Bishop of Edmonton Celebrates the Big Brew

Bishop launches Fairtrade day at Mad Hatter’s tea party

13/07/09

The Bishop of Edmonton launched the Diocese of London’s Fairtrade Day, The Big Brew, on Saturday 11 July 2009, in which churches across London were encouraged to promote the use of Fairtrade goods.

The Bishop of Edmonton, The Right Revd Peter Wheatley, launched The Big Brew at St Mary’s Church, Finchley, which held a Mad Hatter’s tea party to celebrate the day. The Bishop was entertained by children from the church drama group who dressed as characters from the Alice in Wonderland book whilst the adult members of the church served tea in traditional Victorian dress.

The recently appointed Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Brian Coleman, also attended the tea party with his mother, the Mayoress, Mrs Gladys Coleman.

11 July was designated as Fairtrade Day for the Diocese of London and The Big Brew aimed to turn local churches into Fairtrade cafes for the day, welcoming the local community and serving free Fairtrade tea and coffee.

The events, which were held on and around 11 July, in churches across the diocese, not only promoted the use of Fairtrade goods, but also demonstrated the practical steps Londoners can take in tackling global poverty.

Over 40 churches across London hosted a Big Brew event on Saturday, ranging from coffee mornings, bell ringing, summer fetes and family fun days, all with Fairtrade refreshments available.

The Bishop of Edmonton, The Right Revd Peter Wheatley said:

"The Big Brew is a fantastic opportunity for churches to engage with their local communities and communicate the benefits of Fairtrade.

"We are getting ever closer to reaching our target of becoming a Fairtrade Diocese and events like today’s tea party prove just how committed our churches are to making this happen."