BAILDON FAIRTRADE GROUP REPORT JULY 2020

Good News from the home front:

1   Just a year ago, Bradford Council unanimously renewed its commitment to Fairtrade Community Status.  This means it will actively promote Fairtrade, including the use of Fairtrade teaching materials in local schools and colleges.  In a conference call, members of Bradford Fairtrade Zone met with Ian Westlake, Head of Procurement, who is committed to implementing the Council’s resolution to purchase Fairtrade products wherever possible, and to the inclusion of Fairtrade considerations in any contracts going out to tender.

2  Local churches, Baildon Methodist Church and the Parish of Baildon, have both recommitted to Fairtrade Church Status. The Fairtrade Foundation:  Once again, congratulations on becoming a Fairtrade Church and thank you for supporting positive change for people and planet. In order to achieve this status, the churches have confirmed that the tea, coffee and sugar used are all Fairtrade, that other items are Fairtrade wherever possible, and information about Fairtrade is shared in as many ways as possible.  Both churches support Fairtrade through regular Traidcraft stalls and members of both churches are active members of the Baildon Fairtrade Group.

3 Home deliveries: Many of us are discovering the range of companies doing home deliveries of groceries and other items. Have you tried a home delivery from Traidcraft?  They offer a wide range of groceries – not just chocolate – which includes Zaytoun products.  Have a look at their web-site.  We have been delighted with the 2 deliveries we have had.

Matters of concern:

1 News of concern from Zaytoun about the Israeli annexation of the Jordan Valley:

The latest newsletter from Zaytoun states that ‘as the world’s attention is diverted during the COVID pandemic, under the new ‘Unity Deal’ Israel has been escalating plans for land confiscation and annexation in the Jordan Valley area of Palestine’s West Bank. This planned land theft has been condemned internationally.  In the UK, nearly 140 MP’s signed an unprecedented cross-party letter calling on the Prime Minister to place sanctions on Israel if these plans are carried out.’

Many producers of olive oil for Zaytoun will be affected by this action.  We can continue to support them by purchasing olive oil and other Zaytoun products.

2 COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis is a global humanitarian challenge. Fairtrade continues to work to advocate and support small-scale farmers and workers in developing countries. The farmers and workers Fairtrade serves are some of the most vulnerable and the least prepared for a pandemic.

In Kenya, tens of thousands of workers on Fairtrade certified flower farms have lost their jobs, with no local work alternatives and there is concern about the long-term financial stability of flower farms if shipments do not resume soon.

The drop in retail sector sales has resulted in a sharp decline in demand and price for cotton.  And some fashion companies in the West are refusing to honour their contracts to buy clothing already made, for example, in Bangladesh.

You can read more in the attachment to this report.

3 NESTLE AND KITKAT

After a decade of buying Fairtrade cocoa and sugar, Nestle have announced that KitKat will no longer be Fairtrade.  This means 27,000 farmers from co-operatives in Cote D’Ivoire, Fiji and Malawi will lose nearly £2m in Fairtrade premium each year – despite Nestle reporting global profits of more than £10bn last year.

We need to make sure that the voices of farmers losing these benefits are heard loud and clear.   Please join over 240,000 others and sign the Fairtrade Yorkshire petition – and share it widely!

To read more, please see attachment to this report.