Riding High
Chairman of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Patricia O’Neil declares the Riding a Fairtrade County.
Fairtrade supporters in the East Riding are on a high, as the Riding has been declared a Fairtrade County. The East Riding of Yorkshire was awarded the status by the Fairtrade Foundation in recognition of the strength of support for Fairtrade in the area. The status was given on the basis of 5 criteria: support from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, evidence of a wide range of businesses stocking and serving Fairtrade products, use of Fairtrade by schools, community and faith groups, media coverage for Fairtrade action in the Riding and the existence of a strong Steering Group. The flagship employer in the Riding, in recognition of Fairtrade products offered to staff, and a willingness to go further in support of Fairtrade, is BP at their east coast chemicals base.
Celebrations took place on 28th October in Beverley. A civic event was held at the historic Guildhall where speeches were given by the Chairman of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Patricia O’Neil and the Coordinator of Fairtrade Yorkshire, Mark Dawson. Civic parties from Beverley, Goole, Market Weighton and the Archdeacon of the East Riding were also present. Mark Dawson commented ” Now we have this great achievement of Fairtrade status for the huge area of the East Riding. Our aim is to harness the Yorkshire sense of justice, fair play and plain speaking, to stand up for producers across the globe.”
Civic leaders and Fairtrade supporters at the Beverley Guildhall
A celebration was also held at Toll Gavel Methodist church where the key note speech was given by John Turner, the Chair of FERN (Fairtrade East Riding Network), the group responsible for campaigning for the Fairtrade County status. John told the packed church of the journey that the FERN group had been on in the long campaign towards status. This year all the pieces have come together, leading to endorsement by the Fairtrade Foundation and the joyful declaration. John paid tribute to all the organisations, groups and individual supporters who have helped in the successful campaign.
The officers of FERN (including John Turner on the left) celebrate at the Toll Gavel Methodist church.
