The UK’s leading vegan businesses are uniting in force under one banner at The Brighton Vegan Fayre March 21st 2009

The high profile Brighton Centre overlooking the beach is the venue for Brighton’s first ever Vegan Fayre, organised by Yaoh, the successful team behind the world’s biggest vegan event, the Bristol Vegan Fayre.

Vegan market leaders such as Redwood, Beanie’s, Bute Island, Plamil, Infinity and the Vegan Society are all sponsoring the Brighton event, and there are over 100 other stallholders flocking to this huge family day out.

With up to 5,000 visitors expected to this event, the emphasis is not
just on the best vegan products, tasters, samples, shopping and special
offers – but also on entertainment, with a whole line up of stars
catering for every taste on 3 stages during the show, including reggae
star Macka B, and The Clive Palmer band (co founder of 60’s legends the
Incredible String Band) – plus loads of kids entertainment too.

When times are challenging, the successful business and charity joins
forces with like minded operations to make the most of resources and
markets – and a spirit of co-operation rather than competition is
fostered and nourished – and none more so than in the Natural Products
and Veggie/Vegan trade

Indeed, in an unprecedented move of co-operation unseen before, the
organisers of the Brighton Vegan Fayre have joined forces with the
brand new Healthy Living shows in Bournemouth (Feb 28th March 1st 09)
and Edinburgh in July. Brighton’s organiser Tim Barford said ‘we have a
huge respect for the new Healthy Living Shows and are thrilled to help
promote their shows as they are spreading the message of the need for
healthy living – a message we all need to hear louder and clearer these
days. It’s all about the spirit of co – operation, making eachother
look good as well as ourselves – and The Healthy Living Shows and the
Brighton Vegan Fayre fit that description perfectly.’

For more information contact Frank at Yaoh on 0117 9239053
info@yaoh.co.uk
www.veganfayre.co.uk

For more information about the Healthy Living shows visit www.healthylivingshows.co.uk

A British supermarket chain is beating traffic congestion and reducing its carbon footprint by using a non-motorised, hand-drawn truck for deliveries of less than a mile.

Hand carts are thought to have been used first in Sumeria over 5,000 years ago, but Waitrose is using an up-to-date version to make deliveries that would normally be undertaken by a diesel-engined lorry.

Director at the Environmental Transport Association, an  organisation that campaigns for sustainable transport, Andrew Davis said: “In this case, ancient technology is a perfect solution to today’s problems of congested streets and polluted air.”

Southampton based social enterprise, Jamie’s Computers was one of 14 organisations in the region to receive a ministerial visit, when Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Cabinet descended on Southampton on Monday 23rd February.  

The computer re-use and recycling project, Jamie’s Computers is a project of Southampton’s largest homelessness charity, The Society of St James.  Jamie’s welcomed Liam Byrne, Minister for the Cabinet Office to its operation in Northam as part of the ministerial visits which took place in the region.

Minister Liam Byrne said, “Jamie’s Computers is a great example of how social enterprises can
benefit the local community and the country as a whole.  It’s clear to
me that they give vulnerable people real opportunities to realise their
potential and get on in life, regardless of their circumstances.

“In this tough economic climate we need businesses like this that put
ethics first.  This way we can all build a fairer society and a
stronger country.”

The visit followed this month’s announcement of the Government’s Third
Sector Action Plan, which has been designed together with third sector
leaders over the last three months and builds on the wide range of
measures the Government has put in place to support people through the
economic downturn, and on the Government’s long term commitment to
voluntary organisations and social enterprises.

Della Cunio, Operations Director for Jamie’s said of the visit:

 “We were delighted to learn that the Minister would visit the project –
it was a great compliment to the work that we do and a proud moment for
all the staff and service users involved.  

“The importance of social enterprise in the provision of public service
and contribution to the economy is recognised by government and keenly
promoted.  We were pleased to be able to provide a positive case study
for the Minister.”  

For more information about Jamie’s Computers call 023 8063 2198 or visit www.jamies.org.uk.

New EJ member Fair Trade Faerie proudly announces its recent Bafts Accreditation

Fair Trade Faerie are a young, up-and-coming business, passionate about bringing fairtrade products to a wider audience.

Founder, Sue Lindsay, said, “My dream was to source stylish, contemporary, high quality and affordable products and make fair trade and natural skin care available to a wider audience. All products on offer are selected by me for their quality & fairtrade provenance.”

High quality goods, affordability and personal customer service are
Fair Trade Faerie’s priority and, in order to maintain these standards,
Sue works closely with a select number of certified Fair Trade
importers and small, family based natural skincare manufacturers. As a
result thebusiness has grown rapidly with new products and ranges being
added regularly. Why not visit their online store > > >

To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight, Bags of Change is offering £5 off every fairly traded rubber bag sold via its website: www.bagsofchange.co.uk

In addition, £1 from every rubber bag sale will be donated to Survival, the tribal people’s charity.

Don’t forget to sign up for the free Bags of Change e-newsletter for exclusive offers and tips on ethical shopping in the UK.

