A brilliant idea from Jane at Harrogate Fairtrade. The old red phone box in St Hilda’s road was slated to be removed, but the local community took it over as a community library. Known as the Saints Community Library, it offers passers-by an opportunity to take, swap and return.

The phonebox is set up for Fairtrade Fortnight with over 90 books related to 45 Fairtrade-producing countries. These are books by authors from the countries, or about/set in the countries. Each book has an information panel inside, relating it to the products from the countries. The plan is to change the books regularly to reflect themes like Red Nose Day and Pride.

This is an example – Malala Yousafzai’s book is paired with a story about Fairtrade footballs made in Pakistan:

 

Jane Kennerley, along with friend and neighbour Holly Jones, adopted the Phonebox from BT just before Christmas and Fairtrade Fortnight is their first official “event”.

Jane says: “The Phonebox is known as “The Saints Community Library” and is a popular focal point and resource for our community. We are planning to renovate the box and include more shelving and a noticeboard, so next year we hope to be able to provide even more information.”

Our workshop on Wednesday 3 March with chocolatier David Greenwood Haigh was really popular.

You can download and print out the truffles recipe and all the information you need.

FT chocolate Truffle Making at Home

You can view this workshop via YouTube:

Watch again

 

Fair Trade Meat Balls in Tomato Sauce

On Monday 1 March we’re delighted that former Bake Off contestant Sandy Docherty will be helping us make her recipe in a cook along.

Book your free tickets via eventbrite

You can download your own copy of the recipe here: Fair Trade Meat Balls in Tomato sauce

Sandy’s recipe with links to buy some of the ingredients:

These meat balls are so very easy to make and every time I serve them, they have that wow factor, served steaming hot with a little sprinkling of parsley over top.

The secret to these meatballs is not to roll them to tight, just about the size of a golf ball and just squeezed enough to hold the shape.

Now the Sauce is a dream, this sauce can be used for so many dishes, eg, as a pizza sauce, over chicken fillets, over sausages, meat or veggie. The only thing is its not so good for is in a dessert!!

I always advocate that any recipe should not sit still, please use each recipe as a base and then swap and change it to fit your mood, what you have in and what is accessible to you. The recipe then becomes ‘Yours’ “I love meatballs, but I love mine more”.

NOTE: Some Fairtrade and fair trade ingredients are easier to get than others – If they aren’t available in your supermarket, try your local fair trade shop, whole food shop, Traidcraft or Ethical Superstore. And if you still can’t find them, why not request that they get some in?

Ingredients

500g minced beef

500g sausages (vary the taste by using sausages of your choice, e.g., pork and leek, chorizo style sausage)

1 large onion

3 cloves of garlic

250g chopped Fairtrade tomatoes

(or 1 tin chopped tomatoes)

1 jar of MERU HERBS Tomato sauce or small carton of passata

½ tube tomato puree

1tsp Cape Garden Herbs from Ukuva (via your local fair trade shop)

1tsp of chopped chili (optional)

1 bottle of Fairtrade red wine (one class for the sauce and the rest for the chef, ALWAYS cook with wine you are prepared to drink, there’s no such thing as cooking wine!)

3tbsp Fairtrade olive oil

Salt and pepper PLEASE USE UKUVA I AFRICA seasonings (fabulous range and choice of flavours)

 

Method

Split the sausage and put the filling in a bowl, add the mince and mix both together well.

Roll into as many balls as you can. Don’t make the balls too small as they can become tough and hard. About the size of a golf ball is the best.

Add the oil to the frying pan and heat, add the meatballs and cook until brown. They don’t have to be cooked all the way through as they will continue to cook in the sauce. If you don’t like to fry then put the oil in the bottom of a roasting tin and bake in a hot over 160c Gas 6 giving the pan a shake from time to time.

For the Sauce

Chop the onion and the garlic, put 1tbs oil in a pan and fry the onion

Add the chopped tomato, passata and the puree along with the chili (if using) and the wine.

Add the mixed herbs and season with salt and pepper allow simmer and thicken.

When the sauce is ready put in the browned meat balls, bake in the oven for about 30 minutes to allow the meatballs to cook and heat through.

Vegetarian & vegan alternatives to meat balls that you can use with this sauce

Roasted Mediterranean vegetables (peppers, aubergines, courgettes, red onion etc)

Roasted root vegetables (red onion, carrots, parsnips, butternut squash etc)

For the above, Cut into bite size chunks, season well with FAIR TRADE HERBS OR UKUVA I AFRICA SEASSONING and 3 tablespoons of FAIR TRADE OLIVE OIL.  There needs to be about ½ kg of vegetables in total but this depends on how you like the ratio of sauce to content. Combine all of the above and spread evenly on an oven tray, keeping one layer so the vegetables roast not steam, bake in a hot oven 180c gas 6/7 until slightly charged. Replace the meatballs with this medley of vegetables.

