Present

Bruce Ryan, Alice Curteis, Audrey Salters, Marie Robinson, Chris Tansey, Bruce Stuart (Burntisland), Lizzy Whitehead (Environmental Strategy Officer, Fife Council)

Apologies

Chris Donaghy, Margaret Geyer, Silke Gatermann

Business arising from minutes of meeting on 11 January 2005

Goal 1 (Council involvement)

Fife Council passed a resolution in support of Fairtrade on 18th April 2004. This fulfils the requirements of Goal 1.

Goal 2 (retail availability)

The St Andrews Fairtrade logo and stationery are now in use. The Fairtrade Foundation is working on a logo for Fairtrade towns to use instead of the FAIRTRADE Mark.

Goal 3 (use by local organisations)

This remains our main outstanding goal. The Community Council could be included if they use Fairtrade drinks at events. Alice to contact the Fairtrade Foundation to ask if the University could be a flagship employer.

Grant application

Bruce S to forward the Burntisland group's constitution. Alice to pursue the possibility of getting a Community Dividend Award from the Coop Members Association, instead of or as well as a Seedcorn Grant from Fife Council.

Fairtrade Town declaration

Alice to keep in touch with Ian Hamilton about linking in with St Andrews Week Constitution

Links with Fife Council

Lizzy Whitehead described the 6-month pilot programme of Fairtrade product use (tea, coffee, fruit) in council establishments. It is likely that this will lead on to council-wide use through being built into the Sustainable Procurement Policy (in draft; to be put to Environment and Development Committee at end of March).

Keith Greaves, Procurement and Supplies, is supportive. There are issues of tendering and pricing to contend with but the potential is huge, with 22,000 Fife Council employees and all the Fife schools.

Councillors and policy makers may be broadly in support but more needs be done to inform council employees about fair trade.

Bruce S put forward the idea of a 'Fairtrade Guide for Fife' to be published by Fife Council and distributed widely including into the tourism sector.

For the council, fair trade is part of a range of environmental sustainability issues; 'best value' can be seen not just in terms of low price but also in terms of ethical practice and the environment.

Links with the rest of Fife

Bruce S explained the idea of Fife becoming a Fairtrade Kingdom. It would be seen as a large town in terms of the retail outlet goal, with a population of 350,000 needing 150 outlets. It was agreed that the St Andrews Fairtrade Town Campaign will support the initiative.

Bruce S to draft a plan. He also raised the idea of seeking funding from the Coop or the Scottish Executive to set up a charitable body with responsibility for promoting fair trade in schools, businesses, etc, in Fife.

Feedback on Fairtrade Fortnight

Group members described the events they had been involved in organising.

One World Society (Chris T)

Daily Mansefield and library stalls, banner on railings at Holy Trinity Church, two Fairtrade cafés, interval refreshments at plays, Tadesse Meskela talk at Students Union.

Hope Park Church (Audrey)

Daily café tastings at all church events (Women's Guild, Presbyterial Council, Blind and Hard of Hearing Societies), Traidcraft stall, Sunday School. Fairtrade Breakfast with Tadesse Meskela. Somerfields stall.

Alldays tastings (Chris D)

It was agreed that the programme had in general been very successful. Some events were not well attended but all had reached people who would not otherwise have been aware of Fairtrade. Alice had attended the Fife Fairtrade Festival in Lochgelly; it was useful for networking with Fife Council, the Coop and other Fairtraders throughout Fife and beyond.

How to keep up the momentum with vendors and consumers/British Open Golf Championship

Demand Fairtrade

Design a ticket asking for more Fairtrade products for consumers to hand in to retailers, ideally stapled to a receipt to prove they shop there. For distribution through the University and to the public. Marie to see if Fairtrade Foundation already produce something appropriate. Bruce to add downloadable version to website. Marie and Chris to work on producing it.

Tesco customer comments slips

Group members to complete them to ask what Fairtrade is - to educate staff.

samples for B&Bs

Provide B&Bs with sachets of coffee and sugar, and tea bags for guest bedrooms, along with information about Bruce as supplier. Bruce S to send price list.

working with children

ideas for working with children were discussed.

Merchants Association

Alice to chase Merchants Association for list of members so that we can pursue workplace use. Workplaces to sign pledges to indicate involvement; Alice to design these.

Directories

Bruce R to update paper and web directories; web version continuously; paper version before next printing.

Advertising

B&Bs and other businesses could be invited to advertise on our website. Bruce R to investigate.

AOB

Advertising

Chris showed the Hebden Bridge Fairtrade Directory, an 8-page booklet including an explanation of Fairtrade, the Fairtrade Towns initiative and the local campaign as well as lists of outlets and workplace users.

Falkland Stewardship Festival

Next meeting

Tuesday 10th May 2005, 7·30, Alice's house, with updates on action to emailed by April 13th.

Silke to be invited to next meeting. We need to finalise the constitution at the next meeting so Alice to check with everyone that they will be able to attend.