Fairtrade Fortnight - Page 6

Madhatter · 14-03-2006, 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by staggeringman

I HAVE ONLY READ 2 PAGES OF this gayle! sorry about the capitals,fair trade? where does it come into the equasion pubs used to make a living out of selling beer !they then let every tom dick and harry sell it so what happens?they monopalise things and they buy in so much bulk you cant afford to keep up! soooooooooo you go bust look around you and see how many community pubs have shut......WHY?

Don't get ya staggers please explain what beer has to do with coffee.

Madhatter · 14-03-2006, 15:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

Hyndburn as an area isn't all about the council. I have not been inconsistent whatsoever. Hyndburn - the area - is going for Fair trade status (this is not a council thing as I have said many times, it is Prospects Foundation that is going for it for Hyndburn the area).

Atherstone the town is becoming a book town, this is not a council thing, it's a book towns international thing, but a councillior suggested they come here because he though it would be good for the town and help save the town from more derelict shops, by giving it an identity. The borough council supported the scheme with thousands of pounds of out tax payers money. I say good luck to them and thank you for actually supporting a scheme that will give the area a claim to fame that may increase trade and save our town centre. You may not give a toss about the area being badged fairttrade but your not an outsider looking in.

chav1 · 14-03-2006, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madhatter

Don't get ya staggers please explain what beer has to do with coffee.

after lots of beer you need lots of coffee

Acrylic-bob · 14-03-2006, 19:29

I recall, some time ago, when Saint Geldoff was effing and blinding about making poverty history and the sheeple were all bleating about what a world changing moment of history it was, I was moved to advise readers to adopt the practise of purchasing just one item of fair trade produce per week. The reason being that this would effect more good than all of Saint Geldoff's fulminations and the Blair government's simpering agreement with him.

The idea of Fair Trade products is, on the face of it, a fairly sensible one. I do not have any evidence to support T's contention that the system is as riddled with corruption as any other initiative to relieve third world poverty but then, on the other hand, neither do I have any evidence to prove that it is not. But I have to say that, on the balance of probability, I am quite long enough in the tooth to believe people capable of anything, and that must include the creation of fraudulent charities.

I find the idea of Hyndburn's putative status as a Fair Trade Borough, based on a handful of shops, a couple of jars of council coffee and ASDA, to be completely laughable, as is the idea that this will somehow raise the profile of the borough. Someone raised the example of loony left boroughs in the eighties proclaiming themselves to be Nuclear Free Zones. I have to agree that Fair Trade status for Hyndburn will make about as much difference to the borough as the expensive political posturing of the eighties, which is to say, none at all!

The problems of the Third World are so fundamental that a couple of pence added to a jar of coffee is not even going to come close to scratching the surface. All that this Prospects Foundation led project does is to assuage the sense of guilt which comes with the realisation that we are fortunate to live where we do... and they are not.

Of course, it is very sad and regretable that not everyone in the world can enjoy the freedoms and standard of living which we take for granted. It is very sad that some children have to go to bed hungry and are compelled to live lives blighted by war, famine and disease. But, sadly, that is life, it has been the same since mankind first learned to walk upright and I see no immediate prospect of a change for the better, no matter how many jars of Free Trade coffee we buy.There are simply too many people competing for scarce and rapidly dwindling resources.

If Charles Darwin is correct in his hypothesis, nature, red in tooth and claw, will eventually correct the imbalance.

Madhatter · 14-03-2006, 20:23

How can you compare nuclear free to fair trade. Fair trade suggests things it's not, I think It's a badge worth having and certainly worth trying. It's got the word TRADE in it, people, tourists see trade and thing buying things. They see nuclear and the run, regardless if its nuclear freee or chargable. Instead of knocking it cos you think it a rubbish idea, jusr go with it and see, it certainly won't do the area any damage like nuclear free does, and its not costing you anything is it.

Madhatter · 14-03-2006, 20:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

after lots of beer you need lots of coffee

Haha, nice to see someone round here has a sense of humour.

I'm not sure but I think he's aying nobody gives a **** about the pub trade being fair, which they don't, so why should he care about fairtrade.

carolef · 14-03-2006, 21:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by lettie

Hehehe, good thread. What I find a bit odd is the suggestion that it is taxpayer's money paying for the councillor's coffee....... None of our money should be spent on coffee. They should be doing the same as we do in the NHS. The nurses all contribute £1 per month to their own ward coffee fund. None of our coffee comes from taxpayer's money, neither should the council's..

quite right lettie, they should pay for their own or at least contribute to it.. its always easy to spend other peoples money!!

carolef · 14-03-2006, 21:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madhatter

How can you compare nuclear free to fair trade. Fair trade suggests things it's not, I think It's a badge worth having and certainly worth trying. It's got the word TRADE in it, people, tourists see trade and thing buying things. They see nuclear and the run, regardless if its nuclear freee or chargable. Instead of knocking it cos you think it a rubbish idea, jusr go with it and see, it certainly won't do the area any damage like nuclear free does, and its not costing you anything is it.

of course it costs us, the money to buy the councils coffee comes out of the communal purse. I like the concept of fairtrade and i buy fairtrade products myself but thats my choice and it doesn't cost anybody else anything

SPUGGIE J · 14-03-2006, 21:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

after lots of beer you need lots of coffee

What about the greasy takeaway???? Providing its GM free Free Trade ingredients and not expensive.