Bags of Change are the only eco-bags that actually save you money on your shopping. Shop with one of the distinctive bags and get up to 10% off Fairtrade, organic and local products at more than 60 affiliated retailers in the UK.

Visit the website Bagsofchange.co.uk to see the full range of bags and affiliated ethical stores – a great place to source your Fairtrade products during Fairtrade Fortnight and all year round.

The bald truth from buyOrganics

When we hear about toxins in personal care products, we usually think of makeup and skincare products rather than hair care – after all, aren’t our crowning glories simply “dead” strands of protein?   And although we slather on the shampoos, conditioners and styling products, we don’t think of the connection between them entering our bloodstream or remaining on our skin in the same way as other lotions and potions.

However, of course, shampoos and conditioners get washed all over
our bodies in the bath or shower, and our scalp has just as many pores
as the rest of our skin – a close look (if you can get near enough!) to
any man’s bald head is evidence enough of that!  So, it’s just as easy
to absorb nasty chemicals through our hair products but surely, shampoo
and conditioner don’t need synthetic substances in just to clean and
smooth our hair?

In fact, many regular shampoos contain petro-chemicals, which have been
implicated in causing cancer and other illnesses.  The chemical
1.4-dioxane, for example, is often used in shampoo, and has even been
found in household named baby hair care products!  1.4-dioxane is a
by-product of a petrochemical process called ethyoxylation which uses
known breast carcinogen ethylene oxide to process other chemicals to
make them less harsh and more palatable for the consumer to use.

The answer is, of course, to pick products which do not contain any
synthetically manufactured chemicals at all and, preferably, do contain
organic ingredients for added safety and purity.

One thing to remember when switching from regular hair care products to
natural, organic ones is that for the first couple of washes, the hair
can feel dull and lifeless – this is actually a result of the hair
going through a natural detoxifying process, where it loses the gunk
caused by plasticizers and other synthetic ingredients contained in
many regular hair products, which actually work by coating the hair
with artificial substances to create gloss and shine.  Once this layer
of trash is stripped away, the hair returns to its natural soft shine,
which is then enhanced by the continued use of organic hair care
products.

www.buyorganics.co.uk have researched, tried and tested the best
natural and organic hair care products which are safe enough for the
whole family, and selected a variety of items suitable for different
types of hair for any occasion.

For daily use, we recommend Green People’s No Scent or Aloe Vera
Organic Shampoos – cost-effective for everyday washing, and so gentle
even newborn babies will be safe.  Not only this but your hair will
feel really soft and silky, plus we find that it rinses out perfectly,
without the nasty gunky build-up you often get with regular products
which seem to stick to the hair shafts rather than clean the dirt
away.  We recommend the Essential Care Tea Tree & Herb shampoo for
itchy, flaky scalps, again a budget buy but wonderfully effective, even
on cradle cap and dandruff.

For a weekly dip into luxury, look no further than the John Masters
range of hair care products – sheer indulgence but even better than a
trip to the salon, the whole range is pure heaven, leaving your hair
beautifully clean, conditioned and styled with absolutely no risk of
chemical nasties!    The John Masters Zinc & Sage shampoo not only
does wonders for your hair, but treats the scalp to a pamper as well. 
The scalp really is the key to healthy hair because although hair
itself is dead protein, from the hair follicle downwards into the scalp
is alive and well and in need of some regular nutrition!  This shampoo
will satisfy the thirstiest follicles to give extra body and shine.

We also love the Honey & Hibiscus shampoo, a good reconstructive
shampoo for a once-a-week hair Detox – and boy does it smell good too! 
The John Masters luxurious conditioners are also a treat for your
hair.  Have daily reminders of the beach with the Sea Salt Sea Mist
Spray, a leave-in deep conditioning protective formula for daily use. 
We also highly recommend the beautiful smelling Lavender and Avocado
Intensive Conditioner for deep penetration and lasting condition.

Even styling can be safe and healthy, for you and the environment. 
Many eco-friendly gels, waxes and serums really don’t come up to
scratch in terms of performance, but you can’t go wrong with the John
Masters organic Hair Pomade, great for smoothing frizzy hair, sculpting
a style and even doubles up as a wonderful hand cream and cuticle
softener!

So take the plunge today and give you and your hair the treat you both deserve!

All products are available at top organic lifestyle online store buyOrganics: www.buyorganics.co.uk

Oromo Coffee Enterprise goes Direct Trade!

James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, launched the latest Lorna Young Foundation venture, saying “This is a unique initiative that could make fair trade even fairer – and the coffee tastes great too!” Backed also by the Bishop of Manchester, the former Lord Mayor of Manchester, Afzal Khan, and Muslim and Christian faith groups, we are working with recently settled refugees from the Oromo region in Ethiopia who contacted the LYF for ideas on how to set up a self-help project, rather than rely on benefits.

With our support, the Oromo community (who have legal residential
status) have now created a direct trading ‘community to community’
social enterprise – ‘The Oromo Coffee Company’.  As the birthplace of
coffee, the Oromo region of Ethiopia provides some of the finest
quality beans in the world. This direct trade initiative will cut out
middlemen and ensure an even greater level of profit for smallholder farmers  than would be possible
just through Fairtrade.

