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Leeds branch manager Debbie Fletcher, worked her last day for Shared Earth on Wednesday August 5th, almost 18 years to the day since starting in the Bradford branch as a trainee assistant manager.
 Debbie (2nd left) with some of her staff at her farewell dinner Fresh out of university in 1991, she joined Shared Earth a week after graduating, and had become manager of the Bradford branch within six months, where she stayed a year until moving across to manage the Leeds branch.
 At the first Leeds branch 1993 Over the years she has managed approximately 105 staff, some of whom she regards as her closest friends today. She has the record of being the longest serving staff member to date in the history of the company, and it is one she is very proud of.
“Many people can’t believe just how long I have worked for Shared Earth, but I have never wanted to move on to another retail company.” Debbie said. “I have had opportunities and offers over the years, but at the end of the day I not only love the job, I care about what the company has tried to achieve, and as long as I wanted to stay in retail, I wanted to stay at Shared Earth”
 With much missed Leeds councillor Norma Hutchinson at the opening of Africa Day in 1994  In London at the ACCA receiving the 1996 award on behalf of Shared Earth for environmental reporting  Supporting the East Leeds Music Project 1998 So what now if not retail?
Debbie is starting teacher training in September, having decided to follow a career as a Primary Teacher. Although a different career entirely with different challenges, she isn’t going to be leaving fair trade behind her.
“I want to use the knowledge I have gained over the years at Shared Earth, and bring fair trade and sustainability into the classroom. As a manager at Shared Earth I have always been keen to have contact with schools, and to go into classroom environments to talk to children about the principles of fair trade, now I will have the opportunity to integrate this hopefully! No doubt I shall be asking the Leeds branch for their input in this area when the time comes!”
Shared Earth wishes her well in her new career, although Debbie is insisting it isn’t goodbye.
“No, sorry, you can’t get rid of me that easily after all this time. At the very least I shall be at the next Leeds Network Night, and I have many friends within the company who I intend to stay in contact with”
July 15th saw Leeds Shared Earth host their third and busiest Network Night to date! The theme was fair trade in education and was kindly supported by three speakers who all have connections in the various processes of bringing fair trade into the school curriculum.
Sarah Stead a teacher from Adel Primary School, and the co-ordinator for fair trade at the school, came along to talk about what is required of a school, who are aiming to gain fair trade status. She also explained what was required of the school; she also brought along example lesson plans as well as mid term planning which showed how fair trade is integrated into subjects within their curriculum.
Hannah who is responsible for introducing fair trade to schools, from the Leeds Educational Development Centre was there to talk about how the centre can support schools who wish to aim for fair trade status. Hannah also brought along information for interested schools who were present.
Finally, Ian Adderley, chair of the Leeds Fairtrade Steering Group gave a talk in his capacity as a fair trade schools assessor. He went through the processes of applying for fair trade status, including a breakdown of each criteria area and what pitfalls to avoid when going through the application process.
Entertainment throughout the evening came from the children’s African Choir at Gledhow Primary School, who entertained everyone with beautiful traditional songs from South Africa. The school are twinned with a primary in Durban in South Africa, and brought along some Zulu beadwork made by the children there. As well as this they brought in a CD they have made which we now have on sale in the shop.
As well as the teachers and governors who came along on the evening, and Oxfam fair trade school speakers who were there offering their services to schools, there were also many friends and staff of Shared Earth including the area manager Lynne Dawson and her husband David, and the Managing Director Jeremy Piercy and Mary his partner as well as staff and managers from other branches. It was lovely to have so many supporters of Shared Earth there also, particularly as this was to be the last Network Night for Debbie Fletcher, the branch manager and Jess Turner Baker, her assistant manager.
“I’m really touched at just how many people came along tonight”, said Debbie, “The Network Night’s popularity grows everytime we host one, and it’s an indication of how important Fair trade is viewed in this city and how it’s community continues to grow and thrive”.
Towards the end of the evening, Debbie presented Jeremy with a cheque for money raised in the shop for a children’s education and business project in India called Karm Marg. Shared Earth are close friends of this venture, and are also one of their main buyers of the products they produce, Jeremy, will give the money to the project when he next visits India later this year. The money was raised through a chargeable gift-wrapping service in store; all the money raised went to Karm Marg.
http://www.karmmarg.org/
 
