23rd of September, 2024
St Andrews Fairtrade Town Campaign Group
23rd September 2024
Present PR, AC, MP, PM, AM, MR, EP, LG
Apologies HB
Welcome and introductions
· We welcomed Eliza Patton, this year’s Sustainability Coordinator, and we look forward to working with her this year.
Matters arising from minutes 15.07.24
· We agreed to the mission statement drafted by MR, to be displayed on the noticeboard.
AGM election of office bearers
PM proposed that all four office bearers, being willing to serve, be re-elected. This was seconded by MR.
Chair PR
Vicechair MP
Treasurer AM
Secretary AC
Financial report
· The treasurer presented the accounts for the year ending 23rd September 2024.
Carried forward from 2023
£4002.68
Income nil
Expenditure £1,582.95
Surplus £2,419.73
· Anticipated future expenditure: donation to the Men’s Shed for erecting the noticeboard; cost of printing/scanning/reproducing the publicity material to go on the board.
Updating the website
· Work in progress. MP to complete the updating process before the noticeboard goes up.
ACTION MP
Noticeboard
· No further progress because the scaffolding is still in place.
· Decision to be made as to how much to donate to the Men’s Shed.
· We plan to publicise the noticeboard in the St Andrews Citizen with an article and photo. The photo to include, if possible: PR, EP, representatives from the R&A, the Men’s Shed, Fife Council and the Community Council, and the competition winner/s.
Schools poster competition
· Reminders were sent to schools at the beginning of the school year. MP to contact St Leonards teacher to see if her Year 5 pupils are taking part. ACTION MP
· EP and LG will see if a student competition is possible around Green Week in February.
ACTION EP/LG
Fairtrade Fortnight and producer’s talk
· Malawian rice farmer Howard Msukwa spoke to an audience of over 40 in St Leonards Church Hall on 20thSeptember. Afterwards audience members tasted True Origin and other fair trade products, which they could then buy at the stall. We thanked MP for all the work she did to make this happen.
· Howard made an appeal to support a student named Clement through university. MP to find out more about Clement so that the St Leonards Church congregation can perhaps take this up.
· It was also decided to go ahead with collecting secondhand spectacles to send to Malawi (where in Malawi?). MP to contact Bananabox. MR/PR to contact Govans. EP to create graphic including QR code linked to our website to go on collection boxes in opticians.
ACTION MP/MR/PR/EP
· Our banners were displayed at Morrisons and St Leonards Church.
· Our flag was flown on the Town Hall.
Scottish Fair Trade - Paisley conference
· This was a sellout event. MP attended. It included a visit to the True Origin offices and a celebration to mark Martin Rhodes leaving to become an MP.
University update
· EP is building her connections with Residential and Business Services.
· The University received Silver Fairtrade certification in July.
· EP is working towards the next round, promoting the certification award in news on social media.
· We asked if some of us could be invited to attend Steering Group meetings.
· Now that Fairtrade Fortnight is in September, we discussed the idea of using Green Week in February as an opportunity for an annual joint event.
· LG reported on the Fairtrade Student committee action last year. She will liaise with EP on the group’s activity. ACTION LG
True Origin
· MP gave us an update on the company’s situation. Howard Msukwa’s visit to the UK went very well.
AOB
· Next year sees our 20th anniversary as a Fairtrade Town. We will discuss plans to celebrate and promote this at our next meeting.
Date and venue of next meeting
· Tuesday December 3rd at 3 St Leonards Road.