COWC Network Update

Issue 8

18 January 2008

 

1. Fairtrade Fortnight Events

2. Events @ COWC

3. COWC Campaigns Group appeal

4. Reminder about COWC rates and use of premises

 

 

1. Fairtrade Fortnight Events

 

This Fairtrade fortnight (25 February – 9 March), Carlisle City Fairtrade Group and Carlisle One World Centre are delighted to announce that a range of events will be held in Carlisle to suit everyone’s Fairtrade tastes. Posters for both the Fairtrade INSET and the Black Gold event are both attached. Please could you promote them.

Volunteers are also required for the Black Gold event and the coffee mornings. Contact Lorna at the World Shop or phone/email COWC with your availability. 

 

Monday 3rd March, Tullie House 7:15pm (coffee tasting) for 7.45pm

Black Gold. Tickets £4.00(£3.50 unwaged) available from Tullie House Box Office.         Tel: 01228 618700

 

Saturday 23rd February (Carlisle Soroptomists)

Saturday 1st March (Christian Aid)

Saturday 8th March (Carlisle Fairtrade Group)

Coffee Mornings, Carlisle Old Town Hall 10-12am

All are welcome to come along. Small charge for refreshments.

 

Saturday 3rd May, Tithe Barn

Fairtrade Wine Tasting with Jancis Robinson.

Tickets £10 from Carlisle World Shop.

 

Harriet Lamb, Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, will be speaking at Words by the Water, Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, at 7.30 on Tuesday 4th March.  The subject of her talk is Fighting Fairtrade Battles.  In February Harriet’s book Fighting the Banana Wars will have been published and will be on sale.  Bookings open on 3rd January. http://www.theatrebythelake.com/

The Keswick Campaign is planning an event on the following morning with Harriet before she returns to London, of which more later.

  

2. Events @ COWC


Friday 22nd February 7:30pm
Ladies (and girls!) Clothes Swapping night. Bring your unwanted wardrobe items and "exchange" them for something new! All uncollected items with go to local charity shops.
 
 
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3.  Campaigns Group Appeal

Stop the EU's Unfair Trade Deals

The UK , with its partners in Europe , is part of pushing unfair trade deals on 76 former colonies -some of the poorest countries in the world. In 2005, in response to calls to make poverty history, the UK Government promised to do all it can to make trade work for the poor. Yet, despite these statements, the UK has allowed the European Union (EU) to push ahead on deals that are unfair to countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The COWC Campaigns group is encouraging you to join in the campaigns to stop these unfair trade deals.

The deals are called Economic Partnership Agreements (Peas) and we have to act fast. The lives of 750 million of the world's poorest people are in the balance as poor farmers and vulnerable producers will be forced into direct competition with rich nations. We must stop these unfair trade deals before Africa and poor countries worldwide are forced to trade away their future.

You can take part through one of several charities through clicking on their web page. Here's the pages for the Trade Justice Movement, Christian Aid, CHAFED, and Friends of the Earth.

http://www.tjm.org.uk/epas.shtml

http://www.christianaid.org.uk/stoppoverty/trade/actions/portugal.aspx

http://www.cafod.org.uk/get_involved/campaigning/trade_justice/take_action

http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/global_trade/press_for_change/epas_mp/index.html

 

4. Reminder about COWC rates and use of premises

Rooms are still available for meetings and COWC would also like to hear from like-minded organisations looking for office space.

Minimum donation schedule for meeting room rental

Statutory organisations:  £10 per hour

 

Charities/community and voluntary organisations: £10 (up to 2 hours)

Half day (up to 4 hours): £25

Full day: £40

 

COWC will provide:

·        A private meeting space set up with chairs and a table if required.

·        Facilities in the kitchen to prepare refreshments.

·        A range of Fairtrade teas, coffees, milk and biscuits.