Salisbury Fairtrade

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

A group of people from Salisbury went to Bristol recently to the Triodos Bank AGM. The theme of the day was “The Financial crisis and other Opportunities”. Triodos is a shining light in the current financial turmoil. During the past year it has considerably increased its business, both deposits and loans. There was frequent applause as the large audience heard reports about the bank’s achievements. One of the recent loans granted was to Plush Fairtrade chocolates, which are on sale in Oxfam shops. Plush was amongst the numerous stalls displaying their wares, a sample of the businesses which have received loans from Triodos.

Sixty people celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight with a delicious meal cooked by Sarah Stancliffe.

They later listened to three speakers from organisations supporting Fairtrade producers practically and financially.

Triodos Bank, founded in 1980, finances enterprises only in areas that add sustainable value. Its Fairtrade Saver Account invests exclusively in Fairtrade

businesses, for example Café Direct and Zaytoun.

Shared Interest was set up in 1990 to provide long and short term loans to Fairtrade producer organisations and importers who work with

them. Producers usually have difficulty in raising money from banks because they have no collateral. Shared Interest also provides training and advice to producers to assist them in improving their productivity. Investors deposit funds with Shared Interest to finance the loans made.

Traidcraft Exchange is the charity arm of Traidcraft plc, founded in 1986. It is the only charity in the UK fo

cussing exclusively on trade. Traidcraft Exchange trains and supports businesses as well as working with governments and international bodies to ensure that trade and development policies take the needs of the poor into account.

Further information about these organisations is available at triodos.co.uk, shared-interest.com, traidcraft.co.uk.

The following day a Civic Service, attended by the Mayor, was held in St Thomas’s church to celebrate the granting of Fairtrade City status to Salisbury.