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Salaam Covent Garden! Feb 08 We are thrilled to announce the opening of another Ganesha shop, in the heart of Covent Garden. The shop is located on the historic and beautiful King Street, just off the iconic piazza. We aim to expand on our success on the Southbank and bring a quality selection of home and personal accessories to a wider London
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The shop will open its doors on March 7, just in time to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight 08 and will launch with a party in shop in the evening. |
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People and forests profit from leaf plates, east India Our leaf plates might just become even more popular when people find out we are giving 10% of profits back to forest conservation projects in Orissa, east India – the very forest from where the leaves originate. We are delighted to be teaming up with MASS –an Orissa-based NGO, to help support local forest protection schemes in Sambalpur district. Our twice yearly donations will go towards capacity building of the community forest protection committees and also in gap filling of the forests with a nursery support in the first year, and an extension of activities envisaged for the second year. Leaf plate making is a traditional industry in the villages of Orissa and depends upon the availability of siali (Bauhinia spp.) and sal (Shorea robusta) leaves from local forest. It is a widespread activity in the region, employing thousands of workers. Many are organised as 'self-help' groups: |
these are often women or adivasi (tribal)-focused. Leaf plates made in Orissa are used throughout India for festivals and weddings, it is a largescale cottage industry. The plates race out of our shop and online store, partly because it really is a fantastic product – they are not just lovely to look at and use, but are low-impact, and compostable. They have also attracted lots of media interest, with editorial features in publications such as The Observer newspaper and the London Evening Standard. We are thrilled to have sold a job lot to Oxfam also. Our leaf plates are sourced through fair trade organisations in east India, so together with our forest protection partnership, it’s good to know that both people and forest will continue to benefit from this age-old industry. That’s as good a reason as any for a party!
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Ganesha at Amazon.co.uk When Amazon invites you to open up shop on the most gargantuan of shopping sites, how can you refuse? We are therefore delighted to announce the opening of a Ganesha concession at Amazon.co.uk. People can find us by clicking on different product types such as purses, wallets and bags, and other key words such as fair trade.
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We are very excited at this development, and feel that this is the right way forward -taking fair trade out there to a wider audience. Please stop by and check us out there. |
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Ganesha welcomes The Global Journey The Fair Trade Organisation Mark (FTO) banner and various fair traders
pitched up at Ganesha this afternoon (11 May) after touring around London
in a red bus, marking the latest leg of the Global Journey. The Global Journey is promoting the FTO logo of The International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) and the global network of fair traders. The mark is given to organisations and businesses that have met ten fair trade standards and who have poverty reduction at the heart of what they do. |
It was a busy day for the Global Journey. The day kicked off with a photocall at Jubilee Gardens on the South Bank, with London's fair trade community in attendance. The bus then toured around iconic sites of London and various fair trade organisations, before stopping off at Ganesha to say hi. Its destination and conclusion is an IFAT conference in Brussels, mid May.
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Ganesha donates bags to UNICEF UNICEF were looking for a gorgeous bag they could give to their sponsors
running the London Marathon, so naturally, they came to us. |
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+ get your New Consumer Mag! Jan 07 We are now a free distribution point for the new look, handbag (and manbag!) sized New Consumer Magazine. Still glossy + good looking, (are we talking magazines or show ponies?!) |
You will find them prominently displayed in both Ganesha shops, so next time you come in for a browse please take one. And even better, it is absolutely free, so what are you waiting for?
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Joined up ganesha.co.uk We have long made a point of listing the
name of the producer next to their products for sale in the shop pages.
