Click here for information about Launceston Oxfam Group

Thursday 15 November 2012

20% off at 2PM to 6PM

20% off most items in the Oxfam shop today from 2PM to 6PM.

Come in, browse and support us! We are a shop where gifts which give twice.

Tuesday 13 November 2012

Deloitte Oxfam Fundraising BBQ

There will be a fundraising BBQ this Friday, November 16th - 10am to 4pm.

Venue: Outside Supercheap Auto, William Street, Launceston

Cause: West Africa Food Crisis

Please come and support! :)

Saturday 10 November 2012

Oxfam 3things at BOFA Film Festival

We are at the QVMAG this weekend - today and tomorrow for BOFA Film Festival.

Join us to put forward your 3things what you can do to help change the world...

Saturday 13 October 2012

October's Event

"Eat Local Feed Global" campaign comes into action tomorrow at Evandale Market (http://www.evandaletasmania.com/sunday-markets.html) from 8AM to 1PM.

Imagine one in seven people goes to bed hungry every night. Part of the Anti-Poverty Week, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and Oxfam's GROW would like to curb this problem... And make a change.

Join Andrew Hewett, Executive Director of Oxfam Australia, this coming Wednesday (17th October) at 6PM for a talk and question time. He will be speaking about solutions to fix the broken food system.

Afterwards, please join us for more discussion over drinks & snacks – all venues.

Main Venue: Sandy Bay. Social Science Lecture Theatre. Enter from Churchill Ave.

Streaming live: Launceston. Education Lecture Theatre 2, near NEW gallery. Enter via Newnham Drive.

Streaming live: Cradle Coast Rural Clinical School. Brickport Road, Burnie.

Phone 0437 741 677

Tuesday 9 October 2012

October Meeting

Our monthly October meeting will be held today at 6PM at The Royal Oak. No RSVP required. All are welcome.

Thursday 4 October 2012

Sacred Grounds Organic FairTrade Coffee

New range of coffee at the shop.

Espresso or Whole Beans - called the Sacred Grounds Organic FairTrade from PNG Purosa.

Monday 1 October 2012

Best of the Best Finalist

Hear hear! Our local Oxfam shop has been awarded "Best of the Best - Finalist".

Congrats Amanda. You are doing a great job. And many thanks to all volunteers, supporters and consumers who have contributed to this.

Monday 10 September 2012

Annual General Meeting 2012

Oxfam Tasmania's AGM 2012 will be held on Saturday, 15th September at the Midlands Multi Purpose Health Centre, 13 Church St., Oatlands. It starts at 10.30AM and ends at around 3.00PM.

10.30AM Tea/coffee/cake, then …

11.00AM - 3.00PM Getting to know each other celebrating our work, planning with a skilled Facilitator.

The 2008 Tasmanian planning document is at http://documentstasoxfamagm.yolasite.com/documents.php

Registration is free and includes lunch.

Note 1: We will hold the Oxfam Tasmania AGM at 2.00pm at the same venue. Current Members should receive notices. Observers and potential Oxfam Members are welcome.

Note 2: Clancy is also running Youth and Campaigns training in Hobart on Monday, 17th September. Contact him for details clancym@oxfam.org.au.

Friday 7 September 2012

Oxfam BBQ, Sunday 9 September 2012

Hi all,

Our second Oxfam BBQ at Bunnings Warehouse will be on this Sunday, 9th of September 2012.

Ros is looking for volunteers for this event. Her number is +61 437 741 677. Any support is most welcome and appreciated.

Thank you.

Eric

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Band Together on August 31st

Friday 31st August 2012 at 8.00PM to late there will be a BAND TOGETHER music fundraiser at the Royal Oak Hotel.

We need volunteers for various jobs.

Tickets can be purchased from Oxfam shop.

Thursday 26 July 2012

Volunteers Required...!

Interested in helping a non-profit organisation while using your fantastic people skills in a retail environment?

Oxfam Launceston is looking for volunteers who are:

• Compassionate,
• Friendly,
• Outgoing,
• Well presented,
• Professional, and
• Ideally have customer service experience but not essential.

Volunteers must be available on weekdays for at least one 5 hour shift.

Please apply within at the Oxfam Shop, Centreway Arcade, Launceston or ring Amanda on 03 6331 7760.

