So it's August bank holiday weekend, the point in the year when, on some subconscious level, summer starts to feel like it's over. The new academic year looms and, for the first time since 2004, that new beginning impacts me personally. I'm excited! And utterly terrified!
But that excitement goes beyond the prospect of studying for the first time in ten years. Life more generally feels significantly positive now than it has done at pretty much any time in the last five years. There have been great moments and even some good phases in that time, but this feels quantifiably different, and I'm really very grateful for that.
The amount of reading I've already done in preparation for my course indicates just how ready I am for the new challenge of a Masters. My brain feels like it's starting to shake off the disturbingly marshmallow-like quality it had back in the spring and I'm ready to get started!
Work is going well. I've taken on more responsibility at Just Fair Trade and I feel like I'm using my skills in a far more strategic way than I have done for some time. I'm fortunate enough to work with some excellent colleagues who challenge, stretch and encourage me. As a team we've created a sense of momentum that's been sorely lacking in recent months, maybe even years. We're developing links and building networks, physical and virtual, local, national and international, which is giving us a new perspective and understanding of what we're trying to do.
And I'm part of a family that's growing and developing all the time, exploring new things, grabbing amazing opportunities with both hands. Technology keeps me connected in genuinely meaningful ways with people I rarely, if ever, see.
So. As one phase draws to a close and another appears on the horizon, I'm prepared to stick my neck out and say that life is good.
Showing posts with label fair trade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fair trade. Show all posts
Friday, August 22, 2014
Tuesday, February 04, 2014
Is it better to give than to receive?
So here's some train of thought about hospitality...It won't surprise you to know that I've been thinking a lot about food recently. But over the last couple of days I've been reflecting a bit more on hospitality rather than just the production of a meal. On Sunday evening I had a few friends over for dinner - nothing fancy and certainly not too much work, not least because this is a group which has a 'what can I bring?' approach built in. So I made a stew - chicken, chorizo and butternut squash - and served it with (fair trade) rice and (fair trade) green beans. Wine and pudding (ice cream and (homemade) crème caramel) arrived courtesy of my guests.
I'll be honest, I don't always find 'entertaining' all that easy. That's partly because I want to do a good job with the food and partly because the social dimension has a habit of tapping into lots of my little insecurities. And at this point in my life, when I'm reliant on the hospitality of others, the concept of inviting others into your home takes on a slightly different dimension. But Sunday night was a lot of fun, not least, I think, because over the last four weeks the idea of cooking for others has become a lot less scary. The conversation was easy and varied and there was a lot of laughter.
Today at work I spent a lot of time with one of our regular volunteers, a lady in her early fifties with learning difficulties. She lives with her carer but is being encouraged to consider independent living and as part of her preparation she's just begun a basic cookery course. So today I asked her to help me with some prep for lunch at the Centre. We chopped onions, carrots and peppers for a basic mince sauce for pasta and at the end she told me how much she'd enjoyed just having a go.
Clearly the primary reason for her cookery course is so she's equipped to live independently, which is a brilliant aim in itself (provided she's also given all the other support she'll need in order for that to be successful). But it got me thinking about the relationship between giving and receiving hospitality. If she can learn to cook and run her own household, she can also - in theory - extend hospitality to others. Is that significant? Is there something particularly empowering (I realise that can be a loaded word) about being able to invite others into your life, rather than just being on the receiving end of the generosity of others? Does the possibility of offering hospitality also enable individuals to take more control over building community?
Instinctively I think the answer to those questions is yes, but I haven't really thought it through - what do you think? And if it turns out that we agree that the answer is yes, what are the implications of that?
Tuesday, January 07, 2014
Collecting my thoughts
In some ways this has been an uneventful year, in others it’s been as much of a rollercoaster as the preceding three or four! So simple lists of things that have stayed the same and things that have changed will largely suffice.
I’m still…
-
Living in Leicester
- Working at Just, The Fair Trade Shop, a job I enjoy and which is teaching me lots about lots of things – what I’m good at, what I’m not good at, leadership, management, social enterprise etc.
- Involved in church-type things although roles (and, indeed, church attendance) are evolving.
I have…
- Moved twice this year – initially in with my brother-in-law’s sister and then to another vicarage occupied by a single lady clergyperson. I’m hoping not to move again for at least a whole year…
- A second part-time job which starts after Christmas, primarily cooking for a drop-in for vulnerable adults, but hopefully with the scope to develop new areas of working particularly using my growing passion for baking…
- Learned to make bread! With my own hands, not a bread-maker! Simple pleasures!
- Rediscovered knitting in a big way.
- Been on a silent retreat – not as silent as I’d anticipated! A great way to take some time out and reflect on all sorts of stuff.
- Made a wedding cake for a friend. One of the scariest experiences of my life. But said friend then commissioned me to make a 40th birthday cake for another friend, so it can’t have been too disastrous…
- Put on hold my exploration of ordained ministry for now. But watch this space… Not literally. That would be really dull.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Birmingham, Brick Lane, Brighton
It's six weeks since I last blogged. On the one hand, not a lot has happened in that time; on the other, I've had some interesting conversations, discovered some new organisations and initiatives and even had a meeting at the seaside!
Not a lot has happened in the sense that my circumstances remain as they were six weeks ago - still working five days a fortnight, still living on the generosity of friends and family. But on the back of that last blog post I emailed a whole list of people who I know to be interesting and who have fingers in interesting pies and asked them to tell me about the interesting things that they know about. This was largely in an attempt to put into action point 6 of my options list from last time:
And in amongst those new encounters I got to exchange emails and share coffee with affirming and encouraging people, the value of which really can't be over-estimated. But the reality is that none of this has offered any kind of solution to the very practical challenges of earning a living, which brings me to option 5 from last time:
I'll be honest - I'm at the point at the moment where it doesn't take much for any crumb of enthusiasm I have for, well, quite a lot of things to dissolve into the ether but then I read articles like this, tell myself to get a grip and try really hard to count my blessings, of which there are many. But if you are of a praying disposition I'd appreciate you chucking a couple up for me. When I was on my year out, my insightful but not entirely pastorally sensitive church leaders regularly told me when faced with challenging circumstances that I'd look back and realise what I'd learnt. They were, of course, absolutely right.
