MAKE IT FAIR TRADE

Thirteen years ago saw the first ever “Fair Trade Fortnight”.  Public understanding of what the “Fair Trade” brand means and the range and availability of products has increased massively in that time.  Whilst Britain has one of the best records in Europe for promoting and buying Fair Trade goods there is still a lot more we can all do.  By switching one of the items we regularly buy to a Fair Trade product makes a real difference to the lives, families and communities of the producers.  To buy something here in Castleford that changes the lives of the poorest people thousands of miles away in Africa or Latin America is surely worth doing. The simple act of putting Fair Trade products in our shopping basket every week is an active expression of our faith and an example of how we as Christians can reach out and help others in need.  Food for thought -  before the 14th Fair Trade Fortnight comes around we should seek to be officially recognised as a “Fair Trade Church”. 

Further food for thought:  (answers next month)

1.       How many people in the world live on less than $1 dollar a day?

a) 50,000                         b) 986 million              c) 500 million

2.       What is the biggest selling fair trade product in the UK?

a) Coffee                            b) Tea                        c) Bananas

3.       How many fair trade products are on sale in the UK?

a)  Less than 500             b) More than  2,000    c) More than 3000

4.       Twenty per cent of the population in developed countries consume how much of the world’s goods?

a)   53%                     b) 86%                       c) 75%

5.       What is the life expectancy in Tanzania?