Cheers,

Eric

Saturday 7 July 2012

July meeting!

Meeting 6pm Tues 10th July, 2012 at the Royal Oak.

We will watch a short Oxfam film, “Stop Hunger,” about people in East Timor overcoming hunger through knowledge of farming and nutrition; and their opportunities for the future, followed by discussion.

We will also be planning for Band Together, our fundraiser on Friday 31st August. Watch this space for more details!

Other business will include news about Tasmanian and Australian Oxfam activities including a possible Tasmanian conference, the suggested date being Saturday 14th September.

Cheers.

Monday 18 June 2012

Photos of 2012 Fairtrade Fortnight's events in Launceston



Fairtrade Fortnight ran from the 5th of May 2012 to the 20th of May 2012.


OXFAM Australia on "Trade": 

Trade has the power to generate incredible wealth, and elevate people out of poverty. 

So why then, are millions of people still so poor?

Because the rules of controlling trade heavily... read more


Sat, 12/05/12 Fairtrade Fiesta at Brisbane Mall, Launceston 

A great start to a beautiful Saturday morning in Launceston with lovely people, delicious breakfast and awesome Fairtrade coffees at our local cafe called FRESH Cafe before the team of Oxfam-ers and Go Fair-ers set up their stalls selling Oxfam products and Go Fair ethical products. Good jobs braving the cold and promoting Fairtrade products for sustainable communities. Well done!




More photos of the Fairtrade Fiesta on Go Fair's Facebook page: click here


Sun, 13/05/12 OXFAM stall at Evandale Market 

In conjunction with Mother's Day (unknowingly planned), we had our second Oxfam stall at the Evandale Market to promote Oxfam's works and the shop at Centreway Arcade, Launceston CBD.



Sun, 20/05/12 Late breakfast coffee at Cafe Culture, Trevallyn

Many thanks to the staff members and owners of Trevallyn's Cafe Culture in supporting and selling Fairtrade coffee in the Launceston region for more than 8 years. Kudos!




Cheerio, Eric

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Agenda for June 12th, 2012 Meeting

Part 1: “Caught in the cycle of poverty.” Video about the life of a rickshaw driver in Bangladesh) showing his daily struggle to earn enough for his needs). 6 minutes followed by discussion and/or other films in same the collection.

Part 2: Formal meeting (including minutes and planning)

1. Evandale Market stall report (Eric and Sandra)

2. FairTrade Fortnight activities report (Roc)

3. Button Day report (Ros) – Tasmania raised $3092.41 including $264.85 by Don College (to be allocated by students), $1,247.45 in Launceston and $1,844.95 in Hobart. There may still be some to come from Ulverstone High and Launceston College. Thankyou to Pam, Sandra, Ros, Jackie, Mara, James, Pat, Roc, Mara, Jonathan from MyState and students from Scotch Oakburn.

Discussion on the options we have - whether to send funds to Oxfam general funds (for Oxfam to use for whatever is needed immediately) or to select a particular appeal. See attachment.

4. Band night fundraiser planning (James) - booked for Friday 31st August (the last day before uni mid-semester break). We need 10 volunteers to be on duty on the night. James will outline other tasks to be done in preparation for the event.

5. News about Tasmanian and Australian Oxfam activities. (Ros)

6. Group blog & communications (Eric)

7. Plans for July meeting (Tuesday 10th) (all)

8. Other business

9. Announcements including

Bhutan fundraiser 15th June

Amnesty International stall 15 and 16 June and meeting 5th July

Oxfam Trailwalker fundraiser Sat. 23 June

Cambodia fundraiser 29th June

Uni group stall 12 July

Results group meeting July

** Members and non-members are most welcome to attend the meeting at The Royal Oak Hotel (upstairs) at 6PM this evening **

Thursday 31 May 2012

Launceston Locals Look at Climate Change

Launceston Locals look at Climate Change
By Mara Schneiders

Cold snaps and heatwaves! Has weather worsened because of climate changes, or is this part of nature's cycle? The debate is ongoing, yet there is concern by some that the time for talk is past and action is needed.
In towns around Australia, and the world, May 5th signalled Climate Impacts Day and local groups invited the community to ‘connect the dots’ between extreme weather and climate change. Their aim to raise awareness.
In Northern Tasmania, Climate Launceston, a local Tasmanian environmental action group joined with Oxfam Launceston Group to highlight the issue, and urge people to respond.

