Articles - Miscellaneous

Fair Trade

In my last article, I gave you an overview of the talk, which Mark Richardson gave at Lidgett Park last summer. I hope that one of your New Year resolutions, which will last beyond January 31st will be to give firm consideration to the commitment to fair-trade. Fairly traded goods mean that the grower, who is often exploited and paid a pittance, will get a fair price for his goods. It means that workers are treated fairly and not oppressed. No slave labour is involved in the production. In addition there is also a "social premium" paid. This means that extra help is given for community assets, such as a school or clinic.

The easiest way to start is with tea and coffee. Have you checked your cupboards? Any non-Fair-trade tea and coffee should be finished by now, if you are committed to using only fairly traded tea and coffee. Have you still not made that commitment? Can you form groups for tasting sessions to see which brand of fair-trade tea and coffee you prefer? Fair-trade tea and coffee is now very widespread and at a competitive price. It is available in ground, instant and decaffeinated in most shops and supermarkets. This year all Sainsbury's own make tea and coffee will be fair-trade. In Marks & Spencer's and Sainsbury's coffee shops the tea and coffee are all fair-trade.

If you are now committed to only using fair-trade tea and coffee in your own home, what about spreading your influence? Consider your work place, the clubs and groups you belong to. Can you encourage them also to use only fair-trade tea and coffee?
My goal is to persuade the supermarkets to stock fair-trade goods as a matter of course. Fair-trade tea and coffee are already in prominent place there. It is not so easy to find other things. There is the fair-trade shop opposite the Corn Exchange in town and there is The Beehive on Potternewton Lane in Chapeltown. Do have a look at these shops and see what else is available and compare the prices with the supermarkets. You might find that there is very little price difference on some things. The three covenanted churches also have fair-trade stalls. Get to know what is available so that you can be prepared with your shopping list to mark off what you can get at a fair-trade stall:

Lidgett Park: coffee morning on the 1st Saturday in the month.
St. Andrew's: 1st Sunday in the month after morning service.
St. Edmund's: usually 2nd Sunday in the month after morning service.

February 24th is Fair-trade Sunday, preceding Fair-trade fortnight, February 25th - March 9th. Have a look at their website: www.fairtrade.org.uk Let's make it a special time this year.

Patricia Davies

© St Edmund's Church, Roundhay