At a previous Holme Valley Fairtrade meeting, we were happy to welcome Ashraf Hamad, who is studying for a PhD at York St John’s and is researching fair trade campaigners – especially activists, forums and groups – to discover their perceptions and sources of motivation. Originally from Palestine, and now based in Leeds, Ashraf, who is currently in his 2nd year, is looking for individuals to interview. Each interview, ideally held face to face, will last about one hour.

Ashraf has since sent this message: “It was my pleasure to meet all the members last Tuesday. Your potential contribution to my PhD work is invaluable. Below is a short description of my research. I'm happy to interview as many members as possible. Each interview will last around 60 minutes and that of course will be on the interviewee convenience in terms of time, date and place.

Here is the description: The continuous increase of Fairtrade sales in the UK made it a necessity to study in depth the dynamics of the grassroots movement that supports Fair Trade. Whereas a huge body of literature focused on Fair Trade producers and consumers, there are very few studies that addressed the Fairtrade supporters’ side. Therefore, this study aims to explore the motivations and perceptions of Fair Trade supporters (activists/campaigners). The potential practical contribution of this study is to offer clear guidance to Fair Trade organisations and groups on how to efficiently recruit new supporters for Fair Trade in different contexts including different geographical locations and across different age groups. In a nutshell, this study aims to figure out new ways to pump more energy, strength, and prevalence of the Fair Trade movement."

Holme Valley Fairtrade encourage anyone who has a keen interest in Fairtrade as a subject to get in touch with Ashraf to take part in his study. For those interested, please e-mail Ashraf Hamad at the following address: a.hamad@yorksj.ac.uk

300kg of beautifully wrapped corporate gifts given to Lincolnshire Co-op’s members at meetings

fair trader has safely delivered 900 gift wrapped mugs from a family pottery in Southern India to Lincolnshire Co-op. Each one had been lovingly gift wrapped and tied with a bow of fair trader ribbon by fair trader’s volunteers, making a very distinctive gift for every member who attended the Society’s members’ meetings held throughout the county from 17th to 25th November. The order helped to support a pottery in India, which employs 13 female workers and 12 male workers, to continue providing regular work, gifts and bonuses to the workforce during the year.

The mugs were hand thrown from local clay, painted, and glazed by the disadvantaged workers group in Pondicherry, India, whose enterprise has helped establish a community school. fair trader presented the first mug to Ursula Lidbetter, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Co-op. They were also able to thank her in person for the order, which will help extensively to support the supplier in India.

“I have always been a supporter of the fair traders Co-operative,” said Ursula Lidbetter, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Co-op. “It was great to be able to go a step further and provide fair trade gifts to all our members. The mugs themselves are lovely and they were also beautifully wrapped. I hope that the suppliers were as happy to receive the order as our members were to receive their gifts.”

Mark Lewis, director fair trader said, “We are so grateful to our staff and volunteers who helped manhandle the 300kg of cartons up and down two flights of stairs and helped with the wrapping over the last month. We are hoping other societies will now consider us when thinking of corporate gifts.”

fair trader has a great range of products on its website (www.fairtrader.coop) that can be given as  corporate gifts for staff, members, raffles and raffle prizes for example. They also have bespoke hampers which include a combination of fair trade products from local suppliers and overseas providers. They make great unusual gifts and being fair trade, both the giver and recipient can feel good knowing they have supported a worthwhile cause.
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For more information please contact info@faitrader.coop or call us on 01484 690515