"There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness"
Mahatma Gandhi
I sent off for some organic, fairtrade cotton to make a banner for Fairtrade Fortnight - last night. It arrived this morning! It's also rather lovely cotton, so I highly recommend www.organiccotton.biz The quotation above came with the cotton.
The whole banner won't be made of FT cotton, sadly, as we can't afford it, but the rest of it is being recycled out of old sheets. The idea is a clothes line with the word "Fairtrade" spelled out across the items. So far I've cut out two giant Tshirts, two pairs of giant knickers, two pairs of shorts, two odd socks and an apron!
The banner will be flown across Hay Market during Fairtrade Fortnight, and we will have an information stand (and teas) nearby.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Fairtrade Meeting at the Swan
Although the Swan is officially closed for the next couple of weeks, they were happy for us to use the little room with the big table, just off the bar, and we were even able to get drinks when we went in.
The main topics of conversation were the new Directory that we have all be collecting pledges for (asking local businesses to commit to providing at least two FT products, and if they also provide local produce, all the better). There will be more businesses included this time, so fewer pictures, but we thought the best way to go would be one global picture, of cotton since that's the theme for this year, and one local picture, probably of the Tea Ladies from last FT Fortnight (though how we're going to explain why we've got all those men in drag, I'm not sure!)
As Fairtrade Fortnight will shortly be upon us, we were also planning events for it, including a bingo night at the school (takings to be split between FT Hay and the School), a giant clothes line across the market with an information stall and teas (again), and the launch of the new Directory. We will also be involving all six of the local FT primary schools in the production of a FT cookbook (we're anticipating a lot of recipes for banana bread!).
The main topics of conversation were the new Directory that we have all be collecting pledges for (asking local businesses to commit to providing at least two FT products, and if they also provide local produce, all the better). There will be more businesses included this time, so fewer pictures, but we thought the best way to go would be one global picture, of cotton since that's the theme for this year, and one local picture, probably of the Tea Ladies from last FT Fortnight (though how we're going to explain why we've got all those men in drag, I'm not sure!)
As Fairtrade Fortnight will shortly be upon us, we were also planning events for it, including a bingo night at the school (takings to be split between FT Hay and the School), a giant clothes line across the market with an information stall and teas (again), and the launch of the new Directory. We will also be involving all six of the local FT primary schools in the production of a FT cookbook (we're anticipating a lot of recipes for banana bread!).
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Reasons to Buy Fairtrade
I realise I'm probably preaching to the converted by posting this here, but I've just come across the book "50 Reasons to Buy Fairtrade", and I'd like to share, one reason at a time.
Reason 1. Back a system that benefits the poor. The mainstream trading system is failing the poor. Fairtrade offers partnership in place of exploitation.
The poorest countries do not benefit from 'free' trade - while Western nations are making huge profits, African nations have a shrinking economy, at about 0.8% a year, even though many valuable raw materials come out of Africa.
Millions of small scale farmers have been driven to bankrupcy as a result of subsidised food from the West being 'dumped' in their countries, undercutting their prices.
Throughout the developing world people are working in poor countries for less than a dollar a day to make goods such as clothes and toys for the Western world. Often these goods carry prestigious brand names and sell for high prices. But wages for the people who make them are rock bottom and working conditions are often appalling.
Fair trade gives the poor who actually make the products a better deal.
Reason 1. Back a system that benefits the poor. The mainstream trading system is failing the poor. Fairtrade offers partnership in place of exploitation.
The poorest countries do not benefit from 'free' trade - while Western nations are making huge profits, African nations have a shrinking economy, at about 0.8% a year, even though many valuable raw materials come out of Africa.
Millions of small scale farmers have been driven to bankrupcy as a result of subsidised food from the West being 'dumped' in their countries, undercutting their prices.
Throughout the developing world people are working in poor countries for less than a dollar a day to make goods such as clothes and toys for the Western world. Often these goods carry prestigious brand names and sell for high prices. But wages for the people who make them are rock bottom and working conditions are often appalling.
Fair trade gives the poor who actually make the products a better deal.
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Love Zimbabwe Sponsored Walk
Congratulations to Martha from Love Zimbabwe for a valiant effort!
She didn't make it the full distance of 22 miles, either barefoot or in walking boots, but she got a lot further than anyone I know would have!
The full story is in the Brecon and Radnor Express this week.
She didn't make it the full distance of 22 miles, either barefoot or in walking boots, but she got a lot further than anyone I know would have!
