Portsmouth Fairtrade Forum

Meeting held on 12.5.04

Christine welcomed Mandy who will be our main link with PCC in future

Christine invited the group to reflect on the high spots of the last year, the things we could have done better and the areas to focus on in the future.

High spots included:

Getting the Fairtrade status

Celebrations on March 5^th

The support from PCC

The teamwork and involvement by all Forum members

Discovering the existing level of awareness, especially among young people

Getting the website working

Events like the Multicultural Festival and One World Week

Things we felt could have been done better

Having stock to sell at events

Better links with the Traidcraft network and Oxfam

Better information in shops,

Links with FT shops

Involving schools

Making use of people with experience of Fairtrade as a producer (like Simeon Greene). Promoting FT by using people’s stories

Staffing Cascades stall for more time during Fairtrade Fortnight or arranging displays elsewhere.

Getting supermarket managers to promote FT during the Fortnight

Meeting the target on FT cafes

Ideas for the Future

A newsletter to keep people informed

Evaluation – to include PCC scrutiny panel in the autumn.

Events like the Festival of Cooperation 3-4 July and the Multicultural festival 5/9

Work on Cafes and Guesthouses. Maybe publicity via the Economic Development & Tourism mailings

Signs around the city

Promoting FT for the Millennium Café

Following up businesses which had said they were using the products

Sue would produce a draft action plan from these ideas for the next meeting

Steering group

One of the five goals was to form a local Fairtrade steering group to ensure continued commitment to the FT City status. The group needed to produce an annual assessment. 

It was agreed that the PFTF would become this group to monitor FT in the City and to see that the targets were being met.

Christine said that we couldn’t rest while anyone in the city remained unaware of FT products and that we also needed to be proactive in supporting initiatives to work towards a FT South Coast. 

It would be good to involve reps from business and from schools.

Annual Report

Christine had produced an annual report which would be circulated.

A new committee was selected:

Chair: Sue James

Vice Chair: Anne Carpenter

Treasurer: Barbara Edney

Secretary Margaret Quinn (but minutes could be typed and mailed from the Civic offices)

Christine was thanked for her tremendous contribution over the last two years,

Treasurer’s Report

Barbara had received the promised £500 . She would report more fully at the next meeting.

Cafes

Sue distributed a list of FT Cafes and asked members to check where possible.

Anne would take a FT sticker to the Tenth Hole which was now selling FT products.

Festival of Cooperation

Barbara had booked two tables. Maureen Blair had asked for a good display with an emphasis on education.

Anne would  organise goods to sell.

Barbara and Margaret could staff the stall and Carolyn could be there on the Sunday.

Website

This had been updated with photos from 5th March

Traidcraft

Mike Dobson mentioned that the FT group at St John’s Cathedral was very small but being relaunched. The Discovery Centre now sold FT drinks. He also discussed the need for more notice if Traidcraft reps were to be involved with events such as the Multicultural day. Sue said she would discuss this with Jenny Owens

Speaker request

Barbara mentioned a request for a speaker on FT which Mike undertook to organise.

Next meeting

Tue 15^th June, Portsmouth Civic Offices 7.30 for 7.45

Main agenda items –                         Calendar and plan for the year.

Planning for the Festival of Cooperation