Not a lot has happened in the sense that my circumstances remain as they were six weeks ago - still working five days a fortnight, still living on the generosity of friends and family. But on the back of that last blog post I emailed a whole list of people who I know to be interesting and who have fingers in interesting pies and asked them to tell me about the interesting things that they know about. This was largely in an attempt to put into action point 6 of my options list from last time:
Seeing if there are any community initiatives / churches who are looking to develop projects around baking - a café, community bakery etc - who I could team up with to shape some kind of social enterprise.The result was as interesting as I'd hoped. I discovered Devenishgirl Bakery, a baking social enterprise in Birmingham; I visited Kahaila, café church in the middle of east London's Brick Lane; I found out more about Florence Road Market, hosted by One Church Brighton in, er, Brighton; I met up with sourdough baker Jessica Edmonds of Leicester Born and Bread who has, rather marvellously, offered to give me some of her sourdough starter free and gratis; I heard about London Reclaimed, a recycled furniture social enterprise in Peckham; I was introduced to Flavour Gateway in Tower Hamlets. I've heard about churches being challenged about social enterprise as a way of responding to changes in the way they're funded and how they serve their communities, about the importance of sharing food together as the people of God. And I've discovered a whole load of new blogs and small businesses doing lovely things in lovely ways with lovely people.
And in amongst those new encounters I got to exchange emails and share coffee with affirming and encouraging people, the value of which really can't be over-estimated. But the reality is that none of this has offered any kind of solution to the very practical challenges of earning a living, which brings me to option 5 from last time:
Starting my own business. I've been doing a lot of baking recently and have realised that I really enjoy it and, it appears, I'm moderately good at it. However, this requires a kitchen which I don't have.The more I explore this, the more hoops I become aware of. But now's a good time to start thinking about Christmas (wait, come back, let me finish!!) and given that I've already tested the market for fair trade mince pies I'm giving serious thought to finding some kitchen space to rent one day a week in September, October and November, focusing on Christmas cakes and mince pies and seeing what transpires. I've been in touch with a few local churches to find out about renting kitchen space, and on Thursday I'll get my Christmas baking thinking cap on and wait for inspiration to strike.
I'll be honest - I'm at the point at the moment where it doesn't take much for any crumb of enthusiasm I have for, well, quite a lot of things to dissolve into the ether but then I read articles like this, tell myself to get a grip and try really hard to count my blessings, of which there are many. But if you are of a praying disposition I'd appreciate you chucking a couple up for me. When I was on my year out, my insightful but not entirely pastorally sensitive church leaders regularly told me when faced with challenging circumstances that I'd look back and realise what I'd learnt. They were, of course, absolutely right.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Only fair
I didn't feel I could really let the Dhaka factory collapse pass without a blog post. I don't really want to focus on the horrific event itself as there are plenty of places you can read about it - pick the news outlet of your choice. I'm not even that concerned about raising the issue of how our own - my own - shopping habits have, directly or indirectly, contributed to this disaster. Again, there are plenty of places reporting on how British retailers are implicated in the systemic failings of the Bangladeshi garment industry.
Nomads...
...have recently made a return to Just after a few years in the, er, 'festival wear' wilderness! They've been producing fairly traded clothing for over twenty years and they have a great range of summer dresses in a variety of styles, from boho to vintage to more contemporary shapes, along with accessories - they even sell tights!
Trusty Traidcraft are one of our biggest suppliers - we rely on them for items as diverse as chocolate, terracotta garden planters and children's toys! They also sell a small but very popular range of women's tunic tops as well as scarves and jewellery. One of the great things about the Traidcraft catalogue is that it contains producer stories which give a great insight into the very real difference your shopping makes to the life of someone you'll never meet.
There are three important things to remember when you're searching out fair trade clothes. The first is that like with any other clothes shop there will be some 'labels' you like and others that you don't - just because the first place you look doesn't take your fancy don't write off the whole industry! These are just three suppliers I know about - there are loads more out there.
The second is that with the exception of fair trade cotton you won't find fair trade clothes marked with the fair trade logo - there's a perfectly sensible reason for this but I'll be honest, I can never remember what it is! So keep your eyes open for BAFTS (the British Association for Fair Trade Shops) or Ethical Fashion Forum affiliation instead.
And the final thing is price. The first time you pick up a fairly traded item of clothing the price can be a bit of a shock. But you need to bear in mind that the producers are being paid what they deserve, their communities are benefiting from significant infrastructure investment and they have secure trading relationships. Plus, most fair trade clothing suppliers don't have the economy of scale of the big supermarkets and department stores. But let's face it - we all have more clothes than we need. Why not choose to spend a bit more on one item of really well-made clothing that will last instead of spending the same amount on several poorly-made items, some of which you'll never wear?
I'll be honest - I don't have this one sorted. But it's time we realised that the clothing industry as we know it is exploitative and unsustainable, and that we have the power to make a difference.
Instead, I thought I'd plug a few of the fair trade clothing suppliers that we stock at Just Fair Trade since most of them are not companies I'd heard of before I started working in the shop. I'd like to think that even those of us that have a tendency to be a bit head-in-the-sand over where our clothes come from have been prompted (forced?) to engage with the issue in the last week, and it can be tricky to know where to start with looking for other options. But places like Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury's have fair trade cotton t-shirts - I'd suggest they'd be easy wins if you want somewhere to get started.
