Long-standing Holme Valley Fairtrade member Peter Beetlestone writes in answer to the question "What is happening at Traidcraft?":

“Over the past 40 years, Traidcraft has pioneered the first fair trade chocolate, coffee, tea, fruit juice, wine, rice, honey, charcoal, rubber, palm oil… Almost everything we know today as fair trade began with Traidcraft.” Wow!!

In September last year they announced “that like many retailers Traidcraft has been going through very difficult times, particularly due to the rate of exchange. Currently they are considering closing the business at the end of the year so that they will still have sufficient assets to pay all their creditors.”

Fortunately there was such a supportive response from many stakeholders that they revised their plans. The Board of Traidcraft has accepted a plan for the future of the plc, which has room for 12 employees & will begin its work at the start of 2019. It will maximise the profitable parts of the business, phase out loss-making lines, create a membership culture & set a new high bar for ethical trading in the UK. As such, Traidcraft wishes to build on the extraordinary success of fair trade for a new generation of trading, sourcing & buying, in the manner of its pioneering fair trade founders.
 
Traidcraft will initially focus more deliberately on its established partners & advocates, who are predominantly active in Christian churches. Traidcraft’s 4,300 Fair Traders, 85% of whom are motivated by faith, will be able to access a new version of the company they already do business with. Further to this, products will be available to all consumers through the online Traidcraft shop & by mail order.
 
Returning the business to profit will involve a simpler range of products. The new Traidcraft will: • establish core grocery lines • carry fewer craft lines • encourage communities to buy cooperatively & in bulk, saving on packaging & benefitting the planet • deliver discounts through a membership model.
 
All of Traidcraft’s 67 members of staff have faced redundancy through the legal consultation process; 22 of whom chose voluntary redundancy, & a further 45 were issued notices of redundancy. Sadly there will be only 12 roles available within the future plan for the organisation.
 
So if you see Traidcraft items for sale please support them, there is a Traidcraft stall at Holmfirth Methodist Church during the Thursday Coffee Morning from 10am to 12 noon - do pop by and show your support.

On Monday 17th September, Honley High School was lucky enough to host yet another fantastic Fairtrade event, alongside local supporters and school children! Howard and Webster, came all the way from Malawi  to show us an amazing presentation to explain what life is like for a Kilombero rice farmer. Life is hard in Malawi and there is a lot of poverty; the weather conditions there can be really hard and people have to work out in the field for a very long time. Most farmers can’t afford the luxury of things such as education for their children, transport, proper sanitation or even farming machinery, like ploughs. Howard and Webster are part of a farmers’ association called NASFAM; a group which enables small holders to do business on a global scale. NASFAM works with JTS (Just Trading Scotland) to import rice to the UK and ensures that all the farmers are paid a fair price.

Being part of the Fairtrade movement has brought lots of different benefits to the Kilombero rice farming community. We especially have become very involved with selling their rice because every time we sell 90kg, we raise enough money to send one of their children to school for a whole year. We have already completed the 90kg rice challenge 3 times and by the end of this school year, we would like to have raised enough money to send a child to school for 5 years, just like we do at Honley! 

"For many years Fair Trader fairtrader.coop has tried to reduce waste, stock recycled products and also manage a small recycling centre. We are now trying to use the upsurge in interest in the worldwide plastics epidemic to further improve ourselves, and encourage others to do more too.
 
Some unwanted items can help disadvantaged communities and small co-operatives in Africa make a sustainable living. We are collecting sewing/knitting machines, and hand tools of any type on behalf of CART (Christian African Relief Trust) in Lockwood. Their volunteers inspect them, convert some of them to be hand-driven, pack into containers and ship to their trusted partners all over Africa. cartyorkshire.co.uk
 
 
We are also collecting guitars, ukuleles, recorders and keyboards for Anno’s Africa who work with children and young people living in slum conditions in Kenya and Malawi. They offer an art-based education and training in performance arts. annosafrica.org.uk
 
We are putting pressure on our suppliers to reduce their packaging, use recycled materials, and identify any plastics used so we can segregate them for recycling. We use no plastics in our own packaging.
 
We would like to hear from other businesses/organisations/individuals who are able to work with us to scale up the recycling in our area. At Fair Trader we have our own recycling centre for a range of items; this now includes beauty products packaging and bottles. For everything else HoTT (hott.org.uk)has produced an excellent directory of re-cycling collection points in our area.
 
Fair Trader also looks out for and stocks items made from recycled/upcycled materials, such as bird tables, greetings cards and re-useable cups.
 
Thank you. Many of us working together can make a difference."

