Based in Skipton, Namaste Fair Trade has a huge range of ethical, hand crafted, eco-friendly products made by skilled artisans across the world. The felt tree decorations are beautifully made in Nepal, some are definitely a bit different – I’ve never seen a dinosaur wearing a Christmas hat hanging on a tree before! The stars made using recycled saris are a favourite of mine.

Who doesn’t enjoy lighting a candle at this time of year? There are so many to choose from – scented ones in tins, floral and colourful ones in coconut shells, sets of tiny ones in ceramic hearts, cats, dogs and elephants!! I love them all.

Soapstone message pebbles are perfect to give as a gift and keep in a coat pocket. All are inexpensive and the latest yellow heart shaped ‘Bee happy’ pebble is gorgeous.

Definitely something for everyone – and for retail and wholesale customers.

The sales team couldn’t be more helpful and friendly. So, with free deliveries over £50 and no minimum spend for a wholesale account, what’s stopping you getting the generous discount for bulk buying – e.g. a six dinosaur pack to share with family and friends or for your Fairtrade stall.

Take a look for yourself: Home | Namaste Fair Trade | Namaste-UK Ltd

Liz Roodhouse, Chair of Skipton Fairtrade and Fair Trader.

The Fairer World team are delighted to announce that the shop at 84 Gillygate in York has now reopened! Just in time for the festive season, our shelves are packed with beautiful Christmas cards, gifts and crafts as well as our usual varied offering of high quality fair trade and sustainable food, drink and household products.

Catherine, Moira and Charlie (pictured) along with Mary and Chris are looking forward to welcoming you in person. Come on down! We’ll be thrilled to see you.

All Fair Trade fans in the east of our beautiful county will want to visit Near and Fair.

Near and Fair are a family owned independent fair trade shop based in Hull’s historic Trinity Market Arcade, selling ethically sourced gifts, clothing, and groceries from around the world.

They are registered with the British Association of Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS).

Check out the website: Near and Fair

Facebook.com/NearAndFair
Instagram.com/NearNFair

Tuck into a fair Christmas treat from  Whitakers Chocolates a family business based in Skipton.

Over 80% of the Whitakers range uses Fairtrade Cocoa and over half the range is Vegan Society approved. Whitakers Chocolates takes their role as a leading chocolatier very seriously and strives to offer sustainable chocolate products at affordable prices.

In-line with their environmental and sustainability goals, Whitakers decided nearly 2 years ago to support the Fairtrade Foundation and also to revamp and develop their packaging to achieve 100% recyclability status by 2022. They invested heavily in the development and launch an ever growing Vegan chocolate range.

Whether you are looking for luxury boxed chocolates, gift hampers, Vegan gifts, Gluten-free chocolates or stocking fillers – Whitakers have just what you need – from dark chocolate fondant creams, milk and dark wafer thins, luxury chocolate truffles, Merry Christmas themed chocolate bars, stem ginger, rose Turkish Delight, signature mint crisps to the new and exclusive launch of the UK’s first Vegan selection tin.

Consumers can buy with confidence and buy from a true Yorkshire based family business.

The full range of luxury chocolate gifts and hampers can be found at the online shop: www.whitakerschocolates.com

Whitakers Chocolates offer FREE UK delivery on all online orders over £40!

To keep updated with chocolate news and new product launches, you can follow Whitakers on social media, you’ll find them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Please note: last orders for guaranteed delivery Sunday 19Th December (midnight).

The Co-op is one of the pioneers of Fairtrade and our local Co-op store is quite often the closest place we can find Fairtrade products across the region.

You can sign up to receive one of their Fairtrade Fortnight member packs here.

Leeds was bursting with Fairtrade events during Fairtrade Fortnight 2019. The group connected with local schools, businesses and churches as well as the university.

1 March     Schools’ Fairtrade Celebration held at Leeds Civic Hall.  Approximately 60 children attended from 15 schools. Fabian Hamilton M.P. opened the event and the Lord Mayor closed it.

2 March  Coffee Morning at the Methodist Church Hall in Chapel Allerton. As well as cakes and coffee there was a Traidcraft stall, a Zaytoun stall, and Fair Grounds – a fairly traded jewellery company.