...have supplied Just for the last few years. They're all about ethical and sustainable fashion and their bamboo socks are one of Just's biggest and most consistent sellers! Unusually, Braintree have a men's clothing range alongside their women's range, and they also sell a whole variety of accessories including hats, scarves and bags.
...have recently made a return to Just after a few years in the, er, 'festival wear' wilderness! They've been producing fairly traded clothing for over twenty years and they have a great range of summer dresses in a variety of styles, from boho to vintage to more contemporary shapes, along with accessories - they even sell tights!
Trusty Traidcraft are one of our biggest suppliers - we rely on them for items as diverse as chocolate, terracotta garden planters and children's toys! They also sell a small but very popular range of women's tunic tops as well as scarves and jewellery. One of the great things about the Traidcraft catalogue is that it contains producer stories which give a great insight into the very real difference your shopping makes to the life of someone you'll never meet.
There are three important things to remember when you're searching out fair trade clothes. The first is that like with any other clothes shop there will be some 'labels' you like and others that you don't - just because the first place you look doesn't take your fancy don't write off the whole industry! These are just three suppliers I know about - there are loads more out there.
And the final thing is price. The first time you pick up a fairly traded item of clothing the price can be a bit of a shock. But you need to bear in mind that the producers are being paid what they deserve, their communities are benefiting from significant infrastructure investment and they have secure trading relationships. Plus, most fair trade clothing suppliers don't have the economy of scale of the big supermarkets and department stores. But let's face it - we all have more clothes than we need. Why not choose to spend a bit more on one item of really well-made clothing that will last instead of spending the same amount on several poorly-made items, some of which you'll never wear?
I'll be honest - I don't have this one sorted. But it's time we realised that the clothing industry as we know it is exploitative and unsustainable, and that we have the power to make a difference.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Ending well
I think it's fair to say this week has finished better than it started. Last weekend I was struggling with the thought of moving house, partly because it's just a pain in the bum and partly because of what it represents - my life lived in transition.
But some key things this week have made a difference to my outlook this weekend. The first is the simple fact of having started to move my stuff from one friend's house to another.
The second is that I've FINALLY finished and sent off my Baptist minister form (only two months after I was given it...). I've found it a really tough thing to do and the relief when I finally put it in the post box was immense.
The third thing is that I've now finished my dull, dull and boring Friday job. I wondered if I'd get all panicky again but I haven't, and I think that's because I've immediately been able to start doing the kind of creative and productive stuff I'm hoping I can invest my time in in the coming months.
And the fifth thing is that my rather marvellous sisters sent me a parcel of nice stuff which arrived today - what's not to love about Jesus soap, plant pot muffin cases, jelly babies, Dairy Milk and a clever book about politics, all topped off with a picture of Cliff Richard?
The second is that I've FINALLY finished and sent off my Baptist minister form (only two months after I was given it...). I've found it a really tough thing to do and the relief when I finally put it in the post box was immense.
The third thing is that I've now finished my dull, dull and boring Friday job. I wondered if I'd get all panicky again but I haven't, and I think that's because I've immediately been able to start doing the kind of creative and productive stuff I'm hoping I can invest my time in in the coming months.
The fourth things is that I've taken the decision to start a second blog focusing on baking and fair trade. I wasn't going to mention it yet because I'm not ready to make a big thing of it 'til I've posted some more content, but I've been working on it today and it seems daft not to! If you're not into baking, please don't bother following the link :o)
And the fifth thing is that my rather marvellous sisters sent me a parcel of nice stuff which arrived today - what's not to love about Jesus soap, plant pot muffin cases, jelly babies, Dairy Milk and a clever book about politics, all topped off with a picture of Cliff Richard?
I can't guarantee what frame of mind I'll be in this time next week but I'm making the most of a good end to a significant week.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Pulling focus
I realise I'm at least ten years behind the curve on this, but I've just recently got into reading a few blogs in an intentional way, bookmarking them and having a look every couple of days. It's been fun - they're mainly around sewing, baking and ethical fashion, but there's a couple of more theological ones in there too.
But I've been struck by the fact that all of these blogs have something mine doesn't seem to have - a particular focus, whether it's turning charity shop clothes into new outfits, making cakes and taking beautiful pictures of them, or writing about church from a different perspective to my own.
But then the more I thought about it, the more I wondered whether actually there might be some themes that run through my blog. So I did a little research - entirely subjective and non-scientific, I should point out. I had a look at the labels I've given my blog posts to see which ones crop up the most - the top five are future (15), work (15), fair trade (11), church (10) and creativity (9) with baking, community, money, ethical and potential close behind.
Now I suppose some would argue that this is a fairly random, incohesive list, but I see some interesting connections (although I would - it's my blog, after all!!).
Eight years ago, this blog started essentially because EVERYONE had a blog (well, at least that was the impression I'd got) but I had no real sense of purpose or direction for it. Now I'm enjoying blogging and I'm finding the stuff that I'm genuinely passionate about, rather than stuff I think I should have an opinion on. So the question I'm starting to ask myself is whether to continue with this blog but narrow its focus slightly, or start a parallel blog which explores some of these ideas (probably the ones around fair trade and creativity) in more depth. Or do I not worry too much because come Easter I'll run out of steam and go another year without writing anything?!
Incidentally, if there are blogs you think I should be reading, please let me know - I have bookmarks and I'm not afraid to use them! Equally, if you have friends who you think would enjoy reading about ethical baking in church, you should absolutely share a link to here!!
But I've been struck by the fact that all of these blogs have something mine doesn't seem to have - a particular focus, whether it's turning charity shop clothes into new outfits, making cakes and taking beautiful pictures of them, or writing about church from a different perspective to my own.
