Lampeter Students Tell Their Stories at 11th Wales Fair Trade Fair

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In August, a local couple, Martha & David Holman from the charity, Love Zimbabwe took five
students from the anthropology department of Lampeter University in Mid-Wales to the
charity’s community centre in Zimbabwe. The scheme was started in 2015 with the intention of
taking students to help with community projects in a rural area. The idea of the exercise was to
introduce a cultural exchange programme which give the students an opportunity to live in a
rural community village and participate in voluntary projects . Students also have an
opportunity to visit Fair trade producer partners and are encouraged to make their own hand
made products that they bring back home to the UK. The trips are now embedded within the
degree programme. The proof that the visits have had a long -lasting influence became clear
when all of the students that went in August, had been before.

Lucinda Walker who has now been to Zimbabwe three times and completed her dissertation
there last April said, ‘These trips have completely changed my outlook on life. Before my first
visit I was not particularly confident within myself. Now, I have finished my degree, achieving
a ‘first’ and won a special award for the uniqueness of my subject area which was influenced
by going to Zimbabwe’. Lucinda has since gone on to become a trustee of the charity and is
making great strides in her position as secretary.

At this year’s 11 th annual Wales Fair Trade Fair you can hear Lucinda and other students talk
about their trips to the country and how it has impacted on their lives.
This year’s event takes place in The Guild Hall, Brecon on Saturday 7th. October, from 10am-
4pm (Free Admission), and in The Market Hall, Abergavenny on Sunday 8th. October from
10am-5pm.(Admission £1). The Brecon event will be opened by the Mayor of Brecon, while
the Abergavenny day will be officially opened at 11am by Nick Ramsey A.M. and the Mayor
and Mayoress of Abergavenny, David and Penny Simcock.

There will be something in the region of 50 stalls over the weekend selling fairly traded and
local arts and crafts. Organiser Martha Musonza Holman said, ‘The idea for the event primarily
focused on fairly traded products from around the world. This year we wanted to also bring in
locally made arts and crafts which are usually made by individuals who face similar hardships
to those from developing nations. We would always encourage people to buy local and fairly
traded goods.’

In the Market Hall there will also be the amazing Taste Zimbabwe food stall, selling delicious
traditional Zimbabwean food. Fairtrade tea and coffee will be served by the Abergavenny
Fairtrade Forum and Fairtrade Usk will also be attending.
Stalls include- Love Zimbabwe, Fair and Fabulous, African Bags, Tibetan Dawn, Tools for
Self Reliance, Bees for Development, Hands around the World and Shared Interest.
There will also be live music from Steve Garrett and Welsh bagpipes. In the afternoon there
will also be a fair trade fashion show with designs for old and young.
A very special event this year will happen in The Market Hall on Saturday night 7th.

October when there will a fund raising concert for Love Zimbabwe featuring Kizzy Crawford, Danielle
Lewis and Zim Voices. Kizzy is a wonderful singer who sings in both English and Welsh and is
making big waves in the music scene in Wales and beyond. Danielle is a singer/songwriter
whose melodies you will not forget! Zim Voices perform traditional Zimbabwean songs in an
accapella style. The concert starts at 8pm and finishes at 10.30pm. Tickets cost only £12 each
and are available from the website- www.walesfairtradefair.org

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Abergavenny Now founder and History graduate from Bath Spa University. I was born in Abergavenny and have lived in the town for most of my life.

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