Fairtrade Community in Chandler's Ford

There is a strong and well-connected Fairtrade community in Chandler’s Ford. The Fairtrade Christmas shopping event last Friday (17th October 2014) at Hiltingbury just proved it.

Tricia Urquhart from Hiltingbury organised a successful Fairtrade Christmas get-together for the community at St. Martin in the Wood Church, where I met old and new friends, who enjoyed an alternative Christmas shopping experience.

In this post, I’ll be showing you some pictures, and introduce you to some Fairtrade promoters and supporters in Chandler’s Ford and Eastleigh, so that you recognise them, and can continue to support their work.

Your help will help Fairtrade become more dominant in Chandler’s Ford and Eastleigh.

Your help will transform lives.

Fairly traded goods sold by the Shop Equality shop in Eastleigh.

Traidcraft

Traidcraft is the UK’s leading fair trade organisation. Its mission is to fight poverty through trade.

Traidcraft was established in 1979 as a Christian response to poverty. It builds long-term relationships with producers, supports people to trade out of poverty, and works to bring about trade justice.

Hazel Bateman has been promoting Traidcraft since Traidcraft started nearly 35 years ago. You’ll often find Hazel at local Traidcraft events and spread the Traidcraft messages. Apart from supporting Traidcraft, as a good neighbour, Hazel also delivers donations from the parish church to Eastleigh Basics Bank regularly.

Chandler's Ford Fairtrade promoters: (Left to right): Hazel Bateman, Elizabeth Seaman, and Jane Keen. — Chandler’s Ford Fairtrade promoters: (Left to right): Hazel Bateman, Elizabeth Seaman, and Jane Keen.

Tricia Urquhart opens her house once a month to sell Traidcraft goods, apart from selling at St. Martin in the Wood Church. Tricia also supplies Traidcraft goods to a few local churches to help develop a strong Traidcraft network.

(Left) Hazel Bateman and Tricia Urquhart from Chandler's Ford have been promoting Traidcraft for decades. — Hazel Bateman (Left) and Tricia Urquhart from Chandler’s Ford have been promoting Traidcraft for decades.

Fairtrade gift: Created Gifts shop

Heather Dibb from Velmore Church focuses on selling Fairtrade Gifts from Created Gifts shop.

However, Created Gifts’s business will come to a close in early 2015 after nearly forty years of pioneering sales of fairly traded products. Created, which started as Tearcraft in 1975, was one of the UK’s first enterprises trading in fairly traded products and has sold jewellery, gifts, cards and homewares to thousands of customers in the UK.

Reverend Bob Dibb from Velmore Church and his wife Heather.

Shop Equality in Eastleigh

Sue Hunt runs her lovely Fairtrade shop – Shop Equality – at Wells Place in Eastleigh.

Shop Equality (SO50 5PP) is the reason why I still love visiting Eastleigh town centre.

Sue brings a wide range of ethically sourced, produced, and fairly traded handmade gifts, including bags, jewellery, recycled fashion accessories, homeware, and Fairtrade foods from around the developing world.

All her products are sourced through certified fair trade importers and the products are not readily available in supermarkets or department stores. You will often find unique handmade items in Shop Equality.

Faritrade champions in Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh: (Left to right): Tricia Urquhart, Sue Hunt, and Heather Dibb. — Fairtrade champions in Chandler’s Ford and Eastleigh: (Left to right): Tricia Urquhart, Sue Hunt, and Heather Dibb.

Nomads Clothing

Tricia also sells clothing from Nomads Clothing. The company started in 1989 focusing on Fairtrade clothing.

(Left) Alli Noel helped selling Nomads Fairtrade clothing. With Christine Slatcher.

Support the campaign “Fairtrade in Eastleigh Borough”

Daphne Bright and Pat Statham are campaigners for the Fairtrade in Eastleigh Borough campaign. The campaign started in 2005.

Daphne Bright is the Chair of the Fairtrade in Eastleigh Borough Committee.

Daphne told me that the committee wants to find out which organisations, businesses, cafes, restaurants, pubs, or hotels within Eastleigh Borough are already serving Fairtrade tea, coffee and other Fairtrade goods.

They also want to find out which local stores are stocking Fairtrade goods.

Once the minimum Fairtrade Borough criteria target is met, they can then apply for the Fairtrade status for Eastleigh Borough.