We had lots of visitors to our course earlier this week. Food Waste, Climate Justice and collaboration were the topics discussed.

15 people are currently taking part in our new Level 4 Environmental Sustainability Course in partnership with Donegal ETB and IDP colleagues. Facilitated by Kate O’Callaghan of ChangeMakers Donegal and our regular collaborator, Aengus Kennedy of Nature North West,

The Disappear Here Film Club, in partnership with The Henry Girls, is hosting a screening of “Freedom to Run” on April 5, 2024, at the Colgan Hall in Carndonagh from 7.30 PM to 9:30 PM.

Pre-book now to reserve your €5 ticket.

The film highlights the restrictions on freedom of movement in the West Bank.

After the screening, there will be a post-show discussion, Fairtrade tea, and coffee. Everyone is welcome to join the Henry Girls at McClure’s Bar for music.

The post-show discussion will be chaired by Michael McLaughlin, producer of the Disappear Here Film Festival, and will feature Majida Al Askari, Palestinian activist, artist and member of the Inishowen Palestine Solidarity Group, and Miriam Killeney of the Inishowen Palestine Solidarity Group.

The Disappear Here Film Club is raising funds for Medical Aid for Palestine at this event. Tickets cost €5 (which you are asked to pay in cash at the door on the night) and additional donations will be welcome on the night too.

Booking here now will pre-book your seat and add your name to the attendance list. We ask that you email changemakers@inishowen.ie with Cancellation in the subject line if you wish to cancel your ticket.  

*** Please note that there has been a venue change from Wesley Hall to the Colgan Hall due to demand**

DONEGAL shop and café owners are being encouraged to stock more Fairtrade products after the impact it has on rural farming communities was highlighted reality of modern-day slavery and child labour was highlighted during Fairtrade Fortnight.

Throughout the last two weeks, ChangeMakers Donegal has embarked on a campaign throughout Inishowen to raise awareness about Fairtrade and how farmers and workers around the world are often exposed to hazardous working conditions.

Brazilian Fairtrade ambassador Rafael Fonseca travelled to Inishowen along with Fairtrade Ireland representatives where they embarked on an awareness-raising campaign in Buncrana Clonmany and Moville along with the Changemakers team.

To support Fairtrade at a local level, take these three steps:

Step 1: Ask your local shop to stock Tony Chocolonely.

Step 2: Ask your local centre, group or employer to buy Fairtrade Tea and Coffee from local supermarkets for the communal areas.

Step 3: Ask your local hotel to offer Fairtrade Tea and Coffee and to put the Fairtrade logo on the menu.

 When you buy products with any of the FAIRTRADE Marks, you support farmers and workers as they improve their lives and their communities. Fairtrade Fortnight will be celebrated around Ireland from 4 – 17 March. ChangeMakers Donegal is working with committee members across the County to line up a programme of informative events to celebrate existing Fairtrade towns and help places applying for Fairtrade Town status to increase the number of products available for purchase as that’s an important element of the campaign.

Inishowen Development Partnership will host a guest from the Coffee coop COOMAP in Brazil, Rafael Fonseca, visiting Ireland during Fairtrade Fortnight 2024. He will travel to Inishowen to meet community members in Moville, Buncrana and Clonmany to share the news

Events

You are more than welcome to attend these events:

Wednesday 6 March 2024 at Colgan Hall, at the invitation of our wonderful Inishowen Development Partnership colleagues, we will present a Fairtrade stall alongside Mary Kay from Derry who we have invited to present a stall of Palestinian Fairtrade goods from the Zaytoun website. Another small way to show solidarity in the face the atrocious genocide taking place in the world today?

Thursday 7 March 2024 at 11am: Fairtrade Coffee Morning at St Eugene’s Hall, Moville at the Moville Cafe Hub.

Thursday 7 March 2024 at 1pm: Fairtrade Ireland Ambassador from COOMAP in Brazil, Rafael Fonseca,  will meet with local students from Crana College, Buncrana who will be surveying local shoppers on the day. 

Thursday 7 March 2024 at 3pm: Join Patsy Toland of ChangeMakers Donegal & Rafael Fonseca for a community conversation about fair trade to support Clonmany/Ballyliffin’s bid to become recognised as a Fairtrade zone.

Thursday 14 March 2024 at 11am: Join the Intercultural Cafe at the Exchange Inishowen for a relaxed morning of chats and Fairtrade goodies sponsored by SuperValu Buncrana. Find out how you can help our bid to become a Fairtrade town in Buncrana.

Did you know? More than 37,000 products Fairtrade products were sold in 143 different countries available to shoppers worldwide. Let’s see what other products we can ask local supermarkets, shops and cafes to stock in Donegal.

Purchasing FAIRTRADE COFFEE is a tangible way to support the campaign as we  need to support the coffee farmers and the coffee companies buying on Fairtrade terms.

As well as the well-known Fairtrade products such as tea, coffee, bananas, we are encouraging local people to buy:

FAIRTRADE ROSES Fairtrade roses from Kenya have a smaller environmental footprint when compared to roses produced in Holland, even when factoring in transport to Europe, according to a recently released report.

With the release of the movie Wonka just behind us, we are also supporting inspirational Irish Fairtrade businesses such as  Exploding Tree Chocolate and the fabulous Tony Chocolonely CHOCOLATE company.

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday 10 March 2024; how about some Fairtrade Mother’s Day gifts from your local Aldi, Lidl or SuperValu. Food for thought!

Now in its third year, the Bookless Bookclub sees us create a safe online space for like-minded people to talk about local and global issues. This year’s topic is Hate, Hope and Stepping Up (for change), places are limited, email changemakers@inishowen.ie to book a space.