It's Business Time for Bret Mckenzie with Fair Trade

It's Business Time for Bret Mckenzie with Fair Trade And Oxfam

Oxfam has extended this year’s Fair Trade Me celebrity auctions for a very special one-off auction with one half of New Zealand’s fourth most popular folk-parody duo, Oscar-winner and FIGWIT himself, Bret McKenzie. The auction launches today on Trade Me and coincides with the start of Fair Trade Fortnight.

McKenzie has generously placed himself on the auction block for Oxfam and the highest bidder will not only receive a guitar signed by Bret and his Flight of the Conchords partner Jemaine Clement, but also a sit down and a chat with Bret over a fair trade cuppa in Wellington. Sounds like a fair trade to us!

The auction follows on from the successful Fair Trade Me auctions in April that saw Kiwis bidding on Coffee Break dates with Sir Graham Henry, actors Shane Cortese and Michelle Langstone, Starfish fashion designer Laurie Foon and restaurateur Steve Logan. The auctions have been held in conjunction with Oxfam’s Biggest Coffee Break to help raise awareness of fair trade as well as funds for Oxfam’s work with communities throughout the developing world.

“Buying Fairtrade products is a simple way of making the world a better place. So go and buy them now. Stop what you're doing and buy some Fairtrade goods,” said McKenzie.

“Move away from the computer. Stand up. Put some clothes on and go to the shops and get some Fairtrade stuff. What's wrong with you? Why are you still reading this? Are you addicted to reading? Get a friend to help you stop reading. Meet them at a cafe and have a cup of Fairtrade coffee and talk about your reading addiction. Get moving. Hurry, before it's too late to make the world a better place.”

McKenzie is right: buying fair trade is an effective way for shoppers to help growers work their way out of poverty—through better prices, decent working conditions, environmentally sustainable farming methods and investment in local community development.

Last year 40,000 New Zealanders celebrated fair trade by taking part in Oxfam’s Biggest Coffee Break, and this year has seen a record number of people, schools and workplaces sign up to host. All proceeds from the auctions and Coffee Breaks support Oxfam’s work towards a fairer, safer, more sustainable world. Find out more about Oxfam’s Biggest Coffee Break at www.oxfamcoffeebreak.org.nz.

Kiwis have ten days to bid on Bret at www.trademe.co.nz/stores/oxfam

In conjunction with the auction Oxfam has also extended signups for its popular Coffee Break event, being held all over the country. Limited packs are available to those who would like to host a fair trade Coffee Break and raise money for Oxfam’s work. To sign up, please visit www.oxfamcoffeebreak.org.nz – packs limited to first 200 hosts to sign up before May 11th.

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