NOT GUILTY!

On Tuesday 21st April, we hosted a special evening raised awareness about the best in ethically and fairly sourced/produced wine and chocolate on the market. This unique and exclusive tasting is guided by Sarah Jane Evans, Master of Wine, and Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine, was held in the Judges’ Dining Room at the Old Bailey with kind permission of our host, Alderman and Sheriff Dr Andrew Parmley.

Over £600 in proceeds were raised from this event and donated to the Bow Food Bank. 

We look forward to holding this event again in 2016 - be sure to check back here so you can book your tickets - places are quite limited. It's a great night out!

Thanks to all of the producers for letting us feature your excellent ethically certified products:

WINES
Torres Santa Digna Estelado Sparkling Rosé, Chile
Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc 2014, Coastal, South Africa
De Bos Walker Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014, South Africa
Journey’s End Shiraz 2009, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Finca Monteflores Malbec 2013, Mendoza, Argentina

CHOCOLATES
Amedei
Chocolate Madagascar
Damson Craft Chocolate
ICAM SpA, Vanini range chocolates
Marc Demarquette
Original Beans
Pacari
Paul A. Young
Pretat
William Curley

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT 2015

We were delighted to host and participate in several events during the Fairtrade Fortnight this year, highlighting the importance of ethically source and sustainably made products. Thanks to generous funding from the Community Service Volunteers in the City of London, we were able to host a Fairtrade Market at One New Change Shopping Centre, a special photography exhibition of Fairtrade gold and silver mining in Peru, a lecture on agribusiness, and a fashion event at the City Business Library.

Vendors from Zaytoun, Divine Chocolate and Liberation Nuts at One New Change


City Fairtrade Group chair the Revd George Bush shopping at our Fairtrade Market.

Claire Lissaman of the Ethical Fashion Forum speaking at the City Business Library.

Silver mine photo exhibition in vestibule of St Mary-le-Bow Church.

I DO!

The City of London Fairtrade Steering Group were proud to assist the Fairtrade Foundation in the coordination of their Fairtrade Gold campaign launch, "I Do" on the 14th January 2015 in the City to encourage brides and grooms to buy Fairtrade gold rings ahead of Valentine's Day. Campaigners formed a 'human ring of gold' on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral to highlight the plight of gold miners living in poverty across the globe.

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT 2014

"Naughty but Nice - an ethical wine and chocolate tasting evening"

Tuesday 4th March 2014

Alderman's Dining Room, West Wing, Guildhall

 

In celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight, Alderman Alison Gowman and the Reverend George R. Bush, Chairman of the City of London Fairtrade Group, were delighted to welcome the award-winning wine and food writer Sarah Jane Evans, Master of Wine, for an evening dedicated to educating and expanding understandings of ethical wine and chocolate programmes from international producers.

 

Supported by the Corporation of London and JustShare, the event was held in the Alderman’s Dining Room at the Guildhall for a small group of guests representing the catering, hospitality and food services industry in the City of London. Guests were encouraged to rethink their business approach to purchasing by sampling some of very best and latest in Fairtrade, co-operative, and sustainable wines and chocolates from around the world. From Chile to Argentina to South Africa, from St Lucia to Vietnam, products were sourced from local distributors representing a truly global market.

 

This free event raised funds for Pebbles Project, which helps to educate children

with special needs, especially those whose lives are affected by alcohol, from

disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

FAIRTRADE TALK

Watch the JustShare Lecture: "Fairtrade or Flawed Research: do we know who benefits? " by Professor Chris Cramer, SOAS
Recorded on Wednesday 27th February 2013 at St Mary-le-Bow Church

Hosted by JustShare for Fairtrade Fortnight 2013

FAIRTRADE FAIR 2012

Fairtrade Trade Fair at the Guildhall, with the City of London Corporation Fairtrade Group

 

This event aimed to showcase the range of Fairtrade wholesale and retail products now on the market and to encourage more City firms to serve Fairtrade products at their events.

 

With over 150 people from City firms (catering contract managers, procurement managers, CSR managers and those interested in sustainability), Livery companies and the Court of Common Council signed up to attend, there was a fantastic atmosphere in the Guildhall's stunning Basinghall Suite. Suppliers from Peros, Premcrest, La Riojana, Liberation!, Ubuntu chocolate, Geobar, Divine, Qi, Sustain and CyT UK offered samples of tea, chocolate, nuts and wine whilst also explaining more about the origin of their products and how the products could be purchased, wholesale, retail or via catering companies. We were delighted to welcome the Lady Mayoress who enjoyed a tour of the room, sampling and learning more about the products available.

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT 2012

We had a full Fairtrade Fortnight 2012 with a wonderful range of events, beginning with Paul Chandler's lecture for JustShare on Fairtrade and Christian Attitudes to the Market (watch the film here).

 

On Monday 5th March, we welcomed Divine Chocolate, Hotel Chocolat and Ubuntu Chocolate for a delicious and educational evening of ethical chocolate tasting. Of course, Divine is the only one of these three to be Fairtrade certified but Hotel Chocolat and Ubuntu have close relationships with their growers and all three shared their philosophies and producer stories generously, as well as their products. We learnt how to taste professionally, tried a fairly traded 'chocktail' (picture below) and enjoyed flavours from fennel to lime.

 

On Thursday 8th March, Eversheds. in association with Elior, kindly hosted afternoon tea for 3 visitors from Malawi, Rosemary Kadzitche and Judith Harry, 2 nutfarmers from Mchinji district, and Kingsley Makiyoni of NASFAM. They supply peanuts and cashew nuts to the Fairtrade company Liberation! established (like Divine and Cafe Direct) by Twin Trading. Liberation! is 42% owned by 11 nut co-operatives such as Rosemary and Judith's, and also markets Harry's Nuts too. Rosemary and Judith taught us how peanuts are grown, harvested, stored and sold, and told us that Fairtrade and Liberation! had transformed their lives. Previously, they had only been able to sell to local middlemen; now, they are guaranteed a minimum price and demand is growing. They urged is to keep buying, saying: 'Thank you, it really helps.'

 

Rosemary and Judith particularly welcomed the Fairtrade premium too. Rosemary's co-operative had decided to use it to build a shelter outside the local maternity hospital. Pregnant women came from miles around to this hospital to give birth and many had had to  sleep outside whilst waiting their turn as the hospital was usually full. Now they had a safe place to stay until they were delivered. Judith's co-operative had built a store with their social premium to keep harvested nuts dry and rot-free. The store also doubled as a school, microfinance centre and meeting place for women's and orphans' support groups.

 

We ended the fortnight with 2 events to celebrate the Diocese of London achieving Fairtrade status, a long-awaited and very welcome achievement! On Friday 9th March, the Bishop of London, clergy and passing tourists made Fairtrade smoothies by pedal-power on Fairtrade smoothie-making bikes outside St Paul's Cathedral. 


On Sunday 11th March, a service at St Paul's complete with steel band and banana song commemorated the occasion, with Harriet Lamb, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, presenting the Bishop with the Diocese's Certificate.