Or you could try using 500g of Chestnut Mushrooms:

Leaving the mushrooms whole, wipe with paper towel (never wash mushrooms) drizzle over Fairtrade Olive Oil. Season well with one of UKUVA I AFRICA range of salt and pepper. Sauté the mushroom in a frying pan on the stove or if you’re not keen on frying, place the mushroom on an oven tray and roast in the over 180c gas 6/7 for about 15 minutes. Watch them carefully as you want the mushrooms to remain succulent and not dry (oven baked mushrooms can dry out quickly) Use these Mushrooms in place of the meatballs, they have a lovely texture and in keeping them whole they have an attractive appearance in the finished dish,

To serve

Fair trade spaghetti or other pasta shapes – these may be available from your local fair trade shop or whole food shop, or try buying online from Ethical Superstore or Traidcraft. Fun fact: fair trade pasta is made from quinoa meaning it’s naturally gluten free.

Fair trade rice – try the fantastic Kilombero rice from JTS. If you use this rice, you may be able to take part in the 90kg rice challenge and play your part in sending a Malawian child to school.

Crusty French bread and beautiful butter (this never fails to please)

MOST OF ALL ENJOY THIS RECIPE AND AS I AWAYS SAY “ GIVE IT LEGS” AND WALK IT INTO YOUR OWN RECIPE.

SANDY XXX

 

 

 

This is a great resource for anyone looking for inspiration during Fairtrade Fortnight:

Whether you’re a meat or fish eater, a vegetarian or a baker you’ll find something that suits

https://www.therealmealdeal.com/recipes-for-fairtrade-fortnight-2021/

International Women’s Day falls just outside Fairtrade Fortnight this year – but women’s empowerment is so vital to the fair trade message that we’re going to celebrate in a big way.

The WFTO has set up a dedicated website where you can find out how fair trade organisations are promoting and supporting women – along with some great ideas for you to join in on social media.

Check out the #WomenOfFairTrade website

And our Fairtrade in a time of covid event on 5 March – with Shared Interest staff Immaculate Ochieno (Kenya) and Kodzo Korkortsi (Ghana) forms part of the York International Women’s Week festival.

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.

As a crochet and all round crafty person I was delighted at Christmas to see the post boxes being “yarn bombed” by hand crocheted snow scenes etc. The Royal Mail were also delighted as the posted this photo on their social media.

I couldn’t help thinking how brilliant it would be if we could “yarn bomb” post boxes for Fairtrade Fortnight. It seemed like a really good way to get the mark into our communities in a safe and socially distanced way.

I’d already started writing a crochet pattern for a Fairtrade mark, but this would need something altogether bigger.

 

Crochet pattern for the Fairtrade mark

So I set about creating a pattern for a Fairtrade mark that would be big enough to decorate the top of a British post box. The first thing is – all post boxes are slightly different, so there’s no standard size. However, one lady who has made lots of these gave me this advice: Use two strands of DK yarn, an 8mm hook and just keep going till you reach 23″ (60cm)

So here is my pattern if you want to crochet a Fairtrade mark that’s big enough to fit on your local post box. I’ve spoken to the Fairtrade Foundation about the use of the mark and they’re content to let us do this, so please make your own, decorate your post box, take a photo and upload it to social media, or email joanna@fairtradeyork.com and we’ll share your photos.

Yarnbombing Crochet pattern Fairtrade mark

I have also created two knitting patterns for the mark using Stitch Fiddle:

Go to the Fairtrade mark knitting pattern – post box size

Go to the smaller version of the knitting pattern

This fantastic embroidered “Shower Cap” is another brilliant idea for covering circular post boxes! Thanks to Barbara from the Shipley Fairtrade group for sending it in.

These are from Stockton-on-Tees

And this is one from Selby

If you’re making a hat for your post box, you might want to add a label to explain what Fairtrade Fortnight is and why Fairtrade is an important part of tackling climate change. We’ve produced two template labels with some of the key messages but these are just suggestions. Download them as a Word document and you can change and add your own ideas. The first label is designed to be folded in half and laminated so you have a double sided A5 label to attach to your post box. The second is designed to be cut into quarters so it will give you four A6 labels with slightly less information.

Label for yarnbombing projects

4 Labels for yarnbombing projects

Please send us your photos. We’d love to see and share them. Email them to joanna@fairtradeyork.com

If you are going to “yarnbomb” your communities for Fairtrade Fortnight, please return after 7 March and take away the work. That way it doesn’t become untidy or turn into litter.

Here’s what Skipton Faitrtrade Initiative have been doing with the knitting pattern:

The Fairtrade Connections festival is over.

15 events

£1,233 raised in donations from almost 30 individuals, groups and organisations.

1,357 free tickets booked

741 people attended at least one event.

THANK YOU!

