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Point 1 draws crowds for tea
CAMPAIGNING WITH CAKES: Speaker of the House of Keys Steve Rodan meets Eleanor Barratt, left, and Kristina Crawford. PHOTO: Mike Wade MW121004 (28).
CAMPAIGNERS wanting to increase the island’s contribution to overseas aid launched a tea and cakes offensive outside Tynwald on Thursday.
The Point One campaigners who say the contribution should be at least 0.1 per cent of the island’s Gross National Income were taking the opportunity to talk to workers leaving their offices and passing shoppers outside government offices in Prospect Hill.
The campaign was launched at the recent Mannifest popular music concert at Glen Lough camp site where visitors were sporting the Point One logo to show support.
Isle of Man teacher Kristina Crawford who was one of the organisers said: ‘It was brilliant, really good and even the weather stayed fine.
‘We had 85 more signatures on the petition and the public responded really well.
‘We set up about 4.30pm to catch the after work crowd and we brought down about 15 supporters and helpers, and family members came along too. We talked to passers by about why we were there.’
The campaigners were joined by Environment Food and Agriculture Minister Phil Gawne and Speaker Steve Rodan.
Fairtrade tea and coffee as well as a selection of Fairtrade biscuits were provided by the Co-op.
‘The Co-op was really generous,’ Ms Crawford said, ‘and the biscuits were particularly popular.’
In addition campaign supporter Helen Ashcroft combined artistic flair with culinary expertise to bake and arrange iced buns to depict the Point One logo.
On display behind the trestle table was the Martin Luther King quotation which inspired tea at Tynwald event: ‘Maybe you want tea: that’s poured into your cup by a Chinese. Or maybe you’re desirous of having cocoa for breakfast, and that’s poured into your cup by a West African. And then you reach over for your toast, and that’s given to you at the hands of an English-speaking farmer, not to mention the baker. And before you finish eating breakfast in the morning, you’ve depended on more than half the world.’
In 2004 Tynwald committed to spending 0.7 per cent GNI on overseas aid, but currently gives approximately 0.07 per cent GNI. More information can be found on the Point One campaign on their Facebook page or at www.Point1.im.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 6 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
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