But then the more I thought about it, the more I wondered whether actually there might be some themes that run through my blog. So I did a little research - entirely subjective and non-scientific, I should point out. I had a look at the labels I've given my blog posts to see which ones crop up the most - the top five are future (15), work (15), fair trade (11), church (10) and creativity (9) with baking, community, money, ethical and potential close behind.
Now I suppose some would argue that this is a fairly random, incohesive list, but I see some interesting connections (although I would - it's my blog, after all!!).
Eight years ago, this blog started essentially because EVERYONE had a blog (well, at least that was the impression I'd got) but I had no real sense of purpose or direction for it. Now I'm enjoying blogging and I'm finding the stuff that I'm genuinely passionate about, rather than stuff I think I should have an opinion on. So the question I'm starting to ask myself is whether to continue with this blog but narrow its focus slightly, or start a parallel blog which explores some of these ideas (probably the ones around fair trade and creativity) in more depth. Or do I not worry too much because come Easter I'll run out of steam and go another year without writing anything?!
Incidentally, if there are blogs you think I should be reading, please let me know - I have bookmarks and I'm not afraid to use them! Equally, if you have friends who you think would enjoy reading about ethical baking in church, you should absolutely share a link to here!!
Friday, March 15, 2013
Keeping In Touch
Arnesby is a small, sleepy village in Leicestershire. Once a vibrant farming community, its population of around 350 people now includes an intriguing combination of commuters, retired farmers, Leicester Tigers rugby players and young families. But demographic changes and a gradual loss of shared meeting places have meant that the village has lost a cohesive sense of community. It does, however, have two churches – St Peter’s, and Arnesby Baptist Chapel (ABC) where I’ve been worshipping for almost three years.
Last year I suggested to Johnny, the pastor of ABC, that the church could run a project during Fairtrade Fortnight, opening the church for a couple of hours each day as a community café, serving fair trade refreshments and selling fair trade products.
The idea was so successful that repeating the project this year was a no-brainer! Last year, the most consistent feedback from villagers was how much they’d appreciated a place to meet up with others to spend time together. Largely as a result of this the most important development this year was the decision to hold the café in the village hall on three consecutive Saturdays (as well as at the church during the week) which meant that we could serve significantly more people (around seventy each week) and make it easier to attract those who were unwilling to be part of something on the church premises. The majority of the customers were village residents, and one of my highlights of the fortnight was chatting to a local man who spoke with real enthusiasm and affection about the role the church has in the village even though, as he laughingly pointed out, 'I only ever come to things when there's food'. I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing!
But from my point of view, the value of a project like this also lies in the impact it has on a local church community. Ladies from the church baked cakes and an amazing team of adults and young people served with a smile, while over three Sundays the church’s evening services focused on our responsibility as Christians to live out the reality of our faith in a broken and hurting world, engaging with poverty and hardship both in the developing nations supported by fair trade and in our own context.
Last year I suggested to Johnny, the pastor of ABC, that the church could run a project during Fairtrade Fortnight, opening the church for a couple of hours each day as a community café, serving fair trade refreshments and selling fair trade products.
The idea was so successful that repeating the project this year was a no-brainer! Last year, the most consistent feedback from villagers was how much they’d appreciated a place to meet up with others to spend time together. Largely as a result of this the most important development this year was the decision to hold the café in the village hall on three consecutive Saturdays (as well as at the church during the week) which meant that we could serve significantly more people (around seventy each week) and make it easier to attract those who were unwilling to be part of something on the church premises. The majority of the customers were village residents, and one of my highlights of the fortnight was chatting to a local man who spoke with real enthusiasm and affection about the role the church has in the village even though, as he laughingly pointed out, 'I only ever come to things when there's food'. I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing!
But from my point of view, the value of a project like this also lies in the impact it has on a local church community. Ladies from the church baked cakes and an amazing team of adults and young people served with a smile, while over three Sundays the church’s evening services focused on our responsibility as Christians to live out the reality of our faith in a broken and hurting world, engaging with poverty and hardship both in the developing nations supported by fair trade and in our own context.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Through the window
So the big idea is this...
This summer I will serve you and your friends afternoon tea in the comfort of your own home.
That it's really!
Need convincing? Picture the scene. It's summer. The sun's shining (no, really - use your imagination). You've got a few friends round and you're peckish. But what's this? Your very own dining table laid with glassware and china, plates of sandwiches made from local ingredients, savoury snacks, cake stands with an array of homemade goodies and unlimited fair trade tea and coffee!
All this, in your own home?! But that must cost a fortune! But no, this is the genius bit - your guests get to decide what they'd like to pay, and you not only get your tea for free but there's a gift to say thank you for hosting!
To be honest, I've been pondering this idea in various forms for a while, as a few blog posts from this time last year testify. But with my newly-free Fridays (well, from April), and a slightly pressing need to start saving for college in the autumn (all things being equal) I think it's an idea whose time has come.
I want to do it properly and register for tax and sort out food hygiene stuff which is a bit daunting but, as I said yesterday, it feels like a window's opened and I should do my best to clamber through it.
It's always a bit nerve-wracking asking for feedback on an idea - the risk is that either people won't care enough to respond or they'll pick holes in your idea and it'll all get a bit discouraging! But I'm going to take the risk - I'd love to hear what you think, regardless of whether you think I'm onto the Next Big Thing or I need my head examining.
This summer I will serve you and your friends afternoon tea in the comfort of your own home.
That it's really!
Need convincing? Picture the scene. It's summer. The sun's shining (no, really - use your imagination). You've got a few friends round and you're peckish. But what's this? Your very own dining table laid with glassware and china, plates of sandwiches made from local ingredients, savoury snacks, cake stands with an array of homemade goodies and unlimited fair trade tea and coffee!
