Fairtrade Yorkshire

A large contingent from Yorkshire went down to London for the Fair Future conference at the Queen Elizabeth II centre in Westminster on 15th October.

Fairtrade Yorkshire coordinator, Mark Dawson at the Fair Future conference

The first 20 years of the Fairtrade mark was celebrated and discussions took place on the challenges and future direction of the movement.

Activists, politicians (including Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening), business leaders and staff members of Fairtrade organisations from across the globe attended.  Representatives from producer groups added their voice at the conference, including the charismatic, Chief Adam Tampuri, Chair of Fairtrade Africa Network and himself a cashew and shea nut producer in Ghana.

Sophie and Helen from Fairtrade Holme Valley with Professor Bob Doherty of the University of York (centre).

Other speakers at the conference included CEO of Fairtrade International, Harriet Lamb and Gabriel Marques-Worssam, of Fair Trade Wales, who answered questions about engaging young people in Fair Trade and trade justice issues.  One of the best known faces at Fair Future was BBC’s ‘The Apprentice’ advisor, Nick Hewer.  He gave the Yorkshire contingent a quizzical look but thankfully didn’t advise any firings to take place.  Nick gave a passionate talk about conditions for banana farmers in St. Lucia.  Speaking from his knowledge of the people that he had met in St. Lucia, he knew how tough life could be for these farmers, particular when the price paid to them is being squeezed, because of supermarket price wars in the UK and other western countries.  He called for supermarkets to stand by fair practice and abolish the days of the unfair banana.

Dr. Nyagoy Nyong’o, Director of Fairtrade Africa, spoke of the problems agriculture in the global south faces because so many young people are leaving the land.  Farming is regarded in many countries as an older person’s profession.  This may store up big problems for the global food supply, unless farming is made a more tempting career for future generations.  Fairer prices paid for produce and better working and living conditions must form part of the solution.

In September fairandfunky launched the 90kg rice challenge from Just Trading Scotland, aiming to sell 90kg of rice three times over!  Why 90kg? Because when a farmer sells 90kg of rice he raises enough money to send his child to school for a year. In Malawi, secondary school isn’t free so many children don’t get the opportunity to attend. In fact, only one in three Malawian children attend high school so through this challenge we can send children to school and end poverty through education. We can change the world for farmers and their families.

Over the last month, fairandfunky have led assemblies in schools, facilitated ‘Rice Challenge’ workshops, attended Food Festivals across Yorkshire and had support from Churches and Fairtrade Support Groups. 5 weeks on and fairandfunky have sold 141 bags of rice and are halfway through the challenge to sell 270 bags!  To find out how you can get involved with the fairandfunky rice challenge please visit http://www.fairandfunky.com/fair-and-funky-events/ .

Harmony broke out as a truce was declared by age old foes Yorkshire and Lancashire.  Representatives of Fairtrade York visited their counterparts in Lancaster to sign a joint declaration of commitment to Fair Trade.

Margaret Rand of Fairtrade Morecambe and Lancaster with Kathryn Tissiman of Fairtrade York.

The power of Fair Trade to bring communities together was demonstrated by this most unlikely of partnerships.

The unity event, which was held in Lancaster on 27th September, was attended by Bruce Crowther, the founding father of the Fair Trade Towns movement.

Bruce, in his role as coordinator of the Fig Tree Fair Trade visitor centre, prepared white and red roses made from Fairtrade chocolate to commemorate the occasion.

Sue from York and Ruth from Lancaster at the Fig Tree visitor centre.

After much hard work and commitment by Skipton Fairtrade Initiative, Skipton has officially been designated as a ‘Fairtrade Town’.

This is a significant event in a campaign to raise awareness of ethically produced and traded goods to both the public and local businesses, which first began, in a small way in the town, almost 15 years ago.

It is just fourteen months ago since the present group, chaired by Liz Roodhouse, Coordinator of Craven Development Education Centre in Skipton, and comprising Councillor Eric Jaquin, Dawn Brailsford, Fairtrade Coordinator at Skipton Girls’ High School, Chantelle Conlan, Fairtrade Coordinator at South Craven School and several members of local churches, was convened to prepare an application to the Fairtrade Foundation.

A number of goals were required to be met to gain Fairtrade Town status.

The resolution passed by Skipton Town Council to support the initiative and to serve Fairtrade tea and coffee at its meetings and in its offices was applauded by the Fairtrade Foundation as being a ‘comprehensive and firm commitment’ and ‘really encouraging’.

Other goals were to gain the support of local shops and catering outlets that sell and serve Fairtrade products and to encourage local employers and community organisations, such as faith groups, schools and colleges, to use them.

In addition, the group was required to organise events to involve public participation and stimulate press coverage, in order to promote knowledge and interest in the aims and principles of Fairtrade.

In its feedback to the application, the Fairtrade Foundation particularly commended the group for its hard work and wrote: ‘It is great to see such a long-standing campaign which has continued to innovate through time and undoubtedly reached a great many people in Skipton.’ The Fairtrade trail created by Skipton Girls’ High School was praised as a brilliant start to creating a Fairtrade Directory.

The Fairtrade Foundation concluded by warmly congratulating the Skipton group for ‘a fantastic achievement’.

Cllr Chris Harbron, Leader of Skipton Town Council, said: ‘The Council is absolutely thrilled that Skipton has achieved Fairtrade status in such a comprehensive way. The Council would like to thank and congratulate Liz and her group for the hard work done over the last fourteen months to achieve the accolade. We look forward to continuing our support in the coming years.’

