St Stephen’s Church in Cinderford is planning a big celebration for Fairtrade Fortnight 2024, expanding their in-church shop and hosting a fashion show.
This year is 30 years since Fairtrade products first became available and the annual two week celebration between 9 to 22 September, is a chance to highlight the impact of Fairtrade, with many retailers, organisations and supporters taking part, including St Stephen’s Church in Cinderford.
St Stephen’s is a Fairtrade church, selling a variety of Fairtrade products throughout the year in its in-church shop.
For Fairtrade Fortnight, they are hosting a fashion show at the church on 9 September, which will showcase fairly traded clothes, accessories and jewellery on the catwalk. There will be other special items on offer such as homeware, toys, gifts and cosy winter warmers.
They are also expanding the church shop, which will be open daily during Fairtrade Fortnight instead of just on Fridays. The shop will offer special deals, samples, and refreshments to visitors over this time.
Rachel Witham, a lay reader at Cinderford churches and the coordinator for Fairtrade at St Stephen’s, says: “The Bible speaks clearly about justice and fairness. Treating people fairly and being honest about the prices we pay for our food, clothes, and gifts aligns with God’s vision. Micah 6:8 is a guiding verse for me:
“He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?” – Micah, 6:8
“A recurring theme in the Bible is to be honest and to look after one another. Supporting Fairtrade is a way to treat everyone in the world with value and to place equal value on everybody as God does.”
Fairtrade seeks to provide better prices, decent working conditions, and a fairer deal for farmers and workers in developing countries.
When consumers purchase products with the Fairtrade mark, they are helping to ensure that the people who produce those goods are not only paid fairly but also work under safe conditions.
It also strives to ensure that women are treated fairly — a principle that isn’t always observed in around the world.
Fairtrade also includes the Fairtrade premium, an additional sum of money that workers and farmers receive on top of the fair price. This premium is invested in community projects chosen by the workers themselves, such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure improvements. For example, in many poor, rural regions where the nearest healthcare facility can be hours away, the premium has been used to build local nurse’s stations or midwife clinics.
Churches can support Fairtrade in various ways, including becoming a Fairtrade church like St Stephen’s. This involves committing to using Fairtrade products, such as tea, coffee, and sugar, and promoting Fairtrade throughout the year by hosting events or supporting local Fairtrade businesses. More information about this can be found here.
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