We believe in a world where everyone has a right to earn a living freely and justly

"As the world's only 100% fair trade lender, Shared Interest continues to finance fair and just trade and campaign for its growth. This World Fair Trade Day, we would like to not only raise the profile of the great progress made but also increase awareness of the work that still needs to be done to enable developing countries to trade their way out of poverty.

This year's theme of 'Fair Trade + Ecology' raises a variety of issues and we hope it will draw attention to the environmentally friendly attributes of products made by fair trade businesses around the globe.

But the fact that Fair Trade goods are made from locally grown produce or natural materials is just one of the many reasons to support the fair trade movement.

In working with Shared Interest, UK investors do amazing things like helping cashew nut farmers make use of abandoned plantations in eastern El Salvador or fund business skills training for coffee makers in Uganda. Together we share the risk and realise the valuable difference made by sustainable trade.

So, along with over 8,500 of our UK members - as well as Shared Interest ambassadors and supporters of our charitable arm the Shared Interest Foundation - we look forward to celebrating World Fair Trade Day 2008 and invite people to find out more about the thriving businesses coming
out of the world's poorest communities thanks to the fair trade movement.

But there is still scope to do so much more. This May 10th, we would like to encourage people to think of the huge impact made by the smallest of gestures. For instance, imagine if this World Fair Trade Day, we each introduced just one more person to the fair trade message. Think of the potentially big difference this tiny action could make."