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Who cares for our six million carers? FAIRTRADE: safeguarding the mark Hives Save Lives Wildlife Week - 4 - 12 June 2005 The Lions Rugby Tour
Who cares for our six million carers?
Did you know that no fewer than six million people in the UK are voluntarily looking after loved ones? A recent survey found that 77 per cent of adults questioned would prefer to be looked after at home by a relative or friend, rather than in a nursing home or hospital, so with an ageing population the number of carers is likely to continue to grow.
Carers’ Week this year runs from 13-19 June. This annual event raises awareness of issues affecting carers, who often face health and financial problems as a result of looking after someone else. Many carers don’t recognise themselves as such and are not aware of the support available to them.
To give carers a break and highlight the support that they can get, thousands of events have been organised up and down the country. Two popular actresses, Pam Ferris and Miriam Margolyes are backing the Week by speaking out about their own experience of looking after loved ones.
“Having looked after my mother, I know how challenging yet fulfilling being a carer can be,” says Pam Ferris, who starred in the film ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’. “Caring can be horribly isolating at times but my most precious memories of my mother come from the intimacy we achieved through the caring process.”
Miriam Margolyes became a carer when her mother was chronically ill. She says: “I have been through the experience of caring for a sick and paralysed parent, so Carers’ Week is a cause close to my heart. It gives us all a chance to salute the wonderful people who step into the breach and look after a loved one, sometimes for a month, sometimes for a lifetime.”
The Week is a joint activity by Carers UK, Help the Aged, Crossroads, Macmillan Cancer Relief, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Princess Royal Trust and Rethink, the charity concerned with severe mental illness. Spokesman Paul Matz says: “People with caring responsibilities make an enormous contribution to society but often, sadly, don’t get the help and support they need to lead fulfilling lives of their own.”
FAIRTRADE: safeguarding the mark
Is the Fairtrade movement in danger of being diluted? This question is being asked because a few companies appear to be using the term rather loosely and now that there are more than 500 products on the market (there were only 130 in 2003) consumers can easily get confused.
Obviously it is a good thing that there are more Fairtrade products available, including a new Oxfam-backed coffee-shop chain (Progreso) which stocks coffee from the devastated Indonesian province of Aceh. But the entry of the multi-nationals could be a cause for concern. The worry is that big brands may jump on the ethical bandwagon, enhancing their corporate reputation but not necessarily to the benefit of local producers.
The fact that a firm is donating to a charity working in poor countries is not, in itself, a guarantee that its products conform to the criteria laid down by the Fairtrade Foundation for fair treatment of producers. The Foundation, which controls use in the UK of the Fairtrade mark (seen on packaging) by granting licences, requires that a licensed firm pays certified producers a price that covers the cost of production plus a premium which those people, as a group or co-operative, can spend as they think fit on improving their living conditions.
The mark has been awarded not only to food and drink products, but also to roses from Kenya and footballs from Pakistan.
The Fairtrade Foundation was set up by CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Traidcraft, the World Development Movement and New Consumer (a magazine). Although charities had led the way, it was felt that it was important to get commercial manufacturers involved, and to get fair trade into the supermarkets where most people shop (hence the Mark).
Recently, the National Federation of Women’s Institutes joined with the Foundation, CAFOD and Banana Link to urge the EU and the UK Government to help Fairtrade banana farmers in the Windward Islands whose livelihoods are threatened by new EU proposals. One in five Windward Island bananas now carry the Fairtrade Mark and increasing sales are helping farmers to survive.
To learn more about Fairtrade, go to the website: www.fairtrade.org.uk
Hives Save Lives
Now bees are helping to save lives in Africa.
Hives Save Lives – Africa (HSLA) does this by the simple measure of supporting beekeeping projects. Where people are living on less than 60p a day, just two hives can provide an income from honey that makes the difference between abject poverty and access to food, education and basic healthcare. The cost of a hive? Just £32.00.