Connect the Dots event in Launceston for Climate Impacts Day
On a crisp, yet sunny autumn Saturday, people in the city mall were asked to consider recent events such as flooding, droughts, heat waves and rising seas.

Connect the Dots is a project of 350.org – a grassroots global movement which aims to solve the climate crisis. As campaign organizers say:
“Across the planet we see ever more flood, ever more drought, ever more storms. People are dying, communities are being wrecked — the impacts we’re already witnessing from climate change are unlike anything we have seen before. But because the globe is so big, it’s hard for most people to see that it’s all connected”.

Launceston locals, Anthea and Roger were out shopping. “It is really interesting to see the extremes of weather and look at the map at how continents have had record droughts and record floods” Anthea observed. Invited to add a dot to the world map on display, Roger chose Tasmania for the flooding that happened in the North East last year.

Yet not everyone agrees on climate change.

Jess works in one of the clothing shops in the area. Whilst she believes climate change is a concern, she said not all her colleagues think the same.
“One guy says don’t worry about it until all the trees are cut down"
Local organisers said the response to their event had been mixed.

“Some people insist there is no such thing, but others say yes, it is an issue, what can I do?”

Whilst the debate continues nationally and internationally about what governments should do in response to environmental issues, local organisers believe that people can make a difference.

Kim Beasy is a geography student at the University of Tasmania. She has established EcoAction, a University Student group. She believes that whether you are a climate change believer or not, we can all do things which contribute to a better world.
350.org has collated footage from around the world which demonstrates the link between climate change and extreme weather. For them, and local climate change groups, the evidence is all around. Just look out the window they say.

Watch: Launceston Locals look at World's Weather video on YouTube.

Tuesday 29 May 2012

Amnesty International and Launceston Oxfam June Meeting

Hi all,

There will be an Amnesty International Meeting on the 7th of June, Thursday at Maggie's Place, Pilgrim Centre on Paterson Street. It is going to exciting to see the "revival" of Amnesty International in Launceston! Please come along and give your support to another great organisation for good causes.

Our June meeting is at the Royal Oak (upstairs) at 6PM on the 12th of June. Ros will be showing us a film on the life of a rickshaw driver in Bangladesh.

Cheers, Eric

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Fairtrade Fortnight 2012 in Launceston

A list of events in Launceston has been started in conjunction with Fairtrade Fortnight 5th May to 20th May 2012. Check them out guys!

May 5 - 20: OXFAM shop

May 12: Fairtrade Breakfast (small scale) at FRESH Cafe on Charles Street - See Amanda at OXFAM shop for details

May 12: GO Fair's Fairtrade Fiesta at Brisbane Mall from 10AM

May 13: OXFAM stall/information booth at Evandale Market from 8AM to 12NN - Come and support!

May 14: UTAS Hot chocolate stall

May 20: Morning coffee and celebration of Cafe Culture's 8th year of supporting Fairtrade coffee/products - RSVP to Ros (+61 437 741 677) for numbers

Please bring along family, friends and furry companions to these events to celebrate such a great cause of doing a bit for our world!


Friday 4 May 2012

May 8th Meeting

Launceston Oxfam Group monthly meeting – all welcome. Amanda Dewis will talk about background ethical trading and how it helps producers in their communities. (Also group members will report briefly on trade (how it affects the poor – including “free” and “fair”) types of coffee accreditation.)

Date: 8 May 2012
Time: 6.00PM
Venue: The Royal Oak, corner of Brisbane and Tamar Street

Thursday 3 May 2012

Connect The Dots, Launceston TASMANIA

Saturday, 5th May 2012 from 10AM at the Launceston Brisbane Mall.

Click on the link for further information:

http://connectthedotslauncestontas.blogspot.com.au/

Sunday 1 April 2012

DVDs for May Meeting

Hi all,

A poll has been set up to determine a selection of DVDs to show at our May meeting (at present, we do not have a speaker). Ros has provided me with a list of DVDs. A selection of four to five DVDs will be shown at the meeting - depending of the duration of each DVD.

The poll closes on Monday, April 30th in time for our May meeting.

