Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

Those present:
Mike King Sarah Moroz
Sheena King Bob Smith

MK – saw Karen Johnstone and Lauren Trioano today and has picked up the donations from Peros for the Fairtrade stall and One Can swap shop plus 4 types of tea for the tea-tasting extravaganza. Bucks New Uni are also getting some goods from David Sparks. Natasha Eden (customer relations associate) will be speaking for Peros at the certificate presentation event on 2nd March (together with her colleague Raj). Lesley Clarke and her husband will also be coming. A form from Wycombe District Council needs to be filled in to account for Lesley’s time and what is expected of her.
SM – will contact the Bucks Free Press to arrange for a photographer for 2nd March

MK – received the ‘Fairtrade Matters’ DVD today

SM – re: Traidcraft speaker – is trying to get in touch with Margaret Dykes. Either David or Barbara Sparks will be there but would rather not speak.

MK – will also be going to the Bucks New Uni volley ball event on Tuesday 24th Feb. Needs to find out where the tea-tasting is taking place. The students are organising this.
It would be good if someone from the Uni could come along to our meetings.

SK/BS – are both doing Traidcraft stalls on 1st March: The Avenue church (BS) and Christ the Servant King (SK). On 5th March SK and Maggie are holding a Big Brew event at CSK.

MK – there is a new Tesco Express opening in Sands.
Next meeting: To be arranged

Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

Those present:

Mike King                  Becca Rowland (Regional Rep for the

Sheena King                       National Campaigner Committee

Sarah Moroz                      for the Fairtrade Foundation)

Bob Smith

MK – we need to have a meeting with a Business Manager at Barclays re: setting up an account.

SM – left a message for Gemma at BidCo today to ask about getting an article in BidCo magazine.

BR – talked about the trust that people have in the Fairtrade Mark and thinks a lot of it is due to local activism.

MK – has contacted Karen Johnstone and she gave the contact details for Jack Badu’s successor. MK has a meeting with her tomorrow. One suggestion is a tea-tasting extravaganza. Another is a ‘Bring & Buy’ type event where people bring a non-Fairtrade product and exchange it for a Fairtrade one.

MK – gave out print-outs of ideas for Fairtrade events from People and Planet and some that Exeter City Council/Exeter Uni have suggested. We could run the 15min film from the FT Foundation continuously in the Beats Refectory at Bucks New Uni (flat screen or onto a wall).

BR – part of the focus of the film is the impact of Fairtrade. Last year’s FT Fortnight materials were more campaign-based but the need for more info on impact has been put forward – there’s a need to provide evidence to the FT backers.

There was a discussion re: the relevance of the FT model in the UK. MK and SK went to a FT conference a few years ago where this was discussed.

BR – will try to get us some info on sustainability. She knows of a local organic veg box system called Riverford which is based on the co-op system. They may come out and do a presentation – there is a Fairtrade section on their website.

SM – talked about the possibility of doing a formal presentation of our FT Town certificate to Lesley Clarke, either at her offices at council or at a Bucks New Uni event in FT Fortnight.

BR – thinks it might work better at the Bucks New Uni event and we could give her a FT ‘goody’ bag.

MK – will try to fix a date at his meeting with the Uni tomorrow. They don’t have any definite FT Fortnight events in the diary yet. We should also get the Bucks Free Press along.

MK – since our application, two new Tescos have opened, one in Sands and one in Booker.

BR – Tom Palmer, a writer and supporter of FT, has written a book for children, which has a storyline involving FT.

SK – thinking of doing a Big Brew event at Christ the Servant King, perhaps on Thursday 5^th March and a Traidcraft stall.

BS – will also run a stall at the Avenue during FT Fortnight.

BR – will send us a list of FT schools. She has been involved with organising some competitions for schools eg. a colouring competition and a picture competition, with the winning design being put onto mugs. Also getting schools to decorate different letters each and then getting them made into bunting and hung in their council offices.

Next meeting:   To be arranged

Christ Church, Flackwell Heath

Those present:
Mike King Sarah Moroz
Sheena King Bob Smith

There was a discussion re: the presentation of our Fairtrade Town award to Wycombe council. We were not able to get onto the agenda for the full council meeting on 15th December.
SM – Rachael from the Fairtrade Foundation had agreed to come on the 15th but would not be able to come to the next full council meeting on February 26th as this was too close to Fairtrade Fortnight.

MK – has spent time on the Barclays account forms and decided to go for 2 signatories. We will need to have a meeting with a Business manager.

SK – showed an article from Link magazine which she had written re: Fairtrade in Wycombe. She has also had an article in the magazine of Christ the Servant King church in October.
SM – could also use the article to send to BidCo for their magazine. SM to contact Gemma.

