Charity Details

Full Name:
The Tradecraft Exchange
Field:
Enterprise Skills and Economic Development
Founded:
1979
Headquarters:
Gateshead, NE11 ONE
Charity No.:
1048752

History and Activities

Traidcraft is a pioneering fair trade charity and advocacy organisation, which sells hand-crafted home wear, handmade gifts and fair trade food and drinks. The remarkably simple concept of its founders was to import products directly from artisans and growers in third world countries and sell them in the UK. The idea is that communities could reduce their reliance on aid by sharing more of the profit from their goods than would otherwise have been the case. It was a collaborative process, both learning and trading simultaneously. A great deal of what has become commonly known as “fair trade” was pioneered by Traidcraft.

The charity estimates their work benefited 477,780 people in 2016/7, through negotiating better prices for growers and suppliers, improving the working conditions of employees and giving people more control over their futures and protection of their environment for future generations.

As well as facilitating the supply and distribution of fair trade products, the charity has a large advocacy presence in promoting fair trade in the UK. In 2013, the activism of the Traidcraft campaigns team resulted in the government setting up an official Supermarket Watchdog which has legal powers to fine supermarkets who exerted excessive pressure on suppliers in order to maximise their own profits.

Vital Statistics (year to 31/03/2017)

Total Income (TI):
£3,406,000
Philanthropic Income (PI):
£2,528,000
PI as % of TI
74%
Employees

Volunteers

Charitable Spending:
£2,661,000
Investments at Year End:
£39,000

Website

http://www.traidcraft.co.uk/

References

Charity Commission (2018). The Traidcraft Exchange Financial Statements for the year ending 31st March 2017. Available here (Accessed: 10/12/2018).

Charity Commission (2017). Eva Women’s Aid Limited Unaudited Financial Statements 2017, Available here (Accessed: 04/12/18).