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<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8050">
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8229" class="">
<h2 class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8231">Bag-ism</h2>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8233">Éire was
the first country to introduce a plastic bag fee – ‘<em
class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8235">PlasTax’ –</em>
in 2002. Its primary purpose was to reduce the consumption
of disposable plastic bags by influencing consumer
behaviour and its effect was immediate, their use <a
class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8237"
href="http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Waste/PlasticBags/"
target="_blank">plummeting by 90% overnight</a>! The
average Irish person used an estimated 328 bags each year,
but now they are down to 21.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8239">It took a
decade to catch up in the North, where the carrier bag
levy was first introduced in April 2013. At first, the
levy applied to single use carrier bags, but<a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8241"
href="http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/baglevy?gclid=Cj0KEQjw75yxBRD78uqEnuG-5vcBEiQAQbaxSD7TfqOImgs6wv_9ct2sQKhY1X65fVzkC0QHvFHt0WwaAtXj8P8HAQ"
target="_blank"> since January 2015</a>, the 5p levy now
applies to all new carrier bags with a retail price below
20p, whether they are single use or reusable and
regardless of the material they are made from.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8243">Wales
introduced a 5p charge in 2011 and Scotland followed suit
just one year ago, in October 2014. Now, finally, England
is making the big supermarkets charge 5p for carrier bags.
However, unlike the straightforward schemes in Wales and
the Irish Republic, <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8245"
href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26048425">small
businesses are exempt</a>, so some of us will no doubt
continue to accumulate those utilitarian blue ones and the
dinky black ones that carry the beers home from the
nearest ‘convenience’ store.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8247">Still, to
extrapolate the results from N.Ireland and Scotland, where
<a class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8249"
href="http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/carrier-bag-levy">plastic
bag usage dropped by 80%</a>, we are going to be seeing
a lot less ‘London bunting,’ as Danny Baker used to refer
to bags blown into trees. In some parts of Wales,
allegedly, the number of bags being used has been reduced
by 96% and so – <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8251"
href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/new-5p-plastic-bag-charge-6584011">according
to some</a> – has the number of shopping baskets
available at larger supermarkets!<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8253">What this
means for Fareshares is that people may be less willing to
donate carrier bags; indeed, they will have fewer of the
bloomin’ things lying around. This is a Good Thing, but it
may be too much to hope that those Fareshares users who
persist in giving us useless bits of old food packaging,
or doing their recycling by proxy, might desist.
Seriously. We regularly complain about people dumping
their rubbish on us, yet on it goes…<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8255">Never
mind the <em class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8257">PlasTax</em>,
Fareshares is proud to announce two radical initiatives:</div>
<h2 class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8259">Branded
tote bags & a DIY bag-making workshop!</h2>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8261">Fareshares
fine & sturdy tote bags, crafted from canvas and
emblazoned with our logo, shall be available soon, very
soon. Look, it’s in the newsletter now, so before
Cristmas, anyway. Their cost to you, dear shopper, shall
be £3.50 and funds raised used to plug our trading
deficit, repair the building and, perhaps, supply paper
bags for folks to weigh stuff into…<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8263">What’s
more, three Faresharees volunteers are pledged to
organisize an exciting bag-making workshop, one Saturday
lunch time early in December. See <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8265"
href="https://www.facebook.com/FaresharesCoOp?ref=hl">our
Facebook page</a> for details, as they develop. There
are also plans for a pickling workshop, watch <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8267"
href="https://www.facebook.com/FaresharesCoOp?ref=hl">this
space</a>.</div>
<h2 class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8269">#howedoit
– Nākd Bars, 75p each</h2>
<h3 class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8271"><a
class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8273"
href="http://fareshares.org.uk/files/2015/10/nakedbarsmain.jpg"><img
data-id="e6215b85-57ef-3a91-6fdd-0916619d73c5"
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8274" class=""
src="cid:part8.09050806.07010905@fareshares.org.uk"
alt="nakedbarsmain" height="150" width="300"></a></h3>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8276">Standing
behind Fareshares’ counter, one does hear some dark
rumours, but the one about the people behind Nākd having
sold out and incorporated GMOs into their hitherto
organic, gluten-free wholefood bars never had the ring of
truth. If you have, virtually single-handedly, created a
new category within the retail snack market – as
Californian-born, Oxfordshire-based brothers, Jamie and
Greg Combs, have since they started Natural Balance Foods
in 2005 – why would you compromise your USP?<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8278">In fact,
what happened was that they got<a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8280"
href="https://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/nakd/"
target="_blank"> Nākd Bars</a> into supermarkets and
sales grew by over 70%, from £7.5m to £13.2m, in the year
ending 31.03.14. Having made it so far in 10 years, some
early Natural Balance Foods shareholders chose to retire
and, therefore, the company hired specialist advisers to
seek new investors to take its brands to the next level.