MK – need to organise an event for Fairtrade Fortnight. Could show a film at Bucks New Uni. Pointed out one that was mentioned in Fair Comment (magazine of FT Foundation) which was 15min long and will be available in mid-February. Should we do this in combination with churches, Bucks New Uni or how?
SK – Joyce/Malcolm could perhaps do a talk as well as the film?
MK – could talk to Karen Johnson (the inter-faith coordinator and curate at Bucks New Uni) and to Ruth Gunstone (who sits on the BidCo group) and find out who has replaced Jack Badu. Our event could be in combination with something they are planning?
SK – it would be good to have our next meeting soon after Christmas and get someone from Bucks New Uni to come along.

BS – tried to make contact with the St Vincent 2nd Generation group (SV2G) but drew a blank. Asked people he knows, one of whom came over from St Vincent on the boat and they asked their daughter but they didn’t know about SV2G. BS has heard that they have a steel band though.
SM – it would be good to get a steel band along to an event we organise.

BS – has heard that there is a world shortage of cocoa.

Next meeting: Tuesday 6th/13th Jan

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.

Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

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

MK – has spent a long time since the last meeting putting together the application and sending it off to the Fairtrade Foundation (it went on 19th May). SK sent the file with supporting evidence by post on 21st May. MK is also keeping the retail/business info updated. The FT Foundation sent an acknowledgement on 23rd May.

MK – Jack has now left Bucks New Uni. BidCo have a strong connection with the Uni as the Uni is such a large employer in High Wycombe. It would be good to arrange a meeting with BidCo once we have obtained FT Town status.

BS – tried to get an announcement made at Love Wycombe that we have applied for FT Town status but it wasn’t announced.

MK – presented a sheet showing possible next steps.
TT – we could perhaps hold a celebratory event in Bucks New Uni and this would help us re-establish a link with them. Jack’s post is currently vacant. We could invite Town Committee councillors. Also people from the 2nd generation St Vincent group (SV2G).
MKn – SV2G have a steel-pan orchestra.
MK – we could get someone from the FT Foundation to present the FT Town status award and make a speech.

2nd proposal on MK’s sheet – regular updates to the Bucks Free Press.

MK – we also need to try to increase our membership. Peros did offer to help us create some publicity materials for FT events.

MK – we could also invite the High Commissioner for St Vincent to events.

SK – the Environment Centre now has a temporary office in the Chiltern Shopping precinct.

MK – Wycombe Harvest could provide an opportunity for us to promote FT. We could maybe get involved via Vidya.
SM/SK – would be willing to serve FT drinks.
MKn – will talk to the current mayor and to Oliver O’Dell (BidCo organise Wycombe Harvest)

MKn – we could perhaps also do something before/after a Town Committee meeting at Wycombe DC. The next one would be in September though.
SM – a Bucks New Uni event would probably have to be in the new term (September onwards).

MK – we should hear mid-July from the FT Foundation.
TT – if we hear sooner, we could have stall at the Rye Festival on 12th July.

Next meeting: to be decided

Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

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

MK – The last meeting, at Peros, was very good – a very ethical company.

MK – Two areas of work to be considered: Fairtrade Fortnight and filling in the application for Fairtrade Town status. The latter is mainly a collating job. Thinks we should split our forces. Himself and Sheena, plus Tony or another person would do the collating and others to focus on other things. He has now checked the population of High Wycombe and it is 120,211 for the urban area. This takes it to another level for Fairtrade Town application. The catering target goes from 10 to 12. The Empire cinema sells Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream. We also need to canvas the hotels. The Holiday Inn at Handy Cross has a Starbucks in it. The target for retailers has gone up from 20 to 23 but we are still covered for this. We are weak on work with schools but good on most other things.

SM – will now re-jig the schools’ questionnaire, taking into account Amy’s suggestions and send it out.

MKn – went to Cliveden and noticed they didn’t do Fairtrade tea/coffee. Spoke to them and they said they would look at this. At the moment they do Yorkshire tea as the National Trust does this nationally. Could also try Hughenden likewise.

MKn – e-mailed Peter Goodey re: school visit to Peros, following our last meeting. Peter said he thought that they could manage half a class at a time. MKn has also spoken to a teacher at Ash Hill and she has a Year 6 class who are currently doing the Rainforest as a topic. Transport would be the only issue – the school has no minibus.
TT – the University has a minibus.
MK – they actually have 3 minibuses. He will speak to Jack.
SK – would also need press coverage.

TT – we could do with another person from the Uni on our steering
group.

MKn – in order to help reach schools, we could perhaps find sympathetic governors.

