Fair Christmas Fayre
London, Wednesday 3 December
Oxford Street’s first ethical Christmas marketplace is being held on Wednesday 3 December 2008. Thousands of ethically minded consumers are expected to attend the event where they can purchase ethically traded gifts, Fair Trade Christmas pudding and recycled fashion from a variety of stalls.
Retailers at the event at The Salvation Army Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, include Soho’s Fair Share shop, reused and handmade London fashion designer Flawless, and international company Freeset that sell bags crafted by former prostitutes in India.
Fair Christmas Fayre will feature craft corners and knitting workshops to help inspire people to create recycled and personalised gifts. Or people can exchange an item for free and rejuvenate their festive party outfits at the “Swap Shop” stall.
Other highlights include top ethical tips that people can take on board as they sip fair trade drinks and listen to jazz performed by local musicians.
The organisers of Fair Christmas Fayre take heart in research from Christmas 2007 where one third of consumers surveyed suggested they were planning to buy ethical presents. To encourage people to buy their presents at the Fayre every person who makes a purchase will be automatically entered in to a draw to win one of three boxes of Fair Trade chocolate bars!
Event organiser Lucy AitkenRead says “Fair Christmas Fayre is an ethical marketplace that aims to inspire people to do Christmas in a more sustainable way and to provide alternatives to expensive shopping for those feeling the squeeze of the credit crunch.
“If you believe in fair trade or are just curious to find out how you can do Christmas differently this year, we’d love to see you at what promises to be an inspirational event.”
Event organisers hope to raise enough money from the Fair Christmas Fayre to buy a Bush Ambulance for some of Malawi’s rural poor. The vehicle will be used to transport sick people and expectant mothers to hospital in areas in Malawi where there are no available vehicles or suitable off-road transport is required.
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