Over the past few years worshipping in different churches while on holiday I’ve noticed that many of them had stalls selling tea, coffee, dried fruits, cereals, cocoa, chocolate and many other goods.

TRAIDCRAFT PRODUCTS
- so what is Traidcraft?

Traidcraft was established in 1979, a Christian response to poverty, helping small producers in the developing world to engage in international trade. It works with people of all faiths and cultures paying producers a fair price for their goods and cutting out the middleman who would have bought at a low price and then made tremendous profits. People from poor and marginalised communities are given the opportunity to work in small co-operatives and then sell their products to Traidcraft.
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Fairtrade is about fairness and justice. It is about NOW – it is ongoing, a constant response to the needs of others. Fairtrade is about people – many who before Traidcraft were living on the edge of society.
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Does it make a real difference? – YES

Traidcraft teas come from small holdings in India where growers and pickers have good wages with good working and living conditions.

Coffee producers often the most exploited workers in the world. Café Direct producers are paid a good price with advance payments where necessary. All in the community benefit from this.


With the help of Traidcraft small farmers have been able to educate their families. Widows have remained independent and supported their children. An isolated village in India, with the help of Traidcraft, built it’s own weaving shed and provided work for the men of the village. – And so the story grows.

Traidcraft produces only quality foods and goods, some can be found in our supermarkets. I can recommend Fairtrade bananas.
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Fairtrade and Traidcraft goods have been sold at coffee mornings for the past twelve months. A very successful coffee afternoon gave people a chance to sample a wide variety of Fairtrade products.

Following this the Church Council in June 2005 agreed that we become a Fairtrade Church. We have committed ourselves to use Fairtrade tea and coffee at all meetings for which we have responsibility. Tea and coffee will be available for other groups using the premises. Other Fairtrade products , sugar, biscuits, fruit will be used whenever possible.

Fairtrade guarantees a better deal for Third World Producers.
 

Barbara Bissett

Protect your home and contents with us and raise money for your church or charity.

Insure your home and contents with Methodist Insurance and we'll give 20% (or minimum £20 donation, whichever is the greater amount) of the first year's premium to your church or chosen charity. 

Our homes and contents policy has been designed with the Methodist community in mind.  It is competitive and backed by our financial stability and reputation for dealing with claims quickly and fairly.

We make generous grants out of profits to the Methodist Church to help sustain it's work and witness.  In fact, over the last 130 years we have been able to provide grants totalling over £10 million. 

For a brochure about the Methodist Insurance Church and Charity Donation Scheme call us on 0845 7697531, or e-mail enquiries@micmail.com

As part of our fundraising efforts, we have teamed up with Community Fonback to collect unwanted mobile phones and we would like your help in publicising our collection campaign by asking family, friends, colleagues etc. for any unwanted mobile phones. The recycling box and bags are located in the Church Hall.

Did you know up to 15 million mobile phones are replaced each year in the UK alone? While people are replacing their phones, many people in developing countries can't afford the most basic communications. In addition, our unwanted mobile phones could end up in landfill polluting our countryside.

Our mobile phone collection campaign aims to collect phones which can then be sold in developing countries. We receive the money generated through the resale of these phones. Community Finback ensures that any phone that cannot be reused is safely recycled, thus ensuring minimum impact on the environment.

Should you have any questions or require further information please contact Julie Mooney.

We hope that you will support our initiative.