Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

Those present:
Mike King Bob Smith
Sheena King Tony Thornby
Matt Knight Joyce Wiles
Sarah Moroz Malcolm Wiles

MK – circulated a copy of a letter from the Fairtrade Foundation congratulating the group on achieving FT status.
MK – we need to officially present the award to the council.
MKn – on the Friday night before the Wycombe Harvest event, he e-mailed Richard Scott and cc’d Tony Green but Richard Scott didn’t seem to have received it.
MK – feels we should do the formal presentation to the whole council and then something less formal to the Town Committee.
MKn – the next full council meeting is Monday 15th December. We could also offer to organise a social gathering before a council meeting.
SM – we could offer to organise the refreshments.
MK – we could ask someone from the FT Foundation to present it. We could also ask someone from Peros.

There was a discussion re: Wycombe Environment Centre.
SM – visited the WEC last Saturday and spoke to Frances Alexander. On the 1st November they are having a table-top sale and they asked if we would like to take part.
SK – has a Traidcraft stall on Sunday and could pick up items from David Sparks for both events.
SM – WEC are also hoping to host some Thursday evening talks as SK had discussed with Dr Caroline Eliot.
JW – is a Traidcraft speaker and may be able to do this.

There was a discussion re: possible change of name for the group. The overall feeling was that it would be better to keep the name the same.

MK – we also need to start regular updates to the press.
MKn – Simon Farr has now left the Bucks Free Press. A new lady, Catherine, has taken over his post and MK is trying to forge a link with her.
SM – will forward the Wycombe Harvest photo to MW’s e-mail address.
SK – is aiming to do an article in the local Link magazine re: our achieving FT Town status etc and maybe Peros could put an advert in too.

MK – would be good to do more liaising with the St Vincent 2nd Generation group.
SK – we could also ask the St Vincent High Commissioner to our celebratory event.

TT – needs to do some work updating the website.
MK – we could maybe link with other FT groups (Chesham etc) for events.
MKn – perhaps we could organise window stickers for shops in Wycombe to show their support for FT.
MK – would also be good to organise a brochure listing all retail outlets etc who sell FT goods in the town.
MKn – knows a printer who may be able to do it for us at cost.

There was a discussion re: the possibility of setting up a bank account for the group.
JW – Barclays Community Account is good as they don’t have charges.
MK – will get details from Barclays plus application form etc.

SK – there were a number of people who signed our ‘interested in being kept informed/getting involved’ list at the Wycombe Harvest event.
MK – we could invite them to any celebratory event.

TT – we could organise another event where a school visits a FT supplier eg. Sainsbury’s.
TT – it would also be good to get someone from Bucks New Uni onto our steering group.

SM – will ask if someone from the FT Foundation is willing to come along to the award presentation at the council. Also to get someone from the Bucks Free to cover it.

Next meeting: Tuesday 2nd December 7.30pm.