Herefordshire Fairtrade are now on Facebook
This is our latest news page. You can also find out all about what Fairtrade is , see what's going on in Herefordshire this month and view our Fairtrade Directories listing all the outlets we know of in the county for Fairtrade goods. We plan to shortly update our directories to make them easier to search, please bear with us.
Latest directory addition
LOWER BUCKTON COUNTRY HOUSE in Buckton, near Leintwardine, is the latest addition to the Herefordshire Fairtrade directories, opening all year for dinner, bed and breakfast. Lower Buckton's philosophy is to to buy only Fairtrade imported food which is Fair Trade and/or organic with the remainder being local, seasonal food from small-scale, independent producers and suppliers. In this way Buckton hopes to support small, rural economies both home and abroad.
Buckton uses: Fairtrade coffee, tea, drinking chocolate, fruit, in season: bananas, pineapples, melons and so on, imported spices and nuts
Lower Buckton Country House
Buckton
Leintwardine
SY7 0JU
01547 540 532
Buckton uses: Fairtrade coffee, tea, drinking chocolate, fruit, in season: bananas, pineapples, melons and so on, imported spices and nuts
Lower Buckton Country House
Buckton
Leintwardine
SY7 0JU
01547 540 532
Comments
Fairtrade Schools assessors needed
Thu, Jun 26 2008 06:55
| education and schools
| Permalink
Over 1,800 schools are now working towards becoming Fairtrade Schools. As the scheme grows from strength to strength we need your help. If you have experience of working in education and can volunteer a few hours a month from home, we would love to hear from you. Please email schools@fairtrade.org.uk for more information.
Mortimer Country Food Fair
Thu, Jun 26 2008 06:48
| Herefordshire Fairtrade News, Events
| Permalink
First Mortimer Country Food Fair launches
Brampton Bryan Saturday July 19 2008
9.00 am – 5.00pm
The first Mortimer Country Food Fair will be held in Brampton Bryan on the Shropshire and Herefordshire borders on Saturday July 19 2008. Philip Dunne the Ludlow MP will be attending to show his support.
Created to celebrate the diversity and quality of the area’s food, this new event will feature cookery demonstrations with local produce, food talks, book readings, stalls and regional cuisine.
Says co-founder Carolyn Chesshire of Lower Buckton Country House “ This area of North West Herefordshire and South Shropshire has some of the best producers of slow food and organic produce in the country – as well as some of the best B&Bs, hotels and restaurants to be found anywhere.”
“We have started what we intend to be an annual event to raise the profile of these producers and local companies. For this reason we have made entry free of charge to encourage both local people and visitors to come and try the very best of seasonal, local and organic produce.”
The event, which co-insides with British Cherry Day will be supporting the campaign to save the great British cherry. Carolyn Chesshire will be creating a cherry based recipe which she will be demonstrating on the day.
Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow will be attending in the afternoon, he said: “I am always keen to support local businesses, and believe it is important for food security and local food sourcing that we maintain a vibrant agricultural sector in this country. Consumers need to reconnect with farmers and gain a better understanding of where the food they eat comes from. It is a great way to support local farming, and buying food locally also helps the environment by cutting transport costs and boosts the economy by reducing reliance on imports."
The Fair will be held around the historic Manor Farm Barn in the ancient village of Brampton Bryan, headquarters of booksellers Aardvark Books (co-founders of the event).
There will be book readings from The Food Maze, written by Robert Elliott, one of the owners of Aspen House, the award-winning local B&B and restaurant. Walford Court, the renowned local Tea Room and B&B will provide Barbecued food to taste and buy. There will be wine and cider on offer along with beers from the new Ludlow Brewery. There will also be stalls selling cakes, fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs, meat, cheese, and jams from local farms as well as stalls selling hand-made jewellery and textiles by local craftspeople.
Website: www.mortimercountryfoodfair.com – coming soon
Brampton Bryan Saturday July 19 2008
9.00 am – 5.00pm
The first Mortimer Country Food Fair will be held in Brampton Bryan on the Shropshire and Herefordshire borders on Saturday July 19 2008. Philip Dunne the Ludlow MP will be attending to show his support.
