The Fairtrade Guernsey Blog

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In a study just published, (more details here) it has been shown that 2-4 cups of tea or coffee per day actually reduce the risk of Heart Disease – so you can now enjoy your preferred cuppa even more without feeling like you are over doing it. Of course you already know that drinking 2-4 cups of Fairtrade tea or coffee is also good for other peoples health! Fairtrade not only means that the farmer gets a fair price, and his workers get a fair wage, it also guarantees better working conditions and improved access to healthcare for some of the poorest people in the developing world.  If you needed an excuse to drink more Fairtrade tea and  coffee, you have it now.  For an example of the  impact of Fairtrade on a coffee co-operative please click here

Click here for details of key local Fairtrade stockists,

Fairtrade Foundation and Alliance for Responsible Mining have announced a FLO approved standard for Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold. Read more here on the Fairtrade Foundations Website

If you want to find out more about our work on the island, maybe volunteer to join the committee or just give us some encouragement, all will be welcomed at 7pm for the AGM

Today we have been privileged to have Comfort Kumeah and Tano Kojo, Fairtrade farmers from Ghana, and Laura Blake, Marketing Manager and Wendy Rowan, Sales Manager, Divine Chocolate Ltd with us in Guernsey. They have had an exhausting program round lots of schools along with visits to Specsavers, mondomundi and Oxfam. There is still time to catch them if you pop along to Pelicans at Kings from 7pm this evening. I hope those present on the school visits will add some comments on how they went – and I hope to add something about the Pelicans event in the morning. A big thank you to Divine for coming over and bringing lots of chocolate with them.

Members of the Guernsey fairtrade Steering Group have volunteered to go through Fairtrade Fortnight eating only local and fairtrade food. Follow their progress here as they post what they’ve eaten and recipes used, as well as finding out where to obtain the finest local and fairtrade foods on the Island!

The Fairtrade Foundation have announced a 12% rise in sales of Fairtrade goods over the past year, despite the effects of the recession. At the same time, they draw attention to the plight of almost 100 million additional people forced into extreme poverty in the developing world by the global recession. More than ever we need to show our support for Fairtrade, make the swap to Fairtrade brands, to Fair Trade shops and let our shopping make that vital difference in eliminating poverty. Read the full press release here

Fairtrade Phil!

There is a great piece in today’s Guardian from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on Fairtrade Recipes Click here to read what he has to say. On that note, don’t forget the Fairtrade Sunday Lunch at the Ambassador (see post below) next Sunday.

Phil

Well, Valentines day has come and gone, time to reflect on that old chestnut, Fairtrade goods are more expensive! I saw an ad in the Globe for a local supermarket – a dozen roses for £40 – compare this to an ad in The Times – a Dozen Fairtrade Roses – wait for it ……. £5!! Roll on Fairtrade Fortnight!

Good news for Fairtrade Chocolate lovers, the choice is getting even bigger with the news that Green and Black are converting their entire range to Fairtrade. Green & Black’s maya Gold was the first chocolate to carry the Fairtrade mark back in 1994 so it is good to see that the rest of the range is finally catching up.  Green & Black is owned by Cadbury now, so lets hope the proposed takeover by Kraft (who support the Rainbow alliance certification) does not adversely affect these plans.  More inf is on the Fairtrade Foundation website. Any other observation or comments are always welcome.

The Fairtrade Foundation have announced the arrival of the first Fairtrade certified Melons in UK Supermarkets this week. Hopefully we will see them in Guernsey supermarkets before long. Watch this space.