Due to the success of the evening, it is now planned that there will be another Network Night on education during the Autumn, the new manager, Marianne Black, will be organising this, and it is anticipated that similar speakers will be coming to give their advice as well as be on hand to talk to. Gledhow Primary have also kindly offered to come along with their full choir next time (all 30 of them!). Some teachers were unable to attend due to it being the last week of the academic year and therefore, a busy time in the school calendar. This gives them the opportunity to come along and use the resources and contacts that will be there on the evening again.
If you would like to come to the next Network Night, then contact the shop on 0113 2457660, or email leeds@sharedearth.co.uk
SHARED EARTH Leeds is holding a Network Night on Wednesday 15th July 2009 at 6:30pm. Find our Leeds shop >>
This time, our theme will be centred around fair trade in schools. We have some great speakers coming along, and entertainment is being kindly supplied by Gledhow Primary African Choir, you may have heard of them before, as they performed for Nelson Mandela when he visited Leeds! As well as this, we shall have, as usual, fair trade wine, coffee, juice, and nibbles a plenty!
The speakers we have lined up include someone from Leeds Development Education Centre, who will be talking about how schools can work towards becoming fair trade certified, also a fair trade assessor will be explaining about how to ensure you put in a good application, and we shall also have staff from a local school who have already received fair trade status,. All these people will be onhand to chat to guests and give advice and talk about their experiences.
This is also an opportunity to network with schools in general whether it be in fair trade or in global issues in general, such as giving workshops to schools, talks, even setting up a stall during a school event.
We anticipate this will be an even more popular event this time round, and we would love you to come along and be part of it!
Everyone is welcome!
Find our Leeds shop >>
 Gledhow Primary African Choir
Leeds Oxfam Group will be holding their next monthly group meeting on Wednesday June 3rd at 7.30pm
Jeremy will be talking about how he became involved in fair Trade, how Shared Earth came into being and how he helped fair trade become a reality. There will also be a Q and A session afterwards.
All are very welcome to the meeting which is at the Civic Hall, off Millennium Square in Leeds.
Meetings are held in either Committee Room 2 or Committee Room 3, depending on availability. Please use the entrance opposite the Merrion Centre.
For more information please contact either Pauline Neale on 0113 2693542 (Oxfam), or Debbie Fletcher on 0113 2457660 (Shared Earth)
This years Fairtrade Fortnight was a successful one in Leeds with lots of fun and friendships made.
The Network Night proved to be yet another hit, (see previous news posting), many thanks again, to all who attended and helped make it a success. The next one planned for Wednesday July 15th will be a school themed one, where we shall be inviting amongst the usual supporters and friends of Shared Earth, representatives from schools, both primary and secondary, who are interested in making their school a fair trade one. Speakers will be present to talk about how schools can make this happen including people from the Leeds Development Education Centre.
The response to our personal contribution to the fairtrade banana eating world record was met with much enthusiasm on the day; we managed to have 40 people in total visit the shop to eat a fairtrade banana on the afternoon of March 6th. We also did our bit after the event and ensured all the banana skins were composted!
  
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New author launches book in Leeds
On Thursday February 26th, the Leeds branch hosted their second Network Night. This time, they were very pleased to have as guest of honour their Managing Director Jeremy Piercy, who was present to read extracts from his newly published book “Coffins, Cats and Fairtrade Sex Toys”.
The evening started early at 5pm, with members of the public being invited to come in and have a cup of fairtrade coffee kindly supplied by Starbucks. Jeremy was on hand to sign copies of his book, and customers could take a seat with the author in an informal setting to look through his book and chat about anything they wished regarding his book or fair trade in general.
 
Debbie Fletcher Leeds branch manager introduces the evening Jeremy reads extracts from his book
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This year’s fairtrade fortnight is set to be a busy one here in Leeds.
On Thurs February 26th from 5.30-8pm our second and very special Network Night! This time, I am very pleased to announce that Jeremy Piercy, founder and MD of Shared Earth, will be present. He will be signing in store his newly published book “Coffins, Cats and Fairtrade Sex Toys” between 5.30-6.30. Then afterwards he will be reading extracts from the book and also talking about how he got involved in fair trade, how the business grew and how fair trade is still growing today.
The evening is also a chance for like minded people, to meet, who are not only interested in fair trade but who also campaign for global justice, as well as those with an involvement in international development. There will be entertainment from Leeds drumming troupe “Fairplay” as well as drinks and nibbles!
Also throughout the whole of fairtrade fortnight, if you happen to be at Leeds University you can visit our fair trade stall, which will be selling our best lines which is kindly being run by Union Books on our behalf. It is situated in the main Students Union building, so please go along and show your support if you are there.
On Friday March 6th, we will be doing our bit to break the world record for fairtrade banana eating! If you happen to be in the shop at some point that afternoon, be prepared, we are expecting all the customers as well as the staff who are present to eat a fairtrade banana in support of fairtrade and help break that world record! This world record event will be at 1pm on the day, and if you want to join in, don’t forget to bring in your fairtrade banana, we will be publishing the photos of the event on here!
Other events we are taking part in during the fortnight include visits to local primary schools to give talks, and hosting church stalls. As well as this we are supporting other events such as attending the fair trade cream tea party at The Queens Hotel to celebrate the Co-operatives five years of Fairtrade coffee, which will be hosting a coffee producer tour from Colombia. Also, in contrast to this, we will be putting on our dancing shoes for the concert of Argentinean BBC World Music award winners Chango Spasiuk at The Wardrobe on the evening of Wednesday February 25th.
So there’s every chance you may bump into one of our staff at some point this fairtrade fortnight without even visiting the shop!
 Leeds Manager Debbie Fletcher with Jeremy Piercy on the first of his book signing events on February 19th in York
SHARED EARTH Leeds
40 Woodhouse Lane
Leeds
LS2 8LX
Tel +44(0)1132 457660
Find us on a map
 