Cheerio,

Eric

Saturday 31 March 2012

Discussion: Band Night Fundraiser

The Launceston OXFAM Group is planning to have another Band Night Fundraiser mid-2012.

Ideas are welcome.

Please leave comments below. 

Alternatively, you can send your idea(s) to launcestonoxfam@gmail.com

This discussion is open until April 30th 2012.

Cheers.

Monday 26 March 2012

Carpet makers in Cambodia

There will be a film about carpet makers in Cambodia to be shown at the Lecture Theatre 1 (A150), UTAS Newnham on Wednesday, 28th March 2012 from 6.00PM to 8.30PM. Tickets are $10 each person online.

For further details, please see: http://carpetsforcommunities.org/events/gone-adventurin/launceston/

Saturday 17 March 2012

PLEASE NOTE: Monthly meeting has changed!

Hi All,

Please note that the monthly meeting for our Launceston Oxfam Group has changed from every first Tuesday of the month to SECOND Tuesday of the month.

The next meeting is on April 10th 2012 at The Royal Oak (downstairs at the 'Boatshed') at 6PM. John and Iona will be talking about their visit to Burma. All are welcome.

Kind regards,

Eric

Tuesday 28 February 2012

March Meeting

Next meeting: 6pm Tuesday 6th March 2012

Venue: The Royal Oak (upstairs)

Topic: Burma

Friday 24 February 2012

Product of the Week

Product of the week: Children's Toys! Keep your child/children entertained with great toys from the Oxfam shop or online. Even as an adult, you are most welcome to keep yourself entertained with the toys too. Toys know no age limit (advisably for some, they are for 3 years and above). Eric

Product Story: Oxfam has a beautiful range of children's toys from around the world. Barbara Sansoni designs is one of the producers of children's toys. 

"Our products are about creation and design. They are about the inspiration and influence at work behind our intense passion for colour and textiles," Barbara Sansoni, founder of BAREFOOT Sri Lanka.

In 1958, Barbara Sansoni, a colourist, and artist, created the "BAREFOOT" concept out of a need for a rehabilitation program for young Sri Lankan women - who had limited schooling and skills. Today BAREFOOT is a premier textile design company exporting exquisite hand woven fabrics, toys, linen and clothing worldwide. 

BAREFOOT Artisans are dedicated weavers and needlewomen who, without time constraints of mass productions, are able to produce premium quality workmanship. BAREFOOT Sri Lanka opposes exploitive practices. Each artisan earns a real wage enabling them to support their families with self-respect and dignity.




Saturday 18 February 2012

Products of the Day

Products of the day: [New in shop] Bamboo Kitchen storage boxes - assorted sizes. Eric

Product Story: Beautiful Bamboo kitchen tools and accessories handcrafted in Ra Tay province, northern Vietnam. Bamboo is grown in abundance in Vietnam and this fast growing sustainable resource lends itself perfectly for home utensils, furniture and even building material. Strong, insect resistant, versatile, workable and simply beautiful. These items are a perfect examples of what expert craftsmanship can make from a such a humble material.


Tuesday 31 January 2012

February Meeting


Meeting  notice
Date: Tuesday 7th Feb. 2012

Place: Royal Oak, Cnr. Brisbane & Tamar Streets; upstairs in the Boardroom

Time: 6pm (Please arrive earlier to order any food and drinks at the bar before going up to the meeting.)

Meeting Agenda:
  1. Reports and planning
  2. Sub-groups to plan specific activities, some of which are listed on our Blog
  3. Short Oxfam films & short discussions – people at the meeting can vote to choose from the following interest areas:

·         Close the Gap (Aboriginal health)
·         Fair Trade
·         Immunisation
·         Food security in East Timor
·         Climate change - action and information

Friday 27 January 2012

Our Vision and Values

The Launceston Oxfam Group carries the same vision and values of Oxfam Australia.

Our Vision: A FAIR world in which people control their own lives, their basic rights are achieved and the environment is sustained.

Oxfam Australia aims to increase the number of people who have a sustainable livelihood, access to social services, an effective voice in decisions, equal rights and status, and safety from conflict and disaster.

The work of Oxfam Australia is a partnership through which Australians enable poor and marginalised people to control their own development, achieve equality, exercise their basic rights and ensure the environment is healthy and sustainable.

