Sharing in my passion for good tea, fair trade and social justice, my Good Thing Going this month features Traidcraft, the UK’s leading fair trade organisation. During Fairtrade Fortnight (27th February – 11th March) Traidcraft are urging people across the UK to help make a difference to the lives of farmers in the developing world by hosting a fair trade tea party. Traidcraft is encouraging schools, churches, and other groups to organise a Traidcraft Big Brew, where they can raise money for the vital development work of Traidcraft’s charity arm, Traidcraft Exchange, while enjoying a cup of fairly traded tea or coffee.

More than three billion people in the world live on less than $2.50 per day. Traidcraft works to help individuals, their families and communities, not just to earn more money but to flourish.

For tea farmer Margaret Wanjiku, growing tea is now just one of many activities
she carries out on her farm in Kenya, which help her to provide for her family. With training
from Traidcraft she has learned how to keep bees, to harvest water, change the plants she
grows – and even keep rabbits. She says: “I never knew this plot was enough for my family. I used to buy food and now I am comfortable. I go to the market to sell – not to buy!”

Joanne Wallis, Fundraising Manager at Traidcraft, says: “Hosting a Traidcraft Big Brew is an ideal way to take a step for fair trade. Holding a tea party, and enjoying a cup of Fairtrade tea or coffee with friends, means you’ll be supporting Traidcraft you’ll be helping people to work their way out of poverty. ”

A Traidcraft Big Brew resource pack, which contains posters, invites, stickers and refreshments for 50 people, is available to buy from www.traidcraftshop.co.uk. Alternatively, a resource pack without refreshments can be downloaded for free at www.traidcraft.co.uk/bigbrew.

“Put the kettle on for fair trade.”