Two Way Traffic? 3

  News in Brief 4

  Letters 6

  Porn Again 8

  Straight to the Point 10

  Springtime for Jules 11

  Fairtrade 12

  Think Global... Act N16 12

  Round the Bend 16  

  The Round House 16

  Market Forces 18

  Broader than Broadway 19   

  Stokey Press Watch 20

  Every Breath You Take 21

  Stoking the Pudding 22

  Arts & Entertainment 24

  Local Music 26

  Daniel Defoe 30

  Queen of Stokey 30

  Open Mic 31

  From a Small Tent in Cuba 32

  You Get Me? 33

  Church Street Trader 34

  Farmers' Market 35

   A Singular man 36

  Looking for Pete 37

  Just Over the Border 38

We’re sure that all Stoke Newington folk know about Fairtrade – helping make poverty history by just doing your shopping. But if the last time you supped a Fairtrade cuppa was a decade ago you may be surprised by how the quality and variety of Fairtrade products has developed since then.

Those of us who have been buying Fairtrade products regularly know that they don’t just taste good (70% dark chocolate, anyone?), we’re also making a difference to the lives of thousands of farmers in developing countries. And we’re part of a growing band of shoppers. One in two adults in Britain recognise the FAIRTRADE Mark and the vast majority of these say that the FAIRTRADE Mark’s independent guarantee of a fair deal for farmers in developing countries is very important to them.

Fairtrade is now benefiting nearly five million people – farmers, farm workers and their families – in 58 developing countries. It’s not just sold in church halls anymore, either (though there’s a regular stall at St Mary’s – that’s the big church on Church Street – on the first Sunday of every month) – we can now indulge in our guilt-free shopping in the big supermarkets, small shops, in cafes, restaurants, bars and even vending machines. Fresh & Wild sells some products with the Fairtrade Mark, as does Mother Earth on Albion Road. No doubt there are others.

However, many of us regularly buy just one Fairtrade product, possibly because we are unaware of the vast range of Fairtrade products now available – an unbelievable 1,400 products now carry the FAIRTRADE Mark. Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 6 – 19 March, and the Fairtrade Foundation is encouraging us to ‘Make Fairtrade our Habit’. It’s highlighting the new Fairtrade products developed during 2005, including organic Basmati rice, lychees, vanilla pods and brazil nuts, plus a major new product line, launched in November – certified cotton. So now we really can dress to impress!

The campaign aims to show how a small change in our shopping habits can make a real difference to poverty and to encourage buying across a range of goods. Have you seen some of them in your supermarket or local store? If you haven’t, ask for them – individual approaches to shop managers are a powerful form of pressure for good.

So how many shops in Stokey actually stock Fairtrade certified products? And how many could be doing more? If you’re interested in getting involved in Fairtrade in Stoke Newington drop a line to stokeyfairtrade@yahoo.com.

Two simple things we can do this Fairtrade Fortnight and beyond:
· Encourage our local shops and cafes to stock Fairtrade. Talk to them in person or drop them a line. Directories of wholesalers and catering suppliers that sell Fairtrade products can be found at www.fairtrade.org.uk.
· Make Fairtrade our habit – there’s a lot to choose from: fresh fruit and fruit juice, wine and beer, biscuits and cakes, nuts and oils, chocolate and cocoa, coffee and tea, roses, cotton…

Some believe the divide between rich and poor is ever increasing. The same goes for ‘rich’ and ‘poor’ charities. Although the total annual income of all registered charities exceeds £26bn, approximately 6% of charities receive 90% of this income. This means that small charities and groups can struggle to secure funding and recruit volunteers.

Many people want to support local charities and voluntary groups but don’t know how to find them. Local groups need this support but don’t have the time or resources to carry out advertising or employ press officers. N16 Magazine is stepping up to bridge this gap and act as a link between local people and small groups active in N16. The first in this series of articles named “Think Global - Act N16” looking at small groups in N16, visits the innovative STA bikes.

Act N16
STA Bikes (pronounced ‘Star bikes’) are a small, local, award-winning, not-for-profit company started in 2000 by two parents whose children went to Sir Thomas Abney School , Fairholt Rd. They have helped thousands of children, staff and parents learn to ride bikes, or improve their skills, on and off the road. They also deliver training to local people who can then go on to become professional (paid) cycle trainers. The current group of cycle trainers speaks a number of languages, including Amharic, Hindi, Spanish and Turkish. And if this is not enough, they have a pool of bikes to loan to children and adults who do not have a bikes, and support other schools in the area to carry out similar activities.
‘When we started, just one member of staff cycled to school, and not one child. Now, the newly installed cycle racks are crammed with an average of 25 bikes every day. Cycling used to be viewed with misunderstanding and fear, whereas now cycling is seen as a normal (indeed demanded!) part of school life, by children and parents alike.’ Sally Haywill STA Bikes

The issues
The environmental and health benefits of cycling are well known. For those who aren’t convinced here are a couple of stats to get you thinking.
According to BUPA, even new cyclists covering short distances can reduce their risk of death by as much as 22 per cent and cyclists breathe in less fumes than car drivers.
The average car driven for a year produces 3.5 tonnes of CO2 a major contributor to global climate change.
But there is more to cycling than just a healthier and greener mode of transport, as STA bikes’ Tim Evans says, ‘Cycling is empowering’.
You can contact STA bikes on info@stabikes.org.uk or 020 8986 3456 www.stabikes.org.uk. They are particularly interested to get into contact with parents or teachers at other Hackney schools interested in setting up similar schemes. If you are interested in cycling in Hackney visit www.hackney-cyclist.org.uk

Do you run a local group or charity and would like to be featured on Think Global… Act N16? Then send an email to jennywight@hotmail.co.uk giving details of your group.