You can view all the events on our YouTube channel or via the Choose The World You Want festival website

Working together to create change is what we as Fairtrade campaigners do. But this year it has been really difficult to campaign in our communities, and by the time Fairtrade Fortnight rolls round again, we will have been mainly confined to our houses., seeing each other over Zoom, for a year.

So we’re working with other regions and nations of the UK to organise a Community Arts Festival for all campaigners, supporters and friends of Fairtrade around the UK.

Our arts festival will form part of a wider Choose The World You Want Festival of Fairtrade organised by the Fairtrade Foundation. See it here.

And read the blog by Stefan Donnelly to find out how you can make a difference for farmers and workers without breaking lockdown.

You can see and download the resources the Fairtrade Foundation has produced to help you promote Fairtrade Fortnight here.

Media: Download the Fairtrade Connections press release here: PRESS-RELEASE

We have a great programme of events lined up.

Fairtrade Connections Arts Festival Programme

IF YOU HAVE MISSED ANY FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT EVENTS OR WANT TO WATCH AGAIN YOU CAN DO SO FROM THE CHOOSE THE WORLD YOU WANT FESTIVAL WEBSITE

VIEW PAST EVENTS

Monday 22 February 12 – 1pm

Let us take you to Palestine. Meet the makers of Hadeel’s gorgeous Palestinian crafts with this – the first in a fortnightly series of virtual tours of their workshops.

This first tour takes you to the Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children in Gaza. You will learn the story of the project, how they work and the impact on their artisans, and watch them create beautiful traditional crafts LIVE.

This event is sponsored by Edinburgh Fairtrade City

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Monday 22 February – 4.30 – 6pm

Caribbean chef Euten Lindsay will host a cook-along.

Euten was caught up in the Windrush scandal and he will be in conversation with Sandhya Dave about his life and cooking.

This event has now ended

If you missed it, you can watch the event here:

WATCH THE RECORDING NOW VIA YOUTUBE

Download Euten’s recipes here:

Sweet_potato_and_Callaloo_Galette

Rice__Gungo_peas

Piquant_Tomato_sauce

Some suggestions for Fairtrade ingredients to use in these recipes:

Fairtrade olive oil

Fairtrade tomatoes

Fairtrade coconut milk

Fair trade Kilombero rice

Fairtrade brown sugar

This event is sponsored by Pocklington FLAG (Fairtrade and Local Produce Action Group)

Tuesday 23 February 6-7pm

Fairtrade Campaigner Forum

This is a unique event designed to bring together Fairtrade campaigners and supporters from all around the UK.

We aren’t able to hold a Supporter Conference this year, so we’re missing those fantastic opportunities to meet and network in person with other Fairtrade campaigners and supporters – a chance encounter over a Traidcraft stem ginger cookie, a shared giggle over an ill positioned banana, an inspirational story of another groups’ local campaign activity. Those shared moments that send us back to our Fairtrade Communities inspired to keep on with the fight.

So we’re working with Brent Fairtrade Network to hold a Campaigner Forum. We’re inviting campaigners and supporters to come along, share a campaign or activity you’re proud of, a connection made, learn from others and go away inspired.

This event has now ended

WATCH NOW VIA YOUTUBE

Wednesday 24 February 12-1.30pm

Round Table Discussion: What’s Fairtrade got to do with Fighting the Climate Crisis?

A Fairtrade Fortnight roundtable discussion exploring Fairtrade’s role in tackling the climate emergency with perspectives from :

The Fairtrade Foundation
The Centre of Climate Justice, Glasgow Caledonian University
Fairtrade farmers

This event is co-ordinated by the Scottish Fair Trade Forum

WATCH NOW VIA THE FESTIVAL ON DEMAND

Wednesday 24 February 5-6pm

Choose The World You Care About

Join in this interactive session and conversation at our online event (via Zoom) and tell us why you choose Fairtrade and how you currently live or plan to live ethically in 2021.

As well as hearing your thoughts and ideas, we look forward to welcoming guest speaker, CEO of Fairtrade Foundation Mike Gidney, who’s on hand to answer your burning questions!

This event is co-ordinated by the Welsh Centre for International Affairs

Wednesday 24 February 6-7pm

Join acclaimed photographer Sean Hawkey as he shares some of the incredible images in his latest book, Faces of Fairtrade. Sean visited Fairtrade farmers across the world and his photos reflect their fascinating lives.

Sean Hawkey has spent his working life in aid, development and human rights advocacy and has spent the last ten years as a journalist working across 70 countries. He is currently focusing on long-term projects in Honduras and Mexico, looking at climate change, governance and migration and he frequently undertakes assignments for Fairtrade organisations. Last year he published a photographic book called Faces of Fairtrade, a compilation of his photographs from assignments across the world.

Sean says:

“Farmers and producers are ordinarily treated with contempt in trade, if we believe in justice and being fair to other people then we must push together – as a movement – for better conditions and deals for them. That’s what Fairtrade does, and that’s why I support it.”

