posted by Cptn
Fairtrade fortnight is about to kick off, and Martin Odoch, who plays a key part of the Fairtrade tea programme in Uganda, will be doing the rounds to show what the fair approach to trade means to real people.
Martin is is the field manager for the Mpanga Growers Tea Factory Limited, which buys tea from 748 producers and markets under the Fairtrade mark.
“Martin also has worked with small-scale tea growers to make sure that Fairtrade standards are met. I think we will be very interesting to find out more about this aspect of his work. It is going to be a very exciting fortnight,” Devon Fairtrade Steering Group co-ordinator Sue Errington told the PRSD.
Martin said: “Travelling to Devon to be part of the Fairtrade campaign will enable me to meet the Fairtrade consumers. I am very excited at this prospect. In the cool, tropical slopes of Mountain Rwenzori, the rural smallholder tea growers who own Mpanga factory harvest and process more than just tea. We process the best pickings of our plantations with care, then dispatch them with lots of smiles, for under Fairtrade we do not spend sleepless nights worrying whether the market will appreciate our efforts by offering a fair price.”
You’ll be able to catch Martin enthusing about the infusion throughout Fairtrade fortnight, which runs from Monday February 25 to Sunday March 9.
For more details, check out the county’s Fairtrade site.
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February 21st, 2008
Fairtrade Fortnight is set to kick off in Devon on Saturday February 23 to Sunday March 9, and this year the whole county is going for Fairtrade status.
Teignmouth County Cllr Chris Bary, told the PRSD: “The changes in behaviour are relatively easy to make, but have a massive effect and significance.
“The council now uses fairly traded goods where possible in catering for council meetings and functions and other council events. We are also looking at the council’s wholesalers, including printing and stationery, to see if they stock fairly-traded products.
“It hasn’t been difficult, or expensive, to do, and we hope others will soon follow suit.â€
A number of towns and cities including Teignmouth, Exeter, Bideford, Newton Abbot, Dawlish, Crediton. Barnstaple and Tavistock have already achieved Fairtrade status. Others working towards this include Torrington, Bovey Tracey, Tiverton, Exmouth and Ivybridge.
Here’s a list of what’s going on more details can be found on the Fairtrade Devon site.
Mid Devon
Crediton Café Crawl on Saturday, February 23 from 10.15am to 12.15pm
People are invited to gather on The Green for a tour of the town’s cafes which sell Fairtrade products. Cafes to be visited are Stevie B’s, Corner House, Kirton Café, Wedges, Cairney’s and the Station Tearooms.
The event will end with a presentation at the Station Tearooms by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Crediton Farmers Market on Saturday, March 1 from 9am
Stalls featuring Fairtrade products and information and a chance to meet Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Cullompton Community College on Thursday March 6 from 9.30am to 12.30pm
Pupil from local schools are being invited to find out how their schools could gain Fairtrade Awards and to hear a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Fairtrade Schools Conference at East Devon College, Tiverton on Friday, March 7 from 9.30am to noon
Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch will discuss Fairtrade issues with students. It is hoped they will take an active role in Tiverton’s campaign to gain a Fairtrade Award for the town and for their college.
This will be followed by a meeting of the Tiverton Fairtrade Friends.
Exeter
Fairtrade Fortnight Launch on Saturday, February 23 from noon to 2pm at Princesshay Shopping Centre
Events will include a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch, a performance by the University of Exeter World Music Choir and free samples of Fairtrade products.
Devon County Council on Monday, February 25 at County Hall, Topsham Road from 12.30 to 1.30pm
Display of Fairtrade information plus free sample products
Exeter Co-op Group on Monday, February 25 at Exeter Labour Hall, 26b Clifton Road at 7.30pm
The event will include a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Co-op store in Prince of Wales Road on Tuesday, February 26 from 10 to 11am
Visit by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Fairtrade conference for primary schools: A Divine Experience with Ghanaian Divine Chocolate producers on Wednesday, February 27 at the West of England School and College for children and young people with little or no sight, Topsham Road from 9.30am to 12.40pm
This awareness-raising event has been organised to encourage schools to work towards Fairtrade status. Activities will include cookery with Fairtrade chocolate and art.
Celebration of Fairtrade on Wednesday, February 27 at the Global Centre, Exeter Community Centre, 17 St David’s Hill on from 6.30 to 9.30pm
Events will include a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch and by Ghanaian chocolate producers
Met Office in Fitzroy Road on Friday, February 29 from 11.30 to 2.30pm
Awareness-raising event including a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
South West Water at Pynes Hill on Wednesday, March 5 from 12.15 to 1.15pm
Awareness-raising event including a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
East Devon
Sidmouth Methodist Church on Sunday, February 24 from 10am to noon
Presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
East Devon Schools Conference at Bicton College on Thursday, February 28 from 9.30am to 12.30pm
Awareness-raising event including a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Ottery St Mary Parish Church on Sunday, March 2 at 10am
Presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Exmouth Town Council on Monday, March 3 at 7pm
Presentations by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch and Christian Aid regional manager Martin John Nicholls.
