St. Matthew’s is a Fair Trade Church, which means that we are committed to using fairly traded products in our café and our meetings, and promoting Fair Trade in a wider context.
Each Sunday, in the hall after the service, we have a Traidcraft stall, selling mainly food, including tea and coffee (instant and ground, and real and decaff), muesli, biscuits, jam and marmalade and other spreads, sweeties, and a huge variety of fairly traded chocolate bars. In the lead-up to Christmas, we take orders from the Traidcraft catalogue for all kinds of ethical gifts, as well as Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and other Christmas essentials. And at Easter, the real Easter Egg is a real favourite. We have a rota of helpers, and we are always delighted to welcome new recruits.
Why fair trade? So much of what we buy is produced overseas, but often the people who prodeuc it are not paid a realistic price for their products, (like tea, coffee or cocoa beans). Traidcraft is committed to paying a realistic price to their producers, also ensuring that working conditions are fair, not injurious to health; they also encourage community development. By supporting Traidcraft and buying fair trade products, we are ensuring that the producers have access the most basic essentials, like home, health and education. Jesus said “I have come to bring good news to the poor……to set at liberty the oppressed” – the Fair Trade movement is working for justice for all, and an end to exploitation. www.traidcraft.co.uk
For further info about our Traidcraft group, contact Marjorie Clark Marjorie.clark@btinternet.com tel. 07788 852908