A beehive gives people the means to earn their own livelihood. It puts their future back into their own hands. It provided them with self-sufficiency and dignity, not aid.
HSLA are building beehives specifically designed for African conditions in Uganda (creating more jobs alongside the honey production) and providing appropriate training. As the hives are established, production and marketing opportunities for other hive products, such as propolis, create more jobs. The industry is self-sustaining, and culturally and environmentally in tune with local communities.
A typical project supported by HSLA is an orphanage caring for 80 children in Uganda. Just 20 hives (and appropriate training), gives them a much-needed reliable annual income through the sale of honey and other hive products, plus the educational benefit for the children and the pollination value for surrounding crops.
Hope for Africa? Yes, and on African terms, providing support directly to where it is needed most. Can you help? One painless way is to shop online at www.buy.at/hivessavelives, where you will find some of the biggest retailers prepared to pay Hives Save Lives a commission on your purchases, without costing you a penny more.
To find out more or make a donation, please visit www.hivessavelives.com or call 01273 302586.
Wildlife Week - 4 - 12 June 2005
The Wildlife Trusts offer everyone the chance to get involved with wildlife during Wildlife Week, an annual celebration of wildlife across the UK.
Wildlife Trusts all over Britain are organizing hundreds of events to encourage people to discover their ‘wild side’, such as fun farm days, guided walks, bat patrols, seal spotting, mini-beast hunts and rock pool rambles.
Wade into our local wildlife by visiting…. volunteering to… or taking part in…
The Lions Rugby Tour
By Stewart Weir of Christians in Sport
The big sporting event of the month is the British and Irish Lions Rugby tour of New Zealand. The tour lasts from 4 June to 9 July, culminating in three tests on successive Saturdays, 25 June, 2 and 9 July. With evening kick-offs in New Zealand, that will be breakfast time viewing in the UK.
Although officially established in 1910, Lions sides have been visiting the Southern Hemisphere since 1888 when the first team toured Australia and New Zealand. This will mark the 11th tour to New Zealand by the Lions and the first rugby tour to New Zealand in the professional era. The Lions last toured New Zealand in 1993.
Out of a total of 35 Tests played between New Zealand and the Lions, New Zealand has won 26 to the Lions’ six with three drawn. The Lions’ only series victory in New Zealand was in 1971 when the tourists prevailed 2-1, with one drawn Test. Although they lost the series, the Lions did record their biggest ever Test win on the 1993 tour when they beat the All Blacks 20-7.
The last Lions tour – 2001 to Australia – promised much but ultimately delivered little as the Lions victory in the first test was followed by two Australian wins and 2-1 series victory for the Aussies.
That tour marked the launch of Jason Robinson’s international rugby career. He had switched codes (Rugby League to Rugby Union) less than a year ago and had made a few brief appearances for England as a replacement, but had never started a game. His selection for the Lions tour of Australia surprised some people. But selected he was and a good start of the tour saw him play in the first test. The game was scarcely 3 minutes old when Jason received the ball, side-stepped the Australian defence to score. Jason Robinson had arrived in international rugby!
Assuming fitness and selection, Jason will be in the Lions team. It will give him a chance to meet up with his good friend, Va’aiga Tuigamala, who had a deep influence on Jason. On day Tuigamala told his Wigan team-mate that he had had a dream about him. Jason was intrigued and asked what the dream was about. "I could see you standing on top of the world. You had the world at your feet but gradually the world started crumbling beneath your feet." Jason was amazed. It was uncannily true.
Jason was on top of the world. He was 21. He had fame and fortune as an international rugby player - but inside he was empty. On the outside things looked great, but inside his life was in a mess. He got through his life only with the help of a bottle.
The dream stopped him in his tracks. He knew that he had to get his life sorted out. It was just the jolt that he needed. Jason’s assessment of his life at that stage was…
“I was extremely successful at my job. I was financially secure. I had everything material that I could want but I had relationship problems. I did have the world at my feet but surely and certainly it was crumbling. I was having great success on the park but off it my problems were overpowering me.
