22 Jul
Argos have just launched their new Fairtrade gold engagement and wedding rings.
This is already life changing for the miners in Peru who’ve set up their town’s first ever dentist and have plans to improve the local electricity & water supply.
You can see Argos’ range here
20 Jul
Every year, our city is privileged to host some of the world’s greatest folk musicians as they entertain the crowds at the Cambridge Folk Festival.
But did you know that the Folk Festival also leads the way as a Fairtrade festival? This year, all the tea, coffee, cocoa and sugar served to festival goers will be Fairtrade. In addition, all eggs will be free range.
This is a great achievement by the organisers of the Folk Festival and we’re proud that Cambridge is leading the way once again.
Follow the Folk Festival on Twitter: @CamFolkFest and #GreenerFestival
3 Jul
The annual Fairtrade Campaign Awards recognise the amazing creativity, effort and impact of grassroots campaign groups who bring Fairtrade Fortnight to life each year in communities across the UK.
The Fairtrade Foundation is taking submissions for the 2016 Awards. You can read more here: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/en/get-involved/in-your-community/annual-campaign-awards
30 Jun
The UK has been debating it’s position in Europe. But we live in an interconnected world and Brexit will have implications far beyond the European Union. Michael Gedney, Chief Executive of the Fairtrade Foundation, writes:
The result of the European Union referendum won’t just affect the UK.
It will have a huge impact on the lives of the farmers and workers in developing countries who grow our food, too.
How that plays out – positive or negative – is in part down to all of us.
Put simply, as the UK begins to reshape its relationship with the EU, it will need to renegotiate how it trades with other countries, both in Europe and the rest of the world.
That could put farmers and workers in a vulnerable position.
Too often in the past, trade has been structured and regulated in a way that has given too much to those with power and wealth and too little to those who are powerless and poor.
Your support is needed now more than ever.
Fairtrade has shown that trade and business can be incredible forces for good, if the benefits are shared fairly. That way, everyone involved has the chance to earn a decent living, and protect their health, rights and the environment.
Over the coming months, and even years, we will need to work hard to ensure our politicians keep in mind the interests of poor farmers and workers as much as our own.
Together we will need to support them to get a fairer deal, so that they can send their children to school and invest in their futures, build strong communities and withstand the ravages of climate change.
I know that all of us who believe in a fair and just world can come together and fight harder than ever for exactly that.
24 Jun
Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery are holding a unique charity event ‘Summer in Cambridge’ on Wednesday 6th July 2016.
Held at their award winning Cambridge Studio and Shop, the event is in aid of Arthur Rank Hospice Charity which provides specialist palliative care to adult patients throughout Cambridgeshire and supports their family, friends and carers.
The current hospice is no longer able to cope with the level of demand, so a new centrally located hospice is in the process of being built.
During the evening guests are invited to partake in a silent auction, with the funds raised going directly towards the new hospice build.
Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery is also supporting the campaign to renew Cambridge’s Fairtrade city status. As one of the first twenty jewellers worldwide to launch certified Fairtrade gold in 2011, they want to spread the Fairtrade message via as many avenues as possible and so all refreshments on the evening will be Fairtrade.
The silent auction also includes a Fairtrade gold pendant designed by Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery, as well as many items kindly donated by local businesses.
The free event is taking place from 3-8pm at 6/7 Green Street, Cambridge, UK, CB2 3JU
Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery look forward to welcoming you to our studio and supporting Arthur Rank Hospice in the provision of a better hospice for the future .
17 Jun
Ramadan, the month of fasting, is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is not a month of starvation, but rather a spiritual detox of the body and mind. It can be healthy, if done correctly.
During these challenging days, I think about the blessings we have. We are fortunate to have access to food and water by the end of the fast. There are many people living in dire poverty around the world who don’t have this, so it’s a time of reflection and patience. We have been blessed with many things for which I am grateful.
I believe it is important for us to be aware of where our food comes from. That is why we should consider Fairtrade products. Whilst many of us are concerned about whether our food is halal or not, not all of us explore whether it has been traded ethically. Fairtrade ensures that farmers get a better deal for items such as bananas, dates, coffee, chocolate, sugar and tea, to name just a few products, in addition to helping them to build a better quality of life for their families and the communities in which they live. Buying Fairtrade products also helps farmer to tackle the challenges they face, including low incomes and the effects of climate change. We can all do our bit to help reduce poverty simply by changing our shopping habits.
Islam promotes fairness in trade and believes that people deserve decent working conditions. Ramadan is the ideal time to put these values into practice. Islam also teaches us to help the poor and needy. Millions of people around the world are facing poverty and starvation, so it is important to think of their wellbeing too. It is the tradition of the prophet to break the fast with dates and water. The dates instantly give the much needed replacement energy, so the body and mind becomes alive again. Therefore, why not consider buying Fairtrade dates?
It’s important to ask ourselves, what we have learned so far this month. How have we changed and how do we continue to carry this forward post Ramadan? For some, the fasting month means just abstaining from food and drink. Some find it difficult to quit bad habits. We all try hard to improve ourselves spiritually and change our lifestyles. If this isn’t our focus, then we haven’t learnt the true meaning of this month.
It is important to stay on the right track and continue the good deeds and habits we developed during Ramadan.
Shahida Rahman
3 Jun
On Wednesday some dedicated staff in the Sidney Street branch of Sainsbury’s were spotted wandering the store dressed as Fairtrade bananas and filling a trolley with a wide array of Fairtrade goods.
Why? This was all part of the #WhosInYourBasket campaign being run by Cambridge Fairtrade. The aim? To get Cambridge businesses to show off the range of Fairtrade products available for sale; share a producer story or two; and help Cambridge renew its Fairtrade City status.
Read about Sainsburys’ work with Antonio, a coffee farmer in Colombia here.
Fancy joining in?
Customers: Photograph your basket of Fairtrade goods and ask the retailer on social media #WhosInMyBasket
Retailers: Share a similar photograph along with a producer story, using #WhosInYourBasket
Alternatively, email your photos to denz@cambridgefairtrade.org and let us do the rest!
