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

Hi there, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of the Steering Group, volunteers, supporters, donators of gifts, Fairtrade Quizzers, Fairtrade Lunchers, Scouts, teachers, students and everyone else who made Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 such a huge success, you really do make a huge difference! Thank you Nicky Terry

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.

Let’s get swapping!
If you haven’t already, pay a visit to this super site…..

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/thebigswap/

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

The Fairtrade Foundation congratulates Ben & Jerry’s on the announcement (Feb 2010) that they will be going 100% Fairtrade in the UK and throughout Europe by the end of 2011 and globally by end 2013 – which means that every ingredient they use, from sugar to nuts to cocoa, that can be Fairtrade certified, will be. Ben & Jerry’s launched the world’s first ever Fairtrade vanilla ice-cream in the UK in 2006, and this move today will be the biggest conversion into Fairtrade products the ice cream world has seen.

The theme of Fairtrade Fortnight (22 February – 7 March) is The Big Swap as people in the UK and Ireland are being rallied to swap everyday shopping basket items such as tea, coffee, chocolate, cotton tee-shirts, pineapples, bananas, cakes, sugar and a host of other products for Fairtrade ones during Fairtrade Fortnight. With companies like Ben & Jerry’s rallying behind the Big Swap theme, consumers will find it easier to make The Big Swap and help reach the Fairtrade Fortnight campaign target of one million and one swaps. During Fairtrade Fortnight, the Fairtrade Foundation will tot up product swaps on a special online swap-o-meter at www.bigswap.org.uk

‘A round of applause to Ben & Jerry’s on the scale and vision of their Big Swap. Tackling poverty through trade may not be easy but it is always worth it, and Ben & Jerry’s has demonstrated real leadership in laying out this long-term ambition to engage with smallholders, from sugar growers to nut growers to vanilla growers to cocoa growers,’ says Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation. ‘The public will lap up these Fairtrade ice-creams and producers will start to see real benefits rolling back to them, helping tip the balance of trade more in their favour. Ben & Jerry’s, like all of us in the Fairtrade movement, believe that people can have fun standing up to injustice – campaigning against poverty whilst enjoying some of Ben & Jerry’s best-selling favourites,’ Harriet continues.

Existing Fairtrade flavours Chocolate Macadamia, Chunky Monkey, Vanilla and Vanilla Toffee Crunch will be joined by the company’s top selling flavours Baked Alaska, Caramel Chew Chew, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and Phish Food, together with new flavours Fairly Nuts and Phish Food Frozen Yogurt. By the end of March 2010 60% of Ben & Jerry’s flavours in Europe will be Fairtrade with the total balance converted by the end of 2011.

Hazir Shah, elected as representative of the Ghazer Fairtrade Farmers in Pakistan who produce the almonds for Ben & Jerry’s says: ‘Fairtrade has brought tremendous benefits to the communities not only for Fairtrade farmers but to others by increasing the prices for walnuts, almonds and other fruits to properly profitable levels for farmers. Also under the Fairtrade agreement, we are paid on time and in cash whereas normal traders often make no cash payments but insist on barter arrangements leaving us with no money for school fees and health care. With Fairtrade, farmers are now more conscious about quality and we have found new unity and honesty through Fairtrade.’

Jerry Greenfield comments: ‘Fairtrade is about making sure people get their fair share of the pie. The whole concept of Fairtrade goes to the heart of our values and sense of right and wrong. Nobody wants to buy something that was made by exploiting somebody else.’

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!