You can read more about Sean’s work on his website: Click here.

This event is sponsored by York Fair Trade Forum

This event has now ended but you can watch our recording

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Thursday 25 February 3-6

Forum for the promotion of Bird Friendly Certification in East Africa

The goal of this event is to bring together parties interested in defining a framework for the introduction of Bird Friendly coffee and cocoa certification in East Africa, and supporting cooperatives in the region to access this.

FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK

Thursday 25 February 4-5pm

Fly The Fairtrade Flag With fairandfunky!

Join fairandfunky for a creative workshop, and make your very own Fairtrade mark!

Do you know what the Fairtrade mark stands for? What does it mean for farmers and workers?

This workshop is aimed at primary age children and will help them learn all about Fairtrade – they will then make their very own Fairtrade mark using scrap paper and card.

You will need:

– Piece of plain A4 paper

– Magazines, packaging, scrap paper (any paper or card you would normally throw away!)

– Pencil or pen

– Glue

If you’re booking this event with children, why not also book the Fairtrade Taskmaster event on 27 February – you’ll see why!

This event is sponsored by Fairtrade Reigate.

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Friday 26 February 3-4pm

Fairtrade, the Climate Crisis and Engagement

Join Nilufar Verjee, Director of Public Engagement for the Fairtrade Foundation who will talk about how to engage people with the issues around Fairtrade and the climate crisis.

This event is part of Middlesex University’s Fairtrade Debate Season

Friday 26 February – 6-8pm

Chocolate Has A Name – photographic exhibition

Farmers from Ghana who grow some of our world’s premium cocoa and other custodians of our much loved confection, tell us their story.

This event comes to you via Africaniwa

Friday 26 February – 7-8pm

Join Ghanaian musician Richard Wiafe – who works at the Fairtrade fruit project Golden Exotics who will share his music and answer questions about his life. Richard’s university studies are funded through the Fairtrade Premium.

Watch video about Golden Exotics

Read this article in the Independent about how Brexit is threatening imports of Golden Exotics Fairtrade bananas to the UK.

Richard says: 

“Lack of financial support almost made me give up education, until I was employed at Golden Exotics as a farm hand. I realised that I could get support from there, through the Fairtrade premium and am studying Bsc.in Integrated Development Studies. I actually want to become a Human Right activist/advocate

I discovered my potential/talent in music at an early age when I began to write and perform local Gospel songs but never recorded them due to financial constraints. As soon as I was employed at Golden Exotics I heard of Fairtrade and decided to learn much about it, at a point I decided to interrogate some of the workers in the company who are the beneficiaries of the Fairtrade premium, The response from them and the projects the Fairtrade premium committee had undertaken with the premium money inspired me to write and record my first song “Welcome Fairtrade“. Subsequently I’ve written and recorded new songs titled “Choose the world you want” and “We stand with farmers”. These songs are to support the upcoming Fairtrade Fortnight Festival in the UK with (Fairtrade Yorkshire Co-ordinator) Joanna Pollard who has been a blessing and a motivation ever since we knew each other.

I want to use my music as a tool to influence consumers of Fairtrade products and all stakeholders involved to inform them that the premium workers are receiving is being used for a good cause. It is my dream to work with Fairtrade to push this agenda far and make a reality. I have more songs to write and record for Fairtrade.”

This event is sponsored by Bradford Fairtrade Zone

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Saturday 27 February 10am

Wake Up And Taste The Coffee with the Scottish Fair Trade Forum

This is your chance to hear from the Sholi Fairtrade Coffee Co-operative in Rwanda

Saturday 27 February 11-12am

Climate Change Coffee Morning with Fair Trade Wales

Hear from Ugandan coffee farmer Jenipher and taste her delicious coffee roasted in Wales

Saturday 27 February – 11-12am

Fairtrade Taskmaster – Join us for a Saturday morning of Fairtrade themed silliness. Fun for all the family with our Fairtrade themed Taskmaster event.

Join Little Alex Horne (yes – that one – yes, really!) as he sets you a series of tasks.

Who will be wearing the best Fair Trade Outfit? Who will make the best Fairtrade mark? (Hint: you can come along to our fairandfunky craft workshop on Thursday 25 February to help you with this)

Use the most Fairtrade products to create a superhero in the kitchen. How will you make your house look and feel like a beach? Who will make the most convincing rock star?

Use the Fairtrade colours to draw a monster with many legs – but not too many! How many Fairtrade items fit on a plate? Can you find 9 different items whose initial letters spell out the word FAIRTRADE?

Dress up as a cow and moo at a bar of Fairtrade milk chocolate. Do any of your books have pandas in them? Go and check. Go on. Yes, now.

There are ten great prizes to be won – Fairtrade Favourites colouring books and Fairtrade treats – with these creative and fun tasks.

If you’re booking this event with children we recommend you also book the Fly The Fairtrade Flag workshop on 25 February – you’ll find out why!

