We were very lucky with the weather - the sun shone for most of the morning. We set up the tea trolley in the middle of the market, and Shepherds very kindly allowed us to put the urn we'd borrowed from the Cat's Protection League in their private kitchen at the back, and run in and out with hot water. We borrowed the tea trolley from the Youth Group at the Community Centre, and all went down there to dress up and decorate the trolley. Which we then had to wheel through town, with Jo ringing her handbell to announce our coming.
We gave out something like 125 cups of free Fairtrade tea (the Indian Princes variety from the Co-op, who generously gave us supplies). Most people were supportive; some already drank Fairtrade tea, and others commented on how nice it was.
Derek and Tim, both in drag, took one of the big teapots and a stack of cups, and went round the local shops. Derek/'Ophelia' had a long wig and lipstick smeared roughly round his mouth and a brown overall and skirt, and Tim had balloon breasts under a purple dress with a red and yellow wig. We got James into a purple wig and a pinny, but that was as far as he would go. The rest of us girls had turbans and overalls or pinnys.
Photographers turned up from the Brecon and Radnor Express and the Hereford Times, and Marches TV turned up at the end, but didn't really have time to do any filming.
And Les who runs the market asked if we'd like to do it again next week, because it had brightened the place up!
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Tea Ladies
We all went round to Jackie's house last night. It wasn't exactly a meeting - and Jackie had laid on some lovely nibbles and drinks. What we were actually doing was comparing costumes for Thursday, when we're all going to dress up as tea ladies and give out free cups of Fairtrade Tea at the Thursday Market. We're borrowing a tea trolley from the Youth Club at the Community Centre, and getting hot water from Shepherds.
The look we were searching for was Nora Batty/Amy Turtle, rather than anything more glamorous (does anyone else remember Crossroads?). Three of us will be cross-dressing, though James refuses to wear a skirt on the grounds that it will be too cold. There was at least one purple wig in evidence for use on the day (and it'll keep someone's head warm!). The rest of us will be wearing the sort of turbans that Hilda Ogden, another style icon for the occasion, used to wear.
It should be a lot of fun, as long as we don't freeze! As Tim, who will be joining us, said, "People will remember the weird ladies who gave them tea, and associate that with the Fairtrade label - and hopefully they'll then want to drink more Fairtrade tea!"
The look we were searching for was Nora Batty/Amy Turtle, rather than anything more glamorous (does anyone else remember Crossroads?). Three of us will be cross-dressing, though James refuses to wear a skirt on the grounds that it will be too cold. There was at least one purple wig in evidence for use on the day (and it'll keep someone's head warm!). The rest of us will be wearing the sort of turbans that Hilda Ogden, another style icon for the occasion, used to wear.
It should be a lot of fun, as long as we don't freeze! As Tim, who will be joining us, said, "People will remember the weird ladies who gave them tea, and associate that with the Fairtrade label - and hopefully they'll then want to drink more Fairtrade tea!"
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Congratulations are in Order
Jump4Timbuktu are feeling very proud of themselves at the moment - and so they should be - they've just won the United Nations Gold Star Community Award for Livelihoods for their work between Hay and Timbuktu. The Hay Medics also won a Gold Star for their medical work with Timbuktu.
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Plans are Afoot
This year's Fairtrade Fortnight theme is TEA (last year was bananas), and as soon as the dust had cleared from the Christmas Fair, we started planning what we were going to do. We only have until the end of February - Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 22nd February to the 7th March.
For ideas about tea-related events, go to www.thebigswap.co.uk The idea is that we should all swap our usual, non-Fairtrade brand of tea for a Fairtrade brand, which should be a fairly painless change.
We're all quite enthusiastic about the Thursday market on 25th Feb - we plan to dress up as tea ladies, with a tea trolley, and go about the market giving out free samples of delicious Fairtrade tea. Then on Saturday 4th March, we're having another coffee morning at the Bear - the last one was great fun, and also featured lots of yummy cakes made with Fairtrade ingredients.
This year the schools are being asked to contribute to a Poetry Competition, and the finalists, one from each school, will be displayed in Hay Library for voting on the final winner.
Final preparations are being made at a meeting at The Globe at 7.30pm on 1st February - all welcome!
For ideas about tea-related events, go to www.thebigswap.co.uk The idea is that we should all swap our usual, non-Fairtrade brand of tea for a Fairtrade brand, which should be a fairly painless change.
We're all quite enthusiastic about the Thursday market on 25th Feb - we plan to dress up as tea ladies, with a tea trolley, and go about the market giving out free samples of delicious Fairtrade tea. Then on Saturday 4th March, we're having another coffee morning at the Bear - the last one was great fun, and also featured lots of yummy cakes made with Fairtrade ingredients.
