Fairtrade
The local story
The Fairtrade Stall at Ferryhill started trading in 2010 and through regularly providing an opportunity on Sunday mornings for people to purchase fairly traded goods from Traidcraft has in its first eight years seen £34,000 of goods sold.
This achievement is entirely due to our loyal customers who, week by week, stop at the stall to buy their groceries, gifts and cards. Those hundreds of bars of chocolate and countless cups of tea and coffee that have been selflessly downed have all added up to this magnificent total.
Traidcraft has over 5000 supporters in the UK, known as Fairtraders, who regularly sell Fairtrade products to others in various places, including churches, schools, colleges or universities, through websites, at work and at farmers' markets. Our sales have been so successful that we are now in the top 200 Fairtraders in the UK.
Traidcraft catalogues are available at the stall each Sunday morning or in the foyer during the week. Please contact the co-ordinator, Shelagh Bain, if you have any queries or would like to place an order and avoid paying postage. Tel: 588744 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. You can see a greater range of products on the Traidcraft website www.traidcraft.co.uk
Why we do what we do
Traidcraft was begun by a group of Christians seeking a practical way to express their faith. Here is a snapshot of some of the biblical themes we seek to live out through our work.
What sorrow awaits the unjust judges and those who issue unfair laws. They deprive the poor of justice and deny the rights of the needy among my people. Isaiah 10:1-2
It's about the poor
Almost every page of the Bible speaks of God's heart for poor people and implores his people to care for them. Fair trade enables producers to work their own way out of poverty with dignity and respect. Not just to survive, but to really flourish.
It's about justice
From the year of jubilee in Leviticus, in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, right through to the final pages of Revelation, justice is a biblical theme that cannot go unnoticed.
It's about relationship
Poverty is complex and not limited to material shortage alone. Promoting well-being, dignity, participation, and relationships are key parts of our practice, and reflect our Christian perspective. Every person is created in the image of God and deserves the opportunity to flourish and fulfil their potential, both individually and in community with others.
It's about loving our neighbour
As we see clearly in the story of the good Samaritan, our neighbour is not always who we might think. Especially in a globalised world, how we make decisions that impact on our neighbours worldwide is something we can't ignore.
It's about being incarnational
As Jesus walked among us, so God walks among us, today, through his people who are filled with his spirit. We are called to act justly and love mercy.
It's about mission and service
Witnessing to God's love and grace in our life can take many forms. Showing his love and care through providing practically for the needs of others speaks volumes.
It's about stewardship
We seek to act responsibly towards God's creation and take seriously our stewardship of resources - natural, human and financial. We encourage and support those we work with to do the same.
While Traidcraft has a Christian basis and continues to be led by those committed to the Christian faith, we are happy to work with and employ those of all faiths and those of none.