Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

Those present:
Mike King Sarah Moroz
Sheena King Tony Thornby

TT – will try to see if there is anyone who could help our group via business networking events

MK – also need to see if there is any funding available, maybe from the Clare Foundation. We could produce a leaflet/window stickers

MK – Bucks New Uni have fed back that they want to work with us in future.
A thank-you note has been received from Lesley Clarke (shown to meeting) following the Fairtrade certificate presentation event and an invitation to MK/SK to her civic reception on 26th March at Wycombe Abbey School which MK and SK attended. At this, MK asked Lesley C about our group having to resubmit our motion to council and she said that shouldn’t be a problem.
Trevor Snaith was there and he said that he had managed to get some money out of the Charter Trustees for road signs saying that Wycombe is a Fairtrade Town.

There was also a young chap who is a councillor and works at Booker Cash & Carry and he said they stock some Fairtrade goods.
Also there is a new Tescos Express at Sands and it has 17 Fairtrade products.

TT – saw Real Easter Egg Company eggs in Tescos Loudwater

MK – the Oxfam shop in Wycombe will be stocking food items again. It might be possible to see if Nick the manager there would like to join our group.

MK – at the volley ball event at Bucks New Uni, there were some Fairtrade volley balls

MK – the Fairtrade stall at Bucks New Uni wasn’t very well positioned and didn’t make much money but it was valuable as a link-up with the uni. Frances Alexander was unable to attend the certificate presentation event on 2nd March because her husband was ill.

SK – handed out photocopies of pages from a booklet re: renewing Fairtrade Town status

MK – Lesley Clarke referred to the 2nd generation St Vincent group at the civic reception and they had a steel band there who are connected with SV2G. The Wycombe Society was also represented at the civic reception.

SM – will carry on work with schools.

MK – also we could write to hotels asking if they use Fairtrade teas/coffees.

MK – we need more group members

TT – maybe we should take it from a different point of view and ask people if they would like to help out with individual events.

SK – we should also work with other groups. Working with the Wycombe Environment Centre would tie in with sustainability, as will be highlighted at the Bristol Conference in July.

TT – we could put something on the website showing where certain Fairtrade products can be found in Wycombe. We could also get pupils from a Fairtrade school to speak to ones from a non-Fairtrade school.
TT – we could also get involved with the ‘Love Wycombe’ (Pentecost) event. Perhaps offer to serve Fairtrade refreshments.

SM – needs to do Barclays form by the end of April

SK – from the booklet re: renewing Fairtrade Town status, there is a note encouraging people to sign up to the e-newsletter for Fairtrade Towns
SK – has been approached to do a Fairtrade stall in a garden at Radnage as part of an ‘Open Gardens’ scheme on 14th June.

Next meeting: TBA