In October, Pocklington celebrated the renewal of their Fairtrade Town status, a title the East Riding market town has held for 14 years.

Local supporters came together including representatives from schools, churches, community groups and local businesses. Members of the Town Council attended including the Mayor of Pocklington.

The celebration event was held at All Saints Church Pocklington and supporters enjoyed Fairtrade wine and a selection of local cheeses.

Wendy Voke spoke about the Kilombero rice challenge, which supports rice farmers in Malawi, and there was a stall of fairly traded goods from the Fairer World shop in York.

Dr Mark Dawson, of Fairtrade Yorkshire, congratulated Pocklington on its high profile support for Fairtrade through the difficult times of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis. He commented: “Fairtrade is at heart a simple concept, that people deserve fair payment for the work that they do and that everyone should be able to live and work in a safe place; in communities where they can enjoy the basic necessities of life and provide for their families.”

Yusuke, a student from Tokyo, visited Yorkshire on a fact-finding mission about Fairtrade Communities.  His interest is in international trade and development issues.  He came to Haworth to attend a meeting to plan future activities in the town and then joined in the Yorkshire Region Fairtrade event in Ilkley on 23rd September.  He attended the service at Bradford Cathedral on Sunday morning and enjoyed the music and singing.  He plays the trombone.  He will spend a month in Ghana visiting various Fairtrade and cocoa farming initiatives.

Mike and Yusuke

It is encouraging to know that the work of our community is noted not only in the UK, but worldwide.  Our actions count!

Mike de Villiers, Fairtrade Baildon

Haworth Fairtrade group has been given a boost by Rev Oli Preston who is keen to bring new ideas and involve young people. He was introduced to regular Haworth visitor Bruce Crowther, the founder of the Fair Trade Town movement who brought along Yusuke, a Japanese student doing a study of child labour and slavery.

Joined by other seasoned campaigners, the group gathered at Upstairs Pennybank House, with the iconic view down Haworth Main Street, where they discussed many activities and events that have taken place over the past 21 years. Rita Verity from Sonia’s Smile, founder of Haworth Fairtrade group and Haworth Machu Picchu (Peru) Twinning group, hosted the meet up. Also present were Joanna Fianu, chair of Fairtrade Lancashire and co-founder with husband Samuel, of a new social enterprise – Alls Fair Tours – offering trade justice-themed tours of Ghana as a way to promote income generation through tourism in cocoa-growing regions.

Rev Oli Preston, Bruce Crowther, Joanna Fianu, Rita Verity, Samuel Fianu, Mike De Villiers, Yusuke Yasuda

The majority of shoppers nowadays are aware of the importance of knowing the conditions in which their purchases are produced and crucially the hardships of the people growing and making them. The life changing benefits that Fair Trade brings and the massive shift towards ethical purchasing is due in part as a direct consequence of Fair Trade campaigning. With this knowledge, consumer pressure for corporations and businesses to adhere to strong ethical policies has benefitted both people and planet.

Along with the more commonly understood, safe conditions and fair pay etc, the Fairtrade premium ensures farmers receive the training to adapt and prepare for the rapidly increasing climate change which is causing a real threat to their crops, it’s hard to imagine a world without chocolate, coffee or bananas!

Exciting plans are also forecast for the future of the Twinning group in collaboration with Bradford University’s Archaeology department.

On 23rd September Fairtrade supporters from across Yorkshire (from Settle all the way to Hull) met in Ilkley for the first face to face conference since 2019.

There was a vibrant mood as Fairtrade Yorkshire celebrated its 10th birthday with a cake made by a supporter in Embsay Fairtrade Village.

Joanna Fianu told the conference about the 10th birthday of Golden Exotics, a banana farm in Ghana and the participants in Ilkley sent their congratulations all the way to Ghana via a video message.

The celebratory mood continued as the conference was informed of the newest Fairtrade community in Yorkshire, Settle and all the wonderful work which is taking place there to promote fairness in the global trading system.

Liz Roodhouse (Skipton) and Hilary Davies (Ilkley) advised the attendees on where they could buy fairly traded products in the region, recommending Fairer World, From the Source and Namaste, alongside online buying from True Origin. They showcased products from a range of companies including Whitaker’s Chocolates and Zaytoun.

Dr Mark Dawson (York St John University) then talked about his research on different religious communities coming together to work on Fair Trade, with a case study of Luton Fairtrade Town. Mark then led a discussion on Fairtrade communities working in partnership with other organisations.

Baildon Fairtrade group has been showcased in a national resource promoting a new initiative launched by the Fairtrade Foundation to attract and support local campaigners across the region and the UK.

The group features in a set of eight case studies that highlight the inspiring, creative and committed work carried out by a number of Fairtrade Communities nationwide.

Published on the Fairtrade Foundation website, the resource describes the difference that Baildon Fairtrade has made through its campaigning and awareness-raising activities in the region.  This includes rewarding local businesses with a Fairtrade Supporter Certificate.

The case study is part of the launch of a new-look Fairtrade Communities scheme run by the Fairtrade Foundation to mobilise and resource grassroots campaigners across the UK to stand up for trade justice.