​Kathryn Sheard, Fair Trader

​Honley High School Fairtrade forum are running a poster competition for students. They are asking pupils to design a poster to promote Fairtrade, and ask all to ‘go wild’ with ideas! Any size, any media. Children’s entries need to be brought to Honley High School office along with a £3 entry fee. Each entry will receive a 1kg bag of Fairtrade rice. The winner from all the schools in the area will win a bag of Fairtrade goodies.
 
Deadline for the poster competition is Wednesday 2nd May.

"It’s great to be asked to contribute to this blog during Fairtrade Fortnight, and to see the excellent work that is going on locally.


Prior to being elected as an MP I was deputy chair of Fairtrade Kirklees. Given that I now have to spend so much of the week in Westminster, I have less time to spend with the group, but I joined the Fairtrade All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) shortly after being elected and am fighting for fairer trade in Westminster as well as here in my constituency.


Shortly before Christmas I was delighted to attend the Fairtrade and Ethical Christmas Market at Huddersfield Mission. It was incredible to see all the great work that local businesses do to contribute to fairer trade across the world. No contribution is too small, and here in the Colne and Holme Valleys we are really punching above our weight in making a difference worldwide.


I have always believed that we have a responsibility as a developed country to treat our neighbours fairly. We live in an increasingly globalised world, and just as we need to support the most vulnerable in our own country, it is in all our interests to ensure that the poorest countries in the world develop in a sustainable and fair way. The UK Government has a responsibility to ensure that we improve conditions abroad, and as consumers, we should seek to contribute to that wherever we can.


This is, however, an uncertain time. Nearly two years on from the EU referendum it is still unclear how our trade agreements with other countries will be affected. While this has an obvious impact across the board, it is particularly crucial in the area of Fairtrade. As we seek to secure economically viable trade deals across the world, we must see Fairtrade as a non-negotiable and crucial part of those deals - not just an ‘added extra’. We know the huge impact that Fairtrade can have on some of the world’s poorest communities, but also here at home. As well as supporting local firms and individuals, I will use my voice as your Member of Parliament to push the Fairtrade agenda front and centre as talks about our final Brexit deals progress.


I am looking forward to attending the fairandfunky schools conference in March, and I am sure that it will be inspiring to see what is going on in our area to promote this vital work.


As always, if anyone would like to get in touch with me about any local or national issues, please use the contact details below."

Thelma Walker MP
Slaithwaite Civic Hall
15a New Street
Slaithwaite
Huddersfield
HD7 5AB


thelma.walker@parliament.uk
@Thelma_WalkerMP
www.thelmawalker4cv.co.uk

This year to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight we are giving our local Primary Schools a Fairtrade football from Bala Sports UK!

We hope to get lots of photographs of young people across the Holme Valley getting engaged and active with Fairtrade – not just with footballs but with other things too. What will your school be doing?

To discover more about the Fairtrade footballs from Bala Sport please visit their website: http://www.balasport.co.uk/

To discover more about Fairtrade Fortnight and how your school can get involved please visit: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Get-Involved/Current-campaigns/Fairtrade-Fortnight

To learn more about Fairtrade and footballs take a look at workshops from Holmfirth based fairandfunky: http://www.fairandfunky.com/school-and-community-workshops/play-fair-fairtrade-footballs/

I was delighted to join the Holme Valley Fairtrade at November's meeting in Honley a couple of weeks ago. It was excellent opportunity to catch up with old friends and support a movement very close to our hearts.
 
Allegro Optical Opticians is a business with a strong focus on ethical client care and wellbeing. We always try to provide the very best service and products we can, but without detriment to others. In doing just that staff at the practices in Meltham and Leeds are particularly conscious of their environmental and ethical responsibilities. All our staff contribute to the businesses environmental and community impact and to this end we aim to encompass a principled approach in all aspects of our work.

Allegro Optical Opticians in Meltham is an integral part of the local Holmfirth community and we feel we have the ability to be a strong influence on environmental and ethical issues in the area. However we know we cannot do this by ourselves and it is for this reason that we have joined Holme Valley Fairtrade. We want to try and do more to support Fairtrade in the local area, particularly in and around Meltham. Although we are demonstrating our ethical commitment to our clients, and have a positive impact on the producers, helping to sustain their communities, we feel a need to do more. For us just serving Fairtrade products such as tea and coffee to our clients is not enough.
 
There is no such thing as Fairtrade spectacle lenses or frames, if there was we would sell them. However we try to buy our frames and lenses as locally as possible. Many of our frames and lenses are manufactured in the UK, reducing air miles and in turn their carbon footprint. It also supports the British economy during what is a particularly difficult and uncertain time for the UK. So when you visit Allegro Optical Opticians you can be assured that you will not only receive first class eye care, it won’t cost the Earth and it will be sourced fairly and at a fair price.
 
