WYCOMBE FOR FAIRTRADE
Minutes of meeting: 11th October 2016
Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road
Those present:
Mike King Jhon Munoz
Sheena King Bob Smith
Sarah Moroz Tony Thornby
MK – he invited Amy Howe, the new Bucks New Uni representative who has taken over from Lauren Troiano. She could not make this evening’s meeting but would like to be included on e-mails.
MK – has now banked the £250 cheque from SK’s church
SK – feedback from the regional FT Foundation meeting in London on 25th September: 2 people from Chesham were there who gave us some contacts re: public liability insurance
MK – some of the others at the meeting had had similar problems.
SK – the Chesham group recommended an organisation called ‘Community Impact Bucks’ who may be able to give advice on the insurance and may also be able to help with job adverts for volunteers
MK – during one of the sessions he went to, people said they have tried asking various organisations for funds to pay for the insurance, including: the local Chamber of Commerce, the Community Voluntary Service, the local Co-op, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Waitrose Foundation.
TT – suggests having a sponsor section on our website – this may be a way to gain funds. He also networks with Paul Finch of the MRIB and they may be willing to sponsor us. They are insurance brokers.
MK – some other groups suggested asking our flagship employer.
MK – the funding that the Fairtrade Foundation receive from the DFID is finishing at the end of this year. They are moving away from the certification process and concentrating more on individual projects. They said that they want to get more FT cotton sold. Someone at the regional meeting suggested that bamboo may be a better product as it doesn’t need so much water to grow.
2 other sessions that MK went to:
- Gold production
- Impact of Brexit
The CEO was impressive as well. He was talking about FT coffee farmers.
SK – there was a talk from someone who had been a gold-miner in Kenya for 28 years from an organisation called Micro Depro. This was set up to support the formalisation and legalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining, improving the health + safety etc.
MK – Argos in High Wycombe offer FT gold and Beaverbrooks have some on-line
MK – re: the Impact of Brexit session given by Tim Andrews. The FT Foundation has to be neutral. Trade policy has not been decided yet – a lot of unknowns. FT cocoa, for instance, may be made into chocolate in Germany and we buy it from there. The risks for FT are high but so are the opportunities.
JM – companies which use the FT logo have to pay a percentage (licence fee)
SK – this constitutes over 85% of FT Foundation income. They also get 13% from grants and donations.
SK – went to another session on coffee. It is a very competitive market now. As a nation, our consumption has increased. The FT Foundation is focusing on quality, the direct relationship with the growers and the consumer.
MK – it was worth going to the meeting overall
SK – there was an event outside Liston Hall which had stalls etc and they had an umbrella insurance policy to cover them.
TT – so far, we have not usually been asked to have public liability insurance for any event.
TT – has put as many minutes as he has on our website. SM to provide TT with any missing minutes.
BS – has heard back re: flower bed and it has already been allocated (to the Night Shelter).
SK – re: t-shirt competition for schools. Has looked on the FT Foundation website and they offer to print FT cotton t-shirts – a company called ‘Cotton Roots’ at £3.40 for a child’s one.
MK – hopefully Amy Howe will join us at our next meeting.
SK – there is a new manager at the Oxfam shop – Jerry.