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

We are delighted that the CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, Mike Gidney, will be visiting Yorkshire during Fairtrade Fortnight.

1 March – Tasting stall in Co-op, Baildon

1 March – Fairtrade School Conference, Leeds. KS2 and 3 pupils and teachers are invited to participate in Leeds’ 9th Fairtrade School celebration, organised in collaboration between Leeds DEC and Fairtrade Leeds! Book your school’s ticket here.

2 March – Holme Valley Fairtrade are running ‘Banana Breakout’ on Saturday 2nd March when we will take to the streets of our two local towns: Holmfirth and Honley to hand out free Fairtrade bananas and other goodies and raise awareness of Fairtrade.

2 March – Fairtrade Train at the Worth Valley Steam Railway – Haworth Fairtrade Group will be on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway steam train departing at 11.45am from Oxenhope. They will be handing out samples of Fairtrade goodies to
the visitors and passengers, and will be joined by staff from Oxenhope Co-op, with entertainment by
musicians Ian and Reuben.

2 March – 10.30 – 1.30 Coffee Morning, Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Allerton, Leeds

3 March, Real Food Ilkley market – Ilkley Fairtrade Group and Ilkley Soroptimists will be running one of the community stalls at the Real Food Ilkley market, 10am – 3pm, to increase awareness of their work and to raise funds for good causes. They will be raffling Fairtrade products kindly donated by the Ilkley Co-op stores. 10am – 3pm

3 March – 8.30 – 9.45 Fairtrade Breakfast – Bradford Cathedral

4 March – 4pm – 7.30pm – Hull Fairtrade Partnership and Hull Faith in Fair Trade are holding a Pancake Day celebration at the Annex, Cottingham Road. Come along for refreshments including pancakes with your choice of Fairtrade toppings, a stall from Fairer World and meet Fairtrade CEO Mike Gidney. Find out how your church, school or business can support Fairtrade.

5 March – 8.30 – 10.10 York Fair Trade Forum is holding a business breakfast at the Spurriergate Centre in York city centre on Tuesday 5 March. All are welcome for free tea, coffee and juice, and toast with a range of Fairtrade and fair trade jams, spreads, honey and marmalade. Meet the CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, Mike Gidney and find out how you can support Fairtrade.

5 March – 11 – 3.30 Fair Trade Fair, Parkinson Court, University of Leeds

6 March – Huddersfield University is holding a Fairtrade celebration on Wednesday 6th March at 6pm at the University campus and celebrates the past year’s Fairtrade achievements and activities of Fairtrade Kirklees members, including local campaign groups, churches, businesses and schools. We ran a similar and successful event last year – a wonderful evening that attracted much positive feedback. This year we’re hoping to broaden our audience and inspire more people and organisations to get involved with Fairtrade.

7 March – York St John University will hold a Fair Trade Market.

8 March – Chocolate Tea Party, St Andrews Church, Penistone S36 6BS – we will provide chocolate cake, Fairtrade tea and coffee and intersperse the chat with short presentations about Fairtrade inspiring women who have succeeded in developing their own businesses.  As this is also International Women’s Day the Penistone group has contacted five local primary schools inviting years 5 and 6 to join in a poster competition illustrating a Yorkshire woman whose achievement or success they wish to celebrate, as an introduction to the theme of Empowering Women. Poster template Fairtrade Poster letter Fairtrade poster Notes for Teachers

9 March – Fair Trade and Local Craft Fair, Friends Meeting House, Greengates, Malton – Come on in for Fairtrade refreshments and shop with a range of local businesses selling fairly traded goods as well as local artisans. Malton 2019 poster A4

9 March, 11am – 2pm, Traidcraft stall in Christchurch, Ilkley foyer next to the Fairtrade cafe.

Sat. 9 th March. 10am – 2pm. Fairtrade drinks and cakes, plus Fairtrade product tastings, in the Old Mall Café, Airedale Shopping Centre, Keighley  The event is to tie in with International Women’s Day on 8 March and the Fairtrade theme of ‘She deserves a living income’.

13 March – 7pm at Bish Bash Pot, Walmgate, York – Join us to celebrate 15 years of Fairtrade City status in York by painting a pot in a Fairtrade theme. Book your ticket here.

16 March – 9.30 – 11.30am, Christian Aid coffee morning, Methodist Church, Burley in Wharfdale. There will be cake and gift stalls. Fairly traded crafts, accessories and food items will also be on sale.