Created to celebrate the diversity and quality of the area’s food, this new event will feature cookery demonstrations with local produce, food talks, book readings, stalls and regional cuisine.
Says co-founder Carolyn Chesshire of Lower Buckton Country House “ This area of North West Herefordshire and South Shropshire has some of the best producers of slow food and organic produce in the country – as well as some of the best B&Bs, hotels and restaurants to be found anywhere.”
“We have started what we intend to be an annual event to raise the profile of these producers and local companies. For this reason we have made entry free of charge to encourage both local people and visitors to come and try the very best of seasonal, local and organic produce.”
The event, which co-insides with British Cherry Day will be supporting the campaign to save the great British cherry. Carolyn Chesshire will be creating a cherry based recipe which she will be demonstrating on the day.
Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow will be attending in the afternoon, he said: “I am always keen to support local businesses, and believe it is important for food security and local food sourcing that we maintain a vibrant agricultural sector in this country. Consumers need to reconnect with farmers and gain a better understanding of where the food they eat comes from. It is a great way to support local farming, and buying food locally also helps the environment by cutting transport costs and boosts the economy by reducing reliance on imports."
The Fair will be held around the historic Manor Farm Barn in the ancient village of Brampton Bryan, headquarters of booksellers Aardvark Books (co-founders of the event).
There will be book readings from The Food Maze, written by Robert Elliott, one of the owners of Aspen House, the award-winning local B&B and restaurant. Walford Court, the renowned local Tea Room and B&B will provide Barbecued food to taste and buy. There will be wine and cider on offer along with beers from the new Ludlow Brewery. There will also be stalls selling cakes, fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs, meat, cheese, and jams from local farms as well as stalls selling hand-made jewellery and textiles by local craftspeople.
Website: www.mortimercountryfoodfair.com – coming soon
Of monopolies and men...
This message from The National group of Christian Ecology Link was read out at our last Fairtrade meeting in Leominster. The communication was part of a conversation on the group web chat room about industry in this world. After the Hay Festival it all rings very true.
The Monopolies commission has no jurisdiction in the USA, Where these companies operate in Europe and the UK they craftily split themselves into smaller companies using different names. Cargill has two operations in the UK - Banks Cargill and Frontier Agriculture. The World Bank and the World Trade organisation were set up to promote these American conglomerates and make it easier for them to gain a stranglehold on world markets. Notice how, time and again, European companies get their knuckles wrapped for infringing World Trade rules but American companies never do. Notice also that wherever America sends its troops to "sort things out" Cargill is one the companies that comes in behind them.
Haliburton is the other, one but they are involved with construction (re-construction ??) I did of course omit the other two companies who play a major role and are also interlinked with Cargill and Monsanto.
Archers Daniel Midland (ADM) are the worlds largest food ingredient company. It is a safe bet that practically all the food in your cupboard or fridge contains at least some ingredients made by ADM. They specialise in soya products and until two years ago owned health food companies Granose, Direct Foods and Haldane Foods. These have since been sold to another American giant - Hain Celestial Foods, a soya food manufacturer, but it is almost certain that ADM still continues to supply them with ingredients.
Bunge is the other company in the quartet. On their website they state "Bunge manufactures fertilizers and crop nutrients for farmers, from whom we buy grains and oilseeds. We ship these commodities in bulk to customers around the world, and process them into refined products, such as meals and oils." They are in fact the world's largest manufacturers of rape seed oil and have a processing plant in the UK. As one might expect they are totally committed to biofuels. They are also a major supplier of soya protein and soya oil.
Compared to these giants, global food manufacturers like Nestle are small fry. And of course Nestle also buy from the quartet. Practically all the chocolate produced by Nestle, Cadbury and Mars comes from the Cargill processing plant in Cote d'Ivoire. All cocoa farmers in Cote d'Ivoire, the world's largest cocoa producers, are forced by law to sell all their produce to Cargill.
