Telephone: 01557 330687
Email: catholicchurchgalloway@btinternet.com
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Traidcraft
The parish has been involved with selling Traidcraft goods since 1987. One of the parish Renew groups decided they wanted to give practical support to poor underprivileged areas of the world & Mary MacNeil provided the suggestion about Traidcraft. Fr McManus lent the group £300 out of parish funds in order to buy goods & Traidcraft has carried on ever since. Don’t worry, the parish money was repaid within 5 years & ever since then we have been able to send an annual donation to Traidcraft to help the development of farming or crafts in areas like India, Pakistan or Africa. The money comes from the gifts of small change by customers, donations & the discount given to Traidcraft Fairtraders.
In 2010 we sent £1,250 to help the development of Fairtrade cotton cultivation in Kenya, while in January 2011 we gave £1,250 to help to develop a commercial honey business in arid poverty stricken areas of Kenya. In January 2012 £1,000 was sent to continue work in Kenya where poverty stricken tea farmers with only small landholdings are being encouraged to diversify in order to obtain adequate income to provide for their families. Beekeeping & the growing of passion fruit & sunflowers is being introduced with Traidcraft help.Information on these schemes can be obtained from: www.traidcraft.co.uk/international_development/overseas_programmes
Fairtrade foods & beverages obtained from Traidcraft are sold in the hall after Mass each Sunday, including products such as tea, coffee, dried fruit, rice, pasta, honey & chocolate. Fairly traded crafts & hand made greetings cards are to be found on Traidcraft stalls at events during the Kirkcudbright Summer Festivities & at Christmas fairs.
Several local churches take Traidcraft on a sale or return facility every month: Kirkcudbright Parish Church, Greyfriars, St. Ninian’s and Christ Church.
Help is always appreciated to run these stalls. Even more important is the real need for parishioners to buy a Traidcraft product regularly throughout the year, as this directly helps people in underdeveloped areas to work their way out of poverty by earning enough money to obtain water, food, shelter, clothing & schooling for themselves & for their children.
The local Traidcraft organiser is Mary van Zwanenberg.