We don’t do cheap spectacle frames bought in from China, made in factories by low paid workers. Nor do we sell lenses produced in Eastern Europe by staff paid a fraction of those in the UK and with poorer living standards as a result. What you get is quality spectacles, most of them made in the UK, and all made by qualified craftsmen who are paid a fair wage. You’ll also be offered a delicious Fairtrade tea or coffee, and usually a Fairtrade biscuit too. And who knows if you pop in over the festive season you may even get a glass of Fairtrade wine or even some Divine Fairtrade Chocolates. That’s if we haven’t eaten them already!

Thank you to new Holme Valley Fairtrade members Allegro Optical for this Guest Blog.

Allegro Optical are based at 1-3 Station Street, Meltham, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, HD9 5NX  Telephone 01484 0907090

On October 3rd Holme Valley Fairtrade welcomed Viswaraj Magoo and Koolskools to Honley High School as part of their nationwide tour to share the story of Fairtrade. We were honoured to have been asked to host an event and invited schools, businesses, and friends to join us for a ‘Cotton On To Fairtrade Coffee Morning.’

It was a privilege to hear Viswaraj speak about his life in the clothing industry in Mauritius and Madagascar. It brought home the importance of asking ‘Who Made My Clothes?’ and caring about the answer.

Vishwaraj used to work as a production manager for a large clothing manufacturer. He worked long hours and made sure his staff worked long hours too. He admits he was well paid as manager, but his staff, weren’t. They worked, on average, 72 hours a week to meet deadlines and sales targets. “They [the company] were interested in profit first of all, and second, and third. They took all the juice out of their workers. In every circumstance it was about profit.”

He shared stories of how workers were sacked for “no real reason”; for talking too loudly, for being late, for simply expressing themselves. “There were always a lot of people looking for work, so we could do what we wanted.”

But two things happened which changed his life. He experienced the rough edge of management when he needed to take time off to spend time with his family when his daughter was ill – he wasn’t allowed. When he wanted to go home for Christmas – he wasn’t allowed. “I asked myself – what is more important – family? Welfare? Social life? or profit? I realised I needed to leave, where I worked, what I was doing, was like slavery.”

And then Viswaraj met Craft Aid – a Fair Trade company in Mauritius, making textiles and putting people first. “I never knew that could be possible, it was a world of difference. You could take breaks during the day, lunch was paid time, you could have leave, join unions, there was a workers council. WOW! My life changed.”
Unfortunately Craft Aid closed in 2014 as they couldn’t sell enough Fairtrade cotton. But with help and guidance from KoolSkools, Viswaraj took over the factory and restarted the company. “And now we have to sell to survive!”

“I’m pleased and proud to be in the family of Fairtrade. But people have to support it. People have to buy Fairtrade. It makes a huge difference to the lives of producers. It brings change, it brings smiles to people you don’t know. The only way is to support Fairtrade.”

And he’s right.

Koolskools are a brilliant way to engage with Fairtrade. (www.koolskools.co.uk) Their Fairtrade cotton uniform is perfect for schools – as everyday uniform or special occasion Year 6 or school trip hoodies. And it’s not just for schools – Holme Valley Fairtrade members’ fairandfunky and The Black Cat Bistro both proudly wear Fairtrade uniform from Koolskools.
​
Do take time to look for the Fairtrade mark when you go shopping. Ask questions about the supply chain and challenge companies to make the switch. Together we can make real change. 

KoolSkools, Holme Valley Fairtrade and the staff and students of Honley High School are all excited to welcome you to a very special Fairtrade coffee morning, where guests will meet our guest Fairtrade speaker from Mauritius, Mr Viswaraj Maghoo; and discover how to take action for Fairtrade in the Holme Valley!

Date: Tuesday 3rd October 2017
Times: 9 am to 11 am
Location: Honley High School, Station Road, Holmfirth. HD9 6QJ
 
Cotton on To Fairtrade Coffee Morning!
A celebration event of all things Fairtrade in the Holme Valley – with informal networking over tea, coffee and cake!
The events keynote Fairtrade speaker, Mr Viswaraj Maghoo, is the Managing Director of the KoolSkools Fairtrade-licensed clothing factory in Mauritius. Mr Maghoo will share his story and describe his life-changing experiences from working in a sweatshop to being employed by a Fairtrade-licensed Factory.
 
You are invited!
We are inviting all members of our community to the event from teachers and student representatives from schools across Kirklees and local business representatives to share in a celebration of all things Fairtrade.
And we would love YOU to join us!
‘Cotton on to Fairtrade Coffee Morning’ is a brilliant opportunity to hear directly from a Fairtrade producer and discover the differences our actions here in the Holme Valley make to the people who grow our food and make our clothes.
 
 
Please RSVP to:
 
Helen Robinson – Chair of Holme Valley Fairtrade holmevalleyfairtrade@gmail.com
 
 
We look forward to welcoming you all to this unique Fairtrade experience!