Are you the main shopper in your family?  I am in mine, unfortunately, because it's not my favourite pastime, and I usually try to get round Sainsbury's or Asda as quickly as possible trying to purchase only what Sandy and I actually need.  Sometimes, however I do have to stop and wonder at the incredible range of items on display.  Where does it all come from, this food, fruit and veg, coffee tea and chocolate etc? Who grows it, who decides the price, how does it get here?  Does it matter anyway?

The Fairtrade Foundation believes that such questions do matter because, sad to say, the grower and the person who decides the price are usually not the same and the farmer, craftsman or artisan in the developing world are at the mercy of Western multinational companies when it comes to payment for what they produce.  

Over the past few years ordinary people like you and me who have begun to realise that there is a better way, a fairer way, to trade with the rest of the world, now actively look for the Fairtrade logo on items they purchase.  Even the major supermarkets are devoting shelf space to fairly traded tea, coffee, bananas, cereals, clothing, homeware and confectionery, etc. and customers are buying, confident in the knowledge that the workers and farmers in places like Peru and Tanzania are receiving a fair guaranteed wage.  But more could be done . . .

Every year the Fairtrade Foundation launches a campaign to heighten awareness of what Fair Trade is all about and this year "Fairtrade
Fortnight" takes place from 25th February to 8th March with the theme "Change today, choose Fairtrade".  In the local area there are several Fairtrade outlets that are actively promoting Fairtrade Fortnight, especially the Fair Share Shop in Holy Trinity Church in Coventry City Centre and the Sycamore Tree Christian Book and Coffee Shop in Nuneaton, aswell as The Salvation Army Charity Shop in Bedworth.

The Fair Share Shop in Holy Trinity will once again be serving free tea and coffee to all its customers during the two weeks but we will also, along with The Sycamore Tree, be offering the chance to win a hamper worth at least £20 at each venue at the end of each week.  For every £5 you spend on Fairtrade goods during Fairtrade Fortnight, you will be given a ticket to enter a free, prize draw.  So if you spend £20 you will have four tickets in the draw and so on.  The draws will take place at each shop on Saturday afternoon 1st and 8th March and, within a few days, members of the local press will be invited to attend to see the winners presented with their hampers.

So if you are in Coventry or Nuneaton at any time between the 25th February and the 8th March our happy band of volunteers will be honoured to relieve you of your cash or plastic for a good cause, while you put your feet up and enjoy a Fairtrade cuppa! (By the way we are always looking for new volunteers to join us!)

For further information please contact Alex Taylor or for general information about Fairtrade log onto www.fairtrade.org.uk