For information about what it means to be a Fairtrade place of worship, visit the Fairtrade Foundation website here
To apply to become a Fairtrade Place of Worship, or to renew your status, please use our Fairtrade Places of Worship online platform.
“Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Help people who are in trouble. 9 Stand up for what you know is right, and judge all people fairly. Protect the rights of the poor and those who need help.” Proverbs 31:8-9
Fairtrade and your church
Simply by making a choice to use Fairtrade products you can make a real difference to the lives of people across the world. Fairtrade is not charity or aid; it is simply about empowering communities to build their own successful futures.
Lots of churches already support Fairtrade and many have Fairtrade status. Maybe your church has – but is it up to date?
There are lots of ways to support Fairtrade, but just two core requirements to be awarded Fairtrade Place of Worship status.
- Use Fairtrade products wherever possible (at least tea, coffee and sugar) and share information about Fairtrade products with the wider congregation.
- Integrate Fairtrade into the life of your place of worship, at Fairtrade Fortnight or other times of the year. For example through events, stalls and worship.
Churches in Gosport and the SE Hants area have organised community meals, shown films about producers, invited speakers, held activities for young people, organised tea, cake or wine-tastings, made bunting and much more. It can be great fun as well as making links with communities around the world. And it will make a real difference.
It’s really good to encourage the groups which use your church to use Fairtrade too. You could encourage them to use Fairtrade products when they book.
Gosport Fairtrade Action organises a range of activities during Fairtrade Fortnight Check out this site for ideas
There are loads of great free materials plus films and action booklets to help you organise a coffee morning or tea party plus excellent worship materials.
Gosport Fairtrade Action sends resources to use in Fairtrade Fortnight to churches via Churches Together In Gosport, including worship materials and articles for newsletters. If you would like us to send them directly to your church please let us know.
Using Fairtrade products
You can find tea, coffee etc in most supermarkets. If you want larger supplies there’s a list of links on this website. There are lots of ‘ethical’ brands around – do look for the Fairtrade Mark.
Speakers
Locally there are a number of very keen speakers for Fairtrade and we are happy to visit churches, groups and schools to raise awareness of issues that many farmers struggle with in the global south and how Fairtrade offers a solution.
We do this mostly by telling stories about individuals and families. Stepping into another person’s shoes can show us what we have in common – whoever we are, wherever we are from. There are excellent short videos on the Fairtrade Foundation website of interviews with Fairtrade farmers. (see Fairtrade videos in videos on Vimeo)
And when we can connect to a person through their story – from celebrating their successes and understanding the challenges they face, to hearing about their hopes and dreams – we often feel moved to act or think differently. For a speaker contact your Gosport Fairtrade group – here
This Gosport website, the SE Hants Facebook page and the Campaign Exchange website have details of events we organise here in Gosport and the wider region of South East Hampshire
Please tell us
Please contact us and use the Facebook page to inform people if you are holding an event. We would be really pleased to hear from you to advertise your event and celebrate it afterwards with photos.
Non- food products you can use
There are lots of Fairtrade products you could use like cleaning materials, candles and cotton products.
You might also consider:
Fairtrade Communion Wine
Poterion specialises in providing Fairtrade Communion wine direct from South Africa, or have a look for the Fairtrade logo on wines from local suppliers.
Fairtrade Wedding rings
Maybe you could encourage people to support the movement to source precious metals fairly, so you can feel sure that the jewellery we treasure is mined without causing environmental devastation and exploiting miners. Find out more here.
Cred in Chichester, for example, pioneered ethical jewellery, sourcing precious metals from mines with responsible practices in Peru and Uganda. Fairtrade gold ring suppliers are listed on the Fairtrade website (here)
Contacts and information
For more information about becoming a Fairtrade church
You can sign up for a newsletter too.
Gosport Fairtrade Action welcome volunteers too. Please contact us
Join our Facebook group Fairtrade South East Hampshire
Thank you for your support – we look forward to working with you
Page updated 15-05-2024