While most people are thinking about Christmas, the Fairtrade group are starting to plan ahead for Fairtrade Fortnight, in February. This year's theme is bananas, and they are considering a market stall with banana cake, a tea tasting (because it doesn't have to be all about bananas) and doing something involving banana-y songs with Hay School ('Yes, we have no Bananas' is an oldy but goodie!)
Support Fairtrade - 'ave a banana!
Thursday, 19 December 2013
Monday, 9 December 2013
Cake Raffle
I've just heard that the raffle for that wonderful cake has already raised £71, and the cake will be in the window of Oxfam for the next week if anyone else wants to buy tickets for the draw!
Saturday, 7 December 2013
The Day of the Fair
It's been a fairly mild day, compared to some of the other years of bitter cold for the Fairtrade Christmas Fair. A lady from Shared Interest, which provides small loans for Fairtrade businesses, had come along, because the Hay Fairtrade group keep raising money to invest with them!
Victoria Baker, a new recruit to the Fairtrade group, baked this marvellous cake which was being raffled to raise funds for exactly that purpose - when I saw it, they were about to try to persuade Derek from the Wholefood Shop to display it for a week, to sell more tickets:
Love Zimbabwe were there, and Zimele, who have been before. Chris Armstrong was manning the Hay2Timbuktu stall with the silver Tuareg jewellery, and Christina was selling Egyptian patchwork and small prints of icons she has written for St Mary's Church (where the originals can be seen). Although they are pictures, icons are always 'written', traditionally, rather than 'painted'.
Tools for Self Reliance were selling hand tools made in Tanzania - and the Tanzanian blacksmiths also sent this over to show off their skills:
It's a traditional spear, and I was very tempted by it. However, for historical re-enactment blades have to be blunted, and this was quite sharp.
The next stall along, though, was a newcomer to the Christmas Fair, Wild Canvas, and they were selling knives and cleavers and scissors which are perfect for re-enactment! I treated myself to a medieval style vegetable knife with a metal curved handle and a pair of snips. They are made in North Vietnam. The other part of the Wild Canvas business is tent making for wild camping, and they were also selling canvas bags.
Later on in the day, choral singing was coming from the Buttermarket where the fair was being held - I think it was the St Mary's church choir (Christina is a member).
Victoria Baker, a new recruit to the Fairtrade group, baked this marvellous cake which was being raffled to raise funds for exactly that purpose - when I saw it, they were about to try to persuade Derek from the Wholefood Shop to display it for a week, to sell more tickets:
Love Zimbabwe were there, and Zimele, who have been before. Chris Armstrong was manning the Hay2Timbuktu stall with the silver Tuareg jewellery, and Christina was selling Egyptian patchwork and small prints of icons she has written for St Mary's Church (where the originals can be seen). Although they are pictures, icons are always 'written', traditionally, rather than 'painted'.
Tools for Self Reliance were selling hand tools made in Tanzania - and the Tanzanian blacksmiths also sent this over to show off their skills:
It's a traditional spear, and I was very tempted by it. However, for historical re-enactment blades have to be blunted, and this was quite sharp.
The next stall along, though, was a newcomer to the Christmas Fair, Wild Canvas, and they were selling knives and cleavers and scissors which are perfect for re-enactment! I treated myself to a medieval style vegetable knife with a metal curved handle and a pair of snips. They are made in North Vietnam. The other part of the Wild Canvas business is tent making for wild camping, and they were also selling canvas bags.
Later on in the day, choral singing was coming from the Buttermarket where the fair was being held - I think it was the St Mary's church choir (Christina is a member).
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Christmas Fair
The 7th December isn't far off now. The Sixth Fairtrade Hay Christmas Fair will be in the Buttermarket as usual, and there is one stall left for a Fairtrade trader or local producer. The cost is £35 for an 8 x 4 foot space, including table.
The next Fairtrade Hay meeting, to discuss final planning for the fair, will be on Monday 18th November at the Swan at 8pm. It's also going to be the last meeting for Jackie, who has designed every single poster for the Christmas Fairs since they started!
The next Fairtrade Hay meeting, to discuss final planning for the fair, will be on Monday 18th November at the Swan at 8pm. It's also going to be the last meeting for Jackie, who has designed every single poster for the Christmas Fairs since they started!
Saturday, 2 November 2013
Stand Up for Timbuktu
I've just come back from the Globe Gallery, where there's an all day event going on to celebrate the links between Hay-on-Wye and Timbuktu.
In the morning, there was a workshop put on by the Hay Theatre Group, leading up to an actual performance in the afternoon, and during the day there are stalls in the main hall. There's a strong Fairtrade presence there, with Tools For Self Reliance, Anacuna who sell plant dyed wool and woven rugs from Chile, Hay2Timbuktu with the Tuareg silverwork and leather boxes, Zimele with their crafts, and Love Zimbabwe, all of whom have been at the Hay Fairtrade Christmas Fair at one time or another.
