Jersey One World Group Newsletter 7 - January 2009
A review and a look forward as we move to a new year.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions cover a calendar year. The subs remain the same. £5 for individual members and £10 for corporate membership. The treasurer's address is 'La Touche de Vie', 2, Grantez Cottages, Rue de Grantez, St. Ouen, JE3 2GR and cheques should be payable to 'Jersey One World Group'. We do rely on your subscriptions to maintain and extend our activities.
Review
Stop the traffik
This was the big event of the autumn. About 60 members of the finance industry attended a meeting on Nov. 20th at St. Pauls Centre, opened by the Bailiff. He said it was time for action not words! Jason Haines spoke about the work of task forces tracking down financial crime including proceeds of traffiking. Then Steve Chalke stole the show with a passionate plea for action on traffiking. He repeated the speech to about 50 members of the faith community after a dinner at Les Ormes and raised everyone's enthusiasm. This will be our project for 2009, see below. We thank Ogier and the Co-op, who were sponsors of these events.
Centre facilities
We now have a telephone number 498936, a broadband connection and an ansaphone. We have a new laptop, which we have purchased, but its carrying case and linked Epson printer have been donated, as well as much else at the centre. It has now been insured by the group. Our e-mail address is info@jerseyoneworldgroup.org though it is not checked very often. Similarly the website www.jerseyoneworldgroup.org is very much a work in progress. We would like it to have links to all our member groups.
We are starting to promote Wednesdays from 4.30 to 6.30 as a time when the One World Centre is open for teachers and others. We have nearly 100 books, DVDs, videos etc from Christian Aid, Oxfam and others in our library. They have been catalogued and the catalogue is available electronically. It will be attached to this letter for those contacted by e-mail. We would be pleased to receive further donations of books, DVDs and other materials .
One World Week in October
Thanks to Maurice Lakeman and Mary Connell , several events occurred. There were a series of talks on 'Morning Thought'; covering a fortnight. Talks were given in at least 10 primary schools and one secondary on the theme of 'Growing together'. A multi-faith meeting was held at Georgetown Methodist Church.
Some members were among those invited to attend the celebration of 40 years of Overseas Aid held in that week.
Looking forward
The Centre
We still have no certainty about the long term location of the Centre as no final decisions have been made about La Pouquelaye School. However most equipment is now in place and we want to see the Centre used more by teachers and others.
Stop the Traffik, see www.stopthetraffik.org People shouldn't be bought and sold.
Plans were made to follow up on this project with events in March covering schools, business, the faith community and the media. Now to allow time for a much wider group to be involved, the visit of Steve Chalke is being moved to the Autumn. It will include a team of 2 visiting every secondary school over a 3 day period, and meetings with business and faith groups again. A small group may be set up to work on issues connected with the finance industry during the Spring.
Jersey Overseas Aid Commission
We welcome the election of Deputy Ian Gorst as President with Senator Paul Routier and Deputy Carolyn Labey as members. We hope to establish a good working relationship with them as outlined in the recent scrutiny review. An informal group of those who have organised work parties or run charities concerned with aiding developing countries has begun to meet to share mutual concerns. Some members of the JOWG are going to meet the Commission to start the dialogue on February 9th.
Our AGM will be held on Thursday March 26th at 7.30 p.m. Venue t.b.c.
We will again be asking members to invite a table to the meeting to share with them. Our speaker will be Deputy Ian Gorst. The annual report and agenda will be circulated at least two weeks beforehand. Any agenda items should be sent to the Secretary by the end of February.
Fairtrade fortnight, Feb. 23rd to March 8th
Among the events planned is a Fairtrade dinner at Highlands College restaurant on Thursday 26th Feb and a Fashion Show at Beaulieu on Thursday 5th March. We do hope that you will keep an eye on the press for these and other events, including an attempt on a world banana-eating record.
Development magazine
DfID (Dept of International Development) in UK send out, free of charge, an excellent quarterly magazine. To subscribe go to www.developments.org.uk.
I hope this brings you up to date and look forward to seeing you at future events.
Ed Le Quesne, Secretary, J.O.W.G.
January 2009