This event is sponsored by Good Taste – The Sheffield Fair Trade Shop

This event has now finished

Monday 1 March 4.30-6pm

Cook along with former Bake Off contestant Sandy Docherty

Join Sandy who will share her recipe for Meat Balls in Spicy Tomato Sauce using ingredients from Fair Trade supplier JTS.

Sandy’s also given us some great vegetarian and vegan alternatives, Download the recipe to see what they are:

Fair Trade Meat Balls in Tomato sauce

 

Sandy says:

“I love the opportunity to share my passion with the public, baking and cooking have a universal language. I’m inspired by the public and thrive on their feedback and comments.  Fair trade, what a fabulous phrase, wouldn’t it be amazing if everything in life were fair? But we know that Fair Trade is exactly that, It means to me that hard working farmers and workers receive fair trade and payment for what they produce, it supports their families, their pride and helps them build a future. What do I get in return? I get an exciting range of products, the highest quality ingredients and ultimately dishes that meet and surpass in flavour and value. ”

This event is sponsored by Fairtrade Leeds.

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Monday 1 March – 7-8pm

Good Taste – the Sheffield fair trade shop’s 6th birthday celebration

Sheffield’s fair trade shop is having a birthday party and you’re all invited!

This is your chance to meet some of their suppliers – Traidcraft, Just Trade, Black Yak (based in East Yorkshire) and Artizan (based in Harrogate). They are all fellow members of BAFTS Fair Trade Network UK and you can hear how the last year has affected producers around the world.

BBC journalist Dan Walker presents a fantastic £12,000 cheque to Taste – the fantastic charity Good Taste supports, to see where some of your money goes. Taste brings clean water to rural areas of Nigeria.

Bring your favourite fair trade item and share your fair trade stories. There will even be cake (although sadly you won’t be able to taste it)

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Wednesday 3 March 3-4.30

Fairtrade Debate

Join Middlesex University’s student debate society who will be challenging the discussion around the proposal: Fairtrade is a minor consideration when it comes to climate change.

With special guest Chair Sophi Tranchell. Audience participation for Q&A.

This event is part of Middlesex University’s Fairtrade Debate season

BOOK NOW VIA EVENTBRITE

Wednesday 3 March 5-6

Discussion on ethical and sustainable production and consumption

In this event, Sussex DevSoc will be joining the city’s Fairtrade group members to get insights on the evolution of Fairtrade, the impact of Covid-19 on farmers and workers and ethical consumption. Come to discuss the importance of promoting the voices of artisanal producers! Volunteering opportunities with the Fairtrade Brighton and Hove Group will also be available for those interested.

More about the speakers:

Christine Gent: “I am a supply chain specialist. With experience in Social Enterprises, UN bodies, and The Body Shop. Currently WFTO Fair Trade Expert for MADE51 a 100% refugee made brand, Non Exec director People Tree Fair Trade Group, and Global Community Director for Fashion Revolution.”

Louise Mabbs: “I am a voluntary fairtrade representative for Traidcraft, and Tearcraft. I got involved as a teenager in the 1970s in Wirksworth, Derbyshire. In 1995, I started supplying our United Reformed Churches in London, then in Hove & Portslade and now at Brighthelm in Brighton among other local churches and groups.”

BOOK NOW VIA EVENTBRITE

Wednesday 3 March 4-5.30

Join a chocolate truffle making workshop with David Greenwood Haigh, an award winning chef, chocolatier and international chocolate consultant of Coeur de Xocolat.

David says: I think I have the best job in the world travelling training people to make bean to bar chocolate and chocolate products, whilst helping to develop eco tourism and stimulating additional revenue in origin. And trying to elevate the gamers up the value chain.
But chocolate isn’t just a treat or a sweet indulgence. It’s an safari of the senses, that can take you across continents and into the heart of a narrative that reaches back for millennia.
It’s a story of distant shores, of discovery and adventure. It’s a story of of intrigue and political drama. It’s a story of progress, of enterprise and science. Most of all, it’s a story of passion – a passion that has conquered the world, and which continues to bring people together on a shared, delicious journey.

Download the details and recipe here:

FT chocolate Truffle Making at Home

This event is sponsored by Bury Fairtrade

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Thursday 4 March 11am

Join Bruce Crowther MBE in conversation with Kirklees Libraries Writer in Residence Christina Longden talking about his new memoir “Not in my lifetime – a Fair Trade campaigner’s Journal”. The book takes in Bruce’s adventures in fair trade and in particular his connections with the International Fair Trade Towns movement which he was instrumental in founding.

Bruce will talk about his approach to writing the book and his life in fair trade.

This event will be accessed via the Kirklees Libraries YouTube channel

Watch Bruce’s video to find out more.

