Sam and Rachel Brummitt of Namaste and Jhaindra Ghimire (centre).

This year the Fair Trade wholesaler and retailer, Namaste are celebrating 20 years in business.  On 17th July an event was held at the company’s Skipton head office and show rooms.  Staff, customers, Fair Trade supporters and Namaste well-wishers were all invited.  Guest of honour was the long-standing clothing supplier from Nepal, Jhaindra Ghimire.  Jhaindra is from Sujha Traders and Exports and is a member of Fair Trade Group Nepal.

The Chief Executive of Child Rescue Nepal, Jo Bego also attended and gave a presentation on the work of the charity, which Namaste has supported for over 15 years.  Child Rescue frees children from slavery.  In Nepal there are 100,000 children who are working in extremely hazardous situations and suffer frequent physical and emotional abuse.  The charity works with local police to free children from the workplaces where they are being held captive and then supports those children, where possible reuniting them with their families.

Rachel Brummitt, owner and a company director talked of the history of Namaste:

“Namaste, simply translated as ‘Welcome’ in Nepal, was the result of an inspirational year of travel to Nepal & India.  The idea for the business developed through meeting people making crafts for a living.   We still remember our first products arriving on the farm where we had our first barn warehouse, complete with chickens and wellies.  Development from then on has been organic growth over the years.

Our philosophy is simple, fairly traded products which celebrate the very best of traditional handmade skills.   We offer an extensive range including gifts, home accessories, furnishings, furniture, clothing & accessories, jewellery and incense, fairly traded from the far corners of the world.

Back row from left: Alan Hickman (Fairtrade Skipton), Rachel Brummitt, Marie Hickman (Fairtrade Skipton), Susan Radford (director), Jhaindra Ghimire and Jo Bego. Front: Sam and John Brummitt (directors).

We are a small company with a strong ethical policy based upon the belief that the best way to reduce poverty in the developing world is through trade.  We have helped over 100 producers to grow and develop with us since we started trading 20 years ago.  Namaste is recognised by BAFTS, the British Association of Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers as a Fair Trade importer.”

Following the presentations guests could browse the vast range of Namaste products and help the company celebrate by joining in the feast, which included Nepalese curries and a traditional Yorkshire high tea.

Namaste have a large showroom in Skipton or you can visit them online www.namaste-uk.com.

The fairandfunky Fairtrade Football Fun Day welcomed Primary Schools from across Kirklees to Honley High School for an afternoon of football and Fairtrade focussed games, activities and co-operative learning.

All fairandfunky workshops encourage participants to look at the world around them and empower people of all ages with the knowledge that their actions can make a difference. This event focussed on Fairtrade, and students discovered throughout the event that you can make a difference with Fairtrade even as you play football!

All students were able to recognise the Fairtrade mark and spoke confidently about how

Fairtrade guarantees a fair price is paid to farmers. But how can a football be Fairtrade? It doesn’t grow on a farm?!

“It’s all about the people. That’s why. The Fairtrade mark shows a person, its paying people properly that makes a football Fairtrade.” Student from Wilberlee J&I School

Workshops led by fairandfunky enabled students to meet the people in Pakistan who make Fairtrade footballs for Bala Sports UK. They discovered that over 700 stitches go in to 1 football, and that the balls are stitched by hand, taking 4 hours to make. Students discovered the difference Fairtrade has made to communities; with Fairtrade premiums being invested in water sanitation and free eye tests.

Throughout the event students played football with balls made especially for fairandfunky, in Pakistan. It was very exciting to know exactly where the balls were from, and who made them!

With Nigel from Suma Wholefoods students played a game of ‘Un-fair football’ – the rules kept changing and it was only when the team played co-operatively together could they achieve success. Project Sport taught tricks for successful keepy-uppys and volunteers from Camira Fabrics held a ‘Beat The Banana Goalie’ competition! Successful goal scorers were rewarded with a fruit kebab thanks to Holmfirth Coop.

Children all over the world play football, but not everyone is able to afford to buy their own, so what do they use? They make their own footballs using rubbish! Students had a go at making their own football from plastic bags, newspaper and string. They soon discovered how hard it was, and spent time thinking about how hard people work to make the footballs they’d all been playing with. It’s important that workers are paid fairly, especially when you consider the amount of money generated in playing football. It’s time to play fair.

And that’s what all the schools who took part will be able to do. Thanks to sponsorship from Suma Wholefoods each school will be presented with Fairtrade footballs made especially for them – to play fair, and think fair.

www.fairandfunky.com