MK – it would be good to achieve Fairtrade Town status within Trevor Snaith’s mayoral year.
MKn – Trevor is having an ‘unconventional’ civic service this year. He is holding it in his ward. He has arranged it at the Sytner BMW showroom on 26th January.
TT – Amy had mentioned that we need more evidence of engaging other people. Another idea he has had is finding out how many other companies on Cressex would be willing to use Fairtrade tea and coffee supplied by Peros.
MK – has noticed a lot of coffee bars and fast-food caterers opening the west of Wycombe. He has also sent an e-mail to Peter Goodey asking for a list of businesses they supply to in Wycombe.
BS – suggesting whether firms with vending machines would be a possible target.
TT – knows a high-up contact in a vending machine business based in the Clare Foundation.
MKn – school lunches are provided for several schools by a chef at Millbrook. Wondering if this could be another place we could push for Fairtrade.
MK – Zizzi’s in the Eden Centre sells coffee which is triple-certified.
SK – their church newsletter mentioned a new cafe opening on Desborough Road which is a community project.
MKn – we can also put Wycombe ‘Mind’ down as a Fairtrade organisation. Also, Peros have offered all the equipment for a coffee/tea bar for them and a year’s free supply of coffee. We could do with a photograph of this.

SM- will provide TT with minutes for the website. Also, we need to put the motion that we got through council on the website.

Next meeting: Tuesday 4th February, Micklefield Library

Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

Those present:

Jack Badu                    Bob Smith

Mike King                    Sheila Stevenson

Matt Knight                 Tony Thornby

Sarah Moroz

JB – he is Vice President of Education and Welfare and Chair of the Fairtrade steering group at Bucks New Uni. Feels that this is a good opportunity to work with the town.

TT – his contact with Jack came about through working with a charity called Africa Turns Green. He is trying to get the Uni to take on this charity as part of their Enterprise event.

JB – may also be able to get this charity to be one of those which benefits from Rag Week.

MK – tonight’s meeting will be mainly focussing on the upcoming Town Committee meeting on June 25^th. If Jack is free, he would be very welcome to speak as part of our presentation.

SM – talked about the visit to Witney and how Witney got their case through their council.

MK – Witney may have problems now because one of their main business links was a local brewery and they used fairtrade sugar but this is no longer the case.

TT – talked about his work on updating our website and other contacts that he is hoping to make eg. the chair of the Clare Foundation and Steve Redgrave and Exposure at the air park. He will try to get them to agree to be on our website as supporters.

SMS’s banana picture was discussed

MK – we will take it along to the Town Committee meeting. Also quoted from the e-mail response he had received from the Peros manager.

SM – we should quote this at the Committee meeting.

MK – at the meeting he will give an overview of how far we have got and that we meet or exceed all the other criteria except council support.

MKn – on the agenda, he is down to do an introduction. Thinks the steering group should contact all the Town Councillors before next week. Tony Green will definitely not support it and probably neither will a couple of the others. Doesn’t know whether it will be a free vote but confident that we will get a majority. Any decisions made by Town Cttee are then referred to the Cabinet who can then overturn it but Richard Scott has made a point of saying that he wants the Town Cttee to have more power. We have been given a 15 minute slot and then 5 minutes for questions (but he has requested more time for questions). Thinks we should decide on the motion beforehand and send it out to the Town Councillors. Wycombe District Council has something called a Memorandum of Understanding with St Vincent which is due to be renewed just before the Town Cttee meeting. Rashid knows the person who writes the speeches for the High Commissioner for St Vincent who will be there to sign the Memorandum and Matt asked him to mention his hopes for Wycombe to become a Fairtrade Town.

It was decided that we should put together a sheet of information beforehand, including the motion. We could include the 5 criteria in this.

TT – we could also put our website details on the briefing sheet.

MKn – we could send an immediate e-mail pointing councillors to our website, then a follow-up e-mail giving the motion (once it has got passed by Democratic Services) and an overview of the 5 criteria and what we have done so far.

TT – thinks we have more work to do on the other criteria before we apply to the Fairtrade Foundation for FT Town status.

JB – the Uni have had their Fairtrade status renewed over the summer.

Mk – there will be another event at the Environment Centre in July that Sheena has had an e-mail from Ivan about.

Next meeting:   9^th July?

WYCOMBE FOR FAIRTRADE

Minutes of meeting:   16^th 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 (11^th 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 1^st May.

MK and TT will get together to develop the Wycombe for Fairtrade website.

Next meeting: Tuesday 21^st May 7.30pm

WYCOMBE FOR FAIRTRADE

Minutes of meeting: 12^th March 2013

Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

Those present:

Mike King, Sarah Moroz, Sheena King, Bob Smith, Matt Knight, Tony Thornby

SM/SK – reported back on their meeting at Local Roots with Vidya and Oliver O’Dell/Gemma from the High Wycombe Bid Company. Oliver and Gemma were focussed on wanting us to justify why Wycombe should be a Fairtrade Town and what’s in it for the town’s businesses. They were interested in TT’s business connections.

We need to send them some information about the 5 criteria which need to be met in order to become a FT Town and the listings of retailers etc in High Wycombe which we have complied.

