoon for extra supplies from the Co-op, though! We had mince pies as well, and all the mistletoe from Jo and Noel's tree up in Brilley sold.
Love Zimbabwe were there again with pottery and beaded little sculptures, and Martha spent a lot of time huddled over the little electric fire Jo and Noel brought with them. Islay spent some time there, as well, lying on her blanket, but when she started shivering I took her home.
The children from Hay School shared a table with the children from Ffynnon Gynnedd, Hay selling Fairtrade bags they'd decorated and Ffynnon Gynnedd selling handmade fudge - which was delicious, and beautifully packaged in cellophane as well. It sold out quite quickly.
The Hay children came with their headmistress, who is also the mayor, Fiona Howard, who opened the Fair with a short speech.
There were wooden toys, African jewellery and beaded work from Zimele (a Zulu group) and African Princess from Zimbabwe, woolly hats from the Andes, and socks - and Athene was roasting chestnuts over a little charcoal stove from India. There were organic teas from Nepal, packed in little silk bags, and rugs. Jump4Timbuktu were there with jewellery and Christmas trees. Herbfarmacy had a stall, to cover the local angle, and they were also sending people down to their nice warm shop to browse. It isn't open properly yet, but they do have a rather lovely stained glass exhibition in it at the moment.
Bagage were there with recycled bags of all sorts.
We were going to have carol singing in the morning, but Fiona Howard couldn't round up enough children, as they've broken up for the holidays now. What we did have were the wonderful Cwmbach Quire, playing carols and other songs as a small brass band. They played for quite a long time, considering that they were going on to the Globe that evening to play again (in the warm, this time - they appreciated the mulled apple juice, too).

So, despite the cold, we all had quite a good time, and some people are already looking forward to next year!