Traidcraft Exchange Update

Big Brew News!

BIG Brew Easter

Firstly, Happy New Year! We hope you and your loved ones are safe and well and enjoyed the festive season. As Bulletin readers, we wanted to share with you some news about our Big Brew events in 2021. This year, we are going to do things a little differently, and we really hope you’ll be as excited by our plans as we are! Instead of our usual Fairtrade Fortnight events, we are asking amazing supporters like you to delay holding your Big Brews until the 8th March – 7th June... because thanks to the UK Government’s UK Aid Match scheme, by waiting those few weeks, your donations will change twice as many lives. As part of the appeal, we are going to celebrate with a ‘new’ event – the Big Brew – Easter! We’ll be sending special Easter packs out a little later than usual – so keep an eye on the post, or drop us an email at fundraising@traidcraft.org if you want to ensure you are on the mailing list! Don’t worry if your events are on a fixed schedule though – we've got digital versions of our usual Fairtrade Fortnight packs which you can download from our website www.traidcraftexchange.org/bigbrew

Get your Big Brew Easter Pack

GET YOUR PACK

The Traidcraft Exchange Raffle 2021...

Not long to go until some lucky winners start the New Year with some amazing prizes! From bespoke art by British artist Cherrie Mansfield, to vouchers for a luxury glamping experience, and some lovely hampers from our friends at Traidcraft plc, you don’t want to miss the chance to win... Whether you’re buying tickets for yourself, or selling them at an event over the next few months, we hope you get involved. We’d be really grateful for any promotion you can do in your community and to your friends and family, thank you! Every ticket bought really does make the world of difference to families in some of the world’s poorest communities. Don’t worry if you’ve not yet got your tickets – there are still some available on our website.

GET TICKETS

Christmas Appeal thanks!

A massive thank you to all who supported Traidcraft Exchange’s Christmas appeal last year. We can’t thank you enough. Over 2,500 of you donated, and your kindness and generosity will help stop families from being forced back into slavery due to debt bondage. For people like Anjoli and her family (pictured here), your donations are helping them to survive these difficult times, and get back on their feet.

Photo credit GMB Akash/ Traidcraft Exchange

Seven easy ways to build a greener, fairer world in 2021!

1. Switch to Green Energy!

Fossil fuels are one of the biggest polluters on the planet. Did you know that the UK Government provides over £10.5 billion a year in subsidies for the fossil fuel industry? Traidcraft Exchange is campaigning to change this – check out our website for details!

2. Reduce, reuse, recycle...

Ok, technically that’s three, but you know the drill! We need to consume less, use what we have, and make sure we recycle all we can. 3. Consume consciously. You don’t have to go vegan to reduce your impact on the planet. In fact, eating imported avocados or consuming mass-produced almond milk can be just as problematic as eating locally sourced fish or cheese. Think about where your food comes from – how did it get here? Is it seasonal? Consider switching to organic produce where you can – the impact on soil quality is much reduced in organic farming and avoids harmful pesticides.

4. Re –green your garden!

From planting wild grasses and bee friendly flowers, to building hedgehog homes and keeping the grass long, there are small steps you can take to help out your local environment.

5. Give up fast fashion.

It’s an obvious one, but fast fashion hurts people and the planet – it’s not good for anyone. Try secondhand shopping, or choose an ethical, Fairtrade brand. You can learn more about Traidcraft Exchange’s work with people in the textile industry on our campaigns page – www. traidcraftexchange.org/campaigns

6. Consider a walking holiday, or take up cycling.

After a year of going nowhere, it’s tempting to browse the internet for some cheap flights... but why give up our new habits of slow travel? You could join us on our 2021 Camino trek if you fancied a challenge - The Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage Trek — Traidcraft Exchange

7. Take action!

With social distancing still in place, now is maybe not the time to take to the streets. But that doesn’t mean we can’t take action – you can still join zoom and webinars meetings demanding change, sign online petitions, and call for change by petitioning your MP. Because change won’t happen on an individual level – we have to demand a whole new world!