HAND Up Events is delighted to announce CEO of World Women Trade Fair (WWTF), Margaret Galabe, will be travelling from California to Dundee, to attend the launch of the tenth anniversary of the Scottish & Ethical Christmas Fair next week.
The Dundee Scottish & Ethical Christmas Fair is taking place in the heart of Dundee in City Square from 3-18 December in front of the Caird Hall – from Thursdays to Saturdays.
A lively launch will take place on Monday 5 December in front of the Caird Hall at 1.00pm with the Depute Lord Provost, Councillor Christina Roberts, and special guests, Kathryn Sygrove, from the British Association of Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers (BAFTS), Margaret Galabe CEO of WWTF and founder of Hand Up Events, Tania Pramschufer.
Commenting on her trip, Margaret Galabe, CEO WWTF, said: “I am very proud to be invited to the Ethical Christmas Fair tenth anniversary event, and, as the CEO of the World Women Trade Fair, acknowledge the valuable opportunity the Ethical Christmas Fair provides the World Women Trade Fair artisans since 2009 to sell their crafts and promote their co-operatives, resulting in increased co-operatives’ sales volumes and incomes, while also creating thriving, sustainable rural economies. “
Commenting on the first Dundee Scottish & Ethical Christmas Fair, the RT Honourable Provost, Robert Duncan, said: “I am delighted to see both local and international exhibitors taking part in this unique event; I am looking forward to seeing what will be on offer.
“Dundee really is a special place during the Christmas period and it is great to see that our celebrations are continuing to grow.”
Special guest, Kathryn Sygrove from BAFTS, added: “I am delighted to attend the Dundee Ethical Christmas Fair on its official opening day and to represent my organisation, BAFTS (the British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers).
“This is an unique event bringing together UK and international fair trade and ethical stalls at a time of year when buying from such sources can add an extra dimension to our giving.”
With exhibitors from across Scotland as well as Fair Trade and ethical exhibitors and organisations coming from as far as Zambia, India, Peru and USA – the Dundee Christmas Fair will be filled with beautiful arts and crafts from around the globe – all taking place in a giant decorated marquee providing a warm and welcoming festive atmosphere for shoppers.
There will be around 40 stalls selling everything from home-wares, soaps, candles, toys, wood crafts, ceramics, fashion, jewellery, as well as warming hot food and mulled cider.
At weekends, there will be kids’ activities that will include card making, face painting and surprise visits from ‘Green Santa’ as well as a ‘Green Santa Grotto’ for children of all ages to be a part of an ethical Christmas experience.
Tania Pramschufer, event organiser and founder of Hand Up Events, said: “The support and interest we have had from many organisations and individuals has been tremendous and has given us great impetus to make this an amazing event and we are especially honoured to have Margaret Galabe, CEO of World Women Trade Fair, coming here specially from California for the first few days of the event.
“It really means a lot being invited to Dundee – not only is it the first Fair Trade city in Scotland, it is also our tenth anniversary and we could not wish for a better location for our international exhibitors right in the heart of Dundee.
“We are very excited with the quality of Scottish as well fair trade & ethical products, providing a great festive shopping experience.
“And we would also like to thank Dundee and hope the festive fair will attract shoppers from near and far as they will have a chance to meet our local artisans and producers, as well as international exhibitors who will be travelling from across the world so that we can offer the widest collection of fair, ethical and local trade in the UK – under one festive roof.”
Commenting on the Ethical Christmas Fair coming to Dundee, Clare Fulton, global learning adviser for One World Centre, in Dundee said: “This is an exciting time for Dundee with the ongoing development of the Waterfront Project, the anticipation of the opening of the V&A – and now the expected arrival for the first time of The Ethical Christmas Fair!
“Supporting fair trading, equality, social justice and sustainability, we at the One World Centre are thrilled that people will have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of ethically-sourced products in an appealing, festive setting in our vibrant city and thus make their Christmas shopping extra special this year.”
Convener of Fair Trade Forum, Cllr Richard McCready, said: “I am extremely delighted that the Fair is coming to Dundee.
“It will be a very welcome addition to what is already a great Christmas shopping location. It will be great to offer people the chance of fairly traded and ethical Christmas goods, something that I think we should all think about all year-round, but especially in the run-up to Christmas and have a concern about how the products that we use are produced and the way the people who make the products are treated.”
ENDS
For more event information and photos:
Tania Pramschufer, event organisers at Hand Up Events; tania@handupevents.co.uk www.handupevents.co.uk 07914 254 334. Our twitter handle is @handupevents and we hope you can join us on twitter for both events.
For further press information contact:
Fiona Stewart, PR Consultant, Interwoven PR
E: fiona@interwovenpr.com M: +44 (0)7940560453
Notes to editors:
Hand Up Events is an Edinburgh-based events company that focuses on a positive social impact to everyone involved. Social responsibility means trying to ensure everyone benefits, from our suppliers, our exhibitors, our customers and that our ethos remains at the fore of whatever we do.
We particularly aim to support people through trade, not aid. We are connected with international exhibitors across the globe and seek to continue developing these lifelong relationships.
This year, Hand Up Events has run Fairtrade & Ethical on the Fringe; Castle Street Summer Fair and at Princes Mall too.
2017 will see an exciting line-up of events for Hand Up Events.
World Women Trade Fair Emerging Markets Women Artisan Entrepreneurship Development and access to Export Market Opportunities.
The World Women Trade Fair empowers women through trade. The World Women Trade Fair works to implement sustainable women economic solutions that emphasise the craft industry, enhance opportunities in the export marketplace, and develop export strategies for women artisan entrepreneurs to access export market opportunities through its Global Market Access Initiative.
The Global Market Access Initiative uses activities such as trade fairs, trade missions, skills training, advocacy and builds strategic partnerships with networks of women businesses and organisations, government agencies, universities, buyers, and trade organisers.
The aim is to effectively leverage shared strength with the goals of ultimately reducing trade barriers associated with accessing export market opportunities.
Because of our work, women crafts co-operatives from various countries in Asia, Central Europe, Africa , Central and South America have been trained in export marketable skills , and are not only accessing global markets, but they are also sustaining their global growth and contributing in community development projects in their local villages.
Some back stories from our international exhibitors
Elaine Lowe from Blue Llama is attending for the first year from Peru, working with small, family run workshops, thus ensuring Fairtrade standards are met, and at the same time empowering these artisans and their families. Creating sustainable, ethical, beautiful textiles. Their objective is to combine natural materials, such as alpaca, wool, and cotton, using traditional artisan techniques along with creative, contemporary design.
Dorostel International represented by Dorothy Taro, from Kenya, who has been attending since 2009 with hand-crafted woven baskets, original artworks, traditional soap stone animals and bags. Profits and products supporting women within her community who have lost children through HIV.
Sanyo Crafts, represented by Sarah Ngechu, also from Kenya, a university lecturer who gained her qualifications at Napier many years ago. Sarah provides food and education for 14 children she has adopted but runs a daily rota for them to sleep with locals as her own two-bedroom home not big enough.
However, since she has been coming to our events since 2008, some of the income from sales of her products has bought a piece of land back and now she has set her heart on raising more funds to build a warm home for all of them, brick by brick. Sarah brings with her arts and crafts made from sand stone, soap stone, bone, wood, and clay.
Chipo Mutena Mdaitzaida travels from Zambia. Recently, she has gained recognition for her work and promoting Zambia in Edinburgh by the Zambian president as well high commissioner. She sources hand painted batiks, hand-woven shawls and scarfs and many other traditionally hand-crafted gifts that are mostly sourced from co-operatives support women out of poverty through trade.
ENDS
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