Archive for December, 2008
A Message of Hope for the last Fair Trade Visit of the Year
Dear colleagues, today I’m back from my latest 2008 trip. I went to Honduras to visit one of our customers, as well as a good prospect and a first contact with a new potential customer… and of course a half day meeting with Alba Ochoa, the Progresso coffee fund representative (a fund by Rabobank, Doen [...]
Sally Getting Some Local Press
Shared Interest’s Supporter Relations Officer, Sally Reith, is getting some great local press for her hard work. Sally joined the Shared Interest team in November and has already made great strides in getting the word out about the impact that Shared Interest is having in the developing world with its fair trade lending scheme. You [...]
PRIZE FOR THE MOST IMPROVED EXPORTER, COSTA RICA 2008 – PROAGROIN
Jorge Sanchez, General Manager, gave thanks to his colleagues and the Management Team at Proagroin, to their members (Asoproagroin), their customers, friends, suppliers and collaborators for all their support. “The support you have given us and the trust you have placed in us have enabled Proagroin to continue working towards the goals set out in [...]
Kilimanjaro: The New Angel of the South?
Well after the hell that was circuit training I very much enjoyed the variation on my training regime last night, which involved a 10 mile walk to the Angel of the North and back. So today I am feeling refreshed rather than achy and ready for a productive day at work followed by a session [...]
Blood, Sweat and Tears (Well definitely the second two!)
Well I have certainly upped the stakes – every muscle in my body aches after a double gym and circuit training session last night. I thought after being a little lax at the weekend I should try a little harder with my fitness regime and what better way than to join a circuit training class [...]
Coffee farmers celebrate anniversary
On 29 November, the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania will come alive in celebration of the oldest co-operative in all of Africa. KNCU (Kilimanjaro Native Co-operative Union) was officially incorporated in 1933, and to celebrate 75 years of smallholder empowerment, many of the 65,000 farmers who belong to the co-operative will descend on Moshi [...]
Beyond the Ethical Shop Shelves
On the 4th of December the British Library Conference Centre was full of ethically minded people keen to debate and discuss what lies ahead for ethical shoppers. The day was chaired by Sheila Dillon of Radio 4’s ‘The Food Programme’ and included speakers from the Co-operative Group, the Soil Association, SUSTAIN and Women Working Worldwide. [...]
The Buzz of The Funding Network
Last week, I made my way to a very festive feeling London, I was attending The Funding Networks’ Festive Party and Funding Event. The Funding Network (TFN) is a network of people who come together into the funding marketplace to support charities. It is similar to an auction house where people bid cash which they [...]
Steering Shared Interest to local success
Having settled into my new job and new home I came across the perfect opportunity to combine and develop both of these things. Leighton Buzzard is a fair trade town and has its very own, extremely active and well run, fair trade steering group. I was invited along to their most recent meeting at the [...]
Festivities and Fitness: combining the impossible!
Well it has to be said that the start of the festive period is not the best time to throw yourself into a fitness regime – but thanks to my fundraising efforts for Shared Interest Foundation it has to be done, so I have settled for combining the two! I started with a Saturday Christmas [...]