Then we compiled producer profiles, all nicely arranged in the trading
information section. |
Happy shopping and browsing! |
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Now- gift vouchers
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We think they look rather nice + feature lots of Ganeshas, as you might
expect. And we present them to you in an embroidered Calcutta Rescue card. |
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Now- wedding list at GaneshaMarch 06 We are delighted to announce the launch of a wedding list facility at Ganesha, especially so, as this is something we have often been asked about. It's easy to use: The happy couple sign in and go shopping for their list. Instead of proceeding to the shopping basket to check out, they go back to the 'wedding list' link and their choices are compiled, with photos, on a new page. |
Friends and relatives can then sign in and browse or buy any items on the list. When an item is sold, a 'sold' sign will be added next to the product. They check out and pay for the item, and we send the items out to the individual buyers. It's that simple. We hope to keep building on the range of products we offer, to make sure you can get married in fabulous fair trade style. So can some happy couples road-test our latest bit of programming please? We'll add a present from Ganesha to the first 3 couples that sign-up. And congratulations! |
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Mass lobby for trade justice 2 Nov!Oct 05 On Wednesday 2 November there will be a mass lobby at Westminster, when thousands of people will come to parliament to lobby for trade justice, not free trade. The more the merrier, so please try and come. The plan is for an enormous gathering outside the House of Commons to make a big 'moment' at 1pm, followed by an opportunity to meet your own MP. Why? |
countries to choose the best policies for poor people and the environment
in services such as water, health and education. If you can't make it in person on the day, you can still take part in writing: TJM is also appealing to people to lobby Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson to get the Government to use its influence within the EU to address these issues. And with a mere click of the mouse, you can email Tony Blair and let
him know you vote for trade justice: For more information: |
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Ganesha.co.uk
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G8 Summit at Gleneagles, ScotlandJuly 05 Group of Eight is an informal group of some of the world's most industrialised nations: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, US, Canada and Russia. They come together once a year to try and take on global challenges. On the agenda this year is climate change, Africa, and global trade. The UK is in an unusually powerful position to influence negotiations this year, as President of the European Union and the G8 meeting of world leaders. |
Explore the G8 + these issues for yourself: BBC |
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Join the crowd to help make poverty history!April 05 You are cordially invited to join thousands of others in a night of revelry and vigil in London on 15 April, to help make global poverty history. The night will kick off at Westminster Abbey at 10pm, with songs and readings, and will continue through the night with a vigil (it's a vigil, though not as we know it, um, Jim). |
For more information on this and other UK-wide events, check out: Make Poverty History We'll see you there! |
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Ganesha celebrates 10 years!March 05 We are delighted to be celebrating 10 years of alternative business. Over the last decade we have seen an incredible upswing in the fair trade market - and are proud to be playing a part in this, though we'd like to think this is just the beginning. Pondering how to mark the occasion, we thought it would be a good opportunity to spread the fair trade word some more, but not from ourselves, from the people we buy from -the producers in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and the other UK-based importers who are working in a similar way to ourselves. Browsers in the shop are often told the stories of the producers, but this is lost on surfers browsing our site. So to put that right, here they are -and not even in our words. You can find out about them, in their own words; who they are, what they do, the challenges they face, what makes it all worthwhile, and what difference your purchases make to them. |
We're coinciding the start of our celebrations with Fairtrade Fortnight, but will carry on adding more, new information on the website during the year, so be sure to tune in again. To mark our 10 years, we are also launching some fabulous new products, as well as decorating the exterior of the 2 shops with Bollywood murals, and, how could we not resist in partying just a little -after all, fair trade wine producers, like all fair trade producers should be supported, no?! We'd like to raise a toast to everyone who makes Ganesha happen, from the producer to the consumer. Here's to our next ten years of good business; more successful, more effective. |
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New supplier: Aranya of BangladeshMay 04 We're thrilled to be stocking products made by Aranya of Bangladesh.
Aranya joins the growing list of IFAT members (International Federation
for Alternative trade) that supply Ganesha. Focusing on the age-old, specialised skills of the region, Aranya markets the traditional industries, such as embroidery and handloom, but in a wholly contemporary way, allowing the medium to develop and be as vital today, as it has been for centuries. And gives rural women a chance to earn a decent income. Traditional skills such as khadi cotton - where the cotton is handspun, as well as handwoven, and the kanther style of embroidery so associated with Bangladesh; skills that are usually passed on from mothers to their daughters, feature large in Aranya's products, on scarves, wraps, and textiles for interiors. Aranya is also a leader in the use and development of natural dyes in its products, and conducts regular training workshops in Bangladesh and abroad to promote this more ecologically friendly approach. |
The use of natural dyes has another advantage, too; the collection of the materials, such as leaves, bark, roots etc.. in the community maximises local labour and builds in additional value to the product at source, increasing the economic benefits to the producers. Check out the wonderful Aranya products at Ganesha: crinkly scarves dip-dyed with natural dyes are proving to be a winner in the shop (see below). And we have some beautiful and stylish muslin silk wraps, perfect for a special occasion. We think they're fab!
