Chiswick Churches for Justice & Peace
On Saturday March 6th, we celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight and Ghana Independence Day with Divine Chocolate, in The Michael Room, St Michael and All Angels Parish Hall.
We heard how Fairtrade benefits Farmers in Ghana, with Comfort Kumea, Secretary of Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union, Chair of Farmers Trust; 
Kojo Aduhene Tano (right), Recorder in his village Domeabra-Funas; and Charlotte Borger, Head of Communications, Divine Chocolate Ltd.
There was also an Exhibition of Paintings for sale by Ghanaian Artists, Kwame Akuffo, Afrikart Gallerie; 
a Display of Ghanaian Artefacts (right) and Photographs by Adwoa Winter and Georgina Taylor; and a ‘Win a Fairtrade Easter Egg’ competition, with a display.
Chiswick Churches for Justice and Peace (CCJP) is a group that represents a number of local parishes from different Christian denominations with the objectives of raising local awareness of, and contributing positively to, issues about trade justice and poverty in the world.
CCJP organises programmes of talks, fundraising events and fair trade activities to support its objectives and is a registered member of the “MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY” campaign. We promote fairly traded goods and we support shops that offer these products.
Parishes currently represented in this initiative are:
- Our Lady of Grace and St Edward Chiswick High Road
- St. Michael and All Angels, Bedford Park Bath Road
- Christ Church, Turnham Green Town Hall Avenue
- St Nicholas with St Mary Magdalene Chiswick Mall
- St Paul’s, Grove Park Grove Park Road
- St Joseph’s, Grove Park Bolton Road
- Chiswick Methodist Church, Sutton Court Road
together with the Comboni Missionary Sisters Chiswick Lane.
Representatives from other parishes or faiths in Chiswick are very welcome to join. Please contact: Simon Rodway (020 8994 7461) or Hugh Caldin (020 8994 6368) for more information.
PREVIOUS EVENTS
On Saturday February 28th 2009, Chiswick Churches for Justice and Peace (CCJP) joined with Sainsburys in Chiswick High Road in advertising the Fairtrade goods from the store for Fairtrade Fortnight (pictures right and below). Apart from displaying many items on a stall, leaflets were handed out to a large number of visitors to the store encouraging them to buy Fairtrade goods in order to help change the lives of farmers in developing countries. Most of the Churches in Chiswick have Fairtrade status, as does the Borough of Hounslow and the City of London. CCJP has been supporting Fairtrade for many years and has organised a number of public events on the subject.
Simon Rodway (Chair of CCJP) - pictured right.
Picture (right) shows: Ros Lister (CCJP), Simon Rodway (Chair CCJP), Diane Daly (CCJP), Chris (Volunteer), Tom Routledge (Manager of
Sainsbury’s, Chiswick) and Rev'd Matt Boyes (Vicar of Christ Church, Turnham Green).
Wednesday October 22nd 2008 - Just Deserts? Issues of Justice for Young Offenders
At 7.30 for 8pm, in St Michael & All Angels Parish Hall, Chiswick Churches for Justice and Peace hosted ‘Just Deserts? - Issues of Justice for Young Offenders‘, with representatives from HM Young Offender Institute Feltham and the Prison Fellowship of England and Wales. The evening explored the prison professionals’ perspective on the social issues that lead to crime amongst young people, the importance of Restorative Justice Projects and how local faith communities can help through long-term support.
Tuesday September 15th 2008 - Fairtrade Winetasting
Thank you to everyone who helped organise the Fairtrade Winetasting on Tuesday September 15th, which St Michael's hosted on behalf of Chiswick Churches for Justice and Peace. We were delighted to welcome Harriet Lamb, the executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, pictured here with Colin Firth of Eco in Chiswick High Road, as well as local restaurateurs who are being encouraged to stock Fairtrade wines. Thanks also to Sam's Brasserie for providing the canapes. You can see pictures and a full report at ChiswickW4.com and in The Chiswick newspaper.
February 25 to March 9 2008 -
Fairtrade Fortnight
Once again we supported Fairtrade Fortnight, which ran from February 25th to March 9th 2008, and you can see some of the local events here.
CCJP joined with Marks and Spencer to promote the sale of Fairtrade goods to the public on Saturday 8th March. 
The local MP, Ann Keen, came to support the event (right), Fairtrade being a cause which is close to her heart. Leaflets were handed out to over 200 people, many of whom asked questions about the issue. ASDA in Hounslow also supported Fairtrade Fortnight. The London Borough of Hounslow is now a “Fairtrade Borough” and many churches in Chiswick are Fairtrade Churches.
On Mothering Sunday at lunchtime, there was a small Fairtrade gift for mothers at Sam's Brasserie, organised by Ros Lister of CCJP. Sam Harrison has already selected five Fairtrade wines for his wine list. And Divine Chocolate (co-owned by a cocoa farmers' co-operative in Ghana) ioffered a free chocolate bar for all mothers as they left. http://www.samsbrasserie.co.uk/ http://www.divinechocolate.com