Sarah J caught up with Peter Collins, Church Relations Manager for Traidcraft, about fair-trade shopping, campaigning to tackle poverty and praying into the issues.

Sarah: Good stuff. Now if someone wanted to get involved in selling some of your products, say they wanted to set up some kind of a stall, how would they do that?

Peter: Well, very easily - we try to make it as easy as possible. If they contact us, and again the details are on our website, we will send them all the information they will need. We will give them regular updates to that information. There's support at the end of a telephone line. And really there's a level of engagement that is entirely up to them. As fair-traders - that's what we call the people who sell our products from their stalls in their churches, their schools and at workplaces. As Fair-traders they are entitled to a discount on the price of the products once their order level reaches a minimum. And that difference between the price we charge them and the price they sell at is how many people support their church or support their particular charity. It's actually how many people support our charity Traidcraft Exchange. A lot of the Fair-traders used the profit that they made to make regular donations to Traidcraft Exchange. But for obvious reasons we want to make it as simple as possible so it's an attractive thing to do. And the great thing about it is you know that you're making a really positive contribution to the lives of people in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Sarah: Because that's the other issue isn't it, that you just made the point about donations coming directly to yourselves. Because not only do you want to invest as much of the money that comes in into tackling poverty; you obviously have a level of infrastructure that needs funding as well to make that happen.

Peter: Yes that's true. Traidcraft is trying to change the way the world trades. It's a huge ambition when you think about it. But we are actually trying to change the way the world trades. Traidcraft, the trading company is trying to do it by standing in the marketplace and saying 'look we can trade as a successful business company with these principles. If we can do it, then you can do it'. So we stand in the marketplace as a sort of model to other businesses saying follow our example. And Traidcraft Exchange the charity is changing the way of the world by passing on all our valuable information and training and access to producers. One is we're changing the world by example, and we're changing the way the world trades by education.

Sarah: Fantastic. So if people want more details again, whether that's to volunteer or donate or to pray for you to purchase stock or to campaign, the website's the place to go?

Peter: Yes it is. I'm glad you mentioned prayer because that's something we take very seriously at Traidcraft. We are a Christian based organisation; although we are very happy to work with people of all faiths and those of none. But we are a Christian based organisation, and for those that are interested, there is a prayer court on our website. We publish regular calls for prayer, every fortnight or so we update it. So if people do want to do that, include Traidcraft in their prayers, they will find inspiration on our website which is www.traidcraft.co.uk.

Sarah: Fantastic. Well thank you very much for sharing with us Peter and we wish you all the best with what you're doing.

Peter: Thank you very much Sarah, it's been a pleasure.