A problem shared is a problem halved – especially over a cuppa.
Each week I try to put a day aside for an indulgent hour or two for myself, a must to reflect and consider the week gone by and I have to say that the day chosen for this is usually a Friday.
Yes ladies, Friday is my day!
Well part of it, a good three to four hours – family, work, and the usual endless list of other multi-tasking “things to do” permitting.
After a very satisfactory window shopping session, lunch with daughters or a quick hair cut, the last stop is usually the “big food shop “.
But first a nice cuppa in the supermarket cafe, where I look down at the endless stream of people going about their retail grab and go, list you know, or ponder and phone.
I am always grateful and amazed at the huge selection of products that I am exposed to every week, and of how very lucky I am to be able to make such choices all because of someone, somewhere in the world producing them for me.
I’m one of the lucky ones that can take time out but somewhere out there men, women and children have to work away relentlessly in other disadvantaged communities across the globe.
Feel like me and want to do more to help them, then let me tell you about a wonderful organisation who are already helping.
Newcastle-based Shared Interest, with offices also in Costa Rica, Kenya and Peru is celebrating its twentieth anniversary as the world’s only 100% fair trade lender.
Over the past 20 years, Shared Interest has used investment from people living in the UK to lend to fair trade businesses in the developing world. Share accounts range from £100 to £20,000, so with 8,700 members, last year alone, Shared Interest was able to lend over £30 million to marginalised farmers and handicraft makers who are desperately in need of credit.
If you are interested in the fair trade movement you will already be aware of the annual Fairtrade Fortnight (22 February – 7 March 2010). This year, organisers the Fairtrade Foundation are asking the nation to join them in The Big Swap.
While they are focussing on turning our nation of tea drinkers into those that prefer the fair trade variety, Shared Interest’s Sally Reith is taking this one step further.
Every day over the next two weeks, Sally will be exchanging a product she currently uses for its fair trade alternative, swapping everything from chocolate to washing up gloves!
Sally will be recording her Big Swap experiences online; you can follow her exploits through her written and video blogs that are available on the Shared Interest website, she would love your feedback and to hear about your own swaps so don’t be shy, make sure you leave your comments.
If you are interested in finding out more about Shared Interest and how you can get involved visit www.shared-interest.com or contact the Newcastle head office on 0191 233 9100.
TraidCraft which is a charitable organisation based in Gateshead who have been trading tea fairly for over three decades encourage us to get involved their event too the “Big Brew”.
You can host your own Fair Trade tea party during the fortnight and they will provide information packs to help. Visit – www.traidcraft.co.uk
You may choose to swap chocolate, fruit, clothing, cleaning products, beauty products the range of Fair Trade products is growing rapidly and whether you are a dunker or a dipper, a coffee or tea person it matters not – enjoy your day and have fun!