Thursday 14 September 2006
Three thousand campaigners, in London to drum out the trade justice message to the Treasury, were greeted with the news that the British government has agreed to withhold £50 million of its funding to the IMF.
   “This is excellent news and a vindication of all your hard work”, commented Christian Aid's Director Dr Daleep Mukarjee, but added “'The IMF and the World Bank are still imposing damaging economic conditions on their loans and as such are unfit for purpose. Now the UK government must withhold the rest of its funds until those organisations substantially reform themselves.”
More details:
Christian Aid

Saturday 8 July 2006
Thousands took part in Christian Aid organised events around the country, exactly a year since the G8 summit in Edinburgh.
   Local events included David Heath MP joining those drumming the trade justice message home at Queen Camel Primary School.

Keynsham's first Fairtrade Directory was launched as part of Fairtrade Fortnight 2006 by Nicaraguan coffee development worker, Janixce Florian Centero, at a breakfast event held in St. John's Church Hall. It lists all Fairtrade outlets and supporting organisations in the town.
    For further details, contact Rachel Ward on 0117 9868683 or email:

   Bath Fairtrade Network has produced a new version of its Fairtrade directory. It can be downloaded (as a PDF) from the Bath & North East Somerset council Web site:
Bath Fairtrade
For more details contact:

   Frome has also produced a directory which was on display in Frome Library for Fairtrade Fortnight.

Saturday May 13th 2006
An international celebration of Fair Trade, with events worldwide.
www.wftday.org

The Trade Justice Movement asked the public to “lobby your MP to right corporate wrongs” from March to May 2006, when the Company Law Reform Bill reached its crucial stages in Parliament. More info from the TJM Web site:
Trade Justice Movement

Fairtrade in Somerset was featured on BBC Somerset Sound radio for the whole of the last week of June. Interviews included Elizabeth Perry providing an overview of Fairtrade and the Somerset Fair Trade Network, Axbridge's work towards becoming a Fairtrade area, Crispin School in Street on Fairtrade in schools, and trade justice.

Oxfam has produced an in-depth analysis of aid and debt cancellation for poor countries, one year on from the G8 summit in Gleneagles. This 17 page report is available for download from:
Oxfam Web site

The Jubilee Debt Campaign reports that the World Bank has finally agreed the cancellation of up to $37 billion of poor country debts, as part of the deal first announced by the G8 in 2005.
More details from:
Jubilee Debt campaign

Marks & Spencer has started stocking T shirts made with Fairtrade certified cotton. They're available in stores and online:
Marks & Spencer

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Geneva Office, has published a document entitled “Heading towards an iceberg: is it too late to steer the ship?” detailing the steps left for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) following the high profile ministerial meeting in Hong Kong last December.
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

225,000 campaigners descended on Edinburgh for the largest demonstration in Scotland's history...

Make Poverty History news from 2005

Somerset became the first Fairtrade County in England, Fairtrade Fortnight photos and more...

News from 2005