Green England Articles Coffins, Cats and Fair Trade Sex Toys by Jeremy Piercy

Coffins, Cats and Fair Trade Sex Toys by Jeremy Piercy

Fair Trade has come a long way in the last three decades and Jeremy Piercy tells a very personal story about the part he had to play in the movement.

Jeremy founded Shared Earth in 1986 as a Fair Trade shop. He now has seven shops in major city centres. As with many businesses an apparantly successful shop belies a story of hard work and hope, and above all passion and belief in the concept.

It is an inspiring story of a man on a mission, determined to make his dream come true and to keep true to his ethics. Always willing and open to learn from others and prepared to take risks – financial and otherwise! - any one who has a dream will be encouraged by this story.

It is the story of how in a market where fair trade shops were rarely commercial Jeremy set out to have a shop that made a profit, a real going concern that benefited suppliers, employees and customers. This meant that products had to be highly saleable as well as ethically produced and react to changing markets.

But perhaps above all it is the story of how Fair Trade really does make a difference to the lives of people, taking people out of poverty and as such relieving all the symptoms that it causes including child labour, sickness, starvation and death instead helping to create and environment of well being, education and life.

Jeremy is the first to say that Fair Trade still has a long way to go but in recognising that, also celebrates just how far the movement has come.

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