As Nelson Mandela said “I would have thought that people who subscribe to the same values, who share a common vision & who accept each others integrity have laid the basis for a good relationship.”
Wycombe for Fairtrade is building strong links with the Co-Op Member Pioneer and Community Shared Values division because we have found that we do indeed have shared values when it comes to fair trade.
During Fairtrade Fortnight 2022, the Co-Op is running ‘shared value’ events which reflect the Coop’s huge support for the Fairtrade movement. These are “in-house” events but Wycombe For Fairtrade have been invited to 3 separate Co-Op store events which are designed to raise the profile of Fairtrade to the public.
Wycombe For Fairtrade have backed up our shared community values with action and our objectives coincide exactly with those of the Co-op. Members of our steering group have accepted invitations to attend the following events because we think that the Cooperative Stores’ experience, knowledge and resources, could benefit us in ideas to expand our public face and maybe energize us to reach a wider audience.
The event on 21st February 2022 at their “Flagship store” in Battersea is both national and London focused. It will be attended by Mike King and Tony Thornby of the Wycombe for Fairtrade steering group. Mike hopes that networking at this event will advance our cause to get Coope Victoria coffee roasted in the UK either for Co-op in-house roasted coffee, or from one of their independent roasters, and to progress the idea producing a Grecia/Wycombe Fairtrade Partnership Town blend in the future.
Bourne End event on 25th February 2022 is a local area promotional Fairtrade Community Shared Values event. It will be attended by Mike King.
The Reading University event on 28th February 2022 is the regional promotion location for the Southern Counties. Appropriate Coop food supply chain and food purchasing managers will be present to network with. Wycombe for Fairtrade steering group attendees of this event will be Mike King and Sarah Moroz: Sarah did her PhD at Reading University.
As a result of international connections formed by Wycombe for Fairtrade, its member (Jhon Munoz) and its steering group chairman (Mike King) have been invited to a reception on Wednesday 9th February 2022 to celebrate the opening of Orchids at Kew Gardens. This is being held in the Princess of Wales Conservatory within the Royal Botanic Gardens.
The event will explore the incredible biodiversity and rich culture of Costa Rica at their 26th annual orchid festival. It will showcase stunning horticultural and artistic installations and reveal how Kew scientists are collaborating with experts in Costa Rica to understand the country’s wonderful plant life.
This online event from 18 to 20 November 2021 will bring together consumers, traders, volunteers, supporters and farmers / producers from the south. Its aim is to bring people together to “set goals for a sustainable future for everyone” taking into account covid-19. Full details can be found at https://ftt-conference2021.org/
The event is being organised by Swiss Fair Trade. Various guest speakers from different sectors and countries will present and thus enable a broad view on the topics. Registration at https://ftt-conference2021.org/registration/ is for specific topics with the main sessions taking place between 12:00 and 18:00 CET each day.
This online conference strives to reinforce the vision of Fair Trade – a world where justice and sustainability are at the heart of trade structures and practices, allowing every person to enjoy a secure livelihood.
Take part in the conference and discuss with people all over the world on how we can create synergies and work towards a fairer world for everyone.
This was Andrea’s first meeting as Mayor on her first day in office. Andrea was very receptive and supportive of Fairtrade as she is of small businesses, social housing, (Habitat for Humanity), environmental issues, and climate change issues. She welcomed the opportunity for Wycombe For Fairtrade Steering Group members to attend any Mayoral events and functions where they might be able to provide Fairtrade teas/coffees/biscuits etc. and where Wycombe Fairtrade could perhaps promote Wycombe being a Fairtrade Town and our ever developing links with Grecia/CoopeVictoria in Costa Rica, using our banners/leaflets etc?
The Mayor also expressed her desire to do some joint ventures and promotion around the 2022 Fairtrade Fortnight in High Wycombe, as well as link with her counterpart in Grecia. This would hopefully, pandemic restrictions permitting, include the annual Mayor’s Carol service in November 2021, but could possibly include other events that might involve local businesses, schools, or places of worship. Engaging with young people is a particular passion for Andrea during her mayoral tenure.