Communities have emerged nationwide. These include Fairtrade Towns, Cities, Islands, Villages, Boroughs and Counties, all committed to campaigning for fairer earnings, access to rights and better working conditions for farmers and workers in low-income countries who grow products such as coffee, cocoa, tea and bananas.

Speaking on behalf of the group Mike de Villiers said: “Our local florist Emma is passionate about all things environmental. So we approached her to discuss Fairtrade, and she is now a firm supporter. We’ve awarded her one of our certificates to show that and she has been proud to share that with the local community. It is a real bonus and honour that our Baildon community is featured among national Fairtrade resources.”

As part of the launch of the new-look Fairtrade Communities, the Fairtrade Foundation has published a Campaigns Action Guide created to inspire and resource new and existing campaigners interested in joining the movement for trade justice. The guide explores the concept of trade justice, how Fairtrade works, how to become a Fairtrade campaigner, and ideas for campaigning across the different action areas.

As well as Fairtrade Communities, the Fairtrade Foundation also oversees awards for Fairtrade Schools, Fairtrade Universities and Colleges, and Places of Worship groups.

For more information, visit the Fairtrade Foundation campaign website

Hull has once again been recognised as a Fairtrade Community.

Fairtrade ensures farmers and workers in developing countries around the world are paid a fair price for their goods, earn a living wage and their communities benefit from educational and medical provisions.

The accolade was awarded by the UK Fairtrade Foundation a proves the city’s commitment to have promoted Fairtrade across Hull through campaigns and events, as well as demonstrating that a wide range of people and organisations are involved.

Hull’s Fairtrade Partnership is made up of representatives from voluntary, community and faith sector groups, Fairtrade activists, council officers, elected members, local Fairtrade businesses and Hull University Student Union.

Cllr Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for culture and leisure at Hull City Council, is chair of the Hull Fairtrade Partnership.

He said: “Hull has always had time to stand up for social justice and is proud to be recognised as a Fairtrade Community.

“Every action taken to support Fairtrade locally challenges unfair trade practices and advocates for decent workers’ rights, safer working conditions and fairer pay for farmers and workers globally.

“Everyone involved in the Hull Fairtrade Partnership and many others who have supported our local Fairtrade campaigns should be proud that Hull has achieved this award.”

Hull City Council passed a resolution to become a Fairtrade City in 2005.

Isabelle Tracy, Co-op Member Pioneer and Hull Fairtrade Partnership member, added: “The Co-op pioneers Fairtrade products as part of our mission to promote the aims of the World Fairtrade Organisation and Fairtrade Charter. As a Co-op Member Pioneer, I help to drive Co-op’s commitment to ethical trade and local community activism. I am proud to have supported Fairtrade events in Hull over the past two years and look forward to many more of them. Well done Hull for re-accreditation as a Fairtrade Community!”

Yorkshire’s roster of Fairtrade Towns is set for a new addition as Settle sets out on the path towards Fairtrade Town status.

Settle: Trading the Trainers

Starting this year, as part of ACE (Action on Climate Emergency, Settle) food group, several events were organised for Fairtrade Fortnight.  There were two at Settle Primary School. The founding father of the Fair Trade Town movement, Bruce Crowther led a chocolate making session with Year 3 and Liz Roodhouse, from Craven Development Education Centre, worked with Year 5 and 6 pupils using a ‘Trading the Trainers’ game. St John’s Methodist Church raised funds through a coffee morning and the church Eco-Explorers (4–11yrs) learnt about Fairtrade during their afternoon session.

And sorting out the beans (with Bruce Crowther)

So far, the Fairtrade Settle campaign has received support from the Town Council, all of the churches, the Quaker Meeting House and the Library.

As there are many events already held annually in Settle it makes sense to join those rather than create too many new ones. For example, every year from July to September there is a Flowerpot Festival and the Fairtrade Settle supporters are going to enter a display as part of this.  In the Autumn there is Settle Stories, this year the theme is Climate Justice and ACE will be in attendance.  The Fairtrade Foundation’s leaflet on Climate Justice fits nicely into that.

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Christ Church Key Stage 1

In Craven, this year’s annual competition for schools was sponsored by Namaste-UK, the Skipton company that specialises in fairly traded clothing, accessories, unusual gifts, furniture and home furnishings mostly from Nepal, India, Thailand and Indonesia. Inspired by items made for Namaste using repurposed sari silk, children created bunting, banners, bags, scrunches, cushions and a quilt from left over fabrics, pre-loved garments, curtains and bedding and even discarded medical scrubs.

Lothersdale School

All the Key Stage 1 children at Christ Church School, Skipton, carefully chose fabrics to bring the greeting ‘namaste’ alive. “We had lots of fun designing, choosing materials and creating the letters for the sign” said Miss Garland, the Year 2 teacher. At Lothersdale School, the sewing group made bunting and used it at their Fairtrade coffee morning in the village hall.

A six year old boy, with a little help from his mum made a bag using one of his mum’s old jumpers that he couldn’t bear to see being thrown away. There was  a cushion made from a little brother’s Babygro too.

The upcycled bag

The competition provided an opportunity to link Fair Trade with the need to look after the environment and cut down on waste, and work in partnership with a local company supporting marginalised small producers.