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Stacey works part time in our Manchester shop and is a fourth year medical student. From a very early age Stacey has wanted to be a doctor. It is her dream to be able to use her skills in medicine and mountaineering to help people in difficult to access places, such as rural areas of developing countries and at high altitude.
She is planning a 6 week medical elective early in 2011, volunteering in Tribuvan Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal. It will give her hands on experience of patients suffering from endemic diseases rarely seen in the west and conditions specific to an impoverished and largely unsanitary environment where tropical diseases are prevalent and education levels are low. There will also be the challenge of managing situations with limited resources. As well as personal experiences Stacey hopes that she will be able to make a real difference to the Nepalese people when human resources are often stretched.
After working in the hospital for 6 weeks she plans to spend another 2 weeks visiting some of the rural villages in the Himalayas providing medical treatment to those living far away from a hospital.
A plant sale at the Shared Earth Manchester shop is helping to raise funds for Stacey’s project.
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Stacey Harris who is planning medical elective in Nepal
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Plant sale at Shared Earth Manchester
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The sweet peas sold out on the first day!
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Arriving in our shops next week is a great new range of fair trade chocolate from Dominica - from a small business in York called Choc-Affair.
Treat your friends and loved ones to heart shaped lollies or message bars, and support fair trade at the same time.
If you are going to be in London this Sunday (6th) visit us at the CAMDEN GREEN FAIR – we have a stall here.
You’ll be able to meet our founder and MD, Jeremy Piercy, ask any questions and tell him what you think. Also on the stand will be Joanna Wakefield, one of our designers, who would love to hear all your ideas for new products.
Regrettably, the planned opening of our new shop in Covent Garden has been delayed, due to legal problems. It will NOT now take place on 18 June. However we still hope to open before the end of June – watch this space.
London does not have enough fair trade shops! Shared Earth, which sells a variety of gifts, jewellery and homeware, will make a real difference.
We have some fabulous new fairtrade products in stock, some great gift ideas and many recycled products made from various materials including cloth, tin cans, bike chains and tyre inner tubes: http://www.sharedearth.co.uk/Katalogue-S/1/New+Products
Shared Earth has become the distributor for Fairmail Cards, the first Fair Trade photographic greeting supplier in the world. The photographers are all teenagers from Peru and India, and 50% of the profits on each card go directly to them for housing and education. They are also offered photography training and medical insurance. This is a fantastic start in life for many youngsters, who would otherwise struggle to find work. They have already come up with some brilliantly creative designs. A selection of the cards will be in our shops early in May, with many more designs arriving in July.
Special Offer:
Place an order (for anything) on our website by May 9th 2010 and receive a free card! The card will be added to your order.
York Fair Trade Forum and the Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York, presents:
Blooming Unfair
Working conditions in the cut flower industry
What is the human cost behind the production of a lovely bunch of flowers?
Rahab Maina from Kenya will talk about her first hand experience of the flower trade. Her testimony is very powerful. What she will tell us will be shocking but I urge everyone to attend. We cannot begin to understand the realities of trade, until we hear what life can be like for the people producing our everyday products.
WHEN: Wednesday 5th May at 7.30pm
WHERE: York St. John University, Holgate Building, Room HG 136
Everyone welcome. Free of charge.
Global warming, over-population and depletion of resources are leading our world to crisis point, and consumerism is leading the way. Poverty, greed and unjust trading relationships are key to this. As such it is fitting that the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) is marking this World Earth Day for the first time.
In conventional trade, wealthy organisations in countries like the UK and the USA are able to take advantage of their buying power to obtain cheaper and cheaper prices. Usually this means poor wages, sometimes it involves child labour - and more often than not it leads to a pattern of consumption which cannot last, because our Earth does not have enough resources to make it last.
A principle of Fair Trade is that it should not just meet the day-to-day needs, but should enable improved conditions in the future, so all involved can plan for themselves and their children. The safeguarding of natural resources is vital for long-term trading relationships, which are a key objective in Fair Trade partnerships.
An excellent example of sustainability is WFTO member Salay Handmade Paper in the Philippines, which produces designs from flowers which regenerate themselves constantly, and paper from weeds, pineapple leaves and other agricultural waste. Other WFTO members are especially concerned about the sustainability of trees, and avoid hardwoods. Mitra Bali in Indonesia uses Albesia, a tree which grows in 7 years, others use bamboo and other fast-growing plants. In our shops and online as a WFTO member, Shared Earth retails products which go beyond the expected materials for recycling paper - tin and glass, and includes frames from loom waste and old saris, bags made from rice and cement sacks, offcuts from soapstone, vases made from broken bangles, accessories and clocks made from bicycle chains, and paper made from elephant dung.
