It is very appropriate that our meeting tonight is in the middle of One World Week.
I would like to bring you up to date on what has been happening with the Winchester City Fairtrade Network over the past year and to share some future plans.
Thank you to everyone on our committee who make my job so easy:- Rosemary Dunhill our Secretary, David Lloyd our Treasurer and Webmaster, Dave Morton our invaluable contact with Winchester University, Kathy East and Jeannette Archdeacon who have strong links with schools, churches and the wider community. This year we have been joined by Cllr Janet Berry and she is providing a strong link with Winchester City Council.
Fairtrade Fortnight 25 February to 9 March 2012.
The Banner advertising Fairtrade Fortnight was displayed across the High Street.
The Fairtrade Fortnight lecture by Jack Elton-Walters of Rapanui, held at the University, was excellent. He explained the organic, ethical and low carbon approach to their clothing. Great emphasis is put on the traceability of all their products from seed to shop.
Winchester University event management students arranged a Variety Evening in St John’s Rooms which had an attendance of 65 and quite a wide variety of entertainment, but there was relatively little emphasis on Fairtrade. Fuzzi was the only shop represented and there had been confusion about whether or not they should sell goods.
The school event arranged by the second group of students centred on St Bede’s school and covered 60 children in a single year group. There were three or four events, including the squeezing of Fairtrade oranges provided without charge by Sainsbury’s. Feedback was good and the pupils were well informed on Fairtrade.
‘The Big Brew’ was celebrated in two or three venues with Fairtrade tea, coffee and cakes and Fairtrade goods for sale.
Other events.
At last year’s AGM we had an excellent presentation on ‘Starting an Ethical Business’ by Hannah and Andy Mintram. Fuzzi is their shop in Parchment Street filled with Fairtrade and ethically sourced goods.
Three people from Winchester attended the Hampshire Fairtrade Network AGM in Havant. Dave Morton spoke about what it takes to make Winchester a Fairtrade University and it was a good opportunity to share ideas with other groups. There was discussion on whether to renew our membership of the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce.
I attended the Fairtrade Supporters Conference in London. We heard of the benefits for farmers and communities from speakers from Fairtrade Africa and the Windward Islands and more about the Fairtrade Foundation’s plans.
Winchester City is an accredited Fairtrade City and we are in the process of submitting a renewal.
On World Nut Day we delivered a complementary packet of Fairtrade nuts to each of the County Councillors serving Winchester with a letter of explanation about the importance of Fairtrade and the hope that they will help towards making Hampshire a Fairtrade County. There are 5 goals to achieve this and the only one not achieved is for HCC to pass a resolution and to serve Fairtrade products in meetings, offices and cafés (which they already do).
Kathy East works closely with the Centre for Global Awareness which works closely with schools to help them towards Fairtrade School status. St Peter’s remains the only Fairtrade school in the Winchester area but St Bede’s school is working towards achieving this status.
Future Plans
Fairtrade Fortnight is from 24 February to 9 March 2014.
Last year we hoped to book space in St Maurice’s covert for a sale of Fairtrade goods, but unfortunately only Charities may sell things. Instead we hope to provide an information stall there in Fairtrade fortnight.
Winchester University will again be organising an event during Fairtrade Fortnight and we look forward to their proposals. We particularly thank Dave Morton and the University for their strong commitment to Fairtrade.
We will be looking at ways to link Fairtrade with Trade Justice in the events we organise.
We would welcome more people to join the committee. Please contact me or anyone else on the committee if you are interested.
Charlotte Bailey
Chairman