World’s Biggest Coffee Morning continues in Driffield…
On 30th September, Macmillan Cancer Support, the charity which helps those affected by cancer, organised a massive fund-raising event. What was it? All over the UK, many organisations (large and small) organised a coffee morning – hence, the name of the campaign: the World’s Biggest Coffee morning. And although the official date has passed, many are continuing the good work by holding additional events to raise money for the charity.
For example, in Driffield, the local news has reported several events. In Wansford Village Hall, for instance, a coffee morning has helped generate funds of £214 for the cause. It is a time-honoured tradition, sup on coffee, natter with your pals and do some good for the world at the same time at a coffee morning. The Wansford event also used other key coffee morning ingredients, such as a tombola and a ‘bring and buy’ stall.
Other events have taken place in the area too – in the Hutton Cranswick Primary School, it has been reported that £952 was raised in another coffee morning. At this venue, unsurprisingly, there were children’s games and stalls to raise money.
Generally speaking, the results are amazing – it is said that so far the cancer charity has raised at least £4.5million towards its causes. Many people are affected either directly or indirectly by the disease – the strength of enthusiasm for this charity event reflects the strength of feeling generally about the topic. The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning has turned into an annual event for Macmillan.
Muddy Dog Roasting Company recognised as excellent small coffee roaster
The news is in: as reported on CNN and Money and Fortune’s list of the best American small coffee roasters, there is a new dog on the town. At number 12 on the list, the Muddy Dog Roasting Company has had praise heaped upon it.
What is the secret to this company’s success? One answer may lay in the dynamic and passion of one of the co-owners, Jim Pelligrini. He leaves no stone unturned, according to reports, in hunting down the best bean for the job. His travels take him all over the globe, from Ethiopia (rumoured to be the home of coffee), to India and Nicaragua. It is even said that he has a party trick to show off his extensive knowledge and understanding of the varieties of coffee beans: apparently, once he learns which wines a customer favours, he can find them a coffee bean that they will also enjoy.
The passion of Pelligrini is demonstrated by his travel blog and he claims to enjoy passing on his knowledge to his customers. Surely, this would make a difference – to continue the wine tasting analogy, many of us love to learn about the background to the bottle of wine we are drinking and the particularities of the grape and the methods of production. It would seem that Pelligrini is taking a similar approach to the coffee bean.
Of course, if the accolades in the press are to be believed, it seems that this approach has been very successful.
Jimmy Choo coffee table book
Jimmy Choo is a shoe designer who makes women go weak at the knees (and, in all probability, men go a little weak at the knees to see his designs worn by the fairer sex too). He has had an excellent track record in the fashion industry and to celebrate his success, the Jimmy Choo XV book will be released this year. The timing of the release of the book is significant – it coincides with its 15th anniversary.
The introduction to the coffee table book is penned by Tamara Mellon and the foreword was contributed by Colin McDowell, the fashion journalist.
The book has a feast of delights for its readers. Some of the photographs were taken by the legendary photographers Mario Testino and Terry Richardson. Fifteen designs which are most celebrated or famous for the label are showcased. There are also some examples of the early sketches for some of the shoe designs which ended as being the most celebrated designs for the label.
In keeping with the celebrity culture of today, there is also a chapter dedicated to those celebs who enjoy sporting Jimmy Choo shoes, such as the Sex and the City crowd.
This is all perfect fodder for a coffee table book – something aesthetically pleasing and snazzy to catch the eye of browsers and inform hard-core followers. The book will become available from 26th October in the Jimmy Choo stores and to a wider readership via certain bookshops from February 2012.
Ethiopia and its coffee ceremonies
It is said that the humble coffee bean which has had such an amazing journey into the profitable and much-loved coffee culture and industry of modern times, was first discovered in Ethiopia.
In keeping with its strong relationship with coffee, it has been recently noted that coffee still has a pivotal role in the daily lives of Ethiopians.