Where is Earth going on World Earth Day? WFTO believes that bringing the issues of trade and environment together is vital to the well-being of both!
It’s over now, but what a fantastic thing it was to see so much going on this year! Who would have dreamt, 10 or even 5 years ago, that a whole market could be devoted to Fair Trade products? If you missed the market in Parliament Street, don’t miss it next year!
Britain is at the top of the Fair Trade league in Europe, with more people aware of what Fair Trade means than in any other country. We have more Fair Trade organisations, more Fair Trade products and more people earning their living from Fair Trade than anywhere else in the developed world. We’re streaks ahead of the USA and Japan.
We can be rightly proud of this achievement. It was in 1994 that a supermarket, Sainsburys, took its first Fair Trade product. Now, the Fairtrade mark is common on supermarket shelves, and is recognised by 75% of the public.
Sainsburys and the Co-op in particular have led the way – Sainsburys’ bold step in making all its bananas Fair Trade proved successful, now all of its own-brand tea has the Fairtrade Mark, and who knows what will follow?
I noticed a big display of children’s paintings on Fair Trade in Sainsburys Monkgate branch last week, I believe they’re not just trying to make money by latching on to a popular trend, they’re helping to lead it in a responsible way. Fair Trade is improving countless lives in developing countries. It means shops buying ethically, not just going for the lowest price, using child labour and so on. It’s clearly working for supermarkets like Sainsburys and the Co-op who take it on board.
Are the other supermarkets learning the lesson? I say – buy from small local shops if you can. And if you’re buying from supermarkets, don’t just shop where you think you’ll get the best price – support Fair Trade!
Jeremy Piercy
Shared Earth`s next Network Night will take place on March 18th 6.30-8pm.
Ex Leeds Shared Earth shop Manager Debbie Fletcher returns to organise a Network Night at Leeds shop.
The 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 for those of you who would like to network with schools and people involved in education in general whether it be in fair trade or in the global dimension of education, as well as finding contacts for things such as giving workshops to schools, talks, even setting up a stall during a school event.
Finally it is an invitation to all supporters of Shared Earth here in Leeds, to come along and share a social evening with staff and friends of the branch, as well as network with like minded people. 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!
Please feel free to bring along anyone who you think would be interested in attending too, we love to see new faces, and if you would like anymore information feel free to email leeds@sharedearth.co.uk or call the shop. Alternatively email the shop through our facebook page.
I hope to see you on the 18th!
Here’s what some of our shops and managers are doing during Fairtrade Fortnight 2010
In York:
York Shared Earth shop will have a stall on the York Fair Trade Market from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th March on Parliament Street from 9.30am until 4.30pm each day.
The Festival of Fairtrade reaches a crescendo with the annual Fair Trade Market. This is a great opportunity to experience the fantastic quality and variety of Fair Trade goods, including food and drink, crafts, clothing, jewellery and fashion accessories.
From African crafts to Himalayan clothing - you’ll find the perfect gift, or that special treat for yourself, at the market.
Come along and help us celebrate the renewal of York’s Fairtrade City status.
Also visit the Fair Trade forum stall at the market on Saturday where there will be info to take away and other goodies. You will also be able to sign cards calling for all tea trade to be Fairtrade. Meet Nioka, Fairtrade banana farmer from the Windward Islands, at the stall at 10am.
In Liverpool:
Liverpool shop is taking part in the “Strictly FairTrade Tea dance” on Saturday 27th February from 12noon until 3pm in Liverpool One shopping centre. From street dancing to Latin to Irish dance, come and see the dance exhibitions and join in the simple step classes. Plus flag making, tea and biscuits and short talks on the difference Fair Trade makes.
Come and meet our Liverpool staff on their stall the same day.
Mike Foster, Minister for the Department of International Development will visit Liverpool shop on Monday 1st March. More details about that event will follow.
Shared Earth’s Managers involvement with Fair Trade:
Thurday 25th February:
Shared Earth Founder and Managing Director Jeremy Piercy will be part of a Dragon’s Den Day in Brimingham. School children and young people will pitch their environmentally friendly ideas to make things change.
Friday 26th February:
Lynne Dawson, Shared Earth Senior Retail Manager will give a talk about Fair Trade to Year 9 at Bury High School and will also have a stall.