All this, in your own home?! But that must cost a fortune! But no, this is the genius bit - your guests get to decide what they'd like to pay, and you not only get your tea for free but there's a gift to say thank you for hosting!
To be honest, I've been pondering this idea in various forms for a while, as a few blog posts from this time last year testify. But with my newly-free Fridays (well, from April), and a slightly pressing need to start saving for college in the autumn (all things being equal) I think it's an idea whose time has come.
I want to do it properly and register for tax and sort out food hygiene stuff which is a bit daunting but, as I said yesterday, it feels like a window's opened and I should do my best to clamber through it.
It's always a bit nerve-wracking asking for feedback on an idea - the risk is that either people won't care enough to respond or they'll pick holes in your idea and it'll all get a bit discouraging! But I'm going to take the risk - I'd love to hear what you think, regardless of whether you think I'm onto the Next Big Thing or I need my head examining.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Closing doors and opening windows
In the couple of weeks that I’ve been absent from the blogosphere, I’ve been busy with a variety of things – Fairtrade Fortnight, work, sermon-writing and delivering, hanging out with family and friends and pondering the future.
My ponderings have taken me on an interesting journey and resulted in at least one slightly scary decision and one window of opportunity (the latter essentially coming out of the former). Last week I decided to jack in a job that I've been doing a day a week for the last two-and-a-half years, working as a shop assistant in a little independent shop in Leicestershire. It's one of those jobs that served a useful purpose for some time and then became something I did just for the money. Over the last few months I'd got to the point where I just couldn't face it anymore so, without any alternative source of income to supplement my (much more fulfilling) part-time job at Just Fair Trade, I decided enough was enough.
But I was taken by surprise by how I felt about the decision. I'd run it by my parents - not because I needed their permission, but because they're wise - and had concluded that I wasn't being a complete idiot, but rather than feeling relief I felt an almost overwhelming sense of panic. (I should point out that at this point I hadn't told my bosses that I was intending to call it a day, so I hadn't burnt my bridges.)
I think my very deeply ingrained sense of responsibility had kicked in, and I was struggling to reconcile my moderately perilous financial position and lack of clarity over what the next few months of my life might hold with an overwhelming desire to leave a job that was becoming more and more a waste of my time.
So I spent the next couple of days thinking, praying and planning until, on Monday morning I was able to send my bosses an email letting them know that I'd be finishing on Friday 22 March.
And the window of opportunity? More on that tomorrow!
My ponderings have taken me on an interesting journey and resulted in at least one slightly scary decision and one window of opportunity (the latter essentially coming out of the former). Last week I decided to jack in a job that I've been doing a day a week for the last two-and-a-half years, working as a shop assistant in a little independent shop in Leicestershire. It's one of those jobs that served a useful purpose for some time and then became something I did just for the money. Over the last few months I'd got to the point where I just couldn't face it anymore so, without any alternative source of income to supplement my (much more fulfilling) part-time job at Just Fair Trade, I decided enough was enough.
But I was taken by surprise by how I felt about the decision. I'd run it by my parents - not because I needed their permission, but because they're wise - and had concluded that I wasn't being a complete idiot, but rather than feeling relief I felt an almost overwhelming sense of panic. (I should point out that at this point I hadn't told my bosses that I was intending to call it a day, so I hadn't burnt my bridges.)
I think my very deeply ingrained sense of responsibility had kicked in, and I was struggling to reconcile my moderately perilous financial position and lack of clarity over what the next few months of my life might hold with an overwhelming desire to leave a job that was becoming more and more a waste of my time.
So I spent the next couple of days thinking, praying and planning until, on Monday morning I was able to send my bosses an email letting them know that I'd be finishing on Friday 22 March.
And the window of opportunity? More on that tomorrow!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
And so it begins...
I was responsible for a stall of fair trade products from Just Fair Trade, the shop in Leicester where I work. Choosing products for events like this can be a bit tricky and I don't always gauge it right, but today a selection of baking ingredients, chocolate, greetings cards and gifts seemed to race off the table. Gratifying! Incidentally, the photo doesn't do it justice at all - I remembered to take pictures at the beginning and then forgot once I'd finished. Hey ho!
One of the best moments of the morning came early on as I was chatting to a local man who spoke with real enthusiasm and affection about the role the church has in the village even though, as he laughingly pointed out, 'I only ever come to things when there's food'. I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing!
We open next on Monday having relocated to a small out-building at church - if the weather stays this cold space could be a challenge!
Friday, February 22, 2013
That was the week that was
So, as predicated, there was very little room for spontaneity this week - all work, baking, form-filling and sermon prep. This is not an inherently bad thing - in fact it's felt like a pretty productive week.
My cuppa with Pregnant Laura yesterday was the most spontaneous thing I did. Actually, the most spontaneous thing was buying her a large jar of Nutella as pre-new baby present - part throw-back to our desk-sharing days and part wanting to be a little more imaginative that a packet of baby-gros.
Not sure the spontaneity quotient will be much higher next week, what with the start of the fair trade shop and café tomorrow (have I mentioned that?!), but there should be plenty of pictures of cake!
My cuppa with Pregnant Laura yesterday was the most spontaneous thing I did. Actually, the most spontaneous thing was buying her a large jar of Nutella as pre-new baby present - part throw-back to our desk-sharing days and part wanting to be a little more imaginative that a packet of baby-gros.
Not sure the spontaneity quotient will be much higher next week, what with the start of the fair trade shop and café tomorrow (have I mentioned that?!), but there should be plenty of pictures of cake!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Reflecting on Fairtrade Fortnight
Paper flowers, flapjack, Easter eggs and proper coffee – just a few of the items that were available at the Arnesby fair trade shop and café during Fairtrade Fortnight (27 February – 11 March)!
