Month: February 2020

For two weeks each year thousands of individuals, companies and groups across the UK come together to share the stories of the people who grow our food and drinks and who grow the cotton in our clothes, people who are often exploited and underpaid.

What happened for Fairtrade Fortnight 2019?

Fairtrade Fortnight in 2019 focused on the people – in particular the women – who grow the cocoa in our chocolate. £1.86* is the amount a cocoa farmer in West Africa needs to earn each day in order to achieve a living income. Currently, a typical cocoa farmer in Cote d’Ivoire lives on around 74p** a day. Almost all cocoa farmers in West Africa live in poverty.  

For the women the situation is even worse. They may plant and harvest on the farm, look after children, carry water, collect wood, cook and clean for the family, and transport the cocoa beans to market but often with fewer rights than men.

This is why we at Fairtrade are campaigning for a living income to become a reality for cocoa farmers in West Africa. If we can work together with governments, chocolate companies and retailers to make the commitments and policies necessary, then we can make it happen. 

We made a huge noise in 2019 with 4000 campaigner events reaching 1 million people, 10,000 new supporters joining us on our journey, and businesses and MPs making their voices heard on the issues of living incomes. On 7 August 2019, Ivorian Independence Day, Fairtrade campaigners joined Fairtrade Foundation staff at 10 Downing Street to hand in a petition with more than 50,000 signatures calling for Boris Johnson to back cocoa farmers fighting for a fairer deal through UK-funded aid projects, business and human rights legislation, and joining international efforts that unite governments, chocolate companies and civil society to achieve living incomes.

_{*WIP estimation based on the Living Income Community of Practice}

_{**This is the estimated daily income per household member based on a typical cocoa farming household}

There’s a link here to Fairtrade Fortnight’s website  https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/en/get-involved/current-campaigns/Fairtrade-Fortnight

We are hosting a Night Shelter for homeless people here at MBC from Monday April 27th to Monday May 4th. We are looking for volunteers in a variety of roles from across the whole church. Our team will be coordinated by Hilary Darling, Hilary Brockway and Ben Powell.

To find out more or to volunteer please speak to one of the above or ask Graham or Shona for their contact details.

Our next Church Meeting has been moved to Sunday 15th March to allow as many people as possible to take part.

The meeting will take place at the end of a shortened second Service.

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Sunday mornings follow a similar pattern every week, except on the third Sunday of the month when everyone is invited to breakfast at 9.30am and the service at 10.45 which is a communion service.

Beacon Café: for all the community, Mondays 10am to 12pm

Oasis Café: Tuesdays 9.15am to 11.45am

Seniors Lunch Club: Wednesdays 10.30am to 2pm

Moortots: Thursdays 9.45am to 11.30am

Bible Study: Fridays 9.30am to 11am an open discussion and prayer on the bible passage from the previous Sunday

Home Groups: our Home Groups meet at various times in different locations. Check with the office or speak to Graham or Shona to find one near you

Church Office: Kate Slater – 0113 2693750 moortown.baptist@btconnect.com

For a visit: Graham Brownlee 07979 343857, Shona Shaw 07735 458661

To volunteer in church or a group contact the church office

To find out more about our youth programme: James Wilde 07867 387003

To find out more about children’s, toddlers & families groups: Shelley Dring 0113 2693750

To find out more about our seniors work: Carole Smith 0113 2693750