Salisbury Oxfam is very excited to be taking part in the Oxjam Wiltshire takeover of Salisbury coming this October. Our Oxhibitions gallery will be being used as a venue for some of the many events currently being planned and you’ll be able to find out more about the project as it progresses through our site.

At the moment, we’re looking for for acts, especially acoustic, who would be interested in playing at any time during October and in particular on the 23rd. We can help match you up with venues, though if you have anything planned anyway and would like to get involved with Oxjam as well we’d be delighted to hear about that too! Email oxjamwiltshire@googlemail.com with any offers, questions or any other ideas.

As well as this, we’re looking for any volunteers to help us out on the day: collecting donations, giving out fliers and just enjoying the gigs! If you think you can help out with that drop us an email at oxjam@salisburyoxfam.org.uk and we’ll be in touch.

You can find out more about the plans and make contact by joining the OXJAM WILTSHIRE TAKEOVER Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105570092820071 or following the dedicated Twitter feed @oxjamwiltshire – though we’ll also be retweeting key information on our feed @salisburyoxfam

Finally, if what all you really want to do is enjoy some fantastic live music this October: keep your eyes on this website, there’ll be plenty more news coming over the next few months!

As part of this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight theme of The Big Swap we have a very special swap for you!

During Fairtrade Fortnight, at Salisbury Oxfam (general shop only), you can swap a bag of quality donations for a delicious box of Cafédirect tea. It’ll help you kickstart the aim of swapping your usual brand of goods for the Fairtrade equivalent during Fairtrade Fortnight (22nd February – 7th March 2010) and tasting the increase quality without adding much to your shopping bill – and guaranteeing a fair price for third world producers.

While you’re in store you can also stock up on other Fairtrade goods as we have a fantastic selection with something for everyone!

What can I do?

• Shopping – drop into Salisbury Oxfam and buy some great Fairtrade goods
• Fundraising – drop in a bag of quality donations and we’ll give you a free pack of tea to get you started!
• Campaigning – register for The Big Swap at the Fairtrade Foundation website

Please note: offer available while stocks last and are limited to one per person.

The situation

Israeli air-raids have caused severe damage to the civilian infrastructure of Gaza, with many areas being left without water or electricity. The already severely limited health services in Gaza are now completely overwhelmed. All hospitals are reporting being out of critical supplies, and the basic supplies they do have are running out fast.

Oxfam’s response

In the last few days we have had to put our ongoing programme in Gaza on hold; our staff, and the staff of our partner organisations, are sheltering while the air raids continue.

Our programmes include ‘cash-for-work’ providing paid employment to agricultural communities, food vouchers which provide locally-grown fresh produce at fair prices, and work improving public health by helping maintain clean water supplies. Programmes such as this help markets to stay functioning and keep people healthy.

What can I do?

Fundraising – We urgently need to resume activities and respond to the increased needs arising from this latest crisis as soon as possible. Please give now.

Campaigning – Read more about the news from Gaza on Oxfam GB’s blog which currently has many updates from there and sign our ceasefire petition.

Created by BAFTA award-winning animator Ian Gouldstone, Face the Music shows how poor people are being hit first and worst by the effects of climate change, even though they’ve contributed least to it.

What can I do?

• Campaigning – Call for a strong international agreement to tackle climate change

Food prices have reached record levels, and we’re all feeling the pinch. At the current rate, 600 million people will be hungry by 2020 – that’s ten times the population of the UK. Combined with longer-term problems like rain and crop failure, we’re now facing a serious crisis.

• Poor people in developing countries spend between 50-80 per cent of their income on food
• Wheat prices are up 120 per cent and rice prices have risen by 75 per cent

The issue is already being played out in food riots across the globe; Mexico, Egypt, Tanzania and Senegal have all seen their people take to the streets.

Why is it happening?
Climate change, high oil prices, increased demand from China and India, population growth and the growing pressure for biofuels are just some of the reasons for soaring prices.

But there are other factors playing a part, like underinvestment in agriculture, the dominance of big companies, and the mismanagement of agriculture and food policy.

What needs to happen?
Food prices are threatening the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. But they are also an opportunity for governments to act:

• Rich countries must give more money to poor countries to help reduce the immediate shock of high food prices
• They must also review their current targets for biofuels, which often directly compete against food and feed crops
• They should reform the food aid system so that instead of shipping food from miles away they buy it locally or give people cash

Poor country governments have a role to play too. They must invest in agriculture and infrastructure to help put small farmers in a better position to benefit from higher prices. Any they need to be wary of signing up to unfair economic agreements.

What we are doing
In our humanitarian responses we are already employing a broad range of tools adapted to local conditions. These include food distributions, cash or voucher handouts, buying food locally in times of drought, and other work aimed at reducing people’s vulnerability to market fluctuations.

We are doing a lot of work on reducing people’s risk to disaster and helping them prepare for natural events that may be inevitable. This includes working with governments to put social protection programmes in place.

We are also campaigning on civilians’ rights to protection and basic services in humanitarian crises. This includes holding governments and the international community to account to ensure that people have access to food, water, and basic services, even during conflicts.

Our campaigning and advocacy work on climate change, agriculture, and trade rules takes high food prices into account and includes recommendations aimed at preventing further negative impact. For example, we are urging caution on the expansion of biofuels mandates, asking governments to invest more in agriculture, and calling for more money to help poor countries adapt to climate change.

We will continue to monitor closely what is happening in food markets and the impact it is having on poor people. We will work with others, including our partners on the ground, academics, governments, and other non-governmental organisations, to devise the best responses to the challenges posed by the evolving situation.

What can I do?

Fundraising – Donate now to help Oxfam’s work fighting the global food crisis
Campaigning – Sign the petition to get world governments to help the world’s poorest