This event is sponsored by Fairtrade in Bolton

BOOK NOW VIA EVENTBRITE

Thursday 4 March – 6-7pm

Young People in Fairtrade

Hear why the Fairtrade movement is more relevant than ever and how it supports and empowers young people as as we speak to Emily Pearce, Sustainable Sourcing & Fairtrade Manager at Co-op. There will be an opportunity for Q&A discussion on the themes too.

This event is co-ordinated by the Co-op Young Members’ Group

BOOK NOW

Friday 5 March – 12 -1pm

Fairtrade in a time of covid – Join Immaculate Ochieno and Kodzo Korkortsi, Shared Interest’s local managers who deal direct with producers in East and West Africa to find out how Fairtrade is supporting women’s empowerment and helping producers survive and thrive through covid.

Kodzo Korkortsi, is the Programme Manager for Shared Interest Foundation.  He is based in Ghana and will give an overview of the Foundations recent projects including Bees for Business which is working with women beekeepers in Burkina Faso.  He will also talk about the Livelihood Security Fund which has been helping producers affected by Covid.

Immaculate Ochieno is Shared Interest’s Lending Manager for East Africa. She will talk about projects that promote gender equality in the region.

This event is sponsored by York Fair Trade Forum and Skipton Fairtrade Initiative

This event has now ended.

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Friday 5 March 12.30-1.20pm

Corporate Social Responsibility Lecture Veronica Heaven Director of The Heaven Company

Veronica Heaven will explore the term corporate social responsibility (CSR) that refers to practices and policies undertaken by corporations that are intended to have a positive influence on the world. The key idea behind CSR is for corporations to pursue other pro-social objectives, in addition to maximizing profits. Examples of common CSR objectives include minimizing environmental externalities, promoting volunteerism among company employees, and donating to charity.

JOIN VIA ZOOM LINK

Friday 5 March 2.30pm

Panel discussion: Exploring the Sociocultural Life of the Banana

Why is the system behind bananas complex?
How does social justice relate to agribusiness?
Hear from Richard Wiafe (star of our music evening) what it’s like to be a banana farmer

This event is organised by St Andrews University

Find out more and sign up via the Facebook event page

Friday 5 March – 6.30-7.30pm

PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS NOW AT THE SLIGHTLY EARLIER TIME OF 6.30PM

Welsh poets Zoë Brigley Thompson and Kristian Evans, editors of “100 Poems to Save the Earth” will read from this life-afforming anthology which is due to be published in Spring 2021 by Seren Books.

Zoë Brigley has three PBS recommended poetry collections: The Secret (2007), Conquest (2012), and Hand & Skull (2019) (all published by Bloodaxe). She also published the nonfiction essays Notes from a Swing State (2019). She recently published a chapbook, Aubade After A French Movie (Broken Sleep 2020), and in 2021, she will publish another chapbook, Into Eros, with Verve. She runs an anti-violence advocacy podcast: Sinister Myth: How Stories We Tell Perpetuate Violence. She won an Eric Gregory Award for the best British poets under 30, was Forward Prize commended, and listed in the Dylan Thomas Prize. She is co-editor (with Kristian Evans) of the forthcoming anthology 100 Poems to Save the Earth. She works as an Assistant Professor in English at the Ohio State University.

Zoe says

“For me, maintaining fair trade is about recognizing our interconnectedness in the world. It is far too easy to exploit labour in countries that are not our own, when we do not see the immediate and heartbreaking consequences of that. If we could raise the global standard of living it would have such a strong and immediate impact for us all, in fact on the climate crisis itself. But more than that fair trade is just the right thing to do.”

Kristian Evans is a poet and environmentalist interested in deep ecology. He is the author of Unleaving (Happenstance), and the online series A Kenfig Journal for Sustainable Wales. Together with Zoe Brigley, he is editing the forthcoming anthology, 100 Poems to Save the Earth (Seren 2021) and a special issue of Magma Poetry 79 on Dwelling (with Rob Mackenzie). You can see their articles about ecologies and poetry at Planet, Poetry Wales, and Wales Arts Review, as well as in a film on dwelling made in cooperation with Planet:  They have a co-written non-fiction chapbook Otherworlds out from Broken Sleep in 2021.

Kristian says:

“Like most people, I want to know where the products I need come from, how they were made, and how the people involved were treated and paid. We are no longer willing to accept that exploitation is an inevitable part of the price of the things we buy.”

They’ll be joined by Yorkshire based Clare Shaw, who’ll read from her third Bloodaxe collection “Flood” on the themes of this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight – “Choose The World You Want” and “Fairtrade, Climate and You”.

Clare Shaw has three poetry collections with Bloodaxe – Straight Ahead, Head On and Flood: her forthcoming fourth collection was awarded a Northern Writer’s Award and will be published by Bloodaxe in 2022.

As an Associate Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund, Clare is responsible for establishing writing projects in workplaces across the UK. She is co-director of the Kendal Poetry Festival; and a regular tutor for the Poetry School, the Wordsworth Trust and the Arvon Foundation.