Because they get such a low price from them they are forced to employ child labour, most of them slaves from Mali. If you buy chocolate from any of those three companies you are supporting child slavery. Just one of many stories that can be told about any one of the four American giants.
So what on earth can we do?
I have long been involved in Fairtrade and Trade Justice events, and a lot has been achieved. I just wonder what can be done now.
I was made aware that Multi National companies do not pay tax by the You and Yours radio programme a few weeks ago. I was amazed. It is so unfair. I expect that most of the population, even if they are not prepared to pay a bit more to see workers across the world get a fair wage, would feel angry about unfair tax.
So I have sent this letter to my MEPs.
A lone voice does nothing but if anyone else felt like doing similar we might make some more small changes.
Dear……………..
I was dismayed when I heard on a BBC news programme that Multi National companies pay no tax or VAT in Britain. Is this really true? If so I must suppose it is the same in the EU generally.
Please can I ask you as an MEP to look into this very unfair situation. There must be a way to make laws to make these companies pay their fair share for social responsibilities. If the whole of the EU taxed these Multi National companies, working together, we would not be put in a vulnerable position.
Barbara Mark
The Monopolies commission has no jurisdiction in the USA, Where these companies operate in Europe and the UK they craftily split themselves into smaller companies using different names. Cargill has two operations in the UK - Banks Cargill and Frontier Agriculture. The World Bank and the World Trade organisation were set up to promote these American conglomerates and make it easier for them to gain a stranglehold on world markets. Notice how, time and again, European companies get their knuckles wrapped for infringing World Trade rules but American companies never do. Notice also that wherever America sends its troops to "sort things out" Cargill is one the companies that comes in behind them.
Haliburton is the other, one but they are involved with construction (re-construction ??) I did of course omit the other two companies who play a major role and are also interlinked with Cargill and Monsanto.
Archers Daniel Midland (ADM) are the worlds largest food ingredient company. It is a safe bet that practically all the food in your cupboard or fridge contains at least some ingredients made by ADM. They specialise in soya products and until two years ago owned health food companies Granose, Direct Foods and Haldane Foods. These have since been sold to another American giant - Hain Celestial Foods, a soya food manufacturer, but it is almost certain that ADM still continues to supply them with ingredients.
Bunge is the other company in the quartet. On their website they state "Bunge manufactures fertilizers and crop nutrients for farmers, from whom we buy grains and oilseeds. We ship these commodities in bulk to customers around the world, and process them into refined products, such as meals and oils." They are in fact the world's largest manufacturers of rape seed oil and have a processing plant in the UK. As one might expect they are totally committed to biofuels. They are also a major supplier of soya protein and soya oil.
Compared to these giants, global food manufacturers like Nestle are small fry. And of course Nestle also buy from the quartet. Practically all the chocolate produced by Nestle, Cadbury and Mars comes from the Cargill processing plant in Cote d'Ivoire. All cocoa farmers in Cote d'Ivoire, the world's largest cocoa producers, are forced by law to sell all their produce to Cargill.
Because they get such a low price from them they are forced to employ child labour, most of them slaves from Mali. If you buy chocolate from any of those three companies you are supporting child slavery. Just one of many stories that can be told about any one of the four American giants.
So what on earth can we do?
I have long been involved in Fairtrade and Trade Justice events, and a lot has been achieved. I just wonder what can be done now.
I was made aware that Multi National companies do not pay tax by the You and Yours radio programme a few weeks ago. I was amazed. It is so unfair. I expect that most of the population, even if they are not prepared to pay a bit more to see workers across the world get a fair wage, would feel angry about unfair tax.
So I have sent this letter to my MEPs.
A lone voice does nothing but if anyone else felt like doing similar we might make some more small changes.
Dear……………..
I was dismayed when I heard on a BBC news programme that Multi National companies pay no tax or VAT in Britain. Is this really true? If so I must suppose it is the same in the EU generally.
