At St James's our charitable giving is not just about collecting money and writing the cheque, important though that is. It's also about helping people to a better life by supporting what they are doing themselves. Every trade exchange hopefully benefits the actual producer, but when buying products with the Fair Trade mark we know the producers get a better share and that their communities benefit from an additional premium. Traidcraft was one of the first companies to bring Fair Trade products to the UK consumer.

Each year it witnesses many examples of its producer partners beginning to transform their lives and those of their families and communities. Kenyan tea farmer Margaret Wanjiku, pictured left, is typical of them. On only three quarters of an acre, thanks to training from Traidcraft, she has learned how to grow enough to feed her family and have a small surplus to sell in the market. "I never knew this plot was enough for my family," she says. "I used to buy food and now I am comfortable. I am able to feed my family and sell."

Many more producer stories will be available at St James's during Fairtrade Fortnight from 27 February to 11 March. The parish Traidcraft stall does indeed help to change lives, not least our own as we think more carefully about what we buy. And the more we sell, the more we are able to plough back in to Traidcraft's development charity to help more producers achieve the benefit of Fair Trade – a virtuous circle if ever there was one.

Source: Ann Peterken, The Spire Magazine - 2012 February