The fair trade movement has been building for four decades and for two weeks each year individuals, churches, shops and even governments are encouraged to think about how they can consume more ethically. Back in January, aware that Fairtrade Fortnight 2012 was rapidly approaching, a few of us got together and decided to have a go at running a fair trade shop and café from the coffee bar at the front of the chapel. Armed with recipe books and fair trade catalogues, we planned menus and chose products. The Just shop in Leicester city centre agreed to supply the shop on a sale or return basis which meant we were able to stock a wide range of beautifully crafted products from some of the worlds most deprived communities, along with fair trade chocolate, coffee, tea and Easter Eggs! Val and her team of bakers worked hard producing huge quantities of baked goods, using fair trade ingredients wherever they could, and each day the café’s cake table struggled under the weight of carrot cake, triple chocolate muffins, Victoria sponges, gingerbread angels and much, much more!
The shop and café opened Monday-Saturday for the duration of Fairtrade Fortnight, and over the course of twelve days we had around three hundred customers! The coffee bar could comfortably seat ten people but there were several occasions when there was standing room only, and on warmer days parents and children took the opportunity to sit outside, enjoying the use of the Huttons’ ride-on toys and, in particular, Annie’s cottage! The project couldn’t have run without the enthusiasm and energy of our team of volunteer waitresses which included Lisa, Julia, Carol, Jenny, Ian and the entire Hutton family!
It was clear by the end of the fortnight that running a ‘pop-up’ (a short-term shop) had given us a real insight into the scope of the role the chapel could have in helping to nurture a deeper sense of community within the village. Many of the customers were Arnesby residents who, as well as noting both the quality of the food and drink on offer and the cheapness of the prices, commented on how much they would appreciate a permanent community café and wondered out loud whether the church might be able to provide something year-round. Older villagers talked about their memories of Arnesby as a thriving centre of life and work, and even those more recently arrived in the village mentioned the impact losing the post office had had on chance meetings with friends and neighbours.
Thank you to everyone at ABC who supported the café and shop during Fairtrade Fortnight, whether you baked, helped with waitressing, brought your friends and family for a hot chocolate extravaganza and a piece of cake, or simply prayed! It was a brilliant opportunity to try something a bit different and bless our community in the process.This year we're aiming to go bigger and better - if you're in or around Leicestershire during Fairtrade Fortnight come and see for yourself!
Monday, February 18, 2013
The early bird...
BREAKING LENT CHALLENGE NEWS! I did an actual spontaneous thing today! During a conversation with my boss I invited her to come and talk to the young people at church about fair trade during, er, Fairtrade Fortnight. Gratifyingly she said yes so that's one less youth group session for me to plan this term!
And that leads me on nicely to other things that have been on my mind today. I suspect this week is going to be less about embracing spontaneity and more about avoiding procrastination. There's a lot going on - preparation for Fairtrade Fortnight which begins next weekend, completing my scary Baptist minister application form and working on sermons for the next three Sunday evenings which I'll be team-teaching with my pastor (and no, I'm not entirely sure what that means either...).
I know I'm feeling anxious about how the week might work out because for the first time in a few weeks I was awake at 4.30am and couldn't go back to sleep - not the ideal start to a week like this! And yet the flip side is that all three of these opportunities are exciting. But more on that another day - my very early morning has been threatening to catch up with me all day and has finally succeeded.
Sleep well!
And that leads me on nicely to other things that have been on my mind today. I suspect this week is going to be less about embracing spontaneity and more about avoiding procrastination. There's a lot going on - preparation for Fairtrade Fortnight which begins next weekend, completing my scary Baptist minister application form and working on sermons for the next three Sunday evenings which I'll be team-teaching with my pastor (and no, I'm not entirely sure what that means either...).
I know I'm feeling anxious about how the week might work out because for the first time in a few weeks I was awake at 4.30am and couldn't go back to sleep - not the ideal start to a week like this! And yet the flip side is that all three of these opportunities are exciting. But more on that another day - my very early morning has been threatening to catch up with me all day and has finally succeeded.
Sleep well!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Not so spontaneous?
I had a moment of clarity yesterday when I realised that in my head there's a very fine line between being spontaneous and not procrastinating. Maybe that ties in with my analysis paralysis. So I'll let you decide how to categorise yesterday's achievement.
I've wanted to make a patchwork quilt for a long time (don't judge me). Last month I found a simple pattern and it's always been my intention to use Fair Trade Fabric so what was keeping me? In my defence, I have been watching the pennies this month - why is it that significant car expenditure all comes at once? - but there's a limit.
So yesterday afternoon I had a hunt for fabric and opted for some fairly random collections of small squares. I'm hoping that piecing them together will be simple and effective - with any luck they'll arrive in the next few days and I can get cracking. Or I can think about getting cracking...
I've wanted to make a patchwork quilt for a long time (don't judge me). Last month I found a simple pattern and it's always been my intention to use Fair Trade Fabric so what was keeping me? In my defence, I have been watching the pennies this month - why is it that significant car expenditure all comes at once? - but there's a limit.
So yesterday afternoon I had a hunt for fabric and opted for some fairly random collections of small squares. I'm hoping that piecing them together will be simple and effective - with any luck they'll arrive in the next few days and I can get cracking. Or I can think about getting cracking...
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The business of celebration
So, we've finally made it to 2012, year of the London Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. I realise that there will be as many opinions about the validity of both those events as there are people in Britain but I think it's fair to say that whatever your perspective it's going to be pretty tough to avoid either!
In fact, I've found myself thinking about the Jubilee in particular quite a lot over the last couple of weeks and I'm wondering whether HMQ has given me a rather unique launch pad for a business idea.
