On my stall at the URC coffee morning there is a small money box for change.  Last December I was able to send £10 to Traidcraft Exchange.  "Traidcraft" has two parts - Traidcraft plc, which trades fairly traded goods and Traidcraft Exchange, which carries out charitable projects.

There are new projects starting up in Vietnam, Cambodia and India.  One of them is a 2½ year programme looking to increase the economic sustainability of traditional arts and crafts producers in North Central Vietnam.  There is a local partner, FAHA (Hue Fine Arts and Handicrafts Association).

This project includes training 30 small handicraft-producing enterprises in gaining access to markets and the development of products tailored specifically to European markets.  In total, 6,000 people will benefit and be helped out of poverty through trade.

Thank you all for your support of my stall, but also for the small change that can also help to improve lives.

The new Traidcraft catalogue has arrived.  You will be able to see one at the Lent Lunches or at the URC coffee morning on March 4^th, 10.00 am -12 midday.  It is always a problem for me to know what gifts you would like me to buy for you to see.

The workers at Dezign Inc. in Zimbabwe have had a bad time.  There is a project to buy legitimate land on which to build houses for the workers, whose homes were demolished in the government  "clean-up".  I pledged to buy two table runners.  The money for these will go towards the housing.  In the new Catalogue there is a T shirt from Dezign Inc., it is one way that we can help the ordinary people of Zimbabwe.

During Lent I will have a Traidcraft stall at the Friday Lent lunches and, as in previous years, support the Fairtrade Fortnight.  The tea and coffee served at the lunches is always fairtraded and on the two Fridays in Fairtrade Fortnight there will be a change of brand of coffee for you to try.

Jean Wheatley