Our indefatigableChairman, Diane Robinson appreciates a good cup of coffee on her many travels for the Scarborough Fairtrade Action Group. She also takes her camera, so we can show you two of her recent visits: Fylingthorpe on the left ("every Friday morning 10.30-12noon - wonderful scones and lovely coffee - all for 50p!") with weekly Traidcraft stall holder Miss Kathleen Rushworth; and, right, newly opened Coaster's Café at Eastfield with manager Gill Kirby and assistant Brian.
If you also carry your camera when you're out, do please take pictures of Fairtrading - but do remember to ask permission to put them on the web site!
Thanks to the good folk at South Cliff Methodist Church who sent me this picture of their Fairtrade display in preparation for their "FREE 'BIG BREW' COFFEE MORNING at 10.30am on Saturday 8th March in the Church Hall with complimentary refreshments, free Fairtrade samples, Traidcraft stall selling Fairtrade products, stalls and raffle."
As reported elsewhere, on January 11th Scarborough University received from the Fairtrade Foundation its certificate as a Fairtrade University, and from Fairtrade Scarborough Action Group its certificate as our Flagship employer. Here's some pictures from the event...
Craig Gaskell, Dean of Scarborough Uni,
receives the Fairtrade University Certificate
from Robert Goodwill, MP.
L to R, Janet Jefferson (Mayor of Scarborough),
Tom Metcalfe (VP Students' Union), Robert Goodwill,
Craig Gaskell and Action Group Chairman Diane Robinson show both certificates to the press
There was, of course, a good display of just some the Fairtrade goods now available, and our Fairtrade lunch was provided by the University canteen.
Cartoon caption competition!
On any photo shoot there are pictures you can't do anything with! Sometimes they end up as caption competition pictures. Here's a new twist: a cartoon caption competition! Entries by email please. The best caption, drawn at the end of February 2008 out of the webmaster's hat according to his strange sense of humour will be rewarded with a prize of Fairtrade chocolate!
On Saturday 8 September our Chairperson, Diane Robinson, went to Filey Methodist Church Hall to see a production of 'Fairtrade Portrayed' by the Hull-based drama group Credo. Diane writes:
"It was a very challenging and thought provoking evening presented in a very stimulating, entertaining and very professional way. Lively conversations over (Fairtrade!) coffee ensued."
"Credo" is a community of Christians from across Hull, England, who believe that truth can be communicated through the arts. We aim to take high quality, dynamic presentations into the community - to entertain, challenge and inspire, bringing a fresh perspective to contemporary issues and ancient truths.
Since forming in the summer of 1996, Credo have been kept busy, devising, writing and performing material, focusing on bringing together a wide variety of media. They have performed in venues across the country, including The Guildhall, Hull, the London School of Economics, Sheffield Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and street drama in Hull, Birmingham, Sheffield and York, as well as many local churches, pubs, community centres, and schools. Their commitment to taking theatre into the community has been seen in their accessible presentations and workshops.
Since the summer of 2001, with the help of a grant from Christian Aid, Credo has been campaigning on the issues of Trade Justice. Credo Arts Community is now a member of the Trade Justice Movement.
'International trade is one of the most powerful forces in the world today - affecting each and every one of us. Managed in the right way it could be one of the greatest solutions to global poverty, bringing investment, employment and income.
'But for that to happen, the rules of trade need to work for the poor. Too often, the current rules only serve the interests of rich countries and powerful corporations, meaning poor countries are squeezed out or exploited.
'With fairer rules, trade could lift millions out of poverty. And you can help make it happen.'"
Sharon and Diane proudly displaying our new banner to highlight our monthly market stall in Scarborough town centre, bought with part of the generous grant from the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Fairtrade Project. For more on the grant and the other things we're doing with it, please see our NEWS page
Diane helped to serve coffees and teas - all fairly traded, of course! - to many appreciative customers on Big Brew Day:
While in Staxton people were welcomed to share fairtrade refreshment by Amelia and Kara (who inflated the Fairtrade banana!)
It's traditional to hold a pancake race in Scarborough every Shrove Tuesday, and this year your Fairtrade Scarborough Action Group entered a team. Pictured right is The Revd Mark Haynes pensively tossing his pancake before the start of their heat...
While below is an action shot of Sharon Childs racing determinedly for the line. But what's that on her back? The trademark Fairtrade banana, of course!
Sadly our team didn't make it past the first heat (rumour has it that Mark was relieved by that!) but well done to the team for flying the Fairtrade flag - er, banana!
Diane Robinson sent another photo of the Fairtrade banana for us to see! This is getting to be a sort of 'banana-blog' or 'further adventures of the Fairtrade banana'! Anyone want to set it to music?!
This time the banana appeared at Westborough church's 'Green Day' on Sunday 5th November. If your church or your organisation is having an event, please consider asking if we can display information about Fairtrade and our campaign to make Scarborough a Fairtrade Borough. If you could mount the exhibition yourself that's even better, and we have these display boards you could use...
I wondered if any of the attached photos would be of interest on the website. They were taken at the Northstead Fairtrade Coffee Morning on September 9th. Cutting the cake (baked to Jane Asher's Fairtrade recipe, in celebration of Fairtrade Foundation Charity Shareholder, Methodist Relief and Development Fund's 21st birthday) is Ros Maynard, Northstead's Fairtrade rep and co-Traidcraft stall holder with myself, (holding the banana). The runners are Miriam and Paul Johnson and Ian Noble, pausing at Northstead (their 6th church visited) for refreshment, on their 21+ mile run, having set off at 9.00a.m. from Ravenscar to 'Run the Methodist Circuit'. Paul and Ian completed the run at Cayton later in the day having visited all 12 churches in the Scarborough Methodist Circuit. Incidentally, 7 of these churches have already got their Fairtrade Certificate and 3 more are almost there.
And here are the photos:
IF YOU HAVE ANY PHOTOS which might go into our Gallery, please send them as attachments to our website admin