They attracted <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8282"
href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11777071/Jammy-Dodger-maker-gets-sweet-tooth-for-Nakd-bars.html"
target="_blank">interest from bidders</a> including
Burtons Biscuits (maker of Jammie Dodgers and Wagon
Wheels), Kelloggs, and Hain Celestial (owner of New Covent
Garden & Linda McCartney).<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8284">In the
end, though, Natural Balance <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8286"
href="http://www.bakeryinfo.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/14687/Lotus_Bakeries_buys_majority_stake_in_Nkd.html"
target="_blank">sold 67% of its stock for £60 million</a>
to Lotus Bakeries, the Belgian company that makes those
frightfully more-ish caramelised biscuits. A statement
said both parties see the transaction as long term and
“there is a clear agreement that the DNA of the brands
will be kept unchanged… The Natural Balance Foods mission
steadfastly remains to pioneer and champion the Wholefood
Revolution around the globe and the team continues to be
passionately committed to the business.” Fat Gay Vegan,
for one, <a class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8288"
href="http://fatgayvegan.com/2015/08/14/vegan-food-takeover/"
target="_blank">was chuffed</a>.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8290">At
Fareshares, we stock a changing selection of Nākd Bars
that we sell for 75p each, but we tend to stay with the
classic varieties: Cashew Cookie; Berry Delight; Ginger
Bread Bar. Some folks, however, order their Nākd Bars by
the box of 18, paying only a 10% surcharge over the
wholesale price, which means they can try the more unusual
flavours, like Cocoa & Orange; Coffee Mocha or the new
<a class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8292"
href="https://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/nakd-fruit-and-nut-bars/nakd-bakewell-tart-bar/"
target="_blank">Bakewell Tart</a>.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8294">Don’t
forget about new <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8296"
href="https://www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk/nakd-nibbles/"
target="_blank">Nākd Nibbles</a>, either! Made from raw
fruits and nuts lovingly ‘smooshed’ together in sweet shop
favourite flavours, with no added sugars or syrups, these
nibbles are also wheat, dairy and gluten free. With a
soft, chewy texture they fill you up till your next meal
and most count towards 1 of your 5 a day too. With trick
or treat season approaching, you might want to lay in a
supply.</div>
<h2 class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8298">Volunteer
Opportunities</h2>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8300">Fareshares
is entirely run by volunteers, who are always welcome and
needed.</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8302">Shiftworkers
work two hour shifts; three of those on Thursdays, when we
most need help on the closing shift, 6-8pm. If you’ve
turned up to Fareshares after 7pm one Thursday recently
and found the shop shut, it’s because we really need you
to volunteer as a shiftworker! If not on Thursdays, then
perhaps you can join the Wednesday afternoon crew who
unpack and display our weekly deliveries?<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8304">If you
can’t commit to a regular shift in the shop, perhaps
there’s another way in which you can help Fareshares, by
contributing a more specialised skill? For example, we
have put out a call in the past and are still waiting to
hear from a Refrigeration Engineer who is qualified to
service our Graf commercial ‘fridge.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8306">Now,
there are several carpentry jobs that we need someone with
the skills and tools to do for the Collective:<br class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8308">
1. Remake the disabled access ramp so it’s not so
steep.<br class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8310">
2. Construct shelving under the window, behind the
counter, for customer orders.<br class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8312">
3. Construct a shelving unit to display <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8314"
href="http://www.zaytoun.org/">Zaytoun</a> products.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8316">If you
think you might be able to take on any one of these tasks,
please contact us by e-mail – <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:info@fareshares.or.uk">info@fareshares.or.uk</a> – or
come into the shop and have a word with the shiftworker.