Our Values: The Group exists with Oxfam Australia to contribute to a fairer world to overcome poverty and injustice - challenging and changing the structural causes of poverty and empowering people to control their lives and achieve their human rights with long-term changes and sustainability.

Oxfam Australia wants to be -
  • innovative, dynamic and bold;
  • compassionate and committed;
  • authoritative and influential;
  • transparent, accountable and ethical;
  • independent and secular; and
  • effective, efficient and capable.

Sunday 22 January 2012

Product of the Day

Product of the day: [New in shop] Tara Projects (India) recycled glassware - assorted colours. Eric





What is Tara Projects?

Tara (Trade Alternative Reform Action) Projects has been working with craftspeople in the Delhi area since the 1970's, with the aim to alleviate poverty through fighting widespread exploitation in the handicraft industry. It now works with 25 community-based groups of artisans.

Tara members are involved in production and marketing (local and export) of handicrafts with the aim to improve the livelihood and eduction of the producers. Tara ensures its artisans are paid at least 15% above the normal wage, paying them up to 50% above standard wages when it can. The producers work within registered cooperative societies; other groups which are not yet registered but operate on just and fair lines, and/or small family workshops are also given some help.

Tara Projects focuses especially on stopping child exploitation, setting up schools and training parents in skills that will help them find a job, so that families will not need to send their children to work. 


Tara Projects' products: The producer groups working with Tara produce a wide variety of products including soapstone boxes, brass candlesticks, boxes and statues and various iron products, such as bells. Making bells, originally to hang around the necks of their animals, is an ancient tribal craft art going back thousands of years in northern India. 

The bells are fashioned from a mix of new and used iron, then sprinkled with glass powder and brass, covered with a pulp clay and jute and fired for 12 hours using coal and cow dung for fuel (the "rasai" process). After cooling in water the blackened clay is removed leaving a golden patina that ages beautifully, and imparts the sonorous musical quality of the bells.

Today, the fastest growing craft for Tara is fashion jewellery, developing a creative as well as economic industry for young women and men struggling to make a living in the urban sprawl of New Delhi.


Tara Projects is a member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT).

Monday 16 January 2012

Meeting Times for 2012

Hi all,

following on from our recent meetings, we discussed finding a regular meeting time so we can pop this in our diary for the year. Of course, there may be changes depending on whether things come up, eg guest speakers, but to get us started lets find the time that suits most people, most of the time.

We are setting up a Blog Poll to determine the most suitable day. We have nominated the first week of each month but this can be discussed when next we meet. If the best day for a meeting is a weekday, then we are assuming it is around 6pm. If a Saturday is chosen, then we will have another poll to work out the best time.

The poll closes Monday 30th January at 5pm in time for our February meeting.

To access this and vote, click on the Blog Poll icon. You are most welcome to leave your comment and/or view on the day you have selected on the 'comments' box below.

Thanks, Eric and Mara

Saturday 14 January 2012

Products of the Day



Product of the day: I vote for Kylie Kwong and her range of kitchenware which you can purchase from our local Oxfam shop. Eric


Product Story: Kylie, who is an Ambassador for the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand, felt the proposal was a natural extension of her advocacy on the issue. The idea quickly moved on to Kylie creating the first design scheme for the range, and Oxfam’s product team translating these into ceramic designs and working with the producers to develop and finesse samples.

In March 2011, Kylie travelled to Vietnam with Oxfam to meet the producers in person, finalise the designs and see firsthand how the fair trade system is working, including the benefits these workers receive. Kylie drew upon her own graphics background to come up with the striking “Lotus” range, which comprises soup and rice bowls with matching plates, a soup spoon, a teapot and teacup and a coffee cup.

The ceramic exterior of the range is charcoal-coloured and features a hand-painted pink lotus flower design, while the inner surface of the range is a deep jade green.

“I wanted to create a design that was not only aesthetically pleasing but which also had great depth and a wonderful story to it,” Ms Kwong said.

“As part of my inspiration I looked towards the symbol of the lotus flower. To me the lotus is such a deep and meaningful symbol, which represents femininity, spirituality, and the importance of nature and the environment.”

Watch Kylie Kwong in Vietname here.


Link: Oxfam