In her various roles as a writer, librettist, project leader and mental health trainer, she works with a wide range of organisations: these currently include the Royal Academy of Music, St Mungo’s Community Housing Association, and the BBC.

PRESS

“‘As a reader you cannot expect an easy time with Clare Shaw. She deals with the big subjects, war and conflict, violence and violation but also the subtler themes of language as a means of expression, identity and the difficulties of motherhood. She takes us to places we may be reluctant to go but more importantly she fixes her gaze on us and demands our attention and our involvement” (James Carruth, The North).

This event is sponsored by Embsay with Eastby Fairtrade Group

This event has now ended

We are sorry to be unable to bring you the full event recording due to copyright restrictions on the upcoming anthology 100 Poems To Save The Earth, however you can see the two sessions where Clare was reading from her collection Flood

Watch the first section

Watch the last section

Saturday 6 March 11.30-1pm

Get moving and learn Bollywood and Bhangra dancing with Avtar Panesar the host of our Indian dance workshop

Find out more via Avtar’s website

Avtar says:

Namaste! My name is Avtar. Having Indian parents means traditional curries have always been a big part of my life – delicious food, full of flavor and spice. Great food is one of life’s pleasures but when it is Fair food traded fairly, supporting global producers it enriches the heart, mind and soul.

I grew up listening to Bhangra music legends and watching iconic Hindi Bollywood films (from colourful happy sing-a-longs to tragic melodramas). I now run Indian dance and Cultural Education sessions in the heart of the south west to keep me in touch with my roots and India’s rich culture.

Join us for a fun, easy to follow dance-a-long to happy and expressive beats of India.

Chalo Let’s Nacho! – Come on Let’s Dance!

This event is sponsored by Warrington Fairtrade Steering Group

The event has now ended

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Saturday 6 March 9.30 – 11

Pocklington Fairtrade and Local Produce Action Group Coffee Morning

Read more about what Pocklington have in store for Fairtrade Fortnight 2021

BOOK NOW VIA EVENTBRITE

Sunday 7 March 9am

Bradford Cathedral Big Fairtrade Breakfast

Bradford Cathedral is calling on everyone to join them for the online Big Fairtrade Breakfast on Sunday 7th March at 9am. Though the annual Fairtrade Breakfast cannot take place in the cathedral this year, it can still be held online. All you need to do is stock up on Fairtrade or locally-sourced breakfast items, and join people across the city on a Zoom-hosted breakfast!

BOOK VIA THE BRADFORD CATHEDRAL WEBSITE

Monday 8 March – 12 -1pm

On International Women’s Day you can join our virtual tour of the Bethlehem Arab Women’s Union. Meet the makers of the gorgeous crafts sold by Hadeel. 

See where the women work, learn their stories and watch as they create something before your eyes!

This event is sponsored by Edinburgh Fairtrade City

BOOK NOW VIA EVENTBRITE

More events are being added all the time so keep an eye on this page and our Facebook page.

Official festival sponsors: All’s Fair, Sonia’s Smile, Hull Fairtrade Partnership, Beverley Fairtrade Group, Ilkley Fairtrade, Walkington Methodist Church, the Fairtrade Foundation and the National Campaigner Committee

Donate to the crowdfunder

Most of our contributors are happy to support us by donating their time free of charge but it’s only right that we make a financial contribution to some – especially those joining us from the low income countries where Fairtrade works.

If you or your group would like to support the festival with a donation of any amount we’re hoping to raise £750 with a Gofundme.

Donate to help make the Community arts festival happen

We can’t wait to see you!

Our Co-ordinator Joanna Pollard was honoured to receive a Special Recognition award at the Scottish Fair Trade Awards on Monday 16 November, for her work on the Nestle campaign. Here are her thoughts:

“I worked with Martin and especially Colleen from the Scottish Fair Trade Forum on the Nestle campaign and after recently participating in virtual workshops with the Forum and reporting to the Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party committee on Fairtrade, I feel like I’ve been adopted as an honorary Scot. But it was still a wonderful surprise to receive this award alongside such brilliant Scottish fair trade campaigners. As an independent fair trade retailer it was particularly good to see so many of Scotland’s fair trade shops being honoured at what is a particularly tough time for shops but Rainbow Turtle, Gavin’s Mill, All Things Fair and The Emporium of Worldly Goods are stepping up to the challenge of 2020.

For my own part, I was incredibly touched and delighted to hear my friends and colleagues – Colleen, Emina from Fair Trade Wales and in particular my “wing man” Stefan from the Fairtrade Foundation (and originally Northern Ireland, giving us the full set!) with their wonderfully – almost embarrassingly – effusive praise and memories of a summer spent collaborating, brainstorming and organising. I loved hearing that Stefan looked forward to our weekly meetings as the highlight of his week – and our daily email conversations were always creative, productive and supportive, even when I was having a wobble.