A couple of weekends ago I finally got round to making some bunting from material I'd been hoarding for a while. It was really straightforward and as I cut and stitched I realised that 2012 is the perfect year for bunting - what June street party will be complete without the obligatory string of red, white and blue triangles hung jauntily from trees and lamp posts?! A kernel of an idea began to form...
But then I started thinking about the idea of Jubilee. It's not a concept dreamed up by Queen Victoria's advisers to demonstrate to a slightly disgruntled Empire that actually they were more important to her than her dead husband. The idea of jubilee is a Biblical one which stood at the heart of the kind of community God was calling his people to build way back during their hike through the wilderness. It's about fairness and justice that is deeply practical, and it stands at the core of Jesus' own ministry.
So I'm thinking about bunting and about jubilees and that gets me to thinking (again) about fair trade. The end result is entirely logical - what about fair trade Jubilee bunting?
After conversations with a few people over the course of the last weekend, I've decided to bite the bullet and this morning ordered several metres of fair trade fabric (which is expensive and not particularly easy to get hold of). Over the course of the next couple of weeks I plan to turn it into many, many metres of bunting and sell it! We're running a fair trade shop at church over Fairtrade Fortnight (27 Feb - 11 March) and I'm running a fair trade evening on 6 March so we'll see what people think. If you'd like some bunting or you have any thoughts on how a embryonic fair trade textiles business could develop, get in touch!!
In fact, I've found myself thinking about the Jubilee in particular quite a lot over the last couple of weeks and I'm wondering whether HMQ has given me a rather unique launch pad for a business idea.
A couple of weekends ago I finally got round to making some bunting from material I'd been hoarding for a while. It was really straightforward and as I cut and stitched I realised that 2012 is the perfect year for bunting - what June street party will be complete without the obligatory string of red, white and blue triangles hung jauntily from trees and lamp posts?! A kernel of an idea began to form...
But then I started thinking about the idea of Jubilee. It's not a concept dreamed up by Queen Victoria's advisers to demonstrate to a slightly disgruntled Empire that actually they were more important to her than her dead husband. The idea of jubilee is a Biblical one which stood at the heart of the kind of community God was calling his people to build way back during their hike through the wilderness. It's about fairness and justice that is deeply practical, and it stands at the core of Jesus' own ministry.
So I'm thinking about bunting and about jubilees and that gets me to thinking (again) about fair trade. The end result is entirely logical - what about fair trade Jubilee bunting?
After conversations with a few people over the course of the last weekend, I've decided to bite the bullet and this morning ordered several metres of fair trade fabric (which is expensive and not particularly easy to get hold of). Over the course of the next couple of weeks I plan to turn it into many, many metres of bunting and sell it! We're running a fair trade shop at church over Fairtrade Fortnight (27 Feb - 11 March) and I'm running a fair trade evening on 6 March so we'll see what people think. If you'd like some bunting or you have any thoughts on how a embryonic fair trade textiles business could develop, get in touch!!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Let them eat cake!
It's been a while since I wrote about the process of trying to work out what to do with my life. That's largely because in the weeks leading up to Christmas I was a bit too preoccupied with packing up my flat and organising presents and festive food to have the energy or inclination to think about anything else!
While it's fair to say that on the face of things very little has changed on the job front, I do feel like there's been some progression in the last couple of weeks. Moving out of my flat will have a significant impact on the pressure on my finances as I've moved in with a friend who's a vicar and therefore isn't allowed to charge me rent! I knew having so many clerical friends would pay off in the end! While this is only intended as a short-term arrangement it means I can take a few months to genuinely explore what my options might be, which is an amazing blessing really.
So how am I spending my time? I still have a job one day a week in a small home and garden shop although a job that started off being five minutes walk round the corner from my flat has become a 30 minute car journey. It'll do for now...
I've also started teaching the piano again for the first time in a few years which I'm really enjoying. My pupil is the ten-year-old daughter of the pastor at church - she's good fun and a fast learner! I think there's potential to find two or three more pupils, so one of my goals is to find out about becoming self-employed, just so that income is all above board and proper.
I've also decided to invest some time and energy in baking. I've realised that not only is it something I enjoy, that I find creative and productive, but it appears I might also be quite good at it! Feedback from my little Christmas mince pie production line has been incredibly positive and encouraging so it seems a good use of my time to take the basic skills I learnt baking fairy cakes with Mum when I was four and up my game a bit.
I think one of the other reasons that baking feels like a significant thing for now is that there's a tangible connection between it and some of the other things I'm keen to explore over the next few months, including things like how to effectively build community, and developing a better understanding issues around fair trade. If I can do that whilst feeding people cake, so much the better!
I've written before about the possibility of developing some kind of small business and it feels like a very scary thing to do. But recently I've been aware of more and more people I know developing side projects or just going public with ideas in ways that have made me think that I really just need to get on and do something! Over the last couple of months I've spent some time with my cousin, Ben, who's working towards becoming a credentialed coach. The speed at which he's clarified and articulated what he wants to achieve and then taken tangible, creative steps to make that happen has been pretty awe-inspiring. You can have a look at what he's doing here.
The one slight fly in the ointment is that so far the redundancy coaching I started at the end of November doesn't seem to be working out in quite the way I'd hoped, and one of the challenges of the next few weeks will be working out how to respond to that. But all things considered, things seem pretty positive at the moment...
While it's fair to say that on the face of things very little has changed on the job front, I do feel like there's been some progression in the last couple of weeks. Moving out of my flat will have a significant impact on the pressure on my finances as I've moved in with a friend who's a vicar and therefore isn't allowed to charge me rent! I knew having so many clerical friends would pay off in the end! While this is only intended as a short-term arrangement it means I can take a few months to genuinely explore what my options might be, which is an amazing blessing really.
So how am I spending my time? I still have a job one day a week in a small home and garden shop although a job that started off being five minutes walk round the corner from my flat has become a 30 minute car journey. It'll do for now...
