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Friend of the month! Ralph Dransfield

posted at 10:15am, 13 Aug 09 by Cafédirect HQ [ 2 comments ]

Most people who drink Cafédirect are pretty passionate about trade justice and international issues. And for many people, buying a great tasting, ethical tea, coffee or drinking chocolate is as far as they go. However, Ralph Dranfield from Liverpool has gone one step further – travelling to Peru on a “meet the people” trip to personally see how Fairtrade impacts lives. He met and stayed with farmers at COCLA whose coffee goes into our sumptuous Machu Picchu fresh ground, whole bean and new freeze dried coffee.

Ralph and Margaret Dransfield - meeting the producers in Peru

Ralph and his wife Margaret stayed at one of the farms in the Urubamba River Valley.

“The freshly roasted and ground coffee was some of the best ever! We were also given a tour around the Lima warehouse and met tasters and staff there. Inspired by what we saw and the evidence that fair trade DOES make a difference, Traidcraft signed me up to their Speaker Network. Since then, I have been giving talks to various organisations about not only our trip but also fair trade and trade justice issues.”

What is your favorite coffee or tea?

Cafédirect Machu Picchu ground coffee. I’ve been drinking it since shortly after it was launched – I prefer a strong richly-flavoured coffee.

Machu Picchu - breaktaking scenery and beautiful coffee

Machu Picchu - breaktaking scenery and beautiful coffee

Why do you love Cafédirect?

Consistent quality and flavour plus knowing that by purchasing fairly traded goods we are making a difference to the lives of the growers.

What is the best thing about being a Friend of Cafédirect?
Knowing that I am helping with raising the awareness of fair trade and trade justice issues.

Name one thing not many people know about you
I was at school with John Lennon.

Machu Picchu coffee in the Cocla warehouse in Peru

Machu Picchu coffee in the COCLA warehouse in Peru

Do you have any hidden talents?
I play the organ (although that talent is not hidden – I am heard every Sunday!).

What’s your favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?
Relax in the garden.

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Difficult – so many wonderful places, so many talented people, so much to learn from other cultures.  Cuba?  India?  Samarkand and Bukhara?  And, if possible, with a “Meet the People” type of trip – small group eco-travel.

Tea or coffee?
Coffee – my family describes my coffee as “rocket fuel”!

Picking coffee cherries in Peru

Picking coffee cherries in Peru

Sunset or Sunrise?
Sunrise – the dawn of a new day with fresh challenges and opportunities

If you could have 3 wishes granted, what would they be?

1. a just society
2. an end to poverty
3. a recognition of each other’s skills and talents

What was the most exciting part of your visit to COCLA?
To see and learn at first hand the process from tree to cup and the very real benefits to the coffee, cocoa and tea farmers of Fairtrade via COCLA.

Tomas, a coffee grower from Cocla, picking coffee cherries

Tomas, a coffee grower from Cocla and Ralph's host at COCLA, picking coffee cherries

You’re a Traidcraft Fairtrade speaker – what is the most common question people ask when you give talks?
Does Fairtrade make a difference?  To which we are able to respond “yes” – for example, the jeweller Fermin in the shanty town area of Lima now employs 14 youngsters from the surrounding area as a direct result of the Fairtrade co-operative recognising their skills.  Their lives have been transformed.

If you’d like to read more about Ralph’s trip, take a look at the article he wrote for the Traidcraft magazine, “Extra Mile”, and see more of his photos here.

If you’re interested in being a Friend of the Month, get in touch now by emailing friends@cafedirect.co.uk.

Comments

  1. Jane Riley says:
    August 18, 2009 at 10:11 am

    Hi Ralph, great article, you’ve certainly made the most of your trip in promoting Traidcraft and fair trade now that you are back. Thank you for that. “Imagine”, being at school with John Lennon!!

  2. Lizzie says:
    August 17, 2009 at 10:42 am

    “at school with John Lennon” – I didn’t know that! I love your great photos and am so pleased that you had such a good time. Let me know when you are next in the north east; I’ll supply the coffee (Cafédirect Machu Picchu of course!) and you can teach me how to make a cup of that rocket fuel!