Malvern is a Fairtrade town and the Malvern Fairtrade group is holding a Christmas Fayre at the Lyttelton Rooms on Sat. 13^th December from 10 am to 3 pm. This will be an ideal opportunity to buy that special Christmas present which will give pleasure to the recipient and a fair price to the producer in countries such as Kenya, Egypt, Vietnam and South Africa.

Oxfam, Traidcraft, Aquarius, Greenlink, Zinnia, Jambo-Jambo and Silk Threads will all have stalls selling fairly traded food, clothes, gifts and cards. Coffee and mincepies using fairly traded ingredients will be available; there will be soup and rolls at lunch-time and also a raffle with fairly traded prizes.

Malvern Fairtrade Group is supported by Malvern Town Council and Malvern Hills District Council.

Malvern Churches Justice & Peace Group has arranged an afternoon on the theme of Peace at the Friends’ Meeting House from 3 to 4 pm on Sunday 8^th February 2009. As in the past, the afternoon will include a presentation on Israel/Palestine and time for prayer and reflection finishing with moving prayer – some easy circle dances led by Mary Callaway. Tea and cakes will be served at the end. All are invited to join in this event which is part of the 2009 Weekend of Services for Peace and World Disarmament.

“World disarmament is a God-given vision awaiting fulfilment. With global military expenditure at 1100 billion dollars per year and the world awash with weaponry, fulfilling the vision is truly urgent. Public campaigning and lobbying of governments and international institutions by NGOs remain the priority. ‘Let us seek peace – and pursue it’ (Psalm 34.14).”