Newsletter February 2014

Facebook

FareShares celebrates the 10th anniversary of Facebook by starting our own page! Like us at FB/FaresharesCoOp

We also plan to improve fareshares.org.uk with more frequently updated content. In particular we’re keen to collect FareShares users’ vegan recipes. Send us your favourites!

New Types o’ Tofu

Changes to tofu prices mean that FareShares ‘fridge now offers new varieties of plain & smoked tofu from Oasis, Cauldron & Clear Spot and hazelnut tofu from Viana that you just have to try. Please let us know what you think!

The Mooncup

Designed by women and made in the UK by a multi-award winning ethical business, the Mooncup is the original silicone menstrual cup. Safer, greener and cheaper than the conventional alternatives, Mooncup offers an end to the waste, discomfort and expense of disposable sanitary protection.

These issues are explored rhythmically in the Tampon vs. Mooncup Rap Battle

One woman uses up to 22 items of sanitary protection every period, but regardless of your flow, you will only need one Mooncup and FareShares will be happy to sell you one for only £13 (in other shops they’ll cost up to £25!). With proper care, it will last up to 10 years, making Mooncup the most economical sanitary product you can buy!

Fartrade Fortnight 24 February – 9 March 2014

banana-suitThis year’s Fairtrade Fortnight is going bananas! Foncho a banana farmer from Cienaga in Colombia is coming to the UK on a mission to transform the banana industry so that all banana farmers and workers get a  fair deal.

We all must act now to make bananas fair! Your kids can get involved with free campaign stickers & whatnot, or you might want to demonstrate true commitment, while showing what a fun guy you truly are, by investing thirty quid in this sturdy Fairtrade banana suit. Please consider dressing as a Fairtrade banana for the whole fortnight.

Suma

In these times of Governmental austerity, the UK’s 500 worker co-operatives now enjoy a combined annual turnover of £10bn. Suma, established in 1977, is now the UK’s largest independent wholefoods distributor. As a business run on ethical lines that places as much emphasis on people and the planet as upon profit, Suma is an inspiration and, as such, was recently profiled in The Independent.

Suma purveys a range of over 6,000 of the best ethical, fairtrade, organic and natural products. FareShares can’t possibly stock them all, but we’ll happily order anything you want for delivery the following week, charging only the tiniest mark-up to cover our overheads. Peruse Suma’s online wholesale catalogue and make a careful note of the product code of any item you wish to order before coming into the shop (where we have a paper catalogue, if you prefer) to place your order.

Volunteer!

Ask not what FareShares can do for you, but how can you contribute to running the project? FareShares depends on people like you who donate their time to work in the shop, or behind the scenes. You might get involved by pledging to a regular two-hour shift, f’rinstance, or helping to re-stock the shelves on Wednesdays. In return, you’ll get the warm ‘n’ fuzzy feeling of doing something altruistic that will also look good on your CV, plus the opportunity to buy fresh veg. ahead of Thursdays’ ravening hordes. To volunteer, please speak to a shift worker in the shop and leave your details in the day book.