The History,  Present  &  Future  of the Just Traid Centre

THE PAST

                          FAIR TRADE SHOP AND CAFE HISTORY

Just Traid has its roots in the Christian principles of Justice and Peace. There can be no Peace in the world unless there is Justice for all.

In 1996 Kathleen Fleming, who felt these principles were very important especially concerning the injustices of trade with Developing Countries, started to sell Fair traded goods from her home and from her Church.

She involved many Churches in her work and in 1998 she was offered premises at the St John’ s Centre, St John’ s Street, in Bury St Edmunds which enabled her with the help of volunteers, volunteers from all the Churches and some who help through their deep social conscience for Fair Trade, to open a Shop which sold Fair Traded goods 2 mornings a week.

The project is about people not things and turn over is more important than profit because our main aim is to provide work for people who are destitute. We give money annually to projects which train or set up work enterprises in Developing Countries.

A Charity has been formed which will own Just Traid. This Charity encompasses the ideals of Justice in Trade and will also be promoting Community Educational, Artistic and Recreational projects in the    St John’ s Centre.

All our suppliers must provide evidence that they are trading fairly and we require a Fair Trade Charter from them before we will deal with them..

Our Cafe serves Home made cakes and light lunches, all the ingredients are, where possible, fair traded or from suppliers with a concern for the environment

We offer talks on Fair Trade to groups and exhibit and sell goods at various events.

THE FUTURE

Due to the increase in the support of the public for Fair Trade we are becoming very busy and now have a problem of a lack of space which is becoming acute.

The St John’ s Centre Trustees who own the building have plans to alter it so as to produce more space for the work of BECT and Just Traid but the building is in a very poor state of repair (the roof leaks badly) and they have been advised that it will cost £500,000 to carry out this work. This is of great concern.

Also with the increase of the support from the public we have a need for more volunteers who have keen interest in our work.

Just Traid is now in need of professional help both full time and part time and so must expand to meet this expense.

We hope to expand and have stalls at local farmers markets.

We in conjunction with Churches Together are aiming to make Bury St Edmunds a Fair Trade Town.