Glenorchy United Reform Church, Exmouth on Sunday, March 9 from 10.30am to 12.30pm
Fairtrade Breakfast to include presentations by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch and Christian Aid regional manager Martin John Nicholls.
South Devon
Visits to schools in Ivybridge which have links with a Ugandan school through the Food For Thought programme on Monday, February 25
Awareness-raising events including presentations by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
The programme for the day is:
9am Dame Hannah Rodgers School
10.30am Manor Primary School
12.25 Ivybridge Community College
2.30pm The Erme Primary School
Fairtrade tea party at Ivybridge Methodist Church on Monday, February 25 from 3 to 4.30pm
An opportunity to meet Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Teignbridge
Fairtrade launch and lunch at the Methodist Church Hall, Dawlish on Tuesday, February 26 from noon to 2pm
Event hosted by Teignbridge Fairtrade Friends will include a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Fairtrade event at Teignbridge District Council offices at Bitton House, Teignmouth on Friday, February 29 at 7.30pm
Presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Ilsington School on Wednesday, March 5 from 2 to 3.30pm
Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch will discuss Fairtrade issues with students.
Bovey Tracey Fairtrade event on Wednesday, March 5 from 5.30 to 7.30pm
This event hosted by Bovey Tracey Fairtrade Steering Group will include a presentation by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Plymouth
Plymouth University on Tuesday, February 26 at 4pm
Fairtrade Lecture by Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch.
Torridge
Visit to Holsworthy by Devon County Council’s Community Roadshow on Tuesday, March 4.
On board the roadshow vehicle will be Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch. The roadshow will visit three locations during the day:
9am – Clawton Primary School
11am - Bridgerule Primary School
3pm – 4.30pm Holsworthy Square
North Devon
Bideford Fairtrade Group Community Event on Friday, March 7, at 7.30pm at Mill Street Baptist Church
West Devon
Tavistock Fairtrade Town Initiative on Saturday, March 8 from 10am to 4.30pm at the Parish Rooms, Tavistock
Many stalls featuring Fairtrade products, plus ethically-traded goods and refreshments supplied by local producer, Food Dreckly. Ugandan Fairtrade tea producer Martin Odoch will give a presentation at 2pm.
For more information log on to the Fairtrade Devon site or the Fairtrade site itself.
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February 19th, 2008
posted by Jess Sains
One of the major stories on Spotlight this week has been the demonstrations against a bail hostel, which is planned in Bodmin, Cornwall. It is a classic “not in my back yard†reaction to an integral part of the British justice system.
Inevitably, some of those who are put on probation instead of being locked up in gaol do not have home to return to, whether through relationship break-up or, more likely, through lack of property, full stop. So, where, when offenders are in this position, can ‘society’ put them? Back on the pavement? In a hotel? Or in a bail hostel as is suggested here.
As usual though, none of us are ready to take the actual hostel. ‘They’ll be paedophiles! Muggers! Rapists! A mish-mash of the horror of crime all living right next door,’ they say. ‘Right next door. And I have the right to my “little piece of England†in its entirety and safety without the fear of low-lifes bashing through my windows.’
And so the good people of Bodmin protest. It is a small village, they say; bail hostels shouldn’t be in small villages, of course. Crime is an urban issue, we all know that…
Really, though, what can the state do with those that should be bailed rather than locked up? It is one of the questions that has always troubled my own politics: crime. Firstly, I think that if you removed capitalism you would also remove a great number of the issues that cause crime, most importantly the race of gain money. But that is a book worth of conjecture in itself.
So, let’s scale things down: how would I feel about the bail hostel if it came to my village? I think I would try to have an open mind, because everyone has a right to live their life, but then there is the question of the mob. Small villages have a deep mob mentality, in their way, a self-preservation complex. In some ways this is their charm, their power; in others it is a difficult thing to accept.
The outsider is anyone new, let alone someone on bail. So, surely it makes more sense to place the bail hostel somewhere where it will not be noticed? In the middle of Plymouth, Exeter or Bristol. But surely the countryside and life in a Cornish village is just the tonic? A small, tight-knit community (if such a thing still exists in the current second-home climate) can, as well as scaring the outsider, build values and be a home.
If only the community would allow others to be a part of it then perhaps crime would no longer be an issue. Those who are disenfranchised from society do not sustain its values – nor do I for that matter, but I do believe in the human need for community. After all, think of the times you have smiled at the grumpy shop assistant (rueing their luck, no doubt) and been polite and ended up getting pleasant service in return. Costs nowt. If only we could say the same for crime…
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February 16th, 2008