James Purnell was aware that we have come this
far with no funding — just a lot of good will — and backed our appeal
for sponsors.  He added: “The Oromo Coffee Company has been set up by a
group of people who have said quite clearly that they want to
contribute to society and to help smallholders back home at the same time.  And this
is an outstanding example of what can be achieved when people work
together to develop their different skills in an innovative way…I will
certainly be asking whether this coffee could be stocked at the House
of Commons in future.”

This exciting new venture is being assisted by Bolling Coffee, a
Yorkshire based family-owned roaster, which has generously agreed to
support the OCC with roasting and packaging of the coffee. There has
been a huge amount of interest from retailers and the public, and the
new Fairtrade certified range of coffees will be available in May 2009.

Garedew Yadessa, one of the Oromo community leaders, emphasised the
importance of this self-help initiative: “You can already see what a
difference this project is making to the morale of our community. We have been living here with very little, with very low spirits.  It
has been really excellent to be able to work with the LYF and Bolling
Coffee, and to get advice from Tameside Council. We believe that we
can teach British people a lot about coffee heritage as well as working
hard ourselves – and in doing so, we are helping the smallholders back
home.”

How Can YOU Help? Get Practical!

• Contact the LYF to place an order for the OCC’s coffee for your business/ community group/ workplace/yourself
• Provide some ‘in kind’ support – individuals with skills such as
  business mentoring, PR/ Marketing and financial expertise are very much
  needed by the enterprise
• Make a donation to the LYF in order to support the project/ sponsor the OCC

Contact us now on 07538 690072 or 07944 979721

What is so different about the LYF?
We will work with any smallholder farmers in developing countries who
need help with business and marketing support and learning. We are a
registered UK education charity that seeks to level the playing field
for smallholder producers, so that they can compete fairly in the
marketplace. We are all about empowerment in action – we aim to assist
producers to make the transition from being providers of raw product to
becoming managers of their own businesses, building their
commercial/marketing skills and helping them to develop local brands
and add value to their products.

Who Was Lorna Young?
The Lorna Young Foundation (LYF) is named in memory of Lorna Young, a
marketing specialist seconded from Equal Exchange to be the first Sales
and Marketing Manager for Cafédirect. She was a driven and dynamic
Scotswoman who secured the first supermarket listings for Cafédirect
products, and almost single-handedly took Fairtrade coffee from the
margin to the mainstream. She saw the need for smallholder farmers to
be able to gain the skills and confidence to break into their own local
and regional markets, as well as internationally. Lorna died in 1996 at the age of 44; but her name, and her fierce
commitment to championing the cause of producers, live on through the
LYF.

Miki is a new website dedicated to providing sustainable and ethical clothing, jewellery, gifts and home accessories that are stylish and beautiful in design, feel and quality.

If you are like us then being surrounded by good design and gorgeous clothes makes you happy then visit our website www.miki.uk.com

As part of our United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) commitment to respect human rights, Article 13 supports the Poverty and Homeless Action Week (PHAW) 2009, which runs from the 31 January to 8 February 2009. This year, Article 13 contributed to PHAW through volunteering a member of staff to St Paul’s homeless drop-in shelter in Kensington, which ran between the hours of 12pm and 4pm on the 28th of January 2009.

The volunteer dealt with the diverse needs of over 70 clients. There
were about 18 volunteers to offer a range of services, which included a
wide range of activities, such as:

• Preparing/ serving tea, coffee and nutritious meals for the service users. 

• Cleaning the kitchen and general eating area.

• Offering a vital source of support for the staff and those who use St Paul’s shelter.

• Listening to, sharing stories and building relationships with
  customers that have a diversity of skills, experiences and emotions.

• Working with customers in the designated art and music areas.

• Making the atmosphere fun, informal, safe, comfortable and an inviting place for vulnerable homeless people to spend time.

• Supporting customers through being there for them.
  

Article 13 wanted to add value to their in-house participation goals,
build interest for volunteering amongst staff and help meet the needs
of the homeless and disadvantaged at the grassroots level. This
participative action will be a part of our yearly commitment to the
homeless.

Daniel Francis, research assistant for Article 13, said: “Participating
at St Paul’s homeless drop-in shelter was really rewarding, through
offering a valuable service to a wide variety of people and listening
to amazing heart filled real life stories. It was a really humbling
experience!”

For more information please contact Fiona Banyard on fionab@article13.com or call 020 8840 4450. Please also see Article 13’s website www.article13.com

Final Reductions at Purity

With up to 70% off some items, grab a bargain from the last of the winter stock at www.puritystyle.com

* All trousers and jeans are half price or less, People Tree Boyfriend trousers were £59 now £19
* All dresses half price or less People Tree Bora Aksu Drape front Dress was £84 now £39
* All dresses half price or less Bora Aksu Drape front Dress was £84 now £39
* All knitwear is half price or less e.g Giggle Organics Tara Cardigan was £59 now £19
* All Trevarno organic body care now half price

Beautiful clothes shouldn’t cost the earth