The beginning of last week saw Kathryn, BAFTS’ Marketing and
Membership Coordinator, head off to Spring Fair at the NEC Birmingham with
Board member and Manager of Gateway World Shop, Hazel Dobson, to spend two full
days briefly meeting most of the other Board members, then catching up with as
many BAFTS’ suppliers as possible. It was also an opportunity for Hazel to
place orders in situ, and for Kathryn to visit several potential new members.
The exhibition space was as vast as people had indicated: so
many halls packed with row upon row of white stands, which took on a
disorientating similarity after several hours. We worked out the best approach
hall-wise and went round, speaking to members, taking photographs, asking how
things were going, and I was amazed at the sheer diversity of products on
offer. I was equally impressed by the huge amount of passion which our
suppliers put into their businesses. It was the first time I had met many of
them in the 11 months since I joined BAFTS; some I had already had a chance to
speak to at Harrogate in July, but one day had not been enough time to see
everyone then.
One question which cropped up with one or two potential new
members was the issue of some of their products coming from China. One of these
suppliers had previously applied for membership of BAFTS several years ago, not
quite fulfilled the criteria, and believed this aspect had probably had something
to do with it. Certainly, this whole topic is one which requires further
investigation, if fair trading practises are ever to take a serious hold there.
Whilst China used to be linked with cheap labour, it has become an economic
super-power over the last few years, and knows that the world is watching its
progress.
A second topic which saddened me a little was the feeling by
some seemingly very committed fair trade businesses who do not wish to join
BAFTS, that “fair trade” is being watered down too much into “ethical trade”
and moving away from one of its grassroots aims of seeking out marginalised,
disadvantaged and impoverished producers; an environment to which they do not
want to belong. It was necessary to hear that sentiment, in order to understand
where some fair trade businesses are coming from, but working out how to bridge
that gap will take some serious thought.
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