Acrylic-bob · 14-03-2006, 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madhatter

How can you compare nuclear free to fair trade. Fair trade suggests things it's not, I think It's a badge worth having and certainly worth trying. It's got the word TRADE in it, people, tourists see trade and thing buying things. They see nuclear and the run, regardless if its nuclear freee or chargable. Instead of knocking it cos you think it a rubbish idea, jusr go with it and see, it certainly won't do the area any damage like nuclear free does, and its not costing you anything is it.

Marvellous. If you want to collect badges to pin on your borough, go ahead. Hyndburn has enough problems without wishing to add "anorack" to the list, thank you very much.

I compare nuclear free zones to free trade borough for the simple reason that they are both motivated by political dogma and are both equally ineffective.

As for the cloth-eared idea that when people see the word "TRADE" they cannot wait to get their credit cards out, it would be nice if the real world worked like that, but as it is, it doesn't, so the idea seems to be about as redundant as the rest of your comments on this issue.

You claim it won't cost me anything, sorry perhaps I'm missing something here, but haven't we already figured out that the Prospects Foundation is funded through the tax payer and doesn't the tax payer also pay extra so that HBC can indulge in guilt-free, free trade coffee? Looking at it dispassionately, I think that money would have been better spent by putting it towards an advertising campaign for the markets. It's partly my money that is being spent so I reckon I should have some sort of say about the manner in which it is spent, don't you?

chav1 · 14-03-2006, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPUGGIE J

What about the greasy takeaway???? Providing its GM free Free Trade ingredients and not expensive.

i have no doubts that my greasy takeaway is Fair Trade..

lets face it they aint called DONAR kebabs for nothing and are probably from the taste of them made from bodies bought at a FAIR price of those that starve in these poor countries

Anyone disagrees ...?

eat one sober it opens a whole new world to your taste buds

Madhatter · 14-03-2006, 22:37

Cloth eared to you because you'll be negative about it no matter what and don't want to see anyone elses point of view. That money will be spent on it no matter what, so why ruin any chance of it working. You might not think a badge is worth anything but plenty out there do wether you think it or not or like it.
What do they promote about this great market of yours, what do they promote about this great town of yours. perhaps they should show pictures of your fantastic new town improvements, or that ****hole of a building in your town centre, promote the empty shops.
OR the could promote the market as one of the first free trade markets in the uk.
When you stop your blinkered negative opinions and views of any scheme thrown accys way you maybe, just maybe might find a direction for start regenerating your town. when you realise there is nothing to promote at the moment that is. you have NOTHING to offer that blackburn, burnley and bury can offer, and a great deal less in fact.
I know I live in a town a lot smaller and with a lot less shops to offer than accy, we've got a co-op, a somerfield, a dillons, and soon an aldi, and that all the national retailers we have, our market is a fraction of yours. despite this and despite the initial negative response from the locals the book town scheme is working, we've got 5 book shops now and it also got the main hotel/pub refurbed and extended and another pub.
Grab everything, take the gambles, you have risk loosing some tax payers money to start with, only reject something when it doesn't work. It's better than doing nothing.
Unless of course you know of a scheme that will work and will avoid the gamble?

Madhatter · 14-03-2006, 22:42

lol your a muppet chav. no i can't dissagree with that.

garinda · 14-03-2006, 23:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madhatter

OR the could promote the market as one of the first free trade markets in the uk.

Have you been to Accrington's Market and Market Hall? People still shop there because it offers fresh produce, but mainly go there because it's cheap.

We can't afford to be the 'countries first totally Freetrade market', it would be closed within a month. I think we'll leave that liberal, mind easing honour to a more affluent area.

Madhatter · 15-03-2006, 01:54

If people still shop there why is it a shadow of its former self, why can't they afford the rents that the council needs to charge to bring it up to date? why is there nothing upstairs in the market hall?.
To go totally free trade would kill it I agree, but realistically, if most stalls start selling a few token fairtrade items, it would qualify it to be something your neighbouring town aren't.
out of curiousity which are the poorer areas up there and which are the more afluent. Down here stratford warwick and leamington are more affluent than here coleshill and nuneaton/bedworth, they get all the money .