This year the schools are being asked to contribute to a Poetry Competition, and the finalists, one from each school, will be displayed in Hay Library for voting on the final winner.
Final preparations are being made at a meeting at The Globe at 7.30pm on 1st February - all welcome!
Saturday, 19 December 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Meeting and Social Evening
Or "When we get together, we know how to party!"
The main object of the evening was a shared meal up at Brilley (a small village not far outside Hay). Everyone brought something yummy - a choice of salads and quiches, and figgy pudding with toffee sauce for afters, as well as some rather good chocolaty things. All that and good conversation.
There was a serious point to the meeting, too, though, as the posters and leaflets to publicise the Christmas Fair have arrived (not quite as ordered, but usable) and we needed to get together to hand them out so they can be distributed.
After the success of last year's Fair, we've given ourselves quite a tough act to follow, but we think we can do it!
Several stalls from last year are returning - Athene from The Great English Outdoors, Jump4Timbuktu, Love Zimbabwe, Bagage, Nepal Bazaar, Herb Farmacy and Zimele - and new arrivals are Comolongmo from Nepal.
If it's anything like last year, it should be great fun - and Hay School and Fynnon Gynnedd School are coming along too, to sing carols, and sell Fairtrade bags and home made fairtrade fudge.
The Xmas Fairtrade Fair is on Saturday 19th December in the Buttermarket, Hay from 10am to 5pm.
The main object of the evening was a shared meal up at Brilley (a small village not far outside Hay). Everyone brought something yummy - a choice of salads and quiches, and figgy pudding with toffee sauce for afters, as well as some rather good chocolaty things. All that and good conversation.
There was a serious point to the meeting, too, though, as the posters and leaflets to publicise the Christmas Fair have arrived (not quite as ordered, but usable) and we needed to get together to hand them out so they can be distributed.
After the success of last year's Fair, we've given ourselves quite a tough act to follow, but we think we can do it!
Several stalls from last year are returning - Athene from The Great English Outdoors, Jump4Timbuktu, Love Zimbabwe, Bagage, Nepal Bazaar, Herb Farmacy and Zimele - and new arrivals are Comolongmo from Nepal.
If it's anything like last year, it should be great fun - and Hay School and Fynnon Gynnedd School are coming along too, to sing carols, and sell Fairtrade bags and home made fairtrade fudge.
The Xmas Fairtrade Fair is on Saturday 19th December in the Buttermarket, Hay from 10am to 5pm.
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
We Have Fairtrade Status!
Yay for us!
We just got the news that Fairtrade status has been approved for Hay until 2011.
Here's what the Fairtrade Foundation had to say at the end of the report:
"Final comment:
Congratulations on maintaining Fairtrade Town Status for Hay on Wye and for the outstanding work you have achieved over the past year. It has been a pleasure to hear about all the fantastic events that have been organised and to see support develop and spread. We would like to thank everyone that has been involved in ensuring that the campaign continues to go from strength to strength. It is because of campaigns such as this that Fairtrade continues to grow, bringing more benefits to more communities in developing countries and encouraging businesses big and small to put people back at the heart of the transaction.
Your next renewal will be due in two years (November 2011) and please ensure that your update includes everything that has occurred since July 2009 when this application was submitted. Our apologies for the time it has taken to process this application and for the panel to do justice to all the hard work that has obviously been dedicated to taking Fairtrade forward in Hay on Wye
We look forward to hearing more when the next renewal is submitted and please do not hesitate to contact us in the meantime should you require any additional support, ideas or assistance. Good luck with all your future plans! "
We're all very happy!
We just got the news that Fairtrade status has been approved for Hay until 2011.
Here's what the Fairtrade Foundation had to say at the end of the report:
"Final comment:
Congratulations on maintaining Fairtrade Town Status for Hay on Wye and for the outstanding work you have achieved over the past year. It has been a pleasure to hear about all the fantastic events that have been organised and to see support develop and spread. We would like to thank everyone that has been involved in ensuring that the campaign continues to go from strength to strength. It is because of campaigns such as this that Fairtrade continues to grow, bringing more benefits to more communities in developing countries and encouraging businesses big and small to put people back at the heart of the transaction.
Your next renewal will be due in two years (November 2011) and please ensure that your update includes everything that has occurred since July 2009 when this application was submitted. Our apologies for the time it has taken to process this application and for the panel to do justice to all the hard work that has obviously been dedicated to taking Fairtrade forward in Hay on Wye
We look forward to hearing more when the next renewal is submitted and please do not hesitate to contact us in the meantime should you require any additional support, ideas or assistance. Good luck with all your future plans! "
We're all very happy!
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