Bethesda Methodist Church - Eco-Congregation

As one of its Eco-Congregation Programme commitments, Bethesda has opened its own Traidgreen Stall in the hall alongside coffee & tea after church. Several folk have already offered to take a turn in manning the stall; if you haven't, but would like to, please let me know. In addition to a selection of Traidcraft goods which will include many of the products listed above, it offers excellent quality recycled paper (several Bethesda folk use it already) and energy-efficient light bulbs - two items which help to reduce our impact on the environment.

A wider range of goods can be ordered from the catalogues on display and the Green Team welcome suggestions for other suitable products in the future. Many of the items cost no more than comparative products elsewhere; a few are sourced at trade prices and are cheaper than the supermarket. Some may be a little more expensive but you will know that buying them will help underprivileged producers in poor countries.

As a registered "FairTrader" Bethesda gets a discount for bulk purchases and the Traidgreen Stall produces a "profit" of around 10% that will eventually benefit worthy causes such as the AIDs Orphans Project in Malawi and the school in China. We welcome your support.

Today international trade is a highly competitive business: profit is the name of the game. The way many multi-national corporations operate often threatens the livelihoods of millions of small scale producers, forcing some into crippling debt and countless others to lose their land and their homes; it frequently causes major environmental damage. Fair Trade is an alternative approach committed to sustainable development and organising better deals for marginalised and disadvantaged producers.
The Fairtrade Foundation (www.fairtrade.org.uk) is an umbrella organisation set up by CAFOD, Christian Aid, New Consumer, Oxfam, Traidcraft and the World Development Movement and, more recently, Britain's largest women's organisation - the Women's Institute.

News update: After its third year of fair-trading (end of January 2006) Bethesda has turned over over £9000.

Protect the environment
buy an energy efficient light bulb!

Save money and protect the environment by reducing global warming. Replace one ordinary bulb with an energy-saving light bulb which uses 80% less electricity and last 8 times as long. Using just one energy saving light bulb could save you £8 a year. We also have low-energy lamps to give away (yes - give away!) to anyone on any kind of income support, tax credit or disability allowance. Contact us for further information . . .

We can supply a whole range of energy-efficient light bulbs
on the Bethesda Traidgreen stall