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SAINSBURY'S WINNERSH MAKES THE DIFFERENCE WITH FAIRTRADE
The Winnersh Sainsbury's store is so committed to Fairtrade it has this month been celebrating its own Fairtrade event, and will also be marking Fairtrade Fortnight from February 25 to March 9. Fairtrade Fortnight is a national awareness campaign to help shoppers remember the benefits of buying products with the FAIRTRADE Mark, and sees thousands of tastings, competitions, concerts, games and celebrity appearances all over the country.
On Saturday February 2, Sainsbury's Winnersh celebrated the conversion of its Red label tea to Fairtrade by treating all customers to a free Fairtrade tea bag. UK-wide, this announcement will increase the size of the Fairtrade tea market in the UK from 3,000 tonnes to 9,000 tonnes of tea every year, tripling Fairtrade tea sales. During Fairtrade Fortnight Sainsbury’s Winnersh will be offering free tastings and Fairtrade information, with help from members of the Wokingham Fair Trade Campaign (WFTC).
By buying products that carry the FAIRTRADE Mark, consumers know that developing-world producers receive a fair and stable price for their produce, which covers their production costs and includes a premium to be reinvested either in the business or in social and environmental schemes among the community.
To support Fairtrade further nationally, Sainsbury's will be moving its entire range of own-brand tea, ground coffee and hot chocolate to Fairtrade over the next three years, creating an increased return of around £2million each year for developing countries (in Fairtrade premiums). The move will also make Sainsbury's the largest retailer of Fairtrade tea and coffee.
Leigh Brown, store manager said: "We are very excited that we are helping Wokingham celebrate Fairtrade and giving our customers the opportunity to have a Fairtrade cup of tea. We drink nearly three billion cups of tea and ground coffee every year in the UK and this means a much larger number of producers in developing countries, from tea-producing Kenya and Malawi, to coffee growers in South America, will benefit from the FAIRTRADE Mark."
In Wokingham, the WFTC is dedicated to raising the profile of Fairtrade and helping local businesses promote the Fairtrade goods they have on offer. The group publishes the Wokingham Borough Fair Trade Directory, showing shops and restaurants in the area which offer fair trade items, and has created a local network for fair trade supporters to share learning resources and news.
“There are lots of local events happening during Fairtrade Fortnight. Fairtrade is becoming so popular locally that we believe Woodley, Wokingham and Earley could become Fairtrade towns – they just need to prove they each have businesses that support Fairtrade,” said WFTC chairman Colin Weedon.
Subscribing members of the WFTC receive regular news and are invited to events. Their website www.wokingham-fairtrade.org.uk offers information and an online version of the Wokingham Borough Fairtrade Directory. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the directory, call (0118) 979 1156 or email info@wokingham-fairtrade.org.uk for more information. The campaign would also like to hear from any businesses using fairly traded products in their offices or offering any Fairtrade goods for sale.
“Even if your claim is just a handful of people who club together and buy a jar of Fairtrade coffee to share in the office, then you’re doing your bit and we’d like to hear from you,” says Colin. “And if you offer Fairtrade products to customers too, we can help you to publicise this.”
Notes:
1. More from WFTC chairman Colin Weedon on (0118) 979 1156.
2. Events in the area during Fairtrade Fortnight include:
• Big Brews: Across the UK Traidcraft’s “Big Brew” campaign is providing packs of tea, coffee and biscuits for individual Big Brew events. Local Big Brews are taking place at:
• St Mary and St John Parish Centre (Mothers’ Union), Finchampstead March 4 from 10.30am to 12 noon with a speaker from a Palestinian olive oil company
• St Mary’s Church, Winnersh, March 8, 10am to 12noon
• St Mary’s Church, Wargrave March 2 and March 9, after the Sunday service
• St Paul’s Parish Rooms, Wokingham, Sunday 9 March at 5pm, followed by Evensong with the choir of Oriel College, Oxford
• A Beetle Drive will take place on Saturday March 8 from 7pm to 9pm in The Cornerstone, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham. Everyone is welcome and Fairtrade refreshments will be available. There will also be a Fairtrade stall and a raffle with fairly traded goods as prizes. All proceeds from this Big Brew will go to the Mothers Union Overseas Fund which actively encourages and supports fair trade. Entrance: £2 (£1.50 for under 12s) in advance or £3 (£2 for under 12s) on the door. Tickets available from Mary Hopkins (0118) 978 2678, Valerie Flook (0118) 978 7363 or Alison Vacher on (0118) 912 2313.
• A Fairtrade Family Fun-Day at Wokingham Baptist church will take place on Sunday March 9 from 2pm to 4pm, involving games and activities with a Fairtrade theme, and a Fairtrade chocolate tasting! Come along to the church in Milton Road and join in the fun.
• A Fair Trade Day at The Forest School, Winnersh on February 26 offers activities for pupils.
• Sainsbury’s in Winnersh will be offering tastings and a display stand from Thursday February 28 to Sunday March 2, manned when possible by WFTC members.
• Nirvana Spa in Sindlesham will have a leaflet stand promoting Fairtrade to customers.
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