Please can I ask you as an MEP to look into this very unfair situation. There must be a way to make laws to make these companies pay their fair share for social responsibilities. If the whole of the EU taxed these Multi National companies, working together, we would not be put in a vulnerable position.
Barbara Mark
Injustice - A thought from Salford
When we went to the City Art Gallery we saw the painting by John Charles Dollman from 1904 called Famine. It is a haunting painting of a skeletal man draped in clothing, just like the BBC TV pictures of the Somalian people shown to us in late June 08, and staving wolves looking for food. Did he foresee what the world is heading for? He said the painting was about the souls of humanity. Well, humans are driving the world to that end, with their souls lost to consumerism.
Barbara Mark
Barbara Mark
Hereford City Fairtrade
Fri, Jun 6 2008 08:18
| Herefordshire Fairtrade News
| Permalink
The next meeting of the Hereford City Fairtrade Steering group will be on Friday 13th June at 9.30am. Contact John Dinnen for further details on 01981 540 730. Venue is the Cafe @ All Saints, High Town.
Cut price bananas threaten the poor
Sun, May 25 2008 10:16
| Newswatch, National Fairtrade News
| Permalink
The Observer (25.05.08) reports...
A supermarket banana price war has broken out and been widely condemned by overseas aid charities.
Asda triggered the battle when it cut the cost of a kilo of the fruit from 77p to 72p last Wednesday. Tesco and Morrisons followed suit the next day and Sainsbury's, which sells only Fairtrade bananas, matched the 5p reduction 24 hours later.
Read the full article here...
A supermarket banana price war has broken out and been widely condemned by overseas aid charities.
Asda triggered the battle when it cut the cost of a kilo of the fruit from 77p to 72p last Wednesday. Tesco and Morrisons followed suit the next day and Sainsbury's, which sells only Fairtrade bananas, matched the 5p reduction 24 hours later.
Read the full article here...
Get to Hay by bus not car
Thu, May 22 2008 11:12
| Community News
| Permalink
It is the Hay Literary Festival, May 22 to June 1st and this year you can get there by bus (and buy Fairtrade when you get there of course!) A full bus timetable is operating from Hereford Station, early morning to late evening. No parking, convenient run direct to the festival site. Please make use of it and enjoy the festival. If you can't read the timetable below click on it for a larger version. 
HereFOODshire Challenge: Update from Trish
Thu, May 22 2008 08:08
| HereFOODshire Challenge
| Permalink
The Herefoodshire challenge is now into its 4th month.
Recent discovery: good localfood offerings at the Spread Eagle and the Castle Hotel in Hereford!More recommendations for hot local food spots in Hereford itself welcome. Keep asking where your food is coming from!
Arriving:spring onions, asparagus, tomatoes & cumbers & homegrown salad
On the way out: apples, parsnips, leeks
Events coming up
Saturday June 14th: Fairtradecounty meeting at 2pm at the Forbury,Church Street Leominster. Good valueFairtrade/local lunch available first – and the Farmers Market is in Corn Square all morning
Saturday June 14th: Eardisley CAP host an evening of local film shorts at the VillageHall, accompanied by local hotdogs and puddings made by the WI. Tickets are £5:book via Central Stores on 01544 327231
Saturday 19th June: Mortimer Country Food Fare in BramptonBryan from 10-4pm, free entry: Slow food, Carolyn Chesshire, stalls &Aardvark books (cookery specialists)
Sunday June 22nd: Herefoodshire informal monthly meetingand potluck supper at the Granary, South Street (next doorto the Talbot), Leominster from 7.30pm. Bring a random local offering - bread will be supplied as Herefordshireflour is still elusive. Please email to let us know if you can come by June19th
28/29th June: Shobdon Food & Garden Festival:lots on including cookery demonstrations & a Herefoodshire slot, see http://www.shobdonfestival.co.uk/index.htmfor more info
Thursday July 10th:Herefoodshire evening at Leominster Community Centre, School Rd (offBroad St car park) run by Leominster Transition Towns. Starts at 7.30pm. Entry free.
