1st Fairtrade University of 2005

Bristol received its Certificate as the 1 st Fairtrade University of 2005 (and the 11th in total) on January 28th, on what started as a fine sunny day, but got greyer as the afternoon developed.

Enthusiastic supporters packed into the Victoria Rooms at lunchtime, and heard a powerful address from Simeon Greene, of the Windward Isles Banana Cooperative, contributions from Henry Chown, former Head of Campaigns at Oxford Brookes University and veteran student Fairtrade campaigner, David Biles, former President of Bristol Fairtrade Society, Sarah Kennedy current President, and Professor John Beringer, Pro Vice-Chancellor. I presented the University's certificate to Professor Beringer, on behalf of the Fairtrade Foundation.

Taking advantage of the visit to Bristol (the first for a long time) I stopped and saw the current show at the Royal West of England Academy - What's It All About Alfie http://www.rwa.org.uk/currexh.htm - selected works from the permanent collection including favorites of mine like Mary Fedden and Julian Trevelyan. And there was time to visit the eclectic collection at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/Fuguri/frame.html?B+BLM01600+BG+F+CMM00101+DCL00105+BLM00101

And finally, to check out Smiles beers at the Brewery Tap St Michaels Hill http://www.britishpubguide.com/cgi-bin/pub.cgi?beers:Bristol:Smiles_Bristol_Best_Bitter, before finding Temple Meads station in the cold and damp.