About Us
Our History
The Ipswich Fair Trade Shop is a not for profit organisation run by a team of mainly volunteers, working to promote the concept of fair trade and the sale of fair trade goods in Ipswich and the surrounding area.
Originally born from caring individuals in the Ipswich Christian community, we have grown from humble beginnings in the late 1970s when volunteers, working from home, were taking boxes of mail order fair trade products to church and community events throughout Suffolk.
Growth was such that in 1996 a permanent home for fair trade in Ipswich was set up at a shop in Orwell Place, and growth continues today when we now operate from larger premises in Upper Brook Street.
In addition to running the Ipswich Fair Trade Shop, the directors and volunteers are engaged in promoting the concept of fair trade through promotional talks to societies and groups. The company is a member of BAFTS (The British Association for Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers) and is associated with other Fair Trade bodies locally, nationally and internationally.
The Company
The Ipswich Fair Trade Shop is a company, limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales in July 1991. There are four directors who, along with the Company Secretary, manage the company. There are two part-time Shop Managers, all other staff and associates being volunteers, giving freely of their time and talents to support the Ipswich Fair Trade Shop, and thereby helping to actively promote Fair Trade in Ipswich and generally.
Company Registration Number 02630236
Our Key Staff
Margaret Fish:
Margaret is the company secretary. Her involvement with fair trade goes back more than 30 years and she feels passionate about our need to spend our money as much as possible in ways that promote justice and fair trade in the poorer countries of the world. She says “We can make a difference to people's lives and their communities by making available products in our shop produced by farmers and artisans who need our support and this is my motivation.” Margaret is also one of the buyers for the shop.
You can contact Margaret at the shop or email margaret.fish@thefairtradeshopipswich.co.uk
Alan Waters:
Alan is the treasurer for the shop, after previously being a volunteer following the move to Upper Brook Street in 2015. His experiences in running small businesses in the past help to ensure that the company’s accounts guide the management of the shop and satisfy the statutory requirements. He volunteers at the Fair Trade Shop because he believes that helping people to help themselves is fundamental to the long term alleviation of poverty around the world.
You can contact Alan via email using alan.waters@thefairtradeshopipswich.co.uk
Anne Durnford:
Anne has been a volunteer with The Fair Trade Shop since it’s very small beginnings in a room in Christ Church Hall over 30 years ago and was a committed “fair trader” before then. Soon after the first shop was opened, Anne was invited to become a director. As well as working in the shop herself, she is responsible for managing the volunteer staffing rota and is one of two buyers responsible for selecting and ordering goods from a number of our suppliers.
You can contact Anne at the shop or by email anne.durnford@thefairtradeshopipswich.co.uk
Ann Fox:
Ann is new to the directorate, appointed in 2022, but has always supported fair trade and ethical, sustainable living. Ann believes firmly that trade – national and international – has to be fair. "It is the only way to ‘level up’, to allow everyone to thrive, with dignity. In having our Fair Trade Shop in Ipswich on a main shopping street, we are offering the opportunity to everyone to contribute to this form of justice, as well as demonstrating that goods produced ethically and sustainably are also of high quality. They also don’t cost the earth, in more ways than one."
You can contact Ann by email at ann.fox@thefairtradeshopipswich.co.uk
Delly Haseldine:
Delly joined our team as shop manager when we reopened after lockdown in April 2021. She has a passion for retail and has experience with charity, independent and high street shops. Having recently left a role in social media and online retail she hopes to encourage new customers to visit as well as creating a welcoming community shop for all of our volunteers and regular faces. Delly believes that all people have the right to live and work with dignity, regardless of their background, nationality, gender, faith or life circumstances.
Following her maternity leave Delly returned to co-manage the shop with Gurwinder.
You can contact Delly via delly.haseldine@thefairtradeshopipswich.co.uk
Gurwinder Kaur:
Gurwinder joined us in September 2022 for the day-
Gurwinder now co-manages the shop with Delly.
You can meet Gurwinder in the shop or contact her by email gurwinder.kaur@thefairtradeshopipswich.co.uk