Tuesday July 22nd: Herefoodshiremeal at Aspen House Hoarwithy: Aspen House scooped top spot in theGuardians’ eco-B&B section for the Central region with their aim ofsourcing all their food within 10 miles. Supper will be a special price of £12.50for 2 courses + tea or coffee: bring your own local drinks or buy soft oralcoholic drinks from Aspen House, Booking essential on 01432 840353 as numberslimited. Aspen House have a splendid list of local suppliers on their website: http://www.aspenhouse.net/realfood.php
Saturday September 6th:'Exploring Herefood': leisurely guided walk round food related places old & new, including the Farmers Market in High town Hereford followed by potlucklunch. Start at 13, Harold Street at 11am, please bring Herefordshire food &/or drink to share for lunch. Nocharge.
Under development:
* August to October : Herefoodshire Trial meets the Herefordshire Trail: plans to walk the whole 154 miles of the Herefordshire Trail between August and October to check the local food offer across and around the county. First section from Leintwardine to Leominster. Email herefoodshire@hotmail.co.uk if you’d like to join a day’s stage or have ideas of good food places to drop in to en route.
* More WI events
* Harvest Suppers with local food
Thanks for all your support - much appreciated!
Recent discovery: good localfood offerings at the Spread Eagle and the Castle Hotel in Hereford!More recommendations for hot local food spots in Hereford itself welcome. Keep asking where your food is coming from!
Arriving:spring onions, asparagus, tomatoes & cumbers & homegrown salad
On the way out: apples, parsnips, leeks
Events coming up
Saturday June 14th: Fairtradecounty meeting at 2pm at the Forbury,Church Street Leominster. Good valueFairtrade/local lunch available first – and the Farmers Market is in Corn Square all morning
Saturday June 14th: Eardisley CAP host an evening of local film shorts at the VillageHall, accompanied by local hotdogs and puddings made by the WI. Tickets are £5:book via Central Stores on 01544 327231
Saturday 19th June: Mortimer Country Food Fare in BramptonBryan from 10-4pm, free entry: Slow food, Carolyn Chesshire, stalls &Aardvark books (cookery specialists)
Sunday June 22nd: Herefoodshire informal monthly meetingand potluck supper at the Granary, South Street (next doorto the Talbot), Leominster from 7.30pm. Bring a random local offering - bread will be supplied as Herefordshireflour is still elusive. Please email to let us know if you can come by June19th
28/29th June: Shobdon Food & Garden Festival:lots on including cookery demonstrations & a Herefoodshire slot, see http://www.shobdonfestival.co.uk/index.htmfor more info
Thursday July 10th:Herefoodshire evening at Leominster Community Centre, School Rd (offBroad St car park) run by Leominster Transition Towns. Starts at 7.30pm. Entry free.
Tuesday July 22nd: Herefoodshiremeal at Aspen House Hoarwithy: Aspen House scooped top spot in theGuardians’ eco-B&B section for the Central region with their aim ofsourcing all their food within 10 miles. Supper will be a special price of £12.50for 2 courses + tea or coffee: bring your own local drinks or buy soft oralcoholic drinks from Aspen House, Booking essential on 01432 840353 as numberslimited. Aspen House have a splendid list of local suppliers on their website: http://www.aspenhouse.net/realfood.php
Saturday September 6th:'Exploring Herefood': leisurely guided walk round food related places old & new, including the Farmers Market in High town Hereford followed by potlucklunch. Start at 13, Harold Street at 11am, please bring Herefordshire food &/or drink to share for lunch. Nocharge.
Under development:
* August to October : Herefoodshire Trial meets the Herefordshire Trail: plans to walk the whole 154 miles of the Herefordshire Trail between August and October to check the local food offer across and around the county. First section from Leintwardine to Leominster. Email herefoodshire@hotmail.co.uk if you’d like to join a day’s stage or have ideas of good food places to drop in to en route.
