Swapping’s only fair for Angela

Angela Feaviour is no stranger to swapping her shopping. In fact, she’s bursting with tips for first-time Fairtrade shoppers: ‘just look for the FAIRTRADE Mark!’ Armed with that slogan, anyone can start to make a difference.

Angela is part of the Fairtrade steering group in her home town of Leighton Linslade, Bedfordshire. Since swapping in January 2006, thousands of people in her area have been swapping their shopping to Fairtrade, helped by local businesses, shops, schools and churches stocking Fairtrade.

For Angela, Fairtrade is about supporting others in a practical way. She says ‘It’s about fair play. My husband and I have worked all of our lives we have always been paid fairly. Farmers who work hard have the right to be fairly paid too. It’s not about charity; Fairtrade is giving people a hand-up, not a hand-out.’

Getting involved in Fairtrade in her community has given Angela the chance to tackle problems she feels are important. ‘There are lots of women involved in Fairtrade, like cocoa farmers, and that is really important to me. Fairtrade is an empowerment tool for women. It gives them a voice and a vote in democratic systems like farming co- operatives.’