Author Archive
What Came First: The Library Or The Books?
In January this year our Managing Director, Patricia Alexander, visited one of our long standing customers in Nairobi, Kenya. As with many of the producer groups we work with, Undugu Society of Kenya run several social programmes alongside their fair trade business. Patricia was particularly touched by their education programme which provides schooling in the [...]
Staff profile – Credit and Services Manager
I was working for accounting software firm Sage, when I became disillusioned with the drive of the pound sign within the corporate arena. This lead to an impulse trip to India and a change in my overall perspective on what was important in life. Unfortunately on my return, I needed a job, and quick. I [...]
Patrick gets his skates on for New Zealand
Last week saw the departure of our Marketing Manager, Patrick Dodd. Patrick started work for Shared Interest in August 2008 and spent much of his time developing our web presence, particularly our blogging and social networking sites, as well as pulling together our quarterly magazine, QR, all of which helped to continue raising Shared Interest’s [...]
Shared Interest Foundation Team Building Day
This week the newly formed Foundation Management Team were put through their paces at a Team Building day up in Allendale, Hexham. The Shared Interest Foundation was established in 2004 and is the charity arm of the Shared Interest Society. Until this year the Foundation has only ever employed one full time member of staff; [...]
Growing the Shared Interest Team
I don’t know many people who truly look forward to coming back to work after the Christmas holidays but for 4 of the Shared Interest staff the New Year also signals a new challenge for the coming year. We have 4 new members of staff joining the existing team here in Newcastle. Joining our Supporter [...]
Share Capital Tops £26 Million!
On Friday, Shared Interest staff got together for a wee celebratory drink and nibbles to mark that fact that our share capital topped the £26 million mark. Paul Sharpe, our Supporter Relations Manager, emailed staff from his work trip in Kenya to say,“thank you to everyone for their contribution in meeting our target for this [...]
Shared Interest Welcomes New Employee
Raquel Lee Vargas is our new Assistant Administrator and will be providing administrative support to Hugo Villela, our Regional Development Executive who heads up our office in Costa Rica.
Shared Interest Team Building Day
The Shared Interest staff team took some time out from the office last Friday to take part in a team building day at Longhirst Hall nearby in Morpeth. Local training provider ‘New Tricks’ set the agenda for the day which included activities to test the staff’s team working skills and abilities and discussion sessions designed [...]
Fairtrade tea, coffee and chocolates
Here’s a photograph of two of our staff members; Andrea and Steve, about to take fairtrade tea, coffee and chocolates up to the neighbouring offices so that they can taste for themselve just how good these treats can be. We have also encouraged them to join us this afternoon in the fairtrade banana eating record attempt. [...]
Staff Fairtrade Fortnight activities
In addition to all of the external events that Shared Interest Society has organised and attended in Fairtrade Fortnight, staff inside the office are also doing their bit. We have so far hijacked our building reception area and decorated it with Fairtrade leaflets and information to help spread the word about Fairtrade Fortnight. Some staff [...]