If you want to really impress your love interest this year, then look no further than our huge selection of unusual fair trade alternatives to the customary Valentine tokens of love!
Here in Leeds we have made it slightly easier for you, by creating a well-stocked Valentine themed area inside the store, to save you looking for all the important romantic embellishments needed to make him or her swell with affection!
You’ll find all the necessaries you need, which as well as offering the traditional, such as fair trade Belgian chocolates, gifted in a beautiful hand crafted Kashmir box, to delightfully hand made Valentine cards from the Philippines and Mauritius.
With our new branch being much bigger, we have had the luxury of being able to offer a far wider variety of Valentine and romantically related stock than ever before! There is something to suit every pocket, with gifts starting from as little as 99p, as well as items to suit all tastes, for both men and women.
Of course, as well as all our unique Valentine themed products we have a wonderful range of gift ideas, if you just want to treat that someone special. With our 2009 catalogue just launched, we now have just delivered to our store, lots of new and exciting ranges and products, guaranteed to be just what your loved one will appreciate!
40 Woodhouse Lane
Leeds
LS2 8LX
Tel +44(0)1132 457660
On Thursday October 30th 2008, Leeds held their first Network Night.
“The idea was first to just have a gathering of people linked to Shared Earth and Fair Trade in general to come along and celebrate the Leeds` branch successful opening of our newly located shop,” explains Debbie Fletcher the branch manager. “But as time went on, I thought it would be nice to turn it into an opportunity for representatives from local campaign groups to come and not only see the shop, but also meet with old acquaintances and make some new ones.
 Debbie giving opening welcome speech
“I had a meeting with Andy Brown of TIDAL (Trade Injustice and Debt Action Leeds) to get invites out to campaigners in the area and so the idea of a Network Night was formed!”
People from groups such as the Leeds Fairtrade Steering Group, Amnesty International, Christian Aid, Stop Climate Chaos and TIDAL http://www.leedstidal.org/frontpage.php were there to meet up and swap emails and ideas with each other. There was also support from ex-employees and well-known customers who have been shopping at the Leeds branch for many years.
 Debbie Fletcher (Leeds branch manager), Ann Callarman (Amnesty International), Andy Brown (Leeds TIDAL), Chris Johnson (Leeds TIDAL and Stop Climate Chaos, Leeds)
The entertainment was provided by local drumming group Fair Play, headed by Marion Small, not only a locally celebrated and accomplished drummer but also a long-standing customer of Shared Earth.
 Drumming band “Fair Play” entertain the guests
As a result of the success of Network Night, Debbie is now looking towards organising another one during Fairtrade Fortnight. “My plan will be to have many more people next time, I want it to become a regular meeting event where people can come along in a more social environment but still be able to talk shop as it were!”, she explained. “I’m also hoping that Jeremy Piercy the founder of Shared Earth will be able to come along this time as well, and hopefully read out extracts from his up and coming book ‘Cats Coffins and Fair Trade Sex Toys’. There was a lot of interest generated about his book during the evening, and it would be great if he would indulge us!”
 Guests read through extracts of Jeremy’s up and coming book
 Guests and staff mingling
 Local fair trade supporter from Transition City Leeds signs up on the networking form
If you would like to be involved in attending the next Network Night, in whatever capacity then please send an email to Debbie Fletcher at leeds@sharedearth.co.uk.
Our new Leeds SHARED EARTH shop is open and has been trading for a few weeks. Business is good. The people of Leeds obviously like their new fair trade shop.
Come and visit us for a wide range of fair trade accessories, jewellery, homeware and stationery:
40 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 8LX (in between the newly opened Wilkinsons and Costa Coffee, and opposite Yates pub)
Tel - 01132 457 660
Click here to find on map
 
 
We’re now into week 3 at our new SHARED EARTH shop in Leeds.
Hopefully the ceiling should be up soon, the floor is going on at the weekend. We’re hoping to move in over the 27/28 July.
 
 
Bookmark this page to follow the progress from now until the opening of the shop.
The address is 40 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 8LX. It is located in between the newly opened Wilkinsons and Costa Coffee, and opposite Yates pub.
Further details of shop opening date to follow.
We’re into the 2nd week of transforming an empty shell into our new SHARED EARTH shop in Leeds. The team is very busy and things are progressing well.
 
 
Bookmark this page to follow the progress from now until the opening of the shop.
The address is 40 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 8LX. It is located in between the newly opened Wilkinsons and Costa Coffee, and opposite Yates pub.
Further details of shop opening date to follow.
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