“It got to the stage that I would be out drinking six nights a week. On the outside everything was great. I was earning a lot of money, I had a fast car, nice clothes. People wanted to be associated with me. People probably thought, 'I want what he's got', but inside I was empty. I was searching for something. I was looking for happiness in money, in possessions, in drinking, in relationships. But none of these could fill the space within me.
“I just knew that I could not continue what I was doing. That morning I asked Jesus into my life. The words from the Bible ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28), summed up exactly how I was feeling. At that moment, when I gave my life to the Lord, I felt a burden lifted”.
Jason has not looked back since.
Dates for your diary
25 Jun All Blacks v Lions Christchurch 02 Jul All Blacks v Lions Wellington 09 Jul All Blacks v Lions Auckland
Some Lion facts and figures
Out of a total of 34 Tests played between New Zealand and the Lions, New Zealand has won 26 to the Lions’ five with three drawn. The Lions’ only series victory in New Zealand was in 1971 when the tourists prevailed 2-1, with one drawn Test.
The British and Irish Lions are a combined rugby team made up of the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Although officially established in 1910, Lions sides have been visiting the Southern Hemisphere since 1888 when the first team toured Australia and New Zealand. This will mark the 11th tour to New Zealand by the Lions and the first rugby tour to New Zealand in the professional era. The Lions last toured New Zealand in 1993.
Out of a total of 35 Tests played between New Zealand and the Lions, New Zealand has won 26 to the Lions’ six with three drawn. The Lions’ only series victory in New Zealand was in 1971 when the tourists prevailed 2-1, with one drawn Test. Although they lost the series. the Lions did record their biggest ever Test win on the 1993 tour when they beat the All Blacks 20-7.
Facts and stats
The British and Irish Lions will be making their 11th visit to New Zealand.
An estimated 15,000 British and Irish Lions fans are coming to New Zealand to watch the Lions. The majority of fans will come for the three Tests.
A cruise ship has been booked for the tour. The Pacific Sky, which can accommodate around 1,200 people, has been booked by UK travel agent, Gullivers Travel.
An estimated 1,000 – 1,500 campervans will be travelling around the country during the tour. They will be joined by an estimated 150-180 tour buses.
The British and Irish Lions team will be coached by England’s Rugby World Cup-winning coach Sir Clive Woodward who will bring 44 players and 27 management staff.
The NZRU will be holding a public ballot for tickets to the Lions matches. People will have to register for the ballot in November and December this year. The ballot will be drawn in February next year.
The Lions Tour is conservatively expected to generate more than $50 million to the New Zealand economy.
There will be an estimated 150,000 tickets to Lions matches in the public ballot.
All Blacks
Lions’ records against the All Blacks Highest score: 20-7 in 1993 Biggest winning margin: 13 (20-7) in 1993 Most tries in a Test: 4 in 1959 Most consecutive wins: not more than one
By a Player Most points in a Test: 18 (6p) Gavin Hastings 1993 Most tries in a Test: 2 Carl Aarvold 1930, 2 Malcolm Price 1959, 2 Gerald Davies 1971 Most points in a career: 40 (2c, 12p) Gavin Hastings Most tries in a career: 3 Carl Aarvold, 3 Gerald Davies Most conversions in a career: 3 Barry John Most penalties in a career: 12 Gavin Hastings Most dropped goals: 2 Barry John Lions’ records on tour in New Zealand Highest score: 64-5 v Marlborough Nelson Golden Bay- Motueka 1959 Most tries in a match: 14 v West coast Buller 1959
By a Player Most points on tour: 180 Barry John 1971 Most tries on tour: 17 Tony O’Reilly 1959 Most points in a match: 25 (8c, 3p) Malcolm Thomas v Marlborough Nelson Golden Bay-Motueka 1959 Most tries in a match: 6 David Duckham v West Coast Buller 1971 http://www.allblacks.com
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