While expressing the group’s delight at the successful result, Liz made it clear that this was only the first step in strengthening Skipton’s commitment to Fairtrade. ‘We are already considering ways to develop and enhance our campaign and broaden its appeal,’ she said. ‘Now we’ve been granted this recognition and status for Skipton, we certainly don’t intend to lose it!’

Fairtrade banana Joan Machin with young hat maker at the Merrion Centre

Shoppers at the Merrion Centre in Leeds may well have been surprised to find some fruity friends to greet them last Saturday. Fairtrade Leeds supporters gave away over 200 free Fairtrade bananas and invited young visitors to make their own banana themed party hats.

“We are celebrating 10 years as a Fairtrade city and wanted to involve Leeds’ citizens to join in the fun!” said Hannah Langdana, chair of Fairtrade Leeds Steering Group.

Fairtrade means better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers, workers and their communities. When you buy a product with the Fairtrade mark it means that workers’ rights and the environment have been protected, and that farmers have been paid a Fairtrade Minimum Price and also an additional Fairtrade Premium to invest in their business or community projects.

Leeds was honoured to have Aimeth Fernandez a banana farmer from Colombia visit the city in February. She said that her family were only able to afford running water and electricity in their home after they started to sell to Fairtrade. She ended her visit by asking the people of Leeds to “carry on buying Fairtrade bananas from Colombia so we can make a difference to our lives.”

“We were able to tell lots of parents about how Fairtrade has changed Aimeth’s life and were impressed with the beautiful hats that the children made” adds Hannah.

A closely fought battle resulted in three overall winners for the 2014 Rotherham Primary Schools Fairtrade Poster Competition.

Talented youngsters from across Rotherham Borough competed to have their posters displayed at the Town Hall.

A presentation took place Thursday 17th July at Rotherham Town Hall, attended by students from St Mary’s RC Primary, Heringthorpe Junior & Infants, Bramley Grange Primary & St Bead’s RC Primary.  The children were accompanied by parents, siblings and school staff (including teachers).

Winners and highly commended entrants of the poster competition

The 1st 2nd & 3rd prize winners received vouchers and all of the children were presented with certificates & special Rotherham Fairtrade memory sticks by the Mayor of Rotherham.

Here’s a photo roundup of Fairtrade campaigners around the region at events along the route of the Tour de France.

Campaigners in Harrogate had a smoothie bike making Fairtrade fruit smoothies outside the Fairtrade shop (which is only a few metres from the finishing line day 1). The shop had an excellent stock of FT bike related items including things made out of bike chains. In York, the Fair Trade Forum supported the Tour le Solar System festival on the York – Selby cycle route.

Fairtrade Haworth are rightly proud of their status as the world’s first Fairtrade village.  So no one coming to the village is in any doubt, visitors are welcomed with this fantastic sign.  Haworth played host to the filming of our Fairtrade Yorkshire movie to welcome the Tour de France to the region.

photo credit: John Sargent

The all-girl finalists from the Fairtrade Leeds 10th anniversary t-shirt competition

Chapel Allerton and Roundhay Brownies were among the winners of Fairtrade Leeds’s city-wide ‘Design a Fairtrade T shirt’ competition. The competition was open to youth groups across the city.

The competition received 315 entries, with the winners having their designs printed on a Fairtrade T-shirt. The winners pictures here are (clockwise from the top) Alice Garth Cameron from 3rd Cross Gates Guides, Maddie Plant from 7th Roundhay Brownies, Aine Kelly from 2nd Chapel Allerton Brownies and Josey Eard, from 1st Chapel Allerton Brownies.

“We were thrilled to have over 300 entries from youth groups across the city” said Joan Machin, Fairtrade Leeds coordinator “and we were very impressed with the quality of the entries.”

Yorkshire, the UK’s first Fairtrade Region has had its status renewed by the Fairtrade Foundation.  Adam Gardner of the Foundation congratulated Fairtrade Yorkshire on its success in promoting Fairtrade to the good Yorkshire public and to specific groups including: local authorities, the media, businesses, schools, and other places of education, and  faith and community groups.

Fairtrade supporters in York celebrate the renewal of Yorkshire’s Fairtrade Region status.

Yorkshire has enjoyed its status now for 16 months and during that time Fairtrade Yorkshire has gone from strength to strength.  Highlights from this period include the visit of banana farmer, Aimeth Angulo, to Yorkshire.  Aimeth toured the region from Immingham to Skipton and Malton to Hebden Bridge, by way of:  Bradford, the East Riding, Harrogate, Holmfirth, Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and York.  At each location she attended events, gave talks and spoke to local people to tell of the benefits that Fairtrade brings to producers from poor communities.  Fairtrade Yorkshire has also helped organise several school conferences and has issued Fairtrade in Yorkshire schools awards to recognise the achievements of many schools in promoting Fairtrade.

Local Fairtrade campaigns in Yorkshire have enjoyed a great deal of success in the past year and a half.  The Fairtrade Towns family is soon set to welcome Horsforth, Immingham, Keighley and Skipton.  Fairtrade Doncaster has enjoyed a relaunch, significantly raising the profile of Fairtrade in the Borough.

In the status renewal process Fairtrade Yorkshire has identified a series of goals to work towards over the next two years, these include:

Encouraging more towns and boroughs to work towards Fairtrade status.

Collaborating more closely with Development Education Centres to promote Fairtrade awareness in schools.

Working alongside Yorkshire-based businesses.

Increasing our media profile in South Yorkshire and in feature publications.

Holding more events and conferences in different parts of the region.