Ambassador Involvement

November sees the launch of the second National Ethical Investment Week (8th-14th) which aims to ensure that people know that they have an ethical option when it comes to investing. Shared Interest features as one of the organisations which NEIW promotes. This is a fantastic month to promote Shared Interest using this platform to target new audiences, such as this article which Ambassador Margaret Newens wrote for an audience in her local area of Milton Keynes:

Trading through the credit crunch by Margaret Newens.

The credit crunch hit us with a bang last year, but credit financing is always difficult for farmers and craft workers in developing countries. Commercial lenders often charge very high interest rates or require security, which most small-scale producers cannot provide. The worldwide financial crisis led to even expensive lines of credit being withdrawn to producers in some parts of the world. As a result, they are coming to rely more on social lenders such as Shared Interest.

This UK co-operative society has been providing financial services to fair trade producers and buyers across the world for almost twenty years. Today, more than 8,700 members have pooled investments approaching £26 million.

Social lenders like Shared Interest have played a significant role in the growth of fair trade markets. For instance, nearly 20% of the roast and ground coffee market in the UK is now certified Fairtrade. Shared Interest has supported this growth over the years and now provides credit facilities to co-operatives of coffee farmers in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

The first Fairtrade-certificated olive oil came on to our shelves in 2009, produced by Canaan Fair Trade (CFT) and its 1,700 olive farmers. Zaytoun, who imports olive oil from CFT, is a Shared Interest customer. It has a credit facility to provide a 50% deposit to its Palestinian producers when orders are placed, several months in advance of delivery of goods. A substantial loan from Shared Interest has also enabled CFT to build a new head office, storage facilities and factory, and continue to grow as an enterprise.

Customers of Shared Interest provide us with fair trade pineapples from Costa Rica, Brazil nut oil from the Amazon Rainforest, jewellery from Kenya, Rooibos tea from South Africa, greetings cards from the Philippines – and other products from across the developing world.

November 8-14, 2009, is National Ethical Investment Week. To find out more about how a small investment with Shared Interest can make a big difference to the producers of many goods we enjoy as consumers, visit www.shared-interest.com

Other Ambassador activity which has happened during October has included:

Stephen Sanders spoke at a Sunday Church service in Heworth, Tyne and Wear to an audience of approximately 50-60 people. Stephen comments, ‘there were quite a number of QR’s taken, as well as a few application forms. It was well worthwhile.’ Talks such as this really do have an impact with regards to both the promotion of Shared Interest and also our uptake of membership. Approaching your local church, community group or business to do a presentation to them about the work of Shared Interest is a great way to increase our network of contacts throughout the UK and with our new presentation available for you to both read and listen to before presenting – doing a talk has never been so easy!

Jenny Foster helped promote Shared Interest at two Fairtrade stalls at both Better Bristol Day and at the South West Office Show. Helping promote Shared Interest even when we are not the primary focus of a stall is a good opportunity to reach new audiences. Our new postcards are ideal for such circumstances, as they make it both easy and quick to spread the message about Shared Interest. If you would like to request some postcards or any materials please email.

Friday Nkumeh and Misgun Kahsu helped me run a stall at The International Community Day held at Newcastle’s Civic Centre for new international students coming to North East England. The purpose of our presence there was to recruit new Ambassadors; however we also had an opportunity to speak with several potential members including the 2009-2010 Mayor of Newcastle, Michael Cookson. Friday comments that, ‘The International Community Day event was a great success. I spoke with many people who shared my views about the good work which Shared Interest does, including the mayor and meet with many new people who were also interested in becoming an Ambassador like me.’

It was great to have both Friday and Misgun helping at this event as they were able to share their own experiences about being an Ambassador, which has resulted in several new Ambassadors. This month I also attended the University of Edinburgh’s Travel and Volunteering Fair and Glasgow University’s Internship and Volunteering Fair to recruit new Ambassadors. If you know anyone who may be interested in becoming an Ambassador please direct them to our website or ask them to either email me or call (0191 2339135).