To the left of Christ Church's entrance in East Dulwich is a Fair Trade Centre called The Bread of Life. Located in the London Methodist District, the church, a URC & Methodist Church, is committed to promoting Fair Trade to make the world a better and fairer place. Passersby can get a glimpse of the variety of products available at the centre.
The idea for The Bread of Life came in the 1990s when a redevelopment project of the church (a new entrance and the space for a café) left the space where the old entrance was empty. ‘So we came up with the idea of Fair Trade Center in that corner. People coming to the café would often patronise the Centre,’ explains Janet Watson, a volunteer from the congregation.
The efforts paid off as Christ Church not only became a popular place among the local congregation but also attracted people from other local churches and the wider community. The Bread of Life initiative gained momentum and was soon established in the surrounding area and even in London, thanks to the dedicated volunteers from the church and the neighbourhood.
Over the years, the Centre expanded and now it even has a stockroom. They received grants from the London Methodist District and, in 2023, they got a grant from the United Reformed Church Southern Synod.
Mary Watson Nunziato was one of the first volunteers and is now the Centre Manager. For her, ‘Volunteering in a Fair Trade Centre is not just about helping Fairtrade producers to get a better life and ensuring they can send their children to school but also to help our community by giving it good quality and ethically sourced products.’
The Centre was also an occasion to educate people on what Fair Trade is and how it helps poor communities. Mary and the other volunteers often attend fairs with their Fair Trade products, sharing facts, good products and good humour.
‘They go off to other churches loaded up like donkeys. They are spreading the word and hopefully get them to come back to us,’ says Lilian, one of the volunteers. ‘There's a need as it seems that the world is falling apart. People are starving and it's all because of someone’s greed. We must do something about it, we cannot just sit back.’
Within their church, the volunteers often share stories about cocoa farmers in Ghana or farmers in Honduras, their struggles and their successes. ‘It links what we do in that Centre to larger social issues. In some ways, the Centre is a reminder that what we purchase and eat is important,’ adds Revd David Markay, minister at Walworth, Herne Hill and East Dulwich.
Mary and John at The Bread of Life
Fair Trade Centres also help people to have a better life in the UK. Mary met her husband John Nunziato when he was touring from the US with his theatre group. He decided to stay but was soon deported back to the US. Thanks to the help of Christ Church’s minister David Haslam and the local MP Tessa Jowell, John could come back after a year on a volunteer visa. Even though he now has a permanent residency, he keeps volunteering for the Centre and is living proof that ‘the centre helps a lot of people.’
The Bread of Life is a member of the BAFTS Fair Trade Network UK and one of the last Fair Trade Centres in London. Despite the Fair Trade movement’s struggles, The Bread of Life is thriving and helping its community to become more sustainable.
The Bread of Life is open Monday to Friday 10 am to 2 pm, and Saturdays 10 am to 1 pm.