Established in March 2003, we are an enthusiastic group of
active volunteers who have achieved the five goals specified by
the Fairtrade foundation
to achieve Fairtrade borough status for Ealing. The group includes representatives
from local businesses, schools, community groups, faith groups and Ealing
residents.
Join us to help promote Fairtrade in Ealing and gain volunteering experience along the way – we are a friendly group and always welcome new members.
You can also help by joining the much larger network of supporters who promote Fairtrade in their workplaces, schools or places of worship, or support the campaign by buying Fairtrade goods and asking shops and cafes to stock them.
Happy New Year!
January news: Fairtrade supermodel style - Carla Bruni's bag from the townships
Carla Bruni, the Italian supermodel and wife of French president Nicolas Sarkosy, has endorsed a Fairtrade bag made by a women's co-operative in a South African township. The bag is made of cotton and hessian in the six colours of the South African flag. Ms Bruni was accompanying her husband on a trip to Cape Town when she accepted an invitation to look round the premises and received the bag as a gift. The co-operative has been able to persuade a Paris fashion boutique named Colette to sell the bags, which retail at €90 (£85). Nicknamed the "Carla", only 421 have been made, just under half of which have been exported.
Township Patterns was established in 1998 by Nicole-Marie Iresch, a French woman. Based on fairtrade principles, the company helps three sewing co-operatives to sell a range of bags to business, charities and other organisations, and also on its website. The "Carla" bag was made by the Sophumelela co-operative - "We will succeed" in the local Xhosa language. Sopumelela employs nine women, working from 8am to 5pm. Depending on orders, they can earn up to R3,700 (£255) a month, which is a good wage in South Africa.
Please help support Fairtrade by buying Fairtrade products and joining Ealing Fairtrade Group.
