Fair Trade Fortnight

Solihull Council is inviting people to join the Mayor of Solihull to taste some Fairtrade products and find out more about the issue of Fairtrade at a special open evening.

The Council has arranged the event in partnership with the borough’s Fairtrade Steering Group which is made up of local organisations, as part of national Fairtrade Fortnight which takes place between 23 February and 8 March.

On Wednesday 4 March, people can join the Mayor of Solihull, Councillor David Bell, at the Civic Suite, Council House from 7pm where Fairtrade chocolate, cake and other products will be available to sample and Council staff will be on hand to chat about Fairtrade.

Fairtrade is about making sure that farmers and workers in the developing world are paid better prices for their products, have decent working conditions and have fair terms of trade.

In October 2007, the Council passed a resolution supporting the Fairtrade Steering Group in its work to achieve Fairtrade status for the borough. Because of this, the Council now uses Fairtrade tea and coffee in all meetings and will soon be supplying Fairtrade bananas to all schools.

Other local events taking place during Fairtrade fortnight include:
• Children in borough schools will be given the chance to take part in workshops to create and sell their own Fairtrade products
• Fairtrade goods will be on sale at the Farmers’ Market in Solihull town centre on Friday 6 March.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Ken Meeson said: “We believe that we have a responsibility to do our bit to make sure that farmers in the developing world get a fair price for their products. I hope that people join us for our open evening and take the opportunity to find out how they can play their part too. By encouraging more local people and organisations to come on board we can achieve Fairtrade status for the borough and demonstrate our commitment to the issue.”

The Fairtrade Steering Group are always on the look out for local organisations who are interested in using Fairtrade products, and are encouraging them to either come along to the open evening or get in touch.

free seats on english flight !!!

If you are interested, there are free flights to England (for example Nantes-East Midlands) untill midnight tonight, for periods of end February, end March and end April.
Look at the site of "ryanair.com" and inform many people around you ...
Unfortunately, I just booked my flight Nantes-East Midlands on last Tuesday and it was not free but interesting (20 euros aller-retour per person)
good Sunday under the sun !!
Christiane

chocolate cake to eat with the custard (recipe with the microwave)

ingredients (serves 4 or 6 people)
150 gr black chocolate
80 gr butter
3 large eggs
100 gr sugar
60 gr flour
10 centilitres milk
1 teaspoon of baking powder

First melt the chocolate and butter gently in a pan. Put the pan beside.
Beat the eggs with sugar.
Add flour, baking powder, milk and finally the melted mixture chocolate-butter
Grease a micro-proof baking dish and pour the mixture inside it
Microwave on high 8 minutes
Let stand 5 minutes; invert onto serving plate.
Sprinkle with icing sugar
Serve this cake with custard (recipe given on this blog)

What's happened?

You know that the climate change... Perhaps that it's why we have an English weather in France (it's a joke of course).
During last night, it was stormy in the west of France. For us, living close to Atlantic coast particulary in Cholet and Mauléon like Juliet, were worried. The wind was up to 140 km/h. Everybody were frightened and spent a "terrible" night.
In the morning, some people didn't have electricity and a lot of damages (roof, uprooted trees...)The bad weather disrupted public transport.In airports, like Roissy, some flights were cancelled or delayed. It was disturbing for the passengers.
Now, at about 5 o'clock PM, everything is normal and traffic is ok. Ah! (ouf in French language)
But, they forecast a very cold weather in a few days.
Anyway, provide some extra blankets or water bottle, warm drinks like Irish coffee
and so on...
Don't forget to put some piece of log in your fireplace...It'll be useful if the electricity cut off.
French and English people, let's join to go the bad weather away!!!

Two English students : Odile and Dominique

crème anglaise

I'm going to tell you how to make a (crème anglaise) with the microwave. You can't miss it. It's very easy.
recipe for 1/2l of milk :
Heat the milk in the microwave during 3 mn
While the milk is heating, take a pan. Mix 4 eggs yolk, 75g of sugar and some vanilla.
Pour the hot milk on the mixture.
Put it in the microwave during 3 mn. It's finish. Try this recipe and you'll see.
Enjoy your dessert!
Dominique

Look at this!!

Solihull News and even a video

Cut and paste this link and you will see a little video about the snow!!


http://www.solihullnews.net/solihull-pictures/2008/02/08/snow-hits-solihull-105074-22871541/

Snowy Britain

Solihull comes to a standstill after heavy snowfall

Feb 4 2009 David Irwin
snow

HEAVY snowfall brought Solihull to a standstill this week as all borough schools were closed and refuse collections suspended.

Around 100 primary, secondary and special schools shut on Monday with the LEA later announcing all schools would remain shut the following day.

Birmingham International Airport managed to stay open after technicians worked through the night to clear the runway. However, a number of flights were delayed or cancelled.

As pavements turned icy and temperatures plummeted below zero, Solihull Council suspended refuse collections on Tuesday for safety reasons.

Councillor Bob Sleigh, cabinet member for health, social care and partnerships, said: “January has been the coldest month since 1995, and it appears that more unrelenting cold weather is on its way. We want all people, especially the older and most vulnerable, to stay safe and warm, and to be aware that there is a great deal of help available for them.”

Meanwhile the ambulance service revealed around a quarter of the calls received on Monday were from people who had fallen over.

Although the cold snap is expected to continue for several days yet, the worst of the weather is thought to have passed through the region.

In the meantime, local youngsters are having a great time. Pupils at Saint Martin’s - one of the few schools to open yesterday - built snowmen and skidded their way down the drifts.