Since the Coronavirus outbreak, the Mayor of High Wycombe’s website has been mothballed. However, next month it is expected to be reactivated. She is happy to have the Wycombe For Fairtrade website link on her Mayor’s home page as well as for the Wycombe For Fairtrade website and social media having links to the Mayor’s webpage. Andrea was also willing to be involved with online links and future Zoom discussions with the Mayor of Grecia, in Costa Rica, whose 200th Anniversary as an independent country is in September 2021.
Andrea advised the Wycombe For Fairtrade Steering Group to continue to have dialogue with the Wycombe Town Councillors (Charter Town Trustees) and to work with newly elected Wycombe councillors across all parties.
The 90-minute meeting covered a wide range of issues and was highly productive in terms of mutual understanding, clarity, and support. Andrea has consulted her diary and has very kindly agreed to attend the next Wycombe For Fairtrade Steering Group.
For the last few years, High Wycombe Fairtrade has been forging links with the Fairtrade town of Grecia and neighbouring Fairtrade coffee and sugar producer, Coope Victoria, in Costa Rica.
The linking stemmed from a conversation which took place at the International Fairtrade Town Conference in Madrid in 2018. Three members of Wycombe for Fairtrade attended the conference and whilst there, happened to meet Maria, the Sustainability Manager from CoopeVictoria. From this initial dialogue, a very productive and active link has been established.
In 2019 Maria visited High Wycombe on route to the International Fairtrade Towns Conference in Cardiff. Whilst with us, she visited a number of shops and cafes in the town selling Fairtrade products including Hills Community Cafe in Micklefield, Ruby Moon, Oxfam and the Air Raid Shelter Cafe to name just some. She had a meeting with Maz, the Mayor, and also visited Bewley’s (a large wholesaler of Fairtrade products) on the Cressex Industrial Estate. At the International Fairtrade Towns Conference she, along with Matt (our deputy mayor), Mike (chairman of our group) and Jhon (also a member of our group with Spanish as his first language) led a workshop entitled “Town Linking: A story of friendship ” at which they shared their experiences of forging links with each other.
The Costa Rican ambassador kindly agreed to present High Wycombe’s Fairtrade Town renewal certificate to the Mayor of High Wycombe in a meeting which took place in January 2020 and a document establishing the Fairtrade High Wycombe/Grecia agreement (including the CoopeVictoria cooperative) has now been signed by the Mayors of both towns, the Director of CoopeVictoria and Wycombe for Fairtrade Chairman, Mike King (a copy of the document is also on display at the Costa Rican embassy in London). Plans are currently underway to establish dialogues between schools in the two towns, so that students can derive benefit from communicating with each other. This joint venture will provide opportunities for students to develop Spanish/English language skills, to develop and compare the economics of Fairtrade and the links with environmental projects being carried out in both countries.
It is also hoped that coffee from CoopeVictoria can be marketed by a company in the UK, particularly as this producer has recently been awarded First Place in the annual prestigious Costa Rica Fairtrade Gold Cup competition for the quality of their coffee, for the third consecutive year!
It is very worthwhile to have developed this direct link between consumers and producers in the Fairtrade system and many further fruitful discussions and developments are expected to spring from this in the future.
-CoopeVictoria also won third place in the competition with her Geisha Ines Process Washed Coffee.
-For three consecutive years CoopeVictoria has won the First Place of the contest.
This Friday, April 9, the 2021 Golden Cup contest ended successfully, a contest that rewards the quality of Costa Rican coffee certified as Fair Trade.
Under the supervision of a jury led by the experienced national taster Esdras Vega on behalf of the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE), a total of 22 samples delivered by 6 cooperatives were tasted, including Coopevictoria, an organization that obtained for the third consecutive year the first place in the contest with its Geisha Inés coffee, natural process, produced at Finca Inés at more than 1,600 meters above sea level.
