Salisbury Fairtrade

World Cup fever was alive and kicking at Salisbury High School as South Africa (Salisbury High) played England (Ringwood School) in two friendly but competitive five-a-side matches to raise awareness of Fairtrade. The students wore Fairtrade shirts (sponsored by Barchester Green Investments), meticulously embroidered with each country’s national flag by SHS parent Mrs Judith Wreford, and played with a Fairtrade football. Staff served Fair Trade orange juice, bananas and biscuits whilst students, fittingly, sold Fairtrade jewellery produced by Nqabakazulu School in South Africa with whom SHS has enjoyed a link for many years.

Student commentator, Joe Booth, kept up a witty description of the matches as Salisbury High School boys outclassed Ringwood to win 2-0. The girls were evenly matched and despite heroic efforts on both teams, ended in a 0-0 draw.

Mrs Jane Munroe from the Salisbury Fairtrade Group presented trophies to the winning teams. Mrs Rock, Extended Schools Co-ordinator, explained, ‘Events like these are essential in raising awareness of Fairtrade issues and if we can have fun in the process, so much the better. There was a fantastic atmosphere here today and the event has been so successful that Ringwood School have invited us for a re-match next year. Ringwood even took away the Fairtrade shirts to use in a fashion show they are holding this week to raise awareness of Fairtrade and eco issues.’

To find out more about Fairtrade and what it means you can log onto their website www.fairtrade.org.uk. For more information about Fairtrade events and outlets in the Salisbury area you can visit the Salisbury Fairtrade website at www.salisburyfairtrade.org.uk.

Over 50 people from Salisbury surfed the Wave in London on December 5th with about 40,000 others of all ages from babies in prams to older people in rickshaws and wheelchairs as well as many wheeling bikes.   We were regaled by several bands, creative outfits in all shades of blue, fancy dress polar bears and icebergs, giant waves made from blue and white plastic bags and many Fairtrade banners.

For once a totally peaceful and good humoured event had fairly prominent coverage in the news that evening.   Let’s hope it all pays off.

Book 5 December in your diaries now so that the official delegation preparing to go off to the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change will be in no doubt of the strength of public opinion in favour of a very strong deal in Copenhagen to regulate CO2 emissions. The event is going to be called the Wave with people dressed in blue and waving blue banners surrounding Parliament on both sides of the river and across the bridges.

The Stop Climate Coalition is calling for the UK Government to focus on:

• Quit Dirty Coal: End our reliance on dirty coal power, and instead boost the UK’s renewable energy supply to help build a green economy and create new jobs;
• Protect the Poorest: Provide resources to help the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people adapt to climate change;
• Act Fair & Fast: Deliver a fair global deal in Copenhagen that keeps global warming under 2 degrees C.

Before the demonstration in London there will be a service at Westminster Methodist Central Hall from 11 am where participants can pray for climate justice before they join the march. The Wave: Wear blue and bring blue banners to join the human wave.
http:/www.stopclimatechaos.org/the-wave.

We need to persuade lots of people of the importance of this event and arrange coach transport. If you live in the Salisbury area and are keen to attend please would you contact me (Rachel Lucas, 01722-325266, rlucas@givemail.co.uk) before the end of September.

Wave Poster

We are updating our on-line directory and invite all businesses in the Salisbury area stocking or serving Fair Trade items and not already listed to contact us with their details.

Saturday 10 October 2009
10 – 4.30
Kings College London, Waterloo campus

Free event featuring expert speakers from the Fairtrade movement and other organisations, workshops, debate, stalls, networking opportunities and Fairtrade sampling

For more info and to book go to www.Fairtrade.org.uk/supporterconference09