I've also started teaching the piano again for the first time in a few years which I'm really enjoying. My pupil is the ten-year-old daughter of the pastor at church - she's good fun and a fast learner! I think there's potential to find two or three more pupils, so one of my goals is to find out about becoming self-employed, just so that income is all above board and proper.
I've also decided to invest some time and energy in baking. I've realised that not only is it something I enjoy, that I find creative and productive, but it appears I might also be quite good at it! Feedback from my little Christmas mince pie production line has been incredibly positive and encouraging so it seems a good use of my time to take the basic skills I learnt baking fairy cakes with Mum when I was four and up my game a bit.
I think one of the other reasons that baking feels like a significant thing for now is that there's a tangible connection between it and some of the other things I'm keen to explore over the next few months, including things like how to effectively build community, and developing a better understanding issues around fair trade. If I can do that whilst feeding people cake, so much the better!
I've written before about the possibility of developing some kind of small business and it feels like a very scary thing to do. But recently I've been aware of more and more people I know developing side projects or just going public with ideas in ways that have made me think that I really just need to get on and do something! Over the last couple of months I've spent some time with my cousin, Ben, who's working towards becoming a credentialed coach. The speed at which he's clarified and articulated what he wants to achieve and then taken tangible, creative steps to make that happen has been pretty awe-inspiring. You can have a look at what he's doing here.
The one slight fly in the ointment is that so far the redundancy coaching I started at the end of November doesn't seem to be working out in quite the way I'd hoped, and one of the challenges of the next few weeks will be working out how to respond to that. But all things considered, things seem pretty positive at the moment...
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Money-making Opportunity 1: Mince Pies
Anyone who's read any of my Facebook statuses this week will know that there has been much talk of mince pies. I've always enjoyed baking - one of my earliest memories is being up to my elbow in eggs, sugar, butter and flour, making fairy cakes with Mum. In fact, my kitchen experience was so dominated by sponge cakes that I got to university and suddenly realised I couldn't actually cook anything useful. Like dinner. (It's tempting to digress here and tell you a story about the day I made a lasagne with red wine vinegar instead of red wine, but that can wait.)
A few years ago, back from uni (having mastered the art of the lasagne) and living at home, I decided I would attempt to master Christmas baking. Mince pies seemed a fairly obvious place to start, and Mum had a recipe so on I cracked. From that first batch I was hooked.
Last year saw another breakthrough as I embraced homemade mincemeat. I had always assumed that mincemeat must be really hard to make or why would you buy it? Mum dug me out another recipe and I was staggered to discover that essentially you stick a load of dried fruit, sugar, suet and fruit juice in a bowl and...er, well, that's about it! Give it a mix, cook it on a low heat, add some brandy and job's a good'un.
So that means that my homemade mince pies are now 100% homemade. Which is nice.
It also means that, provided you shop around, you can essentially have a fair trade option, something you'd be hard pushed to find in a supermarket. In fact, I've discovered it's actually pretty tricky to find fair trade dried fruit in supermarkets, but fortunately Leicester has a great little fair trade shop, Just, in the city centre which stocks a basic range of food products. I know thinking ethically about food almost inevitably costs more, but I find it difficult to justify not paying a little extra when the impact on the life of someone else could be so profound as a result. And, if I'm honest, not to take the ethical option at Christmas seems to me to undermine the whole reason Jesus came in the first place.
Last Tuesday I left my job and we decided to have afternoon tea in the office to say goodbye. I thought I'd make my first batch of mince pies for the occasion and was absolutely blown away by the reception they got. The next day on Facebook an innocent request for suggestions of things I could do with my new-found spare time led to a series of requests - some serious, some not so - for me to make mince pies for people and today I've had my first firm order!
Now, let's be honest. It would be almost impossible to actually make money from what is essentially a luxury product with a very small seasonal window. But I'm thinking that even if they just keep my hand in and give me something productive to focus on, and I don't end up out of pocket, there's nothing to lose!
A few years ago, back from uni (having mastered the art of the lasagne) and living at home, I decided I would attempt to master Christmas baking. Mince pies seemed a fairly obvious place to start, and Mum had a recipe so on I cracked. From that first batch I was hooked.
Last year saw another breakthrough as I embraced homemade mincemeat. I had always assumed that mincemeat must be really hard to make or why would you buy it? Mum dug me out another recipe and I was staggered to discover that essentially you stick a load of dried fruit, sugar, suet and fruit juice in a bowl and...er, well, that's about it! Give it a mix, cook it on a low heat, add some brandy and job's a good'un.
So that means that my homemade mince pies are now 100% homemade. Which is nice.
It also means that, provided you shop around, you can essentially have a fair trade option, something you'd be hard pushed to find in a supermarket. In fact, I've discovered it's actually pretty tricky to find fair trade dried fruit in supermarkets, but fortunately Leicester has a great little fair trade shop, Just, in the city centre which stocks a basic range of food products. I know thinking ethically about food almost inevitably costs more, but I find it difficult to justify not paying a little extra when the impact on the life of someone else could be so profound as a result. And, if I'm honest, not to take the ethical option at Christmas seems to me to undermine the whole reason Jesus came in the first place.
Last Tuesday I left my job and we decided to have afternoon tea in the office to say goodbye. I thought I'd make my first batch of mince pies for the occasion and was absolutely blown away by the reception they got. The next day on Facebook an innocent request for suggestions of things I could do with my new-found spare time led to a series of requests - some serious, some not so - for me to make mince pies for people and today I've had my first firm order!
Now, let's be honest. It would be almost impossible to actually make money from what is essentially a luxury product with a very small seasonal window. But I'm thinking that even if they just keep my hand in and give me something productive to focus on, and I don't end up out of pocket, there's nothing to lose!
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