Traditionally, it tended to be used by the locals as an indication that it was time to celebrate – for instance, holidays and social gatherings can often trigger a coffee brew. In particular, coffee ceremonies in the country were times when neighbours would sit together and discuss the local news, ‘put the world to rights’ and indulge in some social bonding.
In modern times, particularly in the cities, the practice is dying out a little. One of the main factors which is reducing the use of the coffee ceremony is the time that it takes up – a couple of hours or more can pass as the coffee is prepared and there are sometimes several ’rounds’ of the drink.
However, those who love the tradition have found new ways to ensure that it survives. Many small coffee houses have sprung up in the cities, with the sign welcoming in visitors to drink coffee -‘Bunu Tetu.’ The ceremony in these houses is colourful and full of tradition. For example, an enormous Jebena (Ethiopian coffee pot) together with other articles of pomp and ceremony are used. It may not be the old neighbourhoods which are preserving the old tradition, but it is a ceremony that has certainly not yet died out.
Which? – guide to recycling coffee cups
Did you realise there are lots of conscientious ways to enjoy your cup of coffee? Let me give you some examples.
First, you could choose to drink Fairtrade coffee in the first place – this is a scheme which aims to help farmers and coffee bean producers in disadvantaged countries. In order to get the ‘Fairtrade’ stamp of certification on the coffee packaging, the terms of the agreement between the corporate purchasers and the farmer-producer need to comply with certain ‘fair’ criteria. In addition, the scheme aims to help the community within which the farmer works, addressing issues such as healthcare.
Secondly, why not use your coffee grounds as a ‘mulch’ on your plants to help them out? These days, there is a wave of enthusiasm for growing your own fruit and veg, so why not take advantage of a cheap and easy way of giving your green plants a boost. Some coffee shops are wise to this idea and actually make their grounds available to customers to recycle in this way.
Third, check out the new interactive tool published by Which? so that you can work out the best way to recycle items and in particular, your coffee cup after you have drunk your regular cuppa from the coffee shop. A recent research project by Which? revealed that coffee companies are enthusiastic about recycling paper cups and they want to make it easier for customers to understand how they can ensure that their used paper cup is disposed of in the best way.
Public Debate Over Fair Trade Coffee
What do you think about the idea of Fair Trade coffee? The idea behind the Fair Trade organisation is to be praised. Fair Trade is aimed at imposing appropriate terms on arrangements between buyers and disadvantaged farmers and producers in developing countries. Also, the organisation can contribute towards the structure of the farmers’ societies, helping towards the healthcare, education and other systems.
However, others consider that the trading process results in ‘uneven economic advantages for coffee growers’ and queries the effect on the overall product itself. The topic is to be aired for public debate as part of the Janus Forum Debate Series, to be held in Vermont. In support of the idea that the Fair Trade movement is successful is Loraine Ronchi, who is a senior economist attached to African Agriculture and Rural Development at the World Bank. Looking at other angles, Colleen Haight, an assistant professor of economics, will also be taking part in the debate.
On the whole, consumers have embraced the idea of Fair Trade coffee and other products are part of the scheme too, such as cocoa and chocolate. Consumers like the idea that they are indirectly supporting the communities and financial well being of the farmers in countries less privileged than their own.
It is interesting though that the whole idea of debate is probing and discussing issues. In London, the debating society, Intelligence Squared, also reintroduced the art of debate to the city several years ago. It is good to exercise the little grey cells.
Hugh Jackman and his new coffee business
Famous for his on-screen roles, such as Wolverine and his part in Real Steel, Hugh Jackman has already made a name for himself. However he has also chosen to diversify a little recently – all in the name of charity. What is he doing? Jackman has been inspired to start a new coffee company, although it is not a traditional ‘for profit’ organisation: it is a charity company which seeks to make money for a variety of good causes, which include Harlem Village Academies.
The name of this new enterprise is ‘Laughing Man’ and let’s hope that those who benefit from the fruits of the business will all be laughing soon. Hopefully the sale of the key products of coffee, tea and chocolates will raise the necessary funds to make a difference.