5 March   Fairtrade stall at Leeds University Fairtrade Fair.

7 March    Fairtrade stall at Lyons Davidson Solicitors. We were invited to have a stall in the foyer of the company.

9 March   Fairtrade stall at Cardigan Road Co-op.  In conjuction with the manager of the shop, we gave free tastings of Co-op wine and chocolate, with a display of every other Fairtrade product in the store.

Christmas can be a festival of consumerism but more and more of us are trying to shop ethically and give gifts with a heart. There are lots of fair trade shops in the region, as well as some of the UK’s biggest fair trade suppliers.

All’s Fair – A small business based near Selby selling fairly traded gifts and homewares online and at markets and events across Yorkshire

Black Yak – Working with knitters in Nepal for over 20 years they sell on markets around the region and are regulars on York market. They also supply some of the other fair trade shops.

Ethical Roots – Selling online and at events in the York area, Ethical Roots stocks a range of fairly traded gifts, clothing and accessories and homewares.

Fairer World – A York institution, Fairer World can be found at 84 Gillygate, York YO31 7EQ and sells a full range of Fairtrade food and drinks as well as fairly traded crafts from around the world

Fair Grounds – Winner of the Ethical Trade Award at Glastonbury, Fair Grounds sources their goods from a range of countries including Palestine, Uganda and Mexico. They sell at festivals, markets and online, as well as supplying a number of fair trade shops.

Fair Trader – Based at 32-34 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, HD9 2JS the shop stocks a wide range of Fairtrade food and drink, fairly traded crafts and gifts, toys and fashion accessories.

Good Taste – This fair trade shop in the Broomhills area of Sheffield opened in 2015 and stocks a wide range of Fairtrade food and drink as well as lots of fairly traded crafts and gifts from 25 different countries. 195 Whitham Road, Sheffield S10 2SN

Harrogate Fair Trade Shop – Packed into the porch of St Peter’s Church, Harrogate HG1 1RW this is a little gem of a shop. They have now opened a dedicated Christmas area with fair trade Christmas decorations as well as a great range of Fairtrade food and drink and fairly traded gift ideas.

Namaste UK – Based in Skipton this is one of the biggest fair trade suppliers in the UK. Dealing direct with producers in India, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam and more they supply most fair trade shops in the UK with gift items, accessories and clothing.

Samsara Crafts – You’ll find this shop at Unit 40  (on the slope!) in the Princes Quay shopping centre in Hull. They have been buying direct from their producer groups in Indonesia for many years but you will also find goods from other fair trade suppliers.

Shared Earth – The region’s only WFTO member, their shop at 1 Minster Gates, York YO1 7HL stocks a wide range of fairly traded craft, gift and food items mainly sourced direct from their producer groups around the world. Shared Earth is also one of the biggest suppliers for the UK’s fair trade shops.

Sonia’s Smile – This fair trade shop at 85 Main Street, Haworth BD22 8DA specialises in fair trade jewellery, accessories and clothing from around the world but you can also find a range of Fairtrade food.

Suma – This Halifax- based co-operative is one of the main suppliers of organic, vegan, and Fairtrade food and drink to shops including fair trade shops.

The Africa House – Based in North Yorkshire, The Africa House sources craft and gift items from Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi. They sell online and supply to shops.

York Scarves – As the name suggests they specialise in scarves – from basic net scarves to beautifully woven and dyed silk scarves their Indian artisans live in one of the poorest areas of India. They supply fair trade shops.

Gooooooal!! Pupils from across Leeds and Wakefield put Fairtrade in the back of the net!

Friday 22nd June saw schools from across Leeds and Wakefield come together to celebrate Fairtrade and learn about the people who make footballs at Leeds Civic Hall.

This annual event, run in partnership with Leeds Development Education Centre (DEC) and Fairtrade Leeds for the 8th year, featured special guest Angus Coull from Bala Fairtrade Sports balls. Pupils had a go at making their own footballs and learnt about how Fairtrade means that football workers in Pakistan can now benefit from free eye care and subsidised glasses and free school books and backpacks for workers’ children. The Fairtrade Premium also part funds projects such as water purification plants located just outside the factory gates so that anyone in the community can take advantage of free, safe drinking water.

“It is particularly important that we focus on the people who create the footballs during this World Cup, who often are paid low wages for the hours of work they put into stitching the balls together” said Hannah Langdana, from Leeds DEC.