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Progressive Greetings January 2010
Green Action From Card Publishers
Jeremy Piercy, managing director of fair trade retailer cum card and stationery supplier Shared Earth has been campaigning for the recent Copenhagen Summit, on climate change. Commenting, Jeremy said: “Politicians across the globe have realised that if we don’t act now, far more drastic action will be required in the future.” Urging the card trade to pledge support on this important issue, Jeremy told PG: “ The greeting card industry can play an important part in reducing these emissions. Suppliers like Glebe Cottage and K2 Greetings are demonstrating how excellent quality cards can be produced on recycled paper, while many others are using FSC certified paper and recycled plastic bags.
“The issues will not go away – “eco” is not a fashion, it’s a long-term trend” said Jeremy. Fellow industry players are publicly sharing Jeremy’s sentiments, with open air exhibition specialists and card and calendar publishers Wecommunic8 creating a street gallery for the WWF featuring photography of the Arctic. This was held in Copenhagen during the United Nations Climate Change Summit, and attracted many visitors.
Fair Trade Retailer ‘Shared Earth’ backs Leeds Young People in Pitch for Change!
On Friday 11th December, 5 teams of young people pitched their ideas for improving their community to a panel of local business representatives and received a total of £2165 in funding for their projects. Jeremy Piercy, Shared Earth Founder and Managing Director, was among the panel of ‘Dragons’ charged with allocating the funding. The teams of young people were grilled by the panel of business ‘dragons’ which also included: Yorkshire Bank partners Ken Williams and Mike Hardy; Nicky McEnery, Recruitment manager for TD Waterhouse; and Julie Cullen, Regional Cares Manager for Business in the Community.
Youth charity organisation Envision works with over 200 young people aged 16-19 every week in 16 of Leeds’ schools and colleges, supporting them in developing and implementing community projects. Five of the Envision School Teams were selected to pitch their project ideas to a panel of local business representatives in order to receive funding for projects which benefit their local communities. Envision are working in partnership with the enterprising community organisation Tiger11, who hosted the Pitch 4 Change at Hillside in Beeston.
Schools’ success:
· The Envision Team from Priesthorpe School secured £500 in funding to produce a documentary which gets to the bottom of the social divides in their local area, by highlighting inconsistencies within media reporting, misconceptions, stereotypes and ignorance. They hope that by focusing on what we have in common they can help bring people together.
· The “Wastebusters” from Abbey Grange School nailed £250 in support for their ‘project which will tackle the problems of waste and littering both school and the community, by introducing better facilities and running a publicity campaign.
· Pudsey Grangefield School earned full funding of £500 for their anti-bullying initiative, and will use the funds to train up senior students who will act as mentors for younger children who are being bullied. The judges were impressed by the team who had already made a film and a presentation about the effects of bullying which they are currently showing to younger years.
· The Make a Difference (MAD) Crew from Primrose High were awarded £415 in funding for the celebration of culture and religion which they are organising for their school. They hope it will promote greater community cohesion within the school and beyond into the local community.
Lawnswood School’s Envision team were thrilled to be awarded £500 in order to run an exciting programme of arts and sports activities for children in under privileged areas, providing the children with the chance to spend time with older young people who are positive role models, whilst having lots of fun!
To see more pictures and have more information about this event visit http://envision.org.uk/events/247 and http://envision.org.uk/businesses/pitch4change/leeds
On November 17th Jeremy Piercy gave a speech at York University to an audience of students specialising in environmental issues linked to Economics. From Masters in environment economics and environment management to marketing students, they were all eager to learn about the story of Shared Earth and how Jeremy Piercy copes with environmental issues through his company.
Jeremy has always been involved in essential causes since his first steps as a student at York University where he was at the same time struggling with friends to defend homeless people in the city of York. The current Managing Director of Shared Earth then told how he started in 1986 after his hitch-hiking trip to India a few years before.
The first Shared Earth shop opened in York Goodramgate in 1986 before moving to a wonderful location at Minster Gates in 1993. After 5 years, Shared Earth had 4 shops. The company has experienced successes and failures along the road and today Shared Earth has 10 shops around the country and is the biggest non-food Fair Trade retailer in UK. The company can definitely be proud of being an important part of raising awareness about Fair Trade.
The environment remains an important issue for Jeremy who rapidly sold ranges of recycled greetings cards with original designs from Bali.
After that speech students asked Jeremy some questions he was keen to answer.
1- How do you ensure that the suppliers conform to the fundamentals and ethical aspects of Fair Trade?
JP: I have met a lot of suppliers through the WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization) meetings. To be members of the WFTO, the producers have to prove that they are dealing with the Fair Trade principles and regulations. WFTO often send representatives to visit the groups of suppliers to check on such things as the parity between men and women workers and that they are not exploiting children. As a result we can be sure that those suppliers respect the Fair Trade regulations. But we also work with groups of suppliers who are not in the WFTO (often really small groups of producers) and on that point it is a question of trust. For example, we are working with a group of producers called Aspiration International from India and that supplier has been recommended to us by Oxfam Australia which has been working with them for many years now.