Here’s what Emina had to say in a pre-recorded video from her home in South Wales

It was fantastic to collaborate with such generous, enthusiastic and driven people, and I really look forward to working together again in the near future. This award may have my name on it but it’s for everyone involved in the campaign from the York Fair Trade Forum members who stood with me at the gates of Nestle on 1 October to all the 285,000 supporters who signed the petition. But most importantly the award is dedicated to the cocoa farmers in Cote d’Ivoire who we were fighting for. Their video was shown as part of the ceremony and their professionalism, passion and commitment to Fairtrade are so clear. The Found Poem video (featuring MSP Colin Smyth) has it right – “People matter”. Fair trade is all about people supporting one another, connecting wherever in the world we are, putting ourselves on the line for each other. It’s about standing up for one another – standing with farmers when their livelihoods are at risk. It’s about sharing generously, caring passionately and believing in one another. All skills we have had to learn during the pandemic, to keep each other safe. Skills my fair trade tribe have consistently shown they have in spades.

I’ve learnt so much this summer but the most important thing is that with the right people around us we can achieve anything. Collaboration, imagination and motivation are vital but making sure you bring each other joy, keep each other smiling,  and have each other’s backs are most important of all. I feel honoured and privileged to have worked on this campaign and with these people. People matter.”

See all the winners on the Scottish Fair Trade Forum website

On a recent shopping trip I was disappointed  by the hugely reduced range of nail polish available to buy in my local Superdrug store. I worked for the retailer in in the early 2000s when we sold hundreds of different shades and brands. It was a mystery to me how demand could possibly have reduced so much in a just a few years, since I was still seeing women with painted nails. Then it struck me with increasing horror. There’s no longer any need to pay £10 for a bottle of nail polish – and the base and top coat if you’re going to do it properly – when for the same price you could go to one of the myriad nail bars that pockmark our high streets and have them done for you. Many people would call it pampering. But the Vietnamese woman who does your nails is so far from pampered she may not even be paid. And she is more likely than not to be a modern slave.

In 2015 I was invited by Baroness Lola Young to attend the launch of the Modern Slavery Act. It was an opportunity to enjoy afternoon tea at the House of Lords, so of course I couldn’t refuse.

But the whole point about modern slavery – like so much of the broken global system of trade – is that the people trapped in slavery can’t refuse either. They have had all their choices taken away, along with their paperwork and money. From Vietnamese teenagers trafficked into the UK to work on cannabis farms, to Slovakians washing your car by hand for £3 a time, and homeless British men taken off city streets to work on farms, made to live, eat and sleep with animals, modern slavery is now so prevalent that it has popped up as a storyline in the perhaps incongruous setting of Ambridge. The Archers – not long after tackling the then little understood issue of coercive control in relationships – is showing how modern slavery is easy to miss since it hides in plain sight.

Louise Hulland’s book looks at all aspects of modern slavery with a keen, incisive eye and a compassion for victims. Threaded through the book is the story of Albanian woman Elena. Lured by a “boyfriend” to Belgium where her papers are taken, Elena finds herself in a brothel and eventually due to a kindly lorry driver she escapes – heavily pregnant – into the British system. Victims who are so scared of their bosses and the authorities that they resist attempts to save them, and are so traumatised by their experiences that their accounts are inconsistent, do not make credible witnesses. Louise shines a bright light on the labyrinthine, almost Kafkaesque, complexity of the hostile environment which aims to support victims and prosecute bosses, while still treating victims as potential illegal immigrants.

While supporting the right of workers to decent pay and conditions wherever they are is close to the hearts of trade justice campaigners, perhaps most relevant to our movement is the persistence of modern slavery in complex supply chains. The second principle of fair trade is “Transparency and Accountability” and it would be difficult to imagine anything further from most conventional models of trade than the fair trade model of full traceability. The people who import and sell fair trade goods in our independent fair trade shops understand how important it is to be able to tell the story. Regular visits, audits and inspections are part and parcel of what it means to be a fair trade organisation. This is easier for small importers who know their suppliers by name, but what about bigger organisations? Our old friend the Co-op comes out of Louise’s book very well, with a long interview with Paul Gerrard (The Co-op’s Campaigns and Public Affairs Director) who gives a few key pieces of advice for other retailers who could be doing more. M&S also merits an honourable mention, with their Interactive Map showing all their suppliers all over the world which you can search by sector.

Slavery was not abolished in 1807, 1833 or 1865. It remains endemic, especially in complex supply chains or places where the rule of law does not reign supreme. This book will empower consumers and activists to keep our eyes open, question and tackle the root causes. It should also make you decide that your next afternoon tea will be Fairtrade.

If you want to buy this book, please try to avoid Amazon. Buying from your local bookshop helps support family businesses, or you can order from Hive to get it delivered there, at home or as a download.