The full story is in the Brecon and Radnor Express this week.
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Third Fairtrade Christmas Market
We had better weather than Brilley Christmas Craft Fair last week! It stayed above freezing.
Love Zimbabwe were there, of course. Martha, who runs the stall, was in the Brecon and Radnor Express this week. Tomorrow she's doing a sponsored walk of twenty two miles to raise awareness of the problems of women in Zimbabwe - and she's doing it barefoot. In December. She said she was going to put goose grease on her feet to protect them, like Channel swimmers do.
Tools for Self Reliance were there for the first time, with tools that have been refurbished here, and tools that have been made by blacksmiths in Tanzania. They seemed to have a pretty good day, and went home with the trailer a bit lighter.
The lady from Bagage does more than just bags now, because she has a little shop in Newcastle Emlyn. I rather liked her chickens made out of re-cycled plastic bags.
We also had Jump4Timbuktu, Zimele, Athene English with Burmese scarves, herbfarmacy, the Egyptian patchwork stall, Darling Buds of Hay selling Christmas wreaths, and free mince pies and mulled apple juice from the committee, as well as local calendars that we were selling for Lisa Marie of Wye Local (who was unable to come because she was ill). We were also sorry not to see Jackie and her Castello de Haia soaps, but she had a family crisis and was also unable to come.
The Town Cryer did a sterling job for us, and also Cried for The Village Quire, two of whom were supplying the music - trumpet and cornet carols, and a bit of close harmony singing.
And we should also thank the Mayor of Hay, Mary Fellowes, for officially opening the fair.
Love Zimbabwe were there, of course. Martha, who runs the stall, was in the Brecon and Radnor Express this week. Tomorrow she's doing a sponsored walk of twenty two miles to raise awareness of the problems of women in Zimbabwe - and she's doing it barefoot. In December. She said she was going to put goose grease on her feet to protect them, like Channel swimmers do.
Tools for Self Reliance were there for the first time, with tools that have been refurbished here, and tools that have been made by blacksmiths in Tanzania. They seemed to have a pretty good day, and went home with the trailer a bit lighter.
The lady from Bagage does more than just bags now, because she has a little shop in Newcastle Emlyn. I rather liked her chickens made out of re-cycled plastic bags.
We also had Jump4Timbuktu, Zimele, Athene English with Burmese scarves, herbfarmacy, the Egyptian patchwork stall, Darling Buds of Hay selling Christmas wreaths, and free mince pies and mulled apple juice from the committee, as well as local calendars that we were selling for Lisa Marie of Wye Local (who was unable to come because she was ill). We were also sorry not to see Jackie and her Castello de Haia soaps, but she had a family crisis and was also unable to come.
The Town Cryer did a sterling job for us, and also Cried for The Village Quire, two of whom were supplying the music - trumpet and cornet carols, and a bit of close harmony singing.
And we should also thank the Mayor of Hay, Mary Fellowes, for officially opening the fair.
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Preparing for the Christmas market
We've been distributing flyers around town (and as far afield as Brecon) to advertise our Third Fairtrade Christmas Market, on the 11th December, in Hay Buttermarket.
When I went into one of the shops in Hay today, the lady told me that one of the flyers has got as far as Poland!
They have a regular customer for religious books in Poland, so now she always slips in a leaflet to tell him what's going on in Hay, and this week, it was the Fairtrade flyer! I don't suppose he'll be coming to the Market, but it's nice that the news gets so far from home.
When I went into one of the shops in Hay today, the lady told me that one of the flyers has got as far as Poland!
They have a regular customer for religious books in Poland, so now she always slips in a leaflet to tell him what's going on in Hay, and this week, it was the Fairtrade flyer! I don't suppose he'll be coming to the Market, but it's nice that the news gets so far from home.
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Fairtrade Christmas Fair
Plans for the third annual Fairtrade Hay Christmas Fair seem to be going well, with nine confirmed stalls and a couple still to come, and a nice mixture of Fairtrade and local products. Some old favourites like Love Zimbabwe and Jump4Timbuktu will be back along with newcomers like patchwork from an Egyptian Christian community and Tools for Self Reliance from Crickhowell (who work with people in Tanzania). There will also be mulled apple juice and mince pies, and possibly some local Christmas trees too.
The date for your diaries is Saturday 11th December, from 10am to 5pm, in the Buttermarket, Hay (with seasonal live music).
The date for your diaries is Saturday 11th December, from 10am to 5pm, in the Buttermarket, Hay (with seasonal live music).
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