2- How do you translate Fair Trade into profits?
JP: A Fair Trade shop is the same as an ordinary shop, the main difference is that we are paying our suppliers more. We are paying them the right price for their work. Fair Trade is about trying to pay fair prices to people to allow them to make a living, send children to school, have an access to health care… Our products are not especially more expensive than elsewhere (actually they are sometimes cheaper!). We do not make excessive margins on it, compared to certain conventional shops.
3- What do you think about the mainstream retailers moving to ethical products? Is it going to undermine the Fair Trade concept?
JP: I first think that this phenomenon is a danger because for most retailers it is only a marketing concept and a way of advertising. Otherwise, I think that the real change can’t be without mainstream retailers and wholesalers. I really believe in the new generations who are going to be more and more sensitive about that subject and who will one day be in charge of those stores.
Fair Trade is about money, and also about people, Fair Trade targets the weakest. Lots of Fair Trade organisations are non profit ones which help several groups of producers to export, provide them with trading knowledge, help them with the production and the designs… Jeremy Piercy told about the birth of his Fair Trade adventure, incredible people he has met along the way, things he has discovered and how he is committed to environmental and people issues in his interesting first book “Coffins, Cats & Fair Trade Sex Toys”.
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Take a new look at Cardiff’s most fashionable shopping Arcades and come shopping on Thursday December 3rd from 5.30pm to 8pm. Come and visit us in our Cardiff Shared Earth shop to find some original and unique gifts ideas!
Last month the Fairtrade Foundation celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of the first Fairtrade products with a party hosted by Sarah Brown at 10 Downing Street. At the same time the government announced a huge investment of £12 million for Fairtrade. This will benefit in particular food producers, whose products are identified by the Fairtrade mark, and the aim is to double the number of producers and treble Fairtrade sales worldwide to $10 billion Euros by 2014.
A TNS research of 25,000 households showed that despite the tough economic climate, consumers are spending more on Fairtrade products than ever before. Sales rose by 43% last year and are expected to rise at least as much again in 2009.
“Fair Trade is booming,” said Jeremy Piercy of Shared Earth, the UK’s largest Fair Trade gift retailer. “It’s not just food – retailers selling Fair Trade gifts are doing well too. At Shared Earth we started the year worried about the recession, but in the last two months we have opened two new shops in Brighton and Canterbury, and both are doing well. Fair trade is becoming part of the mainstream and retailers who don’t take notice will be missing out.”
In addition to its ten shops, Shared Earth wholesales Fair Trade products from 15 countries. It is particularly concerned about how climate change will increase world poverty, and specialises in developing products made from sustainable materials.
Insight Magazine, issue 63, November 2009
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When it comes to Christmas shopping - how many of us truly consider how the gift actually got to the shop? Where it came from and how it was sourced has risen in our awareness over the last decade, but what with the recent recession has Fair Trade been pushed to the back of our minds?
Recent figures documented by the Guardian suggest not and appear to ‘contradict previous surveys which have indicated that Brtitish consumers are turning their backs on organic, fair trade and eco-friendly goods in favour of cheaper shopping bills’. This is refreshing news and would suggest that many shoppers are seeking higher quality Fair Trade goods over cheaper, throwaway items. It hasn’t been easy though, when the recession initially hit many retailers suffered and the Fair Trade market was no exception.
However, Shared Earth are a prime example of a Fair Trade company that is recession proof, having been established since 1986 and still growing with 2009 seeing two more shops opening, proving that if the goods are a high quality and varied, consumers will still spend on good, built to last, from an ethical backgroumd. So, as you do your Christmas shopping this year, condiser the origin of the product you re buying to ensure your Christmas is an ethical one.
Buy ethically this Christmas with Shared Earth
When it comes to finding a gift, Insight understands that it’s not easy at the best of times to be trawling round shop after shop to find the ideal gift, let alone on that is produced in an ethical way. However, since discovering Shared Earth we feel we have found the solution to your whole Christmas shopping list - with them no one can argue that this hasn’t been achieved!
Today, there are ten highly successful shops and counting across the country, specialising in gifts for any occasion and taste with handmade cards from the Philippines, silver jewellery from Indonesia and hand-carved wooden boxes from India to name but a few. Importing unique jewellery, fashion accessories, homewares, stationery and children’s ranges, Shared Earth is the largest retailer and wholsaler of Fair Trade gifts in the UK.
