CAMBRIDGE WORLD DEVELOPMENT GROUP
Cambridge WDM www.cambridgewdm.org.uk
MINUTES For 15 November 2005 at Pat’s.
Thanks to Pat for her Hospitality.
PRESENT: Beth C (Chair), Aidan B, Clare B, , Raju R, Pat S, Sue W and special welcome to Jenny Auton who came to tell us about her group Speak
APOLOGIES : Eva G, Bernard S, Tom H, Janet G, Ray G, Frank F, Fabiola B, Rachel N, Dorothy R, Sheila B, Martin H, Paul C
1. MINUTES FROM MEETING 19 Oct 2005 approved as a correct record.
2. Matters Arising
a) Campaign Convention
Raju, Aidan & Clare to attend WDM Campaign Convention on 27 Nov in University of London.
b) Fairtrade Guide to Cambridge Updated Version
Sue has started to apply for a Cambridge City Council Sustainable City Grant to do an update next year on the Fairtrade Guide. Sue asked members to help again researching where shops and cafes sell Fairtrade produce, drinks etc as last time and all agreed to contribute.
c) Campaign Leaflet
Aidan has sent text to HQ and is to ascertain with WDM HQ that they can help us fund our campaign leaflet after Sue applied for £150 from a WDM grant for this. Raju to ask Erica Berzaghi and the Trade Justice Group at APU/ARU if they can help.
d) Make Poverty History (MPH) Event 29 Oct
This event featuring unfair games to hightlight trade justice issues on Christ’s Pieces had been a great success especially in attracting young people. Raju proved he had real talent for this. Our contribution as WDM appreciated by the coalition of groups putting on the event. 250 Trade Justice cards filled in and a white banner also filled with names of supporters all of which were handed over to David Howarth at Westminster during the Mass Lobby of Parliament.
3. Mass Lobby of Parliament 2 November
Aidan, Clare, Sue, Tom, Paul, Raju, Mike, Shilpa, Paul, Bernard and Jenny of Speak plus others from Cambridge went to lobby David Howarth MP at the Mass Lobby of Westminster for Trade Justice on Wednesday 2 November. See notes on this meeting circulated separately. It was a constructive meeeting with in depth discussion. See www.theyworkforyou.com for details on questions asked by all MPs.
Sue had sent 2 press releases about this mass Lobby but there had been no media response.
4. Mark Thomas Show Sunday 23 Oct
Comedian Mark Thomas not only agreed for CWDM to leaflet his audience at the show at the Arts theatre 23 October but due to non-show of his own staff asked us to sell his merchandise for him too in return for a £50 donation to CWDM. So hundreds of leaflets were distributed within the theatre, many people lobbied, a great success scored and we are £50 better off. Several potential new members left names and contact details for CWDM and Mark T gave WDM a plug during his performance. Well done Aidan for arranging this. Is there another suitable show we can ask to contribute to?
5. Famine in Malawi
For more see CWDM Member Mike Brady’s blog at http://friendsinmalawi.blogspot.com/ for details.
6. Labour Behind the Label
No more news about our being asked to support this ethical procurement campaign in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to get local councils to purchase the ethical alternative where Fairtrade options are not available.
7. Speaker meeting in Water Campaign ‘06
Aidan to check we are on WDM HQ’s list to have one of their speakers when we host a speaker meeting on the Dirty Aid Dirty Water campaign in early ’06 . Jenny and Raju pointed out that Clare College would make a good venue for this and we could ask David Howarth who is still a fellow there to speak at it too.
8. Jenny Auton and Speak
Speak is a student Christian group campaigning against injustice. Their big event next year will be 15 – 18 June on Christ’s Pieces featuring The World’s Biggest Dress, a massive dress/marquee which people sign to show their support declaring Trade Justice demands. This will have a Schools Day Friday, Open day with mass Moment Saturday, Church services Sunday. Rich World/ Poor World dinner plus dance inviting MPs and MEPs. Speak’s present campaign centres on the Company Law Reform Bill coming up soon in Parliament. Want it to incorporate obligation to report on environmental and social issues and offer the right to redress. For details see
www.cam.ac.uk/societies/speak and www.speak.org.uk
Beth invited Jenny to come back next year before their big event in June to brief us nearer the time.
9. CWDM Christmas Party – BRING AND SHARE – Goodbye to Frank
To be held at Beth’s on Wed 21 December 7.45pm with business completed by 8.30pm so we can party from then. Please bring a dish of food and a bottle so all can share. Beth to invite previous WDM activists so it will be a kind of reunion too, especially as this will be our thanks and farewell to Frank too.
10. Next meetings at 7.45pm -
21 Dec at Beth’s 8 Railway Street Cherry Hinton – Christmas party
2006 Meetings on the third Wednesday of each month starting at 7.45pm:
18 January Ray’s
15 February Raju’s
15 March Sue’s
19 April Pat’s
17 May Aidan & Clare’s
21 June Beth’s
19 July Sue’s or a.o.p.