The website is being updated for latest news on the fairtrade
fortnight. We have now put a list of fairtrade retailers on the
website. We plan to add more details later to promote the brands
available.

Fairtrade Fortnight events planned are listed below:

3/3/05 Hemel Hempstead -Fairtrade stall @Tesco Jarmans park
4/3/05 Berkhamsted -Fairtrade Coffee farmer @Costa Coffee 12-2pm
5/3/05 Hemel Hempstead -Fairtrade stall @ Sainsburys Apsley Mills
7/3/05 Berkhamsted – Fairtrade stall @Waitrose St John's
Well Lane
12/3/05 Hemel Hempstead- Fairtrade market @ Marlowes Shopping Centre
12/3/05 Tring – Fairtrade market @ Victoria Hall

Some of these events are not quite confirmed yet, Sainsbury's is yet
to approve the store tasting. Tesco's has given the go ahead though,
as well as Waitrose and not listed here are co-op store tastings, i'm
awaiting the details from co-op group.

There are photo opportunities to be had at these events so i would
respectfully invite the members of the various political parties and
other representative organisations to appear so that we can involve
the local presss. As mentioned before Marks and spencers also
interested in a photo opportunity but the store manager can only
offer Mon, Tues, or possibly Wed for such an event. Thursday, Friday
and Saturday being too busy for them.

NEW COSUMER GUIDE
The special edition New Consumer guide will be printed in time for
the fairtrade fortnight events but alas not until 25 february, and
ofcourse being a 10,000 print run of colour magazines i won't be able
to update it all year. Howver it's professional form and content make
it a flagship for communicating the message of fairtrade to the
public and local businesses, council, parish council and so forth.

In the meantime i produced a mini guide sponsored by myself which i
can email and is really just an A5 flyer, (four pages double sided on
A4 and folded to A5 booklet). This has it's own strength notably that
it is updatable as retailers are added on. i suppose you could call
it a supplement. It's not planned to push this out more than once or
twice, in the year.

LIBRARY DISPLAY - FAIRTRADE PHOTO'S AND PRESS COVERAGE
After the fortnight is over i have a library display booked for the
week at the Hemel Hempstead library in coobme street, so i'm hoping
to be able to put up photographs of all the events and participants
as well as reinforcing the fairtrade town.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED - ( we need an independant photographer, can anyone
oblige?, digital camera desirable, camcorder would be fun, can be
more than one voluteer but must have pictures available for download
or printing asap after the event)

i'd appreciate volunteers for any or all of the events listed above
in any shape, or form, but especially if people can help on the oxfam
and traidcraft stalls selling goods. Alternatively press, pr, labour,
transport, or just coming along to cheer us on, and so forth.

Regards

Francois