Tuesday the 2nd Nov saw 'abantu's Christmas Party' launching it's new Christmas Gift Range, which was shared in the typical country style over mulled wine and mince pies.

The 'Bourn to Run' 10Km and 3Km fun run was held on a windy and wet day.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 

Abantu had a fabulous time as we followed Diana around to various events around Cambridge. It was a busy time to be said, but we learn't a lot about how the Fairtrade system works.

Diana Manasseh, a pineapple grower from Ghana, was in Cambridge telling us all about fair trade pineapple and mango farming and the tangible differences that the fair trade premium makes to the farmers and their families. It was fascinating to hear how the shopping choices we make in Cambridge affects the people who grow and harvest the crops.

Ghana is a poor country, and its challenges include a lack of basic amenities such as access to water and electricity, as well as health care and education. Fair trade offers producers a guaranteed price for their goods, and the money goes back into the community.

We kept Diana busy at various evets around Cambridgewhere she spoke about her life and how Fairtrade makes a difference to her and the community around her. She started at Emmanuel Reform Chuch in Cambridge on the Tuesday, followed by 200 children in the Orchard Park area. We managed to fit in a Radio 209 appearance as well as Kings College. Her final day was spent as Hardwick school and at a fabulous evening spent at Bourn Village Hall.

A huge thank you to Diana for her time spent with us and a thank you to Sally Hildrew of Bourn who very kidly offered Diana her home over the 4 days.

2009 Christmas Bash

What a night to be had by all. A huge thank you to Lindi, my dear Monday Lady, and too Jules from The Heartfelt froject. Both helped so much to make the night the succes it was. So many of you came. Could not believe how many could squeeze into tiny Abantu. Our best Christmas Party. Thank you to all those who came!!!

Splash of Colour Evening....

A special thank you to all the lovely people who came out despite the heavins opening up on  us all. The shop was alive with people and it was encouraging to see. We had new people...welcome. It it always encouraging to see new faces in abantu. I hope you delighted in the new textures from recycled flip flops, and tugua nuts to the new resin pieces. I am sure you will agree that the bags from Madagascar are crafted beautifully and a credit to the artisans from the Island.

Thank you again for the new and present customers of abantu and hope to see you all again.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2009

Thank you to the lovly community of Bourn making this years Fairtrade Fair such a fabulous event. From providing cake to serving teas. I had a lovely day and we had a steady stream of visitors.

Children went home happily face painted and some made great Wellie pegs.

 The tables of crafs full of colour and texture.

Heartfelt table                                Our tea ladies                    Great cakes

A thankyou you to Sally from Tearcraft and Julie from the Heartfelt Project.

Abantu goes to Greenbelt.

Abantu had the opportunity to join the many traders and 20,000 people at the Greenbelt festival at the Cheltenham race course. We, as a family made our way down there on Thursday evening to find our spot. We camped behind our trade stand....rough camping they called it. We were fortunate to have a friend and fair trade collegue from Bourn to help and support us by offering us family time away as Sally manned Abantu, as well as bringing us a hot home made dinner, which my 2 children enjoyed with gusto. We were also helped with our packing up, with man power and a very useful trolley for our journeys to the car and back (no cars allowed on Site). A very tired family made it home by 10pm on Monday. It was a great opportunity to experience time at a festival as a trader. Made us really appreciate the life of a trader on the road. I met a lovely lady, Susie Hart, from the Neema Crafts project, in parnership with CMS. As Abantu, we will definately be doind dealings with them, supporting the project and bringing in the fabulous crafts made by disables and deaf artisans.

Greenbelt is well worth the visit next year...you never know Abantu may brave the trading world again.

Abantu sets up at Abbots Ripton Charity Garden Show

On the 21st and 22nd June Abantu set up a stall at the Charity Garden Show at Abbotts Ripton, near Huntington. The weather was not on our side as on the Saturday the rain came down on all the lovely people coming in on the many coaches. The Sunday the wind decided to create havoc for all the traders alike. Made me appreciate and long to get back to our lovely stables at Manor Farm. Met lovely traders as well as the many visitors to the gardens.

Burwell Carnival Sat 28th June 2008

Abantu was invited to spend a day to promote fair trade at the Burwell Carnival. It was a lovely day of community spirit as the purpose of the event was to bring the village together to raise money for local charities, sports clubs and village assiciates.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2008

We celebrated fairtrade fortnight with a fair held in Bourn Village Hall on the 8th March 2008...

What a fabulous day. The event was very succesful, thanks to the fair traders all arriving and setting up a wonderful array of interesting stall for you all to enjoy. (Injabulo, Traidcraft, Tearcraft, Heartfelt and lovely Helen from Pampered Chef) We, abantu, promoted Freeset Bags and Patchouli. We sold 10 bags to help the Freeset cause, setting Women free from Prostitution. We had Melanie from Project Meridian ''08 who made 75 pounds towards her trip with the scouts to Ghana.

The atmosphere was a buzz during the entire day as people filled the hall and helped themselves to fairtrade tea/coffee/orange juice and some wonderful cakes.

A huge thank you to all the community of Bourn and personal friends of Wendy & abantu who turned up with wonderful home baked cakes for you all to enjoy. The cakes were often made with every day fair trade ingredients like chocolate and sugar.

Pat and Barbara worked tirelesly all day to serve your teas and cakes with lovely smiles. A thank you for giving up their Saturday to spend it supporting fairtrade. Thank you very much ladies.

We were also on Q103......

How wonderful was Christmas 2007. Many came to celebrate our fairtrade wares for Christmas and it was lovely to have so many of you venture out in the cold. The warm mulled wine was cracking the very cold glasses...but we overcame slight problems.

Chritmas is over again, and in the retail world, Christmas comes again all too soon...so see you at Christmas 2008!!!!

Pre view New Jewellery Lines.....

I had been collecting great costume pieces in great beads and colours. I put these into my shop on Tuesday 17th July. Some pieces are from the current small local jewellery designers, but I have great Kazuri necklaces with matching earings in,  as well as a new Fair trade supplier ......Goose Island. It was really difficult deciding what you would like.

The jewellery changes regulary as I find new pieces and designers all the time.

 Our South African Day 

Abantu held a South African Day to celebrate where we come from as well as show our customers a little of the SA culture. A huge thank you to all the people who attended this South African event on Sat 16th June, despite the rain.  It was wonderful to meet up with many fellow  SA''s as well as my give regulars who braved the rain to give the SA fare a try.

Spring Clean Party

On Thursday 21st June my regulars joined me in a cocktail as abantu marked down some stock including the jewellery. And once again the heavins opened, but this did not dempen the spirits of those who came.  Thanks to all the customers who joined me in a glass of wine as they roamed the shelves.

Evenings of Silver & Champagne, trying on the fabulous new pieces of silver...some complete one-off pieces. Richard and Sue from Padma, a lovely little two person fair trade concern, are off in India at the moment working with their co-op to produce some lovely new pieces for the United Kingdom.  

Abantu has had 3 S&C parties so far. A huge thank you to all the ladies who came on these evenings to enjoy a glass and browse the new pieces Padma brings in.  Padma have not returned to india in the 2nd half of this year so we will have to wait until February 2009 for the next party. Please keep looking at events page for news of this event. They are well worth coming to.  The next one will be in time for Valentine.