Click here to see more Aranya
wraps at Ganesha |
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Namaste Ganesha 2March 04 We're delighted to announce the opening of our second London shop next door to the original one - at Gabriel's Wharf, South Bank. The new shop has allowed us to introduce new product ranges in both clothes and home style, with one shop for each; and allows us to offer twice the range of fairly traded products to consumers in London and online. The launch of Ganesha 2 on 8 March is timed to coincide with Fairtrade Fortnight (1-14 March). We have been developing some fabulous lines with our producer partners; sharp tailored shirts in handloom cottons, perfect for work and play, jeans-cut linen trousers, knee length split skirts, as well as some very Asian cuts: mini silk tunics, and sari ribbon tops. The emphasis is on style, with a desi twist. In the home style shop, there are new ranges of bamboo and laquerware accessories and more of everything else -handloom throws in some fabulous textures and colours, new silk cushions and drapes plus a brand new |
range of organic cotton bedlinen. Also there are some rather unusual things made from post consumer waste: chunky vases and planters made from tyres, coasters made from recycled plastics, and beautiful paper mache bowls made by women living with HIV in south Africa. As well as importing a more diverse range of goods and developing new
lines with our producer partners in When we started about 10 years ago, there were very few importers working in this way, but now, as the fair trade message is getting across, there are more IFAT (International Federation for Alternative Trade) members and importers who are BAFTS (British Association for Fair Trade Shops) accredited. We are excited to be working with them in developing the fair trade market. We hope that our new shop helps to develop the market for fair trade in London and beyond-good news for our producer partners and UK consumers alike. |
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We're in Anita's top ten for xmas!Dec 03 she says: 'Ganesha is a fantastic luxury home and fashion experience.... love their vibrant multi-coloured cushion covers' |
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Join us at the Fair Trade Fair!Nov 03 We'll be attending the Fair Trade Fair 2003, at Chelsea Old Town Hall,
on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 December 11.00-17.00hrs. We'll be selling lots of new stock -new bags from Teddy, as well as our |
bestselling baroo and vintage silk scarves in new colours. Plus lots of funky handknitted hats and gloves. We'll be having some special offers too, so give yourself a fair break this Christmas and join us at the FT Fair. Oxford St? We say pah! click here to go to the FT Fair site Fair Trade Christmas Fayre |
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Ganesha -repainted!July 2003 |
was inspired by a stormy monsoon sky, and the lettering is a metallic bronze. |
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Ganesha -refitted!May 2003 After 8 years of chaotic growth in Gabriel's Wharf, the shop was decidedly
cluttered and all the new bags and scarves for 2003 weren't getting the
display that did them justice. There was only one thing to do -repaint
and re-organise! |
In stays the recycled plastic table and card rack, and the window console
made from waste wood, along with our old cubist shelving. Just a bit re-organised.
And, we're really happy to report that the shop is now buggy and wheelchair
friendly. Organic paint from Auro -available
from Texture T: 020 7241 0990 |
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Teddy Exports - new Ganesha supplier!February 2003 Teddy, based in south India, was set up in 1989 to effect positive change through business. Started by Amanda Murphy, in her own words 'a failed vet and daft Irishwoman' after she fell in love with the country and its people, she realised the brilliant local skills and abundant local resources could be used to benefit the craftspeople and their wider community. After successfully haranguing the Roddicks to buy wooden massage rollers for the Bodyshop, Teddy has grown from humble beginnings in a single mud hut with 5 workers to presently employing more than 300 locals with a turnover of more than £1.5 million. Conditions for the workers are excellent; all receive free medical care, subsidised lunch and tea, plus perks through out the year such as events and excursions. And good wages mean that workers, unlike so many in India, |
do not live a hand-to-mouth existence, but can afford good homes for themselves, education for their children and also save for their future. Teddy also helps by offering a pension scheme and operates a system of housing loans. Very rooted to the local community, Teddy has shown to be a positive force by helping to set up various schools, education centres and health clinics for employees and their children, as well as the wider local community. In 1995, An HIV /Aids awareness project began, to address the spread of HIV in the area by long distance lorry drivers. The project has created highway clinics, where truckers can be treated and counselled. The scheme has also introduced peer educators to sex workers to foster safer sexual practices and distributes condoms. Murphy was awarded an MBE for her Teddy achievements in 1998 -not bad for a 'daft Irishwoman'! Teddy are presently working on a wonderful new range of products for Ganesha for 2003, so watch this space, as they say. |
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Ralph Lauren likes our kauna-phok mattresses!
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Ganesha now has fantastic customised bags, hand made by Calcutta Rescue
-the organisation that gives free medical care to anyone who needs it
in Kolkata. |
screen-print on one side, and matching pink rope handles. We don't sell these bags, but give them away free to customers when they buy something. Launched at the Fair Trade Fair in December, they received a fabulous response, with some people actually buying things just so they'd get one! With such a positive response, we feel they are definitely doing what they should do and more. And the quicker we get through them, the quicker we can go back to Calcutta Rescue and order some more, providing work for its service users. |
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Fair Trade Fair 2002-best ever show!December 2002 We had a cracking time at the Fair Trade Fair and it was our best ever show. FTF is the new incarnation of the Global Partnership show and took place at Westminster Central Hall just before Christmas. The weekend turned in to a virtual buying frenzy as it seemed half of London turned out to do their Christmas shopping, which was fantastic, if rather exhausting for the traders. Let alone shoppers staggering home with all their purchases. All the usual fair trade suspects were there; our BAFTS colleagues One Planet from Sydenham, People Tree |
and festival regulars such as Malika with their fabulous recycled metal range of stuff from Africa, along with lots of new guys too -seems the alternative trading message is getting ever more popular, which is great news for everyone. And helping spread that message was the recently launched New Consumer magazine -published by the Big Issue, Scotland. NC Mag is more glossy and good looking than you would imagine a magazine dedicated to fair and alternative trading should be, so, for that alone it is worth a look. NC, like everyone else had a cracking show, so here's looking forward to Fair Trade Fair 2003 -and hoping it will be even bigger and better! |
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Ganesha shouts for trade justice!June 2002 Ganesha attended the Trade Justice Movement mass rally at Westminster
on 19 June, in what was a marvellous day with a solid turn out from all
over the country, to lobby for justice in international trade. The Trade
Justice Movement is a new grouping of charities, aid agencies and campaigning
groups of which Ganesha is a member by way of BAFTS. |
Anita Roddick entertained the audience by telling everyone to agitate
and write letters to large multinationals with suspect labour and environmental
credentials and underlined how consuming is a political gesture. There
was also fabulous roots music at Westminster Central Hall.
