WYCOMBE FOR FAIRTRADE
Minutes of meeting: 16th April 2013
Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road
Those present:
Mike King Sheila Stevenson (SMS)
Sheena King Tony Thornby
Sarah Moroz
Matt Knight joined the meeting part way through.
Apologies: Amy Ellingham, Bob Smith
MK – since the last meeting, there has been a change of leadership at the council. Richard Scott has replaced Alex Collingwood.
MK – Hugh McCarthy is now deputy leader and is no longer head of Planning and Sustainability. MK has drafted a letter to Hugh McCarthy (this was read out) in which a request was made for a meeting to be arranged with our group. Mk will re-draft and e-mail round to the group, taking into account any comments.
TT – Hugh McCarthy seemed personally on our side at the full council meeting when we asked our questions.
SM – has asked AE for sources of info on justifying Fairtrade sugar.
TT- another point we have been tackled on is that we would be imposing Fairtrade with no alternative choices (which is not true). They also raised the issue of free trade versus Fairtrade.
MK – Fairtrade allows more competition because it enables more small-holders to have a share in the market.
MK – we need to make contact with Witney and find out how they managed to get their motion through their Town Council.
SM – we could take a car and several of us could go to one of their meetings. SM will contact them to ask if this is possible and get a list of dates.
TT – it may be a good idea to talk to a group of local farmers and get them on our side. Also, we could ask Hugh McCarthy if Wycombe Council have any other reasons for being against our campaign.
SM – we could perhaps hold a public meeting event with a panel of people who are able to argue the case for Fairtrade (Witney held an event like this).
MKn – his relative was a campaigning director for Traidcraft for many years and lives in Bicester and would probably be willing to speak.
There was a discussion re: what we could do for World Fair Trade day this year (11th May).
SM – we could approach Vidya to see if she is willing to host a Fairtrade promotion as discussed previously and have a letter to council that people could sign supporting our campaign.
MKn – we could perhaps make it more eye-catching eg. a large tree that people could sign. Maybe they could sign on banana-shaped post-it notes. Or we could have a large banana for people to sign. There could be one banana to represent each supporting grouping eg. local businesses, schools, voluntary groups etc.
SMS – will try to get some large pieces of yellow card and create some large bananas. She will take one to the event at the Environment Centre on 1st May.
MK and TT will get together to develop the Wycombe for Fairtrade website.
Next meeting: Tuesday 21st May 7.30pm