Why not join us for a late Sunday lunch (see below) where
you can meet some of us?</div>
<h2 class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8318">November
15 Meeting – Sunday Lunch @ Pullens Centre</h2>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8320">When the
Pullens Centre is free on the 15th, Fareshares has held it
monthly meetings there, preceded by a <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8322"
href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/130534089175095326/"
target="_blank">vegan potluck</a> meal, to which all who
might want to be and those who used to be as well, as
those who are actively involved with running Fareshares
are warmly invited.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8324">Sunday
the 15th November is our final get together of 2015 and
you are welcome to join us, upstairs at 184 Crampton
Street, where a fabulous nut roast shall be served in all
its glory, accompanied by lashings of with onion gravy
& roasties at 3pm. Please bring salads & puddings.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8326">The door
will be open from midday, if you’d care to peel spuds or
help get set up. Please let us know if you’re coming, if
possible, so we have an idea of numbers, but come anyway.
Join the event via Facebook, or by e-mail to
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:info@fareshares.org.uk">info@fareshares.org.uk</a>. Or just turn up.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8328">Fareshares’
monthly meeting will start at 4pm. All prospective and
past members of Fareshares are welcome to eat with us, but
only current members of the collective may participate in
its business meeting.</div>
<h2 class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8330">Bio-D:
return your empties!</h2>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8332">One of
the least popular chores among Fareshares volunteers is
refilling the recycled washing up and <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8337"
href="http://www.biodegradable.biz/products/bio-d/laundry-liquid-1l/">laundry
liquid</a> bottles – we lack <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8339"
href="http://www.biodegradable.biz/products/bio-d/tap-for-bio-d-large-drums/"
target="_blank">one of these</a> – but that isn’t
currently an issue, because we haven’t got any empty
laundry liquid bottles to refill! By retuning your empty
bottles, you save the environment (see plastic bags,
above) AND money, because we buy 15L drums, which works
out cheaper (currently, £3.80/L).<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8341">As you
probably do not need to be reminded, domestic pollution
causes more damage to the environment than industrial
pollution. At least, that was the state of play back in
1980, when A.M.Gower produced ‘Water Quality in Catchment
Ecosystems’, which The Bio-D Company continues to quote on
its web site page devoted to ‘<a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8343"
href="http://www.biodegradable.biz/about-us/"
target="_blank">Our Philosophy</a>‘. Over the
intervening 35 years, British industry has shut up shop
and environmental awareness has increased exponentially,
but still.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8345">Michael
Barwell, the man who started Bio-D in 1988, knows all
about the social trends of the past decades. From Hull, he
used to clean ships before realising that household
cleaning products contained the same petrochemicals,
phosphates, preservatives, enzymes and synthetic perfumes
as the stuff he wore industrial protective clothing and a
respirator to use in his job. ‘We’re proud of our funky
(recycled and recyclable) packaging,’ <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8347"
href="http://naturewatch.org/blog/article/its-whats-not-on-the-inside-that-counts"
target="_blank">say Bio-D</a>, ‘but overall it’s about
what’s NOT on the inside that counts!’</div>
<h2 class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8349">Fareshares
on Facebook</h2>
<div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8351" dir="ltr"><a
class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8353"
href="https://www.facebook.com/FaresharesCoOp">Fareshares
Facebook</a> page is the place to keep up with the
day-to-day goings on within our collective and key
suppliers, such as <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8355"
href="https://www.facebook.com/SumaWholefoods">Suma</a>
and <a class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8357"
href="https://www.facebook.com/Infinityfoodswholesale">Infinity</a>,
and smaller suppliers such as <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8359"
href="https://www.facebook.com/Zaytoun-CIC-170054474041/timeline/"
target="_blank">Zaytoun</a> and <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8361"
href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Bio-D-Company-Ltd-120683571279169/">BioD</a>.
We don’t (often) post mawkish animal-related stuff, give
or take the odd <a class=""
id="yui_3_16_0_1_1446121254089_8363"
href="http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/happy-rescued-orphaned-rhino/"
target="_blank">skipping rhino</a>, but we do seasonally
appropriate recipes. Fareshares currently boasts 14
reviews and a perfect score of five stars on Facebook, but
we could score more, maybe, if you were to like and rate
us too.</div>
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Fareshares Food Coop
56 Crampton Street
Thursdays: 2-8
Fridays: 4-7
Saturdays: 3-5</pre>
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