Do you know that more than 790 million people across the world are undernourished and that half the world, nearly 3 billion people, live on less than £1 a day? Do you think about these people when you're reaching for your morning coffee or shopping in the supermarket? Do you think there's nothing you can do to help?
Well, now's the time to wake up and smell the coffee because there is a way you can help. Fair trade products are now available at lots of places across Hastings and St Leonards and by buying it you are making sure that Third World producers are getting a fair deal. This means they get a fair price for their goods, long-term contracts to provide real security, and some get the chance to gain skills in order to develop their business further.
Play your part by choosing fair trade wherever you can. Co-op stores in Silverhill, Ore and St Leonards sell a range of coffee, tea, chocolate, cakes and biscuits, Judges Bakery in the Old Town sells a range of fair trade goods including teas, coffees and wines, Trinity Wholefoods in Trinity Street has a tempting range and Oxfam in Wellington Place stocks teas, coffees, dried fruit and biscuits all with a fair trade guarantee. Big supermarkets are stocking bigger and bigger ranges of fair trade foods now, including hot drinks, fruit and honey. If you're eating out, do it the fair way at Costa Coffee, Hastings College, Katy's Pantry, Walker's Cocktails, Freedom Café at Summerfields sports centre and Waterfalls. For a useful list of all fair trade outlets visit www.hastingsfairtrade.co.uk.
An Oxfam coffee project claims 25 million people depend on growing coffee, but barely any of the money that we pay for a cup ever reaches them. Despite a small rise in the price paid for coffee in recent years, small-scale farmers are a long way from escaping poverty. Although progress has been made, there is still a lot of work to change the rules of trade so that small producers can benefit as well as rich multinationals.
Things are off balance in the chocolate market too. We consume more than £30 billion worth of chocolate every year but thanks to falling world prices, millions of families who depend on cocoa production are living in extreme poverty. Maybe you'll think differently when tucking in to your coffee-break snack. For more information visit www.fairtrade.org.uk.
Last year the Council voted to support the idea of Hastings as a fair trade town. All hot drinks served in offices are now fair trade; why not try making a small contribution too.
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This page last updated: 06/02/2007