When asked how Jackman came up with the idea of launching this new company, he is reported as explaining that he was struck with the idea when he was travelling in Africa. Specifically, Jackman was in Ethiopia (rumoured to be the home of coffee) and he was inspired when he met a local coffee farmer and wanted to help him and his community.
Jackman has put himself on the line in backing this new scheme. Rumour has it that in 2010, he auctioned himself in order to collect charitable funds. He sought to get bids for his own talents in providing a topless workout session.
Let us hope that he is also successful in helping the coffee farmers and others in developing countries by this new venture.
Photo:Paul Cush
Turkish coffee reading – heard of it?
Many of us will have heard of reading the tea leaves. Used by clairvoyants, for example, in the famous Harry Potter series, by Professor Trelawney, people claim to read predictions and other messages by the shape of the tea leaves at the bottom of a cup of tea.
Did you realise that the Turks have their own equivalent of this practice? Rather than looking to tea for mysterious messages and answers, however, the Turks look to coffee.
How do they do this? According to reports, once a cup of coffee has been drunk, it can be flipped onto a saucer and the shapes made by the grounds are then deciphered by the Turkish coffee interpreter. Incidentally, it is usually a woman who practices this coffee reading in Turkey. What sort of things do these Turkish women see in the coffee grounds? Apparently, future events such as births and engagements can be ‘seen’ in the shape of the coffee. Also, it is said that there are some symbols in the shapes too, for example, lady bugs and stars denote ‘good luck’ and an anchor means that a move is on the way.
Similarly to the astrological charts and other readings in the UK, this can also be seen as a ‘bit of fun’ rather than a serious pastime. Some people are anxious that the practice is not lost, however and the Turkish tradition is to be celebrated in a Turkish festival held in North Carolina later in the month.
Lionel Blair does it for charity
What do bishops, school teachers, pub landlords, garden centre workers and Lionel Blair have in common? Foxed by the question? The answer is that they have all participated in the recent World’s Biggest Coffee Morning campaign, organised by the Macmillan Cancer Support charity, which has been raising funds all over the country for its excellent causes.
The celebrity, Lionel Blair played his part by attending a coffee morning in the Green Man pub in Ewell. He was invited by an organiser of the event, Peter Earnshaw, who holds the Macmillan Cancer Support cause close to his heart. Mr Earnshaw has sadly been diagnosed with cancer himself and he has found great solace and support from those within the Macmillan organisation. He has been quoted as saying that the charity has helped in many different ways, both in monetary terms but also in terms of psychological support.
Lionel Blair has been praised for his role in the proceedings. According to reports, he did a “fantastic job” and gave up plenty of time to promote the event and encourage visitors to make pledges and donations to the charity. Local figures, MP Chris Grayling and the mayor, Councillor Sheila Carson, also attended to give the coffee morning a boost. The efforts of all were worthwhile. The coffee morning raised a cool £850 for the Macmillan Cancer Support charity.
Many similar events have taken place all over the country and although the formal date of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is over, many events are still being held to make money.
Bereavement service to raise funds via coffee morning
Quietly and without great trumpeting and fanfares, all over the country charities are regularly supported by coffee mornings raising funds and awareness for their work. For example, in September this year, there was the excellent campaign – The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning – which raised money across the length and breadth of the country for Macmillan Cancer Support.
As reported in the local news, another instance of coffee-morning fund-raising is to take place soon for the organisation Cruse Bereavement Care. The event will take place in the Abbey Church Centre in Waltham Abbey. In keeping with the traditions of coffee-mornings, beverages and cakes will be available as participants natter and sample the treats and delights, while simultaneously learning a little about the marvellous work done by the bereavement service.
Cruse Bereavement Care is largely serviced by volunteers who are trained to help those who are grieving and in need of support. The organisation also relies on donations to provide these services, which is why the coffee mornings are so important. The volunteers offer support via a national helpline, or for those who need more contact, you can arrange meetings in person with volunteers at one of the national branches. As well as offering a form of counselling and support, the organisation is also trained to give practical advice. There are also online forums and website information for those who prefer help in this form.
Long may the good work of the coffee morning continue.