TT – he is a member of the Central Business Hub networking group, who are all supportive of our campaign.

MKn – asked a question re: petitions in general at the full council meeting on 28^th Feb. Also, after the meeting he spoke with Hugh McCarthy who said that he had taken the FT Town idea to both his group (Conservatives) and to the Town Committee and had met with resistance on both fronts. However, Hugh said that he was personally supportive. The resistance could be because some Conservative councillors represent rural communities and may think that Fairtrade is competition with this.

BS – sent MKn’s drafted e-mail to his 3 local councillors and got some encouraging response – one of the councillors said they would discuss our campaign with their colleagues and see if we can present our case to the next Town Committee meeting.

It was decided to try to organise a meeting with Alex Collingwood/Hugh McCarthy before the next Town Committee meeting. This would perhaps involve MK, TT and AE and we could also invite Vidya.

MK – mentioned again about the possibility of contacting the Witney Fairtrade group to see how their campaign achieved success. This is David Cameron’s constituency.

SM – will try to communicate with them.

TT – showed an Open University article about free trade. He may send it to Alex Collingwood in the run-up to a meeting with him.

MK – asked what we should be doing to support World Fair Trade Day? – Saturday 11^th May.

MKn – it would be good to do something involving local businesses.

TT – perhaps link with Peros.

SM/SK – could talk to Vidya to see if she has any ideas.

MKn – at the very least, we could perhaps do an event at Local Roots.

SK – has been contacted by Ivan to see if we want to be involved on May 1^st, when they have another event, this time on fracking. High Wycombe Friends of the Earth group would be there. SK will speak to SS to see if she will be available (SM, BS and MK will probably not be able to make it).

TT – will try to get a letter from Ruth Gunstan at Bucks New Uni, stating their support for us.

BS – had a Fairtrade table at The Avenue Methodist Church and will be repeating this on a second occasion next week.

SK – has also had a Fairtrade table at her church (now called Christ the Servant King) on 3^rd March and raised £255.

Next meeting: 16^th April 2013 TBC

WYCOMBE FOR FAIRTRADE

Minutes of meeting: 26^th February 2013

Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road

Those present:

Amy Ellingham Bob Smith

Mike King Sheila Stevenson

Sheena King Tony Thornby

Matt Knight

Sarah Moroz

MK – pointed out that it had taken until mid-Feb to get a reply from the council re: the petition.

SM – gave account of the meeting at the Environment Centre on February 13^th (SK/BS/MS/SM attended). Emma from the Wycombe Food Co-op was there, as well as people from the Transition Town group and Vidya from Local Roots. A film was shown about the Transition Town movement. It was useful for helping us to build connections.

MKn – has said to council that all we want to do is present our case to them. Now an opportunity has arisen to put a question to full council on Thursday (28^th Feb). We can then put a follow-up question which council will not see beforehand.

MKn – has also tabled another question on the same evening

re: petitions in general. High Wycombe Town Committee should be having a meeting at the end of next week but it has been cancelled. Matt and Trevor Snaith are trying to get it re-instated. However, Matt has been told that we will definitely be on the agenda for their next meeting.

MKn – a precedent has been set in the last year for the Town Committee to have recommended an issue, Cabinet refuse it, then for it to pass to the Improvement and Review Committee, then it being appealed and got through council.

Steve Cohen is very in favour of having a Town Council for Wycombe.

We need to decide on our follow-up question to council.

MKn – suggests we hold up our folder and say ‘could we have the opportunity to put our case to council?’.

MK – read out the first question, which has been tabled. On Thursday, council may summarise the answer that Hugh McCarthy has already given or even just say that it has already been published.

MKn – need to point out that we haven’t been listened to.

SM – Hugh McCarthy refers to the previous Town Committee decision in Jan 2009. This committee no longer exists and we have waited the required time (2 years) before approaching council again.

AE – we could say that we are concerned that a decision has not been made on the basis of an understanding of the issues involved and that we would like the opportunity to make our case.

MKn – suggests we send e-mails to our local councillors prior to Thursday.

AE – suggests sending info to the Bucks Free Press, giving a time-line of events for our group and she could provide info on what has been happening re: Fairtrade nationally and internationally during this time, which contrasts with the stance of the council – showing that we are behind the times in Wycombe.

MK – we need to make the point that it is an apolitical issue.

There was a discussion about what should happen next with the steering group.

SS – need to wait until after Thursday

SM – feels it is still important to promote Fairtrade in Wycombe, whatever the council decide. Could also invite someone from the Witney group to a future meeting.

MK – or we could go to one of their meetings.

AE – suggests that we hold an event to coincide with World Fair Trade Day (Saturday May 11^th 2013). Perhaps a debate at the University?

Next meeting: Tuesday March 12^th, Micklefield Library