* More WI events
* Harvest Suppers with local food
Thanks for all your support - much appreciated!
Millichap Peace Fund Lecture
This is a reminder about the talk in Hereford on 27th May. There is an extra Millichap Peace Fund Lecture at 7.30pm on 27th May in the Friend’s Meeting House in King Street. It is Prof Jeff Halper of ICAHD (Israeli Committee Against House demolition). Jeff is an excellent speaker (I have been in a guided party in Israel-Palestine led by Jeff) and is very knowledgeable about peace activities in Israel and Palestine.
We are very luck to get him as a speaker on the day after presenting his new book at the Hay Book festival. If you can’t come to Hereford on the Tuesday 27th May at 7.30pm try and see him at 7p.m. on Monday 26th May in Hay (check details in the Hay programme). See the details about Jeff on the poster.
Jeff is an Israeli of American Extraction and he hopes to meet Jimmy Carter who will be talking on the Middle East on that Sunday.
We are very luck to get him as a speaker on the day after presenting his new book at the Hay Book festival. If you can’t come to Hereford on the Tuesday 27th May at 7.30pm try and see him at 7p.m. on Monday 26th May in Hay (check details in the Hay programme). See the details about Jeff on the poster.
Jeff is an Israeli of American Extraction and he hopes to meet Jimmy Carter who will be talking on the Middle East on that Sunday.
Herefordshire Fairtrade Steering Group Meeting
Sat, May 17 2008 08:29
| Herefordshire Fairtrade News
| Permalink
Herefordshire Fairtrade County Steering Group is meeting on June 14th 2008 at the Forbury Chapel, Church Street, Leominster, 2pm, and invites all those involved with or concerned about Fairtrade in the county to join them.
The Leominster FT group will be hosting a low cost, high quality fair-trade/local lunch in the Forbury Chapel, Church Street, Leominster at 1pm: Homemade soup and paninis a speciality! This will be followed by a short meeting at 2pm.
Meetings have been slim for awhile -so we've changed the day and the time and hope very much that every group & town can be represented by one person - though everyone with an interest in Fairtrade is very welcome!
The Farmers’ Market is in Corn Square between about 9am and 2pm so if anyone wants to include a visit and pick up some local food they will need to come earlier.
Agenda
1. Matters arising from last meeting (March 4th 2008- attached)
2. Update on developments from all the groups around the county
3. Publicity:
5. Other Events planned
6. Renewal of county FT status - due (see attachment)·
7. Links with local food/ethical goods and farmers markets
8. Work with schools- what done and future plans
9. AOB
10. Date of next meeting
The Leominster FT group will be hosting a low cost, high quality fair-trade/local lunch in the Forbury Chapel, Church Street, Leominster at 1pm: Homemade soup and paninis a speciality! This will be followed by a short meeting at 2pm.
Meetings have been slim for awhile -so we've changed the day and the time and hope very much that every group & town can be represented by one person - though everyone with an interest in Fairtrade is very welcome!
The Farmers’ Market is in Corn Square between about 9am and 2pm so if anyone wants to include a visit and pick up some local food they will need to come earlier.
Agenda
1. Matters arising from last meeting (March 4th 2008- attached)
2. Update on developments from all the groups around the county
3. Publicity:
- a. County Directory
- b. Town directories
- c. Other, eg Postcards / Banner
5. Other Events planned
6. Renewal of county FT status - due (see attachment)·
7. Links with local food/ethical goods and farmers markets
8. Work with schools- what done and future plans
9. AOB
10. Date of next meeting
Ethos World Fairtrade Day
World Fair Trade day is tomorrow Saturday 10th May! Ethos are having a coffee morning in aid of Shakti Nepal childrens home in Katmandu. The theme for this years world Fair Trade Day is sustainability so we have lots of alternatives to the plastic bag. Traidcraft stall, coffee, tea and home made cakes available. Come and find out about fair trade and ditch the plastic bag. 10.00 am to 2.00 pm. Ethos, Little Tarrington Farm.