On the 16th Feb 07 Forest Row became accredited as a FairTrade village.  This was a fantastic achievement by the village as the Steering Group to get this 'status' for the village first met in June 06.  

A big THANK YOU to all those local businesses and other organisations that supported this initiative - they are listed below.

This is an 'ongoing' accreditation and we would ask people in the village to find out more, ask questions, and further promote Fairtrade.

Please support our Fairtrade linked local businesses - and look out for Fairtrade goods that you can support through your own purchases.  There is an increasing range of products - not just teas and coffees, but items ranging from cotton clothing to footballs..... and of course bananas!

The whole process - accreditation involves achieving 5 goals - was made possible through the support of the Parish Council (goal 1), by the number of local businesses already stocking or using FT goods and the number of additional businesses and organisations that signed up willingly (goals 2 & 3), and through the support of the local media and the Forest Row bike ride event (goal 4).

If you are a local organisation or business that has not yet signed up to Forest Row fairtrade but would like to find out more and give your support please contact any member of the Steering group (who are goal 5):  Elizabeth Peel - 01342 822458, David Jonas - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Kim Leys - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , and Rowena Moore - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Forest Row's Fairtrade shops:  Seasons, Co-op, Gaia

Forest Row's Fairtrade catering outlets:  Java and Jazz, Chequers Inn, Lennys, Angela's

Forest Row's workplaces that use FT products:  Llama Farm, Miller Architects, Ashdown Natural Health Clinic, Holden Natural Health, Al Fine, Planet Earth Ltc, Old Plaw Hatch Farm,

Faith groups:  Baptist Church, Parish Churches of Forest Row and Ashurst Wood, Our Lady of the Forest

Eductional establishments: Michael Hall, Forest Row CE School, Emerson College

Community organisations:  Community Playgroup, Ashdown Pantomimers 

If your business or organisation is not listed but uses Fairtrade goods please contact any member of the Steering Group. 

If you are not listed and do not yet use Fairtrade goods then we would ask that you to look into it.. ;-)

If you would like to know more about FairTrade - the FT foundation is a good place to start: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

If you already support FT you might be interested in the work of Shared Interest, a ‘co-operative lending society’ that grew out of Traidcraft some years ago and exists to offer finance to FT producers who often have no access to bank loans on anything other than extortionate terms (think 100%/week type money).  This is often for very short term working capital type use, and the aim is always that they become self reliant.  It is a brilliant and truely responsible organisation.  See:  http://www.shared-interest.com/

My personal favourite places to shop for FT goods are Traidcraft:  http://www.traidcraft.co.uk/  and Natural Collection: http://www.naturalcollection.com/

Rowena Moore