For more information on inequities in world trade: For more information about BAFTS (British Association for Fair Trade
Shops): |
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Another Ganesha supplier joins IFATJan 2001 Ganesha is pleased to announce that another one of our suppliers has just been accepted for IFAT membership (the International Federation for Alternative Trade). The Crafts' Society of Manipur, based in one of the far-flung north-eastern states of India, applied to join IFAT after recommendation from Jo Lawbuary and Purnendu Roy, Ganesha Directors. CSM markets hand-produced home furnishings, accessories and artefacts, made using the rich craft traditions of the north-east. Many of the products are distinctly Manipuri, with designs, colours and motifs typical to the region. The producers, mainly women, work as part of a women's welfare group or at home - usually from the smoothed mud veranda, where the looms are kept. Here they weave the gorgeous sheer handloom fabric for wraps, weave pads from natural fibres for the house, or create funky bags from plastic straws. Despite the craft traditions still very much in evidence, with looms being installed as part of the marriage agreement in almost every home, many of the traditional products are being squeezed out of the market by cheaper mass-produced goods. |
And many of the traditional products are being used less as a consequence, which means less income for the women producers. The potential good news, however, for the women who produce for the Crafts' Society of Manipur, is the possibility to develop an export market, and bring in an improved and year-round wage for their families. Although the cultivation of the local market is always a safer bet for craft producers, exporting can bolster the domestic market, and bring in vital income to crafts people; especially important considering Manipur has a chronic employment problem. Joining IFAT is a good move for the craft producers' of Manipur, and will encourage a fair trade market, where producers are paid a decent wage for their labour, and emphasis is on continuity in the trading relationship, and respect for people, culture, and the environment. With the acceptance of the Crafts' Society of Manipur into IFAT, Ganesha's biggest and most frequent suppliers are now members of this alternative trading organisation, showing our determination to trade in a different way. |
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Go Ganapati!Sep 2000 Ganapati Limited has been well and truly launched with a successful round of trade fairs, appearing for the first time at the Autumn Fair, Birmingham and Top Drawer, London. The company, formed by Jo Lawbuary and Purnendu Roy, is the wholesale expansion to Ganesha, the alternative trade outfit on the South Bank, London. Ganesha has been trading for seven years, and imports quality home furnishings and accessories from India, sourced from co-operatives and producer associations India-wide. Focusing on Ganesha's strongest retail lines, Ganapati has been launched with an unusual collection of furnishings for the home, many of which have been sourced from the far-flung and little- |
travelled north-eastern states of India. Emphasis is on bold colour use, alongside design-led biomass products for a spare, contemporary effect. The response to Ganapati at the Autumn Fair and Top Drawer has been described by Lawbuary and Roy as 'phenomenal'. Apart from the shows generating orders for this season and the next, Ganapati attracted keen interest from companies small and large. As most of Ganapati's suppliers are members of IFAT (The Federation for Alternative Trade), the welcome response is great news for alternative and mainstream trade alike. Ganapati has arrived! |
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press releases |
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26/ 02 /2004 Namaste Ganesha 2!The range of fairly traded products from London's leading fair trade
retailer, Ganesha, is about to double with the opening of a second shop
- next door to the original one - at Gabriel's Wharf, South Bank, SE1.
The opening of the additional shop on 1 March is timed to coincide with
Fairtrade Fortnight (1-14 March). |
As well as importing a more diverse range of goods and developing new
lines with their producer partners in India, Ganesha also showcase the
best of fair trade in the UK market from other importers. When Ganesha
started about 10 years ago, there were very few importers working in this
way, but now, as the fair trade message is getting across, there are more
IFAT (International Federation for Alternative Trade) members and importers
who are BAFTS (British Association for Fair Trade Shops) accredited. |
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[29 / 04 / 01 Top Drawer Summer] Despite the quake...new products for summer 2001Ganesha partners Jo Lawbuary and |
- E N D S -for images or further information contact Jo Lawbuary or Purnendu Roy |
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