June Meeting

At its monthly meeting Chelmsford Fairtrade Town Campaign finalised arrangements for its High Street stall on 12 July to mark re:fresh, the Chelmsford Christian Festival. In addition to information on Fairtrade, badges and car stickers, a wide range of Traidcraft products and Fairtrade Cola will be on sale.

A Traidcraft stall was held in the Meadows to mark World Environment Day and others are being organised for the Family Fun Day at Anglia Ruskin University and to celebrate Black History Month in October.

Arrangements are being made for our AGM to be held in November at which it is intended to have a forum in order to develop ideas and activities. With the number of Essex Fairtrade groups increasing all the time it was agreed to call a meeting of all these groups to make further progress in our objective of making Essex a Fairtrade County.

Our website has been updated with a map indicating where Fairtrade products can be purchased in Chelmsford; this can be seen at    www.chelmsfordfairtrade.org.uk/map/                                                                   

The Committee were pleased to hear that Fairtrade vending machines are being installed in the Travel Centres of Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society.

May Meeting

Supporters of Chelmsford Fairtrade Town Campaign were pleased to hear at their monthly meeting that Chelmsford has retained its Fairtrade Town status and that this will remain in force until 2010. This is the first time that it will not have to be renewed on an annual basis and is clearly a mark of confidence in the town’s progress. Regular meetings have taken place with Chelmsford Borough Council and the committee is pleased to have the Council’s support.

The Standing Committee agreed to provide a Chelmsford Fairtrade certificate to all local retailers and parish councils that support Fairtrade. As part of its developing programme of activity it is intended to hold a “Supporters’ forum” to exchange ideas and generate further activity. It is also intended to contact other groups in the county with a view to developing Essex as a Fairtrade county.

The committee had a display table at the Writtle Fair and thanks were recorded to Chelmsford Star for donating a wide selection of Fairtrade fruit and chocolate. Plans were agreed for a promotional table at the Christian Festival and World Environment Day. It was also agreed to encourage churches to use Fairtrade Communion wine and to ask workplaces to display Fairtrade posters.

March Meeting

Supporters of Chelmsford Fairtrade Town Campaign had a lot to celebrate at their March meeting. Sales nationally had increased by more than 40% over last year and 28 Fairtrade events had taken place in Chelmsford. The Campaign had also sold over £350 worth of Fairtrade chocolates and other products at its stall in the High Street and our thanks were recorded to Councillor Tony Sach, the Co-op Group, Chelmsford Star, Chelmsford Borough Council and Sainsbury who had all assisted in making our activities a success. Chelmsford Star was also thanked for donating £350 to the campaign arising from the proceeds of the Society’s showing of the film “Black Gold”.

The meeting was pleased to hear that Billericay is now a Fairtrade Town with the real possibility that Essex could be well on the way to being a Fairtrade County. All that is needed is to generate activity in other communities where Fairtrade Groups do not exist. Members were also pleased to hear that in addition to Marks & Spencer, Debenhams and Monsoon are also selling products made with Fairtrade cotton. With its eye on the future the Committee has started to plan for a Fairtrade stall at the Chelmsford Christian Festival in July.

January Meeting

With Fairtrade Fortnight (25 February – 9 March) nearly on us, Chelmsford Fairtrade Town Campaign is looking forward to hearing just how many local organisations, schools, churches, trade unions and workplaces are planning an event. If your organisation is intending to do so, please tell us at 01245 601373 so that we can promote it on our website.

 The Committee will have a promotional stall at Anglia Ruskin University and be staging an exhibition in the Public Square of Chelmsford Library. We will also be having a stall in the High Street where we will provide information about Fairtrade and sell footballs, T shirts, car stickers and badges. However, the real incentive to visit our stall is to see and taste our excellent range of Fairtrade chocolate.

The Committee has obtained a DVD of the film “Black Gold” which is available for groups to show at an event. If you are interested, please contact us.

Plans are in hand to discuss how we can turn Essex into a Fairtrade County, and letters have been sent to encourage the formation of new groups. We will also be sending a speaker to the Mid Essex Friendship Club.

No group can exist without cash and we are sending out requests to encourage more people to join Chelmsford Fairtrade Town

Campaign. Thanks were recorded to Mid Essex Hospitals Branch of Unison for its generous donation of £100.