On 25 September 2018 the International Fair Trade Charter was launched.
Fairtrade Yorkshire is proud to be a signatory and supporter. We’d love other Yorkshire businesses and groups to join us. You can pledge support here.

The beautiful medieval interior of the Spurriergate Centre was once again the venue for the Fairtrade Networking Breakfast Meeting organised by York Fair Trade Forum.

This year we were particularly delighted to be visited by CEO of Fairtrade UK, Mike Gidney who spoke to attendees about his recent visit to cocoa farmers in Cote D’Ivoire and the theme of this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight activities: She Deserves.

A group of local Fairtrade supporters staffed a stall in Baildon Northgate Co-op on Friday 1st March.  The Co-op staff had set out a display of Fairtrade goods on sale which was decorated with information sheets, coasters and bunting.  Shoppers engaged in conversations about Fairtrade and 65 petitions cards were signed calling on the Government to make sure our trade with developing countries puts poverty reduction first, delivering living incomes for all.    A group of pupils from Baildon Church of England Primary School joined in staffing the stall where they enjoyed discussing Fairtrade with shoppers.

During the week three Baildon primary schools held an assembly on different aspects of Fairtrade.  Baildon Church of England, Hoyle Court and Glenaire primary schools are now working towards Fairtrade status which means that they will undertake to serve Fairtrade where possible and also to learn about Fairtrade in some of their lessons.  Baildon Church of England and Glenaire schools ran cake stalls, raising money towards the Fairtrade Foundation.  Sessions on cocoa farming were also run for the local Beavers and Rainbows packs and a youth group.

Baildon Fairtrade Group ran a competition on Facebook sponsored by Baildon Co-op.  People were asked to like and share the Facebook page for a £50 voucher to be spent at the Co-op. This competition hugely increased the number of Likes and Shares at a time when all Fairtrade groups are being urged to reach a wider public through social media.

Bradford Cathedral has had Fairtrade status for over 10 years and on Sunday March 3rd, held its fourth annual Fairtrade Breakfast, raising money towards the work of Traidcraft Exchange.  A great time of fellowship, looked after by a super team, Fairtrade foods enjoyed and lots of cards signed petitioning the government to keep poverty reduction at the forefront of trade negotiations.

Fairtrade goes to Parliament

Yorkshire MPs back Fairtrade Fortnight campaign for cocoa farmers
More than 70 Members of Parliament met farmers from the Ivory Coast, Rwanda and the Dominican Republic at a reception in Parliament on Wednesday 27 th February as part of Fairtrade Fortnight.
The Fairtrade Foundation’s campaign She Deserves a Living Income is shining a light on the poverty facing cocoa farmers in West Africa, where 60% of cocoa is grown, who earn as little as 74p per day and are unable to pay for essentials like food, send their children to school or buy medicine if they fall sick.
A new report from the Fairtrade Foundation, launched at the event in Parliament, reveals women cocoa farmers often carry the greatest burden and yet get the least reward. It calls on the government and businesses to ensure farmers earn living incomes by 2030 in line with the UN’s Global Goals to end poverty.
Awa Traoré Bamba, who is also the director of Fairtrade cocoa co-operative, CAYAT, gave an inspirational speech about how a living income of £1.86 could transform the lives of cocoa farmers, and why it is vital to empower women. Ms Traoré Bamba said: “Women are very important in the development process. If you want to change the lives of producers, you have to focus on women. In our community we use the Fairtrade premium to redress the balance: to train women, to teach them how to read and write to empower them and we have developed activities that create income for them.”

Images: Above – York Central MP Rachael Maskell with Awa Traore Bamba and Mark Dawson of the National Campaigner Committee

Below: Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin at the same event