17 March – Fair trade and Brontë Society Spring walk from Thornton to Haworth, celebrating Rev Patrick Brontë and focusing on his social reform campaigning, including universal education. 9am for 9.30am departure from St. James’ Church, Thornton, via Denholme. Arrive Haworth Old School Room approx 2pm for Fairtrade refreshments and to join the ‘Brontë 200’ event commemorating Rev. Patrick Brontë. He was born on 17 th March 1777 and invited to take up the post of perpetual curate in Haworth in 1819.

Additionally Shipley Fairtrade Group has permission to have a table with Co-op FT products, Bertie and Brenda (our inflatable bananas),  and posters in the windows in Saltaire Co-op during Fairtrade Fortnight.

Ilkley Fairtrade is organising a joint competition with Ilkley Soroptimists to find the most inspiring local woman, who will be
presented with a hamper of Fairtrade goodies donated by local supermarkets. The competition links with International Women’s Day on 8 th March and will highlight inspiring female Fairtrade cocoa farmers.

York Fair Trade Forum will be using the foyer of City of York Council’s West Offices for our display boards featuring our past events and successes, along with fair trade leaflets and posters to draw visitors’ attention to Fairtrade Fortnight.

Fairtrade Fortnight will return in 2019 from 25 February to 10 March.

It’s the most important time of the year for us all to celebrate Fairtrade achievements, whilst encouraging further commitments from the public, companies and governments to take action for fairer trade.

This year, Fairtrade Fortnight will focus on cocoa. Farmers of this iconic Fairtrade product have seen prices crash to crisis levels in the last few years, particularly in West Africa where most cocoa is grown. The situation highlights in stark terms the scandal of unfair trade. We have a choice about whether we take a stand against this.

Many farmers – both men and women – are underpaid and exploited. That means they can’t earn enough for the basics many of us take for granted, including food, education and housing, because they don’t earn a living income.

It’s even worse for the women who work in the fields and in the home. Despite the hard work they put in, they’re often overlooked and under-represented, and usually see even less of the money for their crop. They deserve more.

So the voices and stories of women farmers will also be at the heart of Fairtrade Fortnight. And we’re inviting some inspiring women farmers from Cote D’Ivoire – who truly understand what a living income means and represents – to come and help us spread the message.

Check out our events page for details of all the events happening in Yorkshire during Fairtrade Fortnight.

For more information on Fairtrade Fortnight 2019 click here.

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.

York Fair Trade Forum held its AGM and annual social on Monday 15 October.

The group heard about the great work the forum has been doing across the city working with both York University and York St John University, and holding a successful Fairtrade Breakfast in a city centre cafe during Fairtrade Fortnight. Attended by over a dozen local councillors the breakfast was featured on the local news programme York TV. The forum organises a Schools Conference every year and holds information and fundraising stalls at community events including York Pride.

The keynote speaker was Catalina Quiroz-Nino who is a visiting professor at York St John University. Catalina told the group about the COCLA co-operative who work with thousands of farmers and artisans in Peru, mainly in the mountainous Andean regions. Farmers from the co-operative grow, among other things, Cafe Direct’s Machu Picchu coffee, one of the UK’s best selling Fairtrade products. We learned about the challenges faced by farmers with climate change, coffee rust disease and the Peruvian government’s policy to support mining at the expense of other forms of industry.

COCLA is keen to stress that the UN’s sustainable development goals offer them the best future and urge all fair trade campaigners to promote these goals and help achieve them by 2030.

The Yorkshire Fairtrade Supporter Conference provided a boost for Fairtrade campaigning in the region. Held at the University of Leeds on 22nd September, attendees were able to learn of the huge amount of activity that was taking place to promote Fairtrade across Yorkshire.

Some of the conference attendees at the University of Leeds

Speakers included: rice farmers from Malawi, Webster Kita and Howard Msukwa; Linda McAvan MEP; Professor Bob Doherty, trustee of the Fairtrade Foundation; Fairtrade Yorkshire Coordinator, Mark Dawson; and Head of Campaigns at the Fairtrade Foundation, Kevin McCullough.

Workshops were held on: the latest developments in Fairtrade, working with social media, ideas for introducing Fairtrade to young people and Fairtrade in places of worship.

Mark Dawson was elected as the new National Campaigner Committee member representing Yorkshire. He paid tribute to the work of his predecessor, Karen Palframan.

With the addition this year of Fairtrade Embsay with Eastby, there are now 38 Fairtrade places across Yorkshire. In recent years new active Fairtrade groups have been established in Morley, a faiths group in Hull, a renewed group in Sheffield and, two years ago, Halifax achieved Fairtrade Town status.

Rev Matt Wright of Lister Hill Baptist, Horsforth, addresses the places of worship workshop