22 December 2004

UK coffee and chocolate lovers are invited to take part in the fourth annual 24 hour Coffee Break on Friday 4 March to raise vital funds to fight world poverty.  The mocha-flavoured marathon is organised by ActionAid, one of the UK’s leading overseas development charities, as part of its campaign for fairer trading practices.

Numerous celebrities are supporting the Coffee Break.  Some have said with whom they would most like to share a hot soothing cup of coffee. Others, including celebrity chefs, have given recipes.  Corrie Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, suggested the addition of fair trade chocolate to chilli con carne!

The 24 hour Coffee Break (during Fairtrade Fortnight 1-13 March) encourages people to get involved in all sorts of coffee and chocolate capers including the traditional coffee morning, chocolate quizzes, coffee cocktail evenings and corporate coffee breaks.

To help organise your event, a bumper starter pack of Fairtrade Mark coffee, chocolate and tea is available for free to all participants.  You’ll then have beans of ideas to organise a coffee or chocolaty themed fundraising activity!

Global trade rules and practices are stacked against the world’s poorest people and are pushing poor farmers out of business. Poor farmers in the developing world grow seventy per cent of the coffee we drink, totally depending on it for their living. Yet just five companies control almost half of the world’s coffee imports, using their power to demand low prices.

Dibushie Oshu Feta, from Ethiopia, relies on coffee farming as the main source of income for her family: “ActionAid has helped me to increase my income but still the price varies from season to season.  I cannot afford to store my coffee until the price is good because I have no other means of income to feed myself and my children. I have been unable to pay school fees so my children had to stop their education. It is my wish to earn more so that they can finish their education.”

Simon Molloy, ActionAid Coffee Break spokesperson, said: “If poor people are to make a decent living, unfair trade rules must be changed.  By fundraising for ActionAid and through buying Fairtrade Mark products, you can help to guarantee that poor farmers get a fairer deal and their children a better future.”