Minutes of meeting 22.9.05

Hi everyone - we are planning new activities so please get in touch if you want to be involved.

Present: Keith, Diane, Nicola, and Hilary

Fairtrade status

November will be the first anniversary of Dyfi Valley Fairtrade status. Nicola will do required report to Fairtrade Foundation on continuing activities plus new FT products on sale, and focus on future target of FT local businesses (see FT Fortnight plans).

Martin A has agreed to present report to Mach Council as required.

Future plans

1. Focus on reconfirming or new signing up of organisational members. Nicola will do letter asking for reps to attend meetings and/or support activities, to: CAT, Co-op, Leisure centre, Dulas, PCC Mach Area office, Mach TC, Ecodyfi, WEDO, WTB, MidWales Tourism.

Diane will discuss possible links with Communities First and also meet Ian Snow re his trading practice.

2. Survey of local shopkeepers to find out patterns of staff tea & coffee. Aim is to find out what FT tea and coffee use would suit local shops and how we can define a target for FT support next year.

Keith will do list of Mach shops. Hilary will draft questionnaire.

Main Qs:

• What is your current FT use?
• Do you provide tea+coffee for staff?
• How would you like to contribute to FT Fortnight?

We will deliver questionnaire by hand and collect a week later.

NOTE, if you want a copy of the questionnaire to survey other places in the valley contact me or Hilary.

3. Fairtrade Fortnight 6-19 March 2006. Ideas:

• Stalls for display only (not personned) at Co-op, Ecodyfi, Quarry Shop
• Market stall 2 weeks with wider range of goods for sale. Diane to do catalogues + Treehouse, N to ask Sheila for Traidcraft stall
• FT and Tourism theme � N to talk to Teresa
• Aim to get ?% shops with new FT sticker
• Banner in Heol Maengwyn, Mach
• No producer visitor this year
• Go to Wales launch 4 March (contact Wales FT Forum)

Accounts

Keith presented the accounts (available to anyone who wants to see) and we have £1444 as of Sep 05, so OK to cover survey and FT Fortnight plans.

Other

• Tropical Products: no news about the raincoats.
• Diane will follow up and get some info for school assemblies.
• Campaigners Day Manchester 15 Oct � no one can go so ask Andy P for documents.
• Action gathering Aber Wed 5 Oct 7pm (details sent round already) - Diane, Hilary, Jonathan interested in going.
• Report from Wales FT Forum 12 Sep � good news that bilingual materials are promised. Ask for copy of Cardiff �business pack�. Need more activity at the Eisteddfod next year.
• Tasting of FT Belgian coconut beer - voted a product we can manage without.

Next meeting: 1.00 pm Friday 11 November with FOOD

Nicola Ruck, Pantlludw, Machynlleth, Powys SY20 9JR.
Tel/fax 01654 703428; nicola_ruck@bigfoot.com

Gathering of community and campaign groups

Aberystwyth Peace and Justice Network in association with Aberystwyth Friends of the Earth and Ceredigion Climate Change are hosting a gathering of community and campaign groups on Wednesday 5th October at 7 p.m. in the Morlan Centre, Morfa Mawr, Aberystwyth.

The aim is to bring together people working for peace, social justice and environmental sustainability. We want not only to inspire each other and express solidarity, but also to look at how we can support each other practically in the coming year. We also wish to welcome into our community the new university intake, students who have joined campaigning groups.

We hope you will accept this invitation to take part in this forum. Because we really want to find out how we can network more effectively to boost each others' actions, campaigns and events, encourage more people to participate in the community, and make a real difference. So, please bring your diaries with you and let's make a calendar of what we all have planned.

The social social-forum will feature short (no more than 5 minutes, please!) presentations from people working for the community locally and local residents are active internationally Presentations will feature a particular action (rather than an organisation's mission statement!). You are warmly welcome to make a similar: there is the facility to display banners, posters and photographs and to run a slide show, either digitally or "in the old fashioned way". If you want to be innovative, presentations that feature theatre, songs, poems etc will be as welcome as more traditional approaches. There will also be space for you to have a stall representing your group.

With the kind cooperation of the Tree House, we will provide organic, vegetarian and, as far as possible, local food as well as soft drinks, teas and coffee.

Please let us know whether you can attend and indicate how many people from your group you expect. Also, tell us if you want to make a presentation, have a stall and what facilities you need.

Wishing us all peace, justice and sustainability

RSVP to Lotte Reimer, 3 Cliff Terrace, Aberystwyth SY23 2 DN Tel/fax: 01970 610 185, email: lotte.reimer@tiscali.co.uk