Pupils from Brownhill Primary School commented “We loved the event. We all got to learn something new about Fairtrade!”

The Coop sponsored the event and provided real life case studies of how Fairtrade can change the lives of the farmers and their communities.

Other special guests included Hilary Benn MP who said it was a “Fantastic event” and the Lord Mayor of Leeds Cllr Graham Latty. Stalls were run by The Beehive Fairtrade shop, Europe Direct and Leeds DEC.

Sam and Rachel Brummitt of Namaste and Jhaindra Ghimire (centre).

This year the Fair Trade wholesaler and retailer, Namaste are celebrating 20 years in business.  On 17th July an event was held at the company’s Skipton head office and show rooms.  Staff, customers, Fair Trade supporters and Namaste well-wishers were all invited.  Guest of honour was the long-standing clothing supplier from Nepal, Jhaindra Ghimire.  Jhaindra is from Sujha Traders and Exports and is a member of Fair Trade Group Nepal.

The Chief Executive of Child Rescue Nepal, Jo Bego also attended and gave a presentation on the work of the charity, which Namaste has supported for over 15 years.  Child Rescue frees children from slavery.  In Nepal there are 100,000 children who are working in extremely hazardous situations and suffer frequent physical and emotional abuse.  The charity works with local police to free children from the workplaces where they are being held captive and then supports those children, where possible reuniting them with their families.

Rachel Brummitt, owner and a company director talked of the history of Namaste:

“Namaste, simply translated as ‘Welcome’ in Nepal, was the result of an inspirational year of travel to Nepal & India.  The idea for the business developed through meeting people making crafts for a living.   We still remember our first products arriving on the farm where we had our first barn warehouse, complete with chickens and wellies.  Development from then on has been organic growth over the years.

Our philosophy is simple, fairly traded products which celebrate the very best of traditional handmade skills.   We offer an extensive range including gifts, home accessories, furnishings, furniture, clothing & accessories, jewellery and incense, fairly traded from the far corners of the world.

Back row from left: Alan Hickman (Fairtrade Skipton), Rachel Brummitt, Marie Hickman (Fairtrade Skipton), Susan Radford (director), Jhaindra Ghimire and Jo Bego. Front: Sam and John Brummitt (directors).

We are a small company with a strong ethical policy based upon the belief that the best way to reduce poverty in the developing world is through trade.  We have helped over 100 producers to grow and develop with us since we started trading 20 years ago.  Namaste is recognised by BAFTS, the British Association of Fair Trade Shops and Suppliers as a Fair Trade importer.”

Following the presentations guests could browse the vast range of Namaste products and help the company celebrate by joining in the feast, which included Nepalese curries and a traditional Yorkshire high tea.

Namaste have a large showroom in Skipton or you can visit them online www.namaste-uk.com.

Bradford and bling came together with a presentation on Fairtrade gold at Bradford Cathedral on 12th September.

Dan Omondi Odida, a gold miner from Kenya, came to speak to a crowd of seventy Fairtrade supporters, including attendees from the University of Bradford.

Karen Palframan (Fairtrade Yorkshire and Fairtrade Bradford Zone) and Dan Omondi Odida Photo credit: John Sargent jackharrybill.co.uk

The Dean welcomed everyone to the Cathedral and ethical jewellers Rory McQuaid (the Ethical Jeweller, Otley) and Caroline Kindy (Element Jewellery, Hebden Bridge) supported Dan in the presentation, alongside Adam Gardner from the national Fairtrade Foundation and Mark Dawson and Karen Palframan of Fairtrade Yorkshire.

Dan spoke of the need for Fairtrade gold in order to address injustice in the gold trade.  This includes the lack of a fair price, child labour, ill health as a result of processing the gold, and environmental  damage caused by gold mining.

Fairtrade gold guarantees a fair price and a Fairtrade premium in addition (which can be spent by gold mining cooperatives to improve life in their communities).  The Fairtrade gold scheme includes safety and environmental standards.

Photo credit: John Sargent

You can check out Fairtrade gold jewellery for sale on these websites:

The Ethical Jeweller

Element Jewellery

Fairtrade gold rings will also be available from Argos.

Find out more about Fairtrade gold at the new ‘discover gold’ site: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/discovergold