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.

A major earthquake has struck Haiti just ten miles from the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Local officials are reporting a catastrophe of major proportions.

Oxfam has long experience in Haiti, and we’re rushing in teams from around the region to respond where our assistance is most needed. Our response will include providing clean water, shelter and sanitation.

Statement from Jane Cocking, humanitarian director of Oxfam on Haiti earthquake:

“At this stage it is too early to tell the severity of the earthquake in Haiti, but the early signs are not good with communications down across the country.

“Oxfam has its emergency response team for Latin America based in Haiti so we are well prepared, with a public health, water and sanitation team in Port au Prince ready to respond. We also have emergency supplies in Panama that we are preparing to send in as soon as possible.”

“We hope to know more in the coming hours. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere where 85% of people already live in poverty, given the desperate needs that people face on a day to day basis, this earthquake is grim news for the poor people of Haiti.”

Kristie van de Wetering, a former Oxfam employee still based in Port-au-Prince described the situation as

“very chaotic with houses in rubbles everywhere. There is a blanket of dust rising from the valley south of the capital.  We can hear people calling for help from every corner. The aftershocks are ongoing and making people very nervous.”

What can I do?

Fundraising: Donate now and help us respond to this emergency. You can also donate in either Salisbury Oxfam shop or by phoning 0300 200 1999.

There’s been coverage on BBC News and a press release from Oxfam today reporting that Oxfam shops across the country are suffering a 15% drop in donations due to the recession. In Salisbury too, we have seen donations go down, which is a shame because during a recession is a time when Oxfam’s UK Poverty Programme, in particular, needs even more support than usual and without high quality donations our shops’ sales are bound to fall too even with demand remaining strong.

However, we think that people still have some things stored away at home that they are happy to donate to Oxfam but just haven’t quite made it to our shops yet. This is the time we really need you! Help us keep our stock levels high, our shoppers happy and those Oxfam helps from losing out on the support they need.

Many are now suggesting that we are heading towards the end of the recession, our Trading Director, David McCulloch said:

“This is a crucial moment for us. Over the last eighteen months, people have been buying less, replacing less and therefore donating less to Oxfam. Now sales are apparently on the increase, we can only wait to see if this is reflected by an increase in donations to our shops.”

We can only hope that this is correct, but in the mean time if you do have something you’ve been meaning to donate we’d love to see you, especially sooner rather than later:

“We rely on the generosity of the public for their stock. Without continued donations of everything from clothing to cookware, Oxfam shops could not continue to play such a key role in communities across the UK.”

For the shoppers out there, don’t worry, our shops are currently still well stocked with great bargains and we’re never short of fantastic ethical goods, scrumptious Fairtrade Food and our Oxhibitions Art Gallery will of course continue its monthly exhibitions raising money for Oxfam. We hope you’ll come and visit!

An earthquake in Indonesia has killed at least 500 people and affected thousands more. Typhoon Ketsana has left a trail of destruction across the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia.

Help us respond.

Our colleagues at Oxfam Australia and Oxfam New Zealand are responding to the devastation caused by the tsunami that has hit Samoa and other Pacific Islands.

What I can I do?

• Fundraising – Click here to donate to the emergency appeal. You can also donate by ringing 0300 200 1999 or in either Salisbury Oxfam store.

Right now, 23 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda are facing life-threatening shortages of food and water, caused by severe drought. You can help.

Communities across East Africa are facing life-threatening shortages of food and water. Severe recurring drought is the major cause.

Oxfam is already responding to this crisis. But the number of people facing severe food shortages has risen dramatically in recent months. We urgently need more support to continue this vital work.

To find out more information visit Oxfam GB’s page on the crisis here.

What can I do?

Fundraising – Please help now by donating to our East Africa Food Crisis appeal. You can also donate in either of Salisbury Oxfam’s stores or by ringing 0300 200 1999.