The weather has been blustery and wet, so few people were making their way up to that end of town, which was a pity, because there's a lot of good quality stuff there. However, there will be another opportunity to buy from some of them at the Fairtrade Christmas Fair this December.
I met Martha from Love Zimbabwe. She's just back from a visit to the Czech Republic, where she's been talking about Fairtrade (and visiting a swimming pool and sauna - to find that Czech people take everything off when they go swimming!). Next Tuesday she will be at the House of Lords, to talk there about her Fairtrade work.
Later this evening there will be comedians in the Lower Gallery, followed by music from Sheelanagig and finally DJ Aubrey Fry.
In the morning, there was a workshop put on by the Hay Theatre Group, leading up to an actual performance in the afternoon, and during the day there are stalls in the main hall. There's a strong Fairtrade presence there, with Tools For Self Reliance, Anacuna who sell plant dyed wool and woven rugs from Chile, Hay2Timbuktu with the Tuareg silverwork and leather boxes, Zimele with their crafts, and Love Zimbabwe, all of whom have been at the Hay Fairtrade Christmas Fair at one time or another.
The weather has been blustery and wet, so few people were making their way up to that end of town, which was a pity, because there's a lot of good quality stuff there. However, there will be another opportunity to buy from some of them at the Fairtrade Christmas Fair this December.
I met Martha from Love Zimbabwe. She's just back from a visit to the Czech Republic, where she's been talking about Fairtrade (and visiting a swimming pool and sauna - to find that Czech people take everything off when they go swimming!). Next Tuesday she will be at the House of Lords, to talk there about her Fairtrade work.
Later this evening there will be comedians in the Lower Gallery, followed by music from Sheelanagig and finally DJ Aubrey Fry.
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
News Update
A warm welcome to Victoria and Joanna, who were manning the Fairtrade stall along with Jo Eliot for the Timbuktu welcome party in the Castle.
The stall at the Castle raised about £140 for group funds, including about £20 from the sale of Egyptian goods from Zabaleen - who also made the new Fairtrade Hay banner!
About £70 was raised from the events at the Buttermarket in August, too.
Hay Together are going to be asked if they would like to display the banner at their offices in the Castle, and it would also be available for use at the church or the library. As Eighteen Rabbit is a shop selling exclusively Fairtrade goods, it might also be displayed there.
Jo has recently been to the Fairtrade supporters conference, and brings back the news that the theme of next year's Fairtrade Fortnight will be bananas.
Louise and Chris are going to the Abergavenny Fairtrade Fair, and will be asking stallholders there if they want to be involved in the Hay Christmas Fair.
There will be a Fashion Show at the Masonic Hall on 30th November, at 7.30pm, in aid of Oxfam, and Jo Eliot will be the compere.
Planning for the Christmas Fair is in full swing, and the date this year will be 7th December.
Louise of Eighteen Rabbit is also organising a Green Fair next year, and Fairtrade Hay could take part in that - this would be in April if they can get the funding together.
The stall at the Castle raised about £140 for group funds, including about £20 from the sale of Egyptian goods from Zabaleen - who also made the new Fairtrade Hay banner!
About £70 was raised from the events at the Buttermarket in August, too.
Hay Together are going to be asked if they would like to display the banner at their offices in the Castle, and it would also be available for use at the church or the library. As Eighteen Rabbit is a shop selling exclusively Fairtrade goods, it might also be displayed there.
Jo has recently been to the Fairtrade supporters conference, and brings back the news that the theme of next year's Fairtrade Fortnight will be bananas.
Louise and Chris are going to the Abergavenny Fairtrade Fair, and will be asking stallholders there if they want to be involved in the Hay Christmas Fair.
There will be a Fashion Show at the Masonic Hall on 30th November, at 7.30pm, in aid of Oxfam, and Jo Eliot will be the compere.
Planning for the Christmas Fair is in full swing, and the date this year will be 7th December.
Louise of Eighteen Rabbit is also organising a Green Fair next year, and Fairtrade Hay could take part in that - this would be in April if they can get the funding together.
Sunday, 29 September 2013
A Party for Timbuktu
The Fairtrade group were busy yesterday at Hay Castle, where a party was held to welcome visitors from our twin town of Timbuktu. They were serving teas and cakes to a packed hall.
Timbuktu has been through a very difficult time recently, with rebels taking the town and imposing strict Islamic law there, but things seem to be getting better now, with the delegation of teachers and midwives now able to travel to visit Wales.
Timbuktu has been through a very difficult time recently, with rebels taking the town and imposing strict Islamic law there, but things seem to be getting better now, with the delegation of teachers and midwives now able to travel to visit Wales.
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