“To once again achieve first place in the competition as specialty coffee, reaffirms the excellent work that is done on the farms and the benefit, in addition to the commitment that CoopeVictoria has with the quality of our coffee and this allows us to expose ourselves to the world as coffee of the highest quality, and well, a great honor to also receive third place in the same category, we are very grateful to the team that makes this possible ”, commented Mario Sibaja Pérez, CoopeVictoria’s Commercial Manager.
CoopeVictoria’s Geisha Inés coffee is part of a variety garden in which the organization has been working for some years at Finca Inés. The height of the place and the specialized agronomic management given to the harvested varieties has given the cooperative excellent results in terms of quality.
“The objective of the Garden of Varieties what it seeks is to produce coffees of varieties that provide an exotic and differentiated cup that allows us to access the most demanding specialty market niches worldwide,” said Sibaja.
In its February 2021 meeting, the Steering Group of Wycombe discussed the merits of joining the Buckinghamshire Climate Action Alliance organization.
There was a unanimous decision to back and support
this alliance as climate change, climate justice, environmental degradation,
and sustainability are becoming ever more important elements of fair trade
generally, and with fair trade farmers and producers facing the brunt of
climatic extremes caused largely by developed world policies and corporate
neglect.
Therefore, Wycombe Fairtrade will become an
official member of this pressure group operating at county level and support
action to ensure that the new Buckinghamshire Council gives due consideration
to global warming and climate change issues, and takes measures to ensure a
renewable resources base with “green energy” wherever possible.
The Bucks Climate Action Alliance (BCAA) is an umbrella organisation enabling all Bucks organisations and groups concerned about the Climate Crisis and Biodiversity Loss, to come together as one powerful voice, calling on Bucks Council to ACT NOW.
BCAA Mission
To
persuade Buckinghamshire Council to acknowledge that there is a Climate
Emergency.
Urgent
action is required to meet Net Zero Emissions across the county now.
Embed
potential climate change impacts as a key factor in all decision making across
all the council’s policies and functions.
Ensure
awareness of climate change threats to all residents and businesses in the
county, and encourage appropriate action.
Actions
Evaluating Council strategy and giving
constructive feedback
Raising important questions at Council
Committee meetings
Co-ordinated
Letter writing campaigns to highlight depth of feeling in the county
Engagement
with Community Boards to champion the climate in local decisions.
Group Members Include
CAN-Risborough;
The Chiltern Society; Sustainable Chesham; Speen Environmental Action Group;
Bucks WI; Believers Action on Climate Change; MarlowCAN [an alliance of Marlow
environmental groups); XR Chesham; Chesham4Fairtrade Steering Group; Chiltern
Peace and Justice Group; Aylesbury Vale XR; Dan’s Refill Store in Chalfont St
Peter; Wycombe Friends of the Earth; Risborough Environmental Group; Population
Matters; and Wycombe For Fairtrade Steering Group.
The Pathways for Change document describes and gives examples of the actions likely to be required by Buckinghamshire Council and others to address the Climate Emergency that we should all collectively be working towards.
BCAA seeks to prevent extreme weather like the 2020 UK floods affecting the county of Buckinghamshhire by the Council taking measures to ensure that decisions and policies made by the Council include adequate climate action responses to reduce t global warming and occurrences of severe weather extremes.
For two weeks each year at the end of February and start of March, thousands of individuals, companies and groups across the UK come together to share the stories of the people who grow our food and drinks and who grow the cotton in our clothes, people who are often exploited and underpaid.
Farmers and workers in the global south, who have done the least to contribute to climate change, are disproportionately affected. With the emergence of the global COVID pandemic, the challenges that farmers face now are bigger than ever before with falling commodity prices and widespread shocks reverberating along our global supply chains.
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