Helpful gift ideas are individual and unique and really show thought and consideration unlike anything else they will get from another. From beautifully hand crafted embroidered frames for Mum to VW beetle cars models for Dad, and a whole host of gifts for children and friends. By buying from Shared Earth you can not only give lovely gifts, but also help to encourage economic progress and support sustainable industries.
With a strong focus on environmental issues the shop is also a fantastic arena for publicising them: “Addressing environmental issues is high on the agenda and the shop provides a perfect way of producing recycled goods and publicising them, and of course, we always aim to achieve the fairest working relationship with artisans from all over the world; from the start this as well as providing quality gifts has been a sole priority for us”. Jeremy told us.
So with shops in York, Birmingham, Leeds, Brighton, Manchester, Stratford-up-Avon, Liverpool, Cardiff, Bristol and Canterbury, plus the opportunity to shop online -What are you waiting for? Visit www.sharedearth.co.uk to shop online and find out more.
Coventry city vision, October 2009
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A city shop owner who sells recycled, fair trade products from across the globe is calling on shoppers to find out more after it was recently refurbished. Pushy Sanghera, who owns Craft Culture in association with Shared Earth in Sherbourne Arcade, can tell a story about every item in the shop because they are all sourced from individual and community traders from as far away as Indonesia, Madagascar and Bengladesh. “Coventry needs a fair trade shop and I’m passionate about this project”, said Pushy. “I was born in Nairobi in Kenya and I remember seeing the local traders at work. We have a range of goods and they are made by amazing craftpeople that use recycled material and a lot of artistry. “We have dragon sculptures made from recycled sawdust, bags made from anything from disused cement packaging to old newspapers. We even have coasters made from 75 per cent elephant dung.”. Among the most popular have been the Buddahs that are sold at the shop with satisfied customers testifying to the benefits the wooden sculptures have brought. The shop is located next to the Coventry Indoor Market.
Two new Shared Earth shops have just opened.
The first, at 20 Sydney Street, Brighton, is in an excellent position in the popular Brighton Lanes.
The second, at 33 Burgate, Canterbury, is also in an excellent position, near the entrance to Canterbury Cathedral.
Run by Luke Dolby and Scott Green, who are both dedicated fair trade enthusiasts, they are giving our producers a foothold in the southeast. “This is fantastic news,” comments Loreta Rafisura from the Philippines. “Our wonderful handmade cards are not available so far in these towns, and we are sure that people will love them.” Both shops will sell a representative selection of our other products, including jewellery, textiles and gifts.
Shared Earth has signed up to a new campaign that aims to tackle global warming in a way that everyone can help.
Its aim, instead of relying on politicians, is to start doing it ourselves – each one of us – by reducing our carbon emissions by 10% in the year 2010.
We all know what a future with climate change may bring. Carbon is the problem, and starting to reduce it is something we all can do. This is a grass roots campaign which we can all support – individuals and organisations alike. Businesses, schools, councils, ourselves in our personal lives – we can all make a difference, and reducing our emissions by just 10% should not be difficult!
As founder of Shared Earth I have always been passionate about the environment, as you will see in my recent book Coffins, Cats and Fair Trade Sex Toys. Our carbon emissions at Shared Earth are already low, but there are still simple things we can do. For instance, I shall be looking at whether all the lights we turn on are really necessary.
The 10:10 Campaign launched on September 1st in the UK, and within 3 days had signed up 10,000 people, 400 businesses, and the leaders of all three major political parties.
I invite you to join us and help create a brighter, healthier future. It’s easy to sign up, and there’s no fee. Just go to www.1010uk.org, fill in your name and click the button!
Jeremy Piercy
Coventry Observer, August 2009
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A city shop owner has teamed up with a leading retailer in Fair Trade products.
Pushy Sanghera opened her shop, Craft Culture, in the Lower Precinct last year, following the success of her weekly market stall.
The shop sells a whole host of Fair Trade products from handcrafted African, Egyptian and Thai Buddhas to handmade boxes and healing crystals.
But now, the mother of three, will be working in association with Shared Earth, the UK’s leading fair trade retailer, who provide a range of recycled and sustainable products made from everything from rice sacks and broken bangles to elephant dung.
Pushy has refurbished her shop, and stocked one half with a range of Shared Earth products, and the other with products she has sourced from families in Bali, Indonesia, Kenya and North Thailand.
She said she was excited to be given the opportunity to work in association with Shared Earth.
“All our products are reasonably priced as we have totally cut out the middle man, and go direct to these talented local people, who we believe get a decent wage through us buying direct from them,” she said.
“By buying from us, you are helping to provide much-needed jobs in countries like India, Vietnam, Kenya and Peru and many other countries, for people who are often on the margins of society with little or no other source of income,” she added.
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