http://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/News and events from South West Fair TradeenCopyright South West Fair Trade 2010Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMTThu, 20 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMTNewsandy@hawkinstribe.org.uk (Andy) http://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/events.asp?id=262.aspWe are all familiar with Fairtrade coffee, sugar and bananas but did you know that there are now over 3,000 Fairtrade products available? From wine to cotton, beauty products to footballs, Fairtrade is branching out into ever increasing areas. Come along to this evening of discovery to find out how and why Fairtrade sales have more than doubled in the last 5 years despite the economic downturn, and how what was once a niche food market has become mainstream in the UK today. Using short films, discussion and thoughts from Steve Webb MP and including free Fairtrade wines and nibbles. Yate Library, 7.30pm on Friday 18th June This event is free, but please book a place so that we can cater for you.]]>Fri, 18 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/events.asp?id=261.aspOur next Fairtrade Steering Group meeting will be on Monday 22nd July, 5pm at Badminton Road Council Offices in Yate. The steering group is always looking for new members so if you are interested, please do come along.]]>Mon, 22 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/events.asp?id=259.aspWe had asked the community to collect Fairtrade wrappers in the weeks leading up to the event. On the day we invited chidlren to use the wrappers to decorate big letters (made by one of the group members) spelling out FAIRTRADE. You can see the result in the photo. Later the letters went to Crockerne Primary School in the village and now hang over the Fairtrade Tuckshop that is run by the children, supported by a member of staff. ]]>Sat, 2 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/uploads/news/259_news.jpghttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/events.asp?id=258.aspDemonstration in London]]>Sat, 8 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/events.asp?id=257.aspx]]>Sat, 10 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/events.asp?id=256.aspStalls in the Strand]]>Sat, 25 May 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/events.asp?id=255.aspx]]>Sat, 11 May 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/news.asp?id=254.aspNational Campaigner Committee April 2013 The Fairtrade Foundation hopes to have the new Head of Campaigning in place in May. Everyone is very excited as it looks like it will be someone with heaps of campaigning experience in the international development sector. Fairtrade sales increased in 2012 by 19% to 1.3 billion GBP. Driving this were: the launch of FT Maltesers; Morrisons switching to FT sugar; 100% of Coop bananas are now FT; sales of FT wine increased by 10% (possibly helped by the Olympics); FT herbs and spices, as well as FT gold, are also doing well. Mike Gidney, the new CEO, met with us and talked about his vision for the Fairtrade Foundation. We were pleased to hear him say that the commercial strategy should be subservient to the long term campaign goals for a just trading system. We heard more about the work being done at an international level to explore new business models for Fairtrade. There is growing recognition that the current business model has limitations, especially for composite products containing cocoa and sugar and for the cotton supply chain. A range of options are being evaluated and the aim is to find a way forward that the Fairtrade system as a whole can agree on and that maintains the integrity of the Fairtrade Standards. We are over half way through our plan to have 12 elected campaigners to represent campaigners across the UK. Elections in the South East, Wales and Yorkshire take place in the next couple of months. The Fairtrade Foundation has a plan to develop and support regional networks of campaigners and will be rolling out the first parts of its strategy later this year. In the meantime we are aware of the need for better communication between the campaigners and the Foundation so that grassroots campaigners have the information they need. This includes more transparency, better answers to tricky questions, and more information about what companies are doing with Fairtrade products. The Fairtrade Foundation has taken on feedback from campaigners via the NCC about the Fairtrade Schools award scheme and has recognized that some aspects of the scheme can be difficult or discouraging. The Fairtrade Schools team made an interesting presentation about how the scheme could be made more user friendly and considered how Fairtrade Schools compare to other school award schemes. One change being considered is to move to the use of levels rather than renewals. The inter-agency Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign is holding a large public event at Hyde Park in London on Saturday 8th June, 2pm-5pm. They are hoping to mobilise tens of thousands of supporters to attend and put pressure on the government to act on world hunger at the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland on 17th-18th June. There was a brief discussion about the Fairtrade Foundations Innovation Fund and fundraising. The NCC understands the need to raise funds and has previously expressed concern about how fundraising may be presented alongside campaigning. The Foundation is working hard to take these points on board but the NCC again expressed concern about the possible impact on funds raised by organisations such as Traidcraft Exchange and Shared Interest. Becca attended her first Fairtrade Foundation board meeting and reported back how positive the board is about the NCC and the role campaigners are now playing in shaping the movement going forward. Vivienne Kynaston, SW rep NCC]]>Thu, 2 May 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/events.asp?id=253.asp FareFashion Big Green Week Gala Evening Saturday 15th June 2013 Bristol City Hall 7.30-11pm Tickets 25.00 FareShare South West and Bristol Fairtrade bring you an evening of fair and local food, eco-fashion, recycling and sustainability. This unique and inspiring evening will feature a fashion show with the latest up-cycled and Fairtrade trends, alongside local and national designers that work exclusively in eco-fashion. There will also be the first chance in the south west to see the exhibition 'Fashion's Dirty Secrets' direct from London. Plus, a fantastic buffet dinner from FareShare, cooked with food that would have been wasted, with 15 delicious dishes to choose from such as Chicken roasted with Sumac, Zaatar and Lemon, Baby Aubergines stuffed with Nuts and Spice, cooked in a Tomato sauce and a choice of delicious desserts, topped off with Fairtrade wines and local juices. The evening will also feature input from Tamsin Lejeune, Managing Director of the Ethical Fashion Forum who will tell us the latest trends and developments in the sustainable fashion world, and Jacqui Reeves from FareShare who will give you information about food waste within the food industry and the inspirational work FareShare do. The evening will be wrapped up with delectable goody bags full of sustainable products. What better way to launch Big Green Week? Tickets 25, includes full dinner, free Fairtrade drink, exhibition, ethical fashion show, speakers and Fairtrade goody bag, available from http://biggreenweek.com/session/farefashion-big-green-week-launch-party/]]>Sat, 15 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/uploads/news/253_news.jpghttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/news.asp?id=252.aspMembers of Stroud and Nailsworth Fairtrade Town groups were waved off by the Mayor of Stroud and greeted by the Mayor and Town Crier of Nailsworth at the end of the Fairtrade Way walk on 16 March. They walked from Stroud Farmers' Market to Nailsworth calling in at cafes and pubs on the way to promote Fairtrade, congratulate those who already serve Fairtrade products, and pass on information about suppliers of Fairtrade products.]]>Tue, 9 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/uploads/news/252_news.jpgimages/logo.gifhttp://www.fairtradesouthwest.org.uk/