News update 23 July 2008

Awareness of Fairtrade Mark rises to 70%

Latest research commissioned by the Fairtrade Foundation and launched to coincide with World Fair Trade Day on Saturday 10 May 2008, shows more UK consumers than ever before – 70% of the population – recognise the FAIRTRADE Mark, up from 57% in 2007.

The research also shows that more people understand what the Mark is about, with 64% of the population linking the Mark to a better deal for producers in the developing world, and that people are really being influenced to buy Fairtrade products. 1 in 4 of the UK’s shoppers now regularly buy several products carrying the Fairtrade Mark.

Of course in Woking we are not surprised by this. We have had so much support at our campaigning events and know there are hundreds of people spreading the Fairtrade message week in, week out, across the town. Just keep up the good work!

Woking Successfully Renews Fairtrade Town Status

Having originally been granted Fairtrade Town status in October 2005, we were required to renew this status after 2 years to ensure Woking still meets the criteria set by the Fairtrade Foundation. We heard in July 2008 that we have been successful and were complimented on our schools work and the efforts to engage with members of the mosque in particular. For a copy of the letter from the Fairtrade Foundation click here.

Keeping track of Fairtrade products in Woking shops

It’s that time of year when we try to update our list of the Fairtrade products which can be found in shops and cafes in Woking. If you have spotted Fairtrade products somewhere that you have not seen before, please do let us know. Here’s what we know about that is new:

• We are delighted to see the range of Fairtrade products in our local M&S grow to include lots of food products as well as cotton underwear and T-shirts.
• Spotted recently in Debenhams is the new range of men’s cotton T-shirts from Maine and supported by Olympic rower Steve Redgrave.
• We’ve heard that the new Café in Knaphill, Valentino’s, is offering Fairtrade coffee. If anyone has been in to check it can you let us know?
• Becca confirmed that the three Threshers stores in the area are all selling a number of Fairtrade wines.

APRIL 2008 NEWSLETTER:
Review of Fairtrade Fortnight in Woking

Hi everyone.   We just wanted to send out a quick newsletter to tell you how Fairtrade Fortnight went. We had loads of publicity in local papers for our events, particularly the Fashion Show which was covered by the Woking News and Mail and the Heathrow paper Villager. The main thrust of ... {MORE}

WFAN Steering group meetings

Please see red box bottom left of screen for steering group info.

Fairtrade banner made by schools

Our fantastic banner made from the entries to our competition this year by local schools has now come down from its spot in Peacock Walk. We would love to have another chance to show it off so if you have an event at which you could display it, contact Becca. Just bear in mind it is very large - 30m x 1.5m.

The message is the Fairtrade Fortnight slogan from this year: Change Today – Choose Fairtrade.

BLACK GOLD – the Movie

We have 6 copies of the DVD Black Gold, all about coffee farmers in Ethiopia. Why not organize an evening at your church or youth group, or simply a evening with friends with a glass or two of Fairtrade wine and screen this film. You will never think the same about your simple cappuccino!

For more information about the film, go to www.blackgoldmovie.com or contact Becca.

Can you take Fairtrade to Work?

The Fairtrade Foundation has recently designed materials to promote Fairtrade in the workplace. We would really like to know what offices and other places of work in Woking, however big or small (major companies, garages, estate agents, hairdressers, whatever), use Fairtrade now. If your place of work doesn’t, what about planning a tasting session during Fairtrade Fortnight? What about talking to whoever orders coffee and tea for your workplace about using Fairtrade? More and more workplaces are switching, realising that employees feel good about working somewhere prepared to make ethical choices. Do contact WFAN if we can help.

You could also go to the Fairtrade Foundation's website www.fairtradeatwork.org.uk, which contains resources specifically for those wanting to encourage their employers to make the switch. You could also simply send the witty Fairtrade at Work viral to colleagues (www.fairtradeatwork.org.uk/FT_s_8_2.html).

What is FAIRTRADE?    Through selective buying, you can ensure that the producers at the bottom of the supply chain, such as poor farmers, get a fairer share of the money you spend on their goods.   [More on Fairtrade]
What is the WOKING FAIRTRADE ACTION NETWORK?  Our Network promotes the use of Fairtrade products in the borough of Woking. We made Woking a Fairtrade Town.

Where to find FT goods in Woking

In at Waitrose in Goldsworth Park you can now find Fairtrade Belgian chocolate waffles and Fairtrade vanilla extract. The choice keeps on growing. There are now over 2,500 products with the Fairtrade Mark. Please click on where to get fair trade goods in Woking for the latest in and around Woking.

South East Fairtrade Forum:           Sat 10 Nov 2007

Several of us from Woking helped put on the first South East regional event. Representatives of about 25 local Fairtrade groups attended this networking event and heard from Fairtrade Foundation speakers about plans to develop regional networks to provide support for activists.

The next step is to canvas opinion from groups across the region about how we move forward so watch this space!

For more information, contact Becca Rowland at Rebecca.rowland@ntlworld.com.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2007:  26 Feb – 11 Mar

Fairtrade Fortnight 2007: Fatima Lopez at Scythwood School with mayor - Cllr John Kingsbury - and pupils

We had a great Fairtrade Fortnight here in Woking.

Not only did we have a massive turnout for the trade economics debate, but we held two stalls: one in Wolsey Place on Friday 2nd March and another in the Peacocks on Friday 9th March (both over the lunch period) and talked to numerous people about asking their workplaces to make the switch to Fairtrade.

We discovered that some large Woking companies, such as Royal Blue, are already using Fairtrade tea and coffee. Employees from several other companies, such as Lastminute.com, which has a call centre in the centre of Woking, told us how much they would like their employers to make the switch.

In addition - thanks to Stephen Marriott who works for fairtrade company Cafedirect and lives in Brookwood - we were able to bring a fairtrade farmer to Woking for the second year running. Fatima is 23 and is being trained as a coffee taster in her community in Nicaragua, thanks to Fairtrade. She spent the day with children at Horsell village School, Sythwood School, St. Dunstans and St. John the Baptist, and her visit was covered by both the News and Mail and Woking Review.

Woking is now a Fairtrade Borough Mayor & Billie at celebration reception (click to enlarge) The Woking Fairtrade Action Network (WFAN) is delighted to announce that Woking is now officially a Fairtrade Borough. The event was celebrated in October 2005 with a reception held at Trinity Methodist Church and was attended by the Mayor of Woking as well as many of the local councilors, representatives of shops and cafés selling fairly traded goods, churches and community groups using Fairtrade products and Fairtrade supporters from across the Borough.

Some past news items

PHOTOS

• [Fashion Week 2005]
• [Photo A]   [Photo B]    [Photo C]   [Photo D]    [Photo E]

SEE ALSO news archive

http:/www.wokingfairtrade.org.uk/mainwindow.html