Our Fairtrade stall at Sainsburys, Welwyn Garden City, with mayor Helen Bromley

Fairtrade Fortnight this year runs from 25th February to the 10th March.  In what has become tradition over at least the last five years our group has been holding stalls at local events to raise awareness of Fairtrade issues and products. We have visited the University of Hertfordshire and Springmead School in Panshanger, Welwyn Garden City. At the school we gave an assembly talk and had a stall at two parent-teacher evenings. The children at the school really impressed us with their knowledge and enthusiasm around Fairtrade issues. Well done to all of them!

On Saturday the 2nd we held a stall at Sainsbury’s, Welwyn Garden City. We chatted to shoppers about Fairtrade and handed out leaflets, as well as running as short prize quiz which was well received by local youngsters. It is heartening how many people are now aware of the Fairtrade mark and what a lifeline it can can for hard pressed farmers in developing countries.

Welwyn Hatfield mayor Helen Bromley visited us at the Sainsbury’s stall on Saturday. The mayor always draws people in to any event she attends and we are grateful to her for taking the time to visit us and hear about Fairtrade progress locally. Her presence on the stall certainly caught shoppers attention.  The  group photo above shows our group’s stall and members, as well as many of the Sainsbury’s staff. On the right you can see mayor Helen Bromley with store manager Adrian Clarke standing beside her (holding a bottle of Fairtrade wine).  We would also like to thank the team at Sainsburys for helping make the event a success. You can see a selction of Fairtrade special offers they are currently running by clicking HERE.

Lastly, but by no means least, the store also ran a free Fairtrade wine tasting yesterday. Free samples were offered to passing shoppers by a very friendly member of staff, what better way to enliven the weekly supermarket shop!

Fairtrade wine tasting at Sainsburys

Next weekend we will be in the Howard Centre, Welwyn Garden City. Please come and say hello if you see us.

Thanks also to Gill Pinfold, Denis Hawes, Will Davis, Linda Finn, Janet Corlett, Tony Scottowe for organising and manning the stall.

Most of us enjoy a good cuppa, but not all tea is created equal. Actually it’s not grown or picked equally either as millions of hard pressed plantation workers around the world would tell you. But i’ve discovered one I really like from Sainsbury’s, so credit where it’s due and here’s a picture I took the other day, you can almost see the steam emanating from the brew in my mug.

Fairtrade and Darjeeling tea - a fine combination

I once visited the tea plantations of Darjeeling and watched the hard graft. Dozens of pickers clinging to a steep hillside in the pouring rain, my heart went out the them.

Buying Fairtrade tea from Darjeeling at least reassures me that the tea workers are getting reasonable pay and conditions for their very significant toils.

You can find out a lot more about Darjeeling and it’s renown teas by clicking here.