Westminster celebrates becoming first Fairtrade diocese

Some of the participants

An online celebration and social was held on Friday to mark Westminster becoming the first Fairtrade diocese. More than 60 representatives from Westminster parishes watched a video message from Cardinal Vincent Nichols. Later guest speakers also praised all those involved, and encouraged parishes not yet signed up to complete the Award.

Bishop Nicholas Hudson, lead bishop for Justice and Peace, opened the gathering with a prayer and offered his own congratulations to all who took part, thanking CAFOD Westminster, Caritas Westminster, the Conference of Religious and Justice & Peace Westminster for their collaboration in promoting Fairtrade principles and arranging the celebration.

In his message, Cardinal Vincent Nichols congratulated the 108 Westminster parishes that have committed to Fairtrade principles and announced that Westminster RC Diocese is now the first Fairtrade Diocese in the country. The Cardinal also invited the remaining parishes in the Diocese to seek to become Fairtrade parishes.

Everyone brought along a Fairtrade product to show in a screenshot photograph to be shared in the media afterwards. Participants were reminded that, with the end of lockdown in sight, now is the perfect time for parishes to check their tea, coffee, sugar and biscuit supplies and stock up with Fairtrade goodies in preparation for permission to serve refreshments after Mass resuming on 12th April!

Invited speakers included Adam Gardner who has worked for The Fairtrade Foundation for more than a decade. He said: "Speaking to Barbara Kentish (former J & P Co-ordinator) and Maria Elena Arana (CAFOD) and others over the years, I've got just a sense of how much hard work and dedication, events, conversation, discussion and prayer, too, has gone on by so many across the parishes and at diocesan level so massive congratulations! There is an African proverb that says, 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.' This has been a true team effort and truly about going far."

Fr Joe Ryan, former Chair of the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission, described his own wake-up call 40 years ago as to where his tea and coffee came from and the origins of the decision to become a Fairtrade Diocese. Every purchase we make here can have a huge impact on others who are producing goods many miles away overseas. "Even a little can mean a lot."

Anne Lamont, a parishioner at St John Vianney's and volunteer in the Justice & Peace Office, told how Fairtrade had become an integral part of the Confirmation programme, which has helped to embed Fairtrade thinking and activity in the Parish. Young people in the Confirmation programme hold an annual Big Brew Weekend with stalls, a raffle and Fairtrade teas, coffees and cakes which they make themselves.

Hilda McCafferty from Our Lady of Fatima, White City, in West London, reminded the meeting of the importance of Fairtrade and sustainability in the fashion industry, which was illustrated in her parish by a Fairtrade Fashion Show, also run by the Confirmation Group.

St Mary's, Hampstead, was represented by Santana Luis who wrote: "Thank you for organising the Fairtrade presentation event and asking me to speak on my journey with the Fairtrade movement for the last 15 years. It has been a great achievement for our Diocese and a wonderful celebration to be part of the World's largest Fairtrade city. We are now leading an example for other boroughs, parishes, deaneries, dioceses and other faith communities in the UK to be part of the Fairtrade movement, especially as this year's themes are focusing on sustainability, circular economy, climate crisis and meeting the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals)."

Among the other parishes who took part were: St Bede's, Croxley Green, Our Lady of Lourdes, Acton, St Joseph's, Bunhill Row, St Marks, Hemel West, Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick Street, Our Lady Immaculate and St Andrew, Hitchin and St Edmund's, Edmonton.

Tony Sheen from CAFOD thanked everyone for their participation, including parishes who have demonstrated their commitment to Fairtrade as part of the Live Simply Award. He encouraged parishes who have not yet started this journey to consider signing up.

The meeting was closed in prayer by the Chair of Westminster Justice & Peace, Fr Dominic Robinson SJ.

Fr Dominic later told ICN: "This is a wonderful moment to celebrate as the Diocese of Westminster and the fruit of so much dedicated work over the years in parishes to promote fair trade products. It was great to see at our online celebration Fairtrade stallholders and supportive parishioners from such a diverse cross section of our parishes. Many thanks are due to them for all their hard work. A very special thanks too must go to Barbara Kentish, Fr Joe Ryan and the Justice and Peace Commission who led on this initiative over many years and the fruits of whose hard work are now shown in this declaration. Hopefully this announcement will be an inspiration to parishes not yet signed up to Fairtrade to consider this as a concrete way to show our Catholic heart for a fairer world free of exploitation of the weakest, a desire which rises out of our common faith in Christ and commitment to spread his Kingdom of justice and peace".

LINKS

Watch the celebration on the Westminster Justice and Peace website: https://westminsterjusticeandpeace.org/

Read more about Fairtrade here: https://cafod.org.uk/Campaign/Fairtrade

Find out how your parish can win a LiveSimply Award: https://cafod.org.uk/Campaign/Livesimply-award