Love was in the air on Valentine’s Day for a group of Northumberland businesses who have whole heartedly committed to helping fellow entrepreneurs in developing countries.
The Tuesday Business Forum who meet at Alnmouth Golf Club decided to support the work of Gateshead-based international development charity, Traidcraft Exchange after hearing about their “Hidden Entrepreneur” campaign.
The “Hidden Entrepreneur Appeal,” helps people in some of the world’s poorest countries to invest in a brighter future for themselves and their families. Every donation helps to pay for basic tools for their business, practical advice or help to branch out into new markets.
As part of the charity’s Big Brew event which encourages people to host tea or coffee mornings to raise much needed funds, the group decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day by showing their love for the work of the charity.
Forum member Adele Johnson of catering firm, The Real Taste of Northumberland lovingly created a heart shaped cake using as many fair trade ingredients as possible. The group then collected £25 for the charity before donating the cake to Alnwick’s Abbeyfield Care and Nursing Home where it was enjoyed by residents and staff.
The donations were then matched thanks to the Government’s UK Aid Match scheme, under which every donation made by the public before 11 April, is matched by a contribution from the Department for International Development.
All UK Aid matched donations to Traidcraft Exchange’s Hidden Entrepreneur appeal will help thousands of people in Kenya, Senegal and Bangladesh develop the business know-how needed to run sustainable enterprises.
Adele and her Tuesday Business Forum colleagues are keen for other entrepreneurs to show their passion and to get involved.
“We heard about the Hidden Entrepreneur campaign and realised that people in developing countries don’t have the same business support or opportunities that we have,” said Adele.
“Our small contribution will go towards helping them to learn the skills they need to develop their business ideas and make a profit. This will then lead to a better quality of life for them and their families. We hope that our Valentine’s cake shows our heartfelt love for the work of Traidcraft Exchange and will also encourage others to host their own fund-raising events.”
The Hidden Entrepreneur appeal will run until 11th April 2018.
For more information or to donate go to www.traidcraft.org.uk/hidden
ENDS
Photo Shows Adele and Tuesday Business Forum host Charlie Kenny holding the heart shaped cake together with other Forum members
Photo Credit Highlights PR
For media information contact Keith Newman 07814 397951 keith@highlightspr.co.uk
Notes for editors:
- Traidcraft Exchange is an international development charity which uses the power of trade to bring about lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. It works closely with specialist fair trade company Traidcraft plc. Traidcraft Exchange is a registered charity, no. 1048752. To donate to the Hidden Entrepreneur appeal go to: https://www.traidcraft.org.uk/hidden
- The UK Aid Match scheme is run by the Department for International Development, and brings charities, the British public and the UK government together to collectively change the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. For every £1 donated to a selected charity appeal, the government will also contribute £1 of UK aid to enable the charity to go further in changing and saving lives, up to a total of £5 million per appeal. Organisations must be UK-based, non-governmental and not-for-profit and be running an appeal set to raise at least £100,000, within a 3 month appeal period. Donations must be from people (not businesses) living in the UK and go towards an eligible international development project. For further information and guidance, please visit www.gov.uk/uk-aid-matchhelp them build a better future for their families and communities.