Fairtrade Yorkshire

Bradford Cathedral has been commended by the Fairtrade Foundation with the confirmation of its status as a ‘Fairtrade Church.’

This is valid for the next two years, the Cathedral having held the status since 2007.

Mike de Villiers of the Cathedral’s EcoGroup says:

“The Fairtrade Foundation has recognised Bradford Cathedral as a Fairtrade church, which recognises us for the Fairtrade products that we offer and our promotion of Fairtrade.”

The Revd Ned Lunn, Canon for Intercultural Mission and the Arts, says:

“We’re delighted that once again we have been awarded Fairtrade Church status.”

“This recognises the sustained passion and commitment Bradford Cathedral has shown over the years to seeking to live equitably with brothers and sisters across the globe as an expression of God’s justice and love for all people.”

To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight, members of York Fair Trade Forum gave away Fairtrade bananas in the city centre. But Yorkshire weather can threaten the best laid plans and the bananas were pedalled into the city during a snowstorm. Amazingly, bang on the stroke of noon when the giveaway was due to start, the snow stopped.

Although the conditions weren’t the best for having an outdoor chat, several passers-by did stop to learn more about fair trade. Lots of leaflets about York as a Fairtrade city, as well as free copies of the Forum’s booklet ‘Fair’s Fair’, were handed out. The five hardy volunteers distributed all the bananas to grateful snackers – though it was suggested that Fairtrade hot chocolate would have been more suitable given the temperature!

The Fairtrade bananas were kindly donated by local branches of Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.

Baildon Northgate Co-op hosted a Fairtrade Stall from March 3rd to 11th .  Members of the Fairtrade group handed out a newly designed postcard and pointed out Fairtrade’s assistance for farmers in protecting their environment and the integrity of the natural world.

There was also  a display in the local library and talks for all 4 Primary Schools and  3 uniformed groups.

On Saturday 25 February there was a Fairtrade stall at Baildon Farmers Market selling goods as well as distributing information.

Skipton’s Fairtrade group and Fairtrade businesses celebrate renewing Skipton’s Fairtrade Town status.

It’s nine years since Skipton Fairtrade Initiative formed and since then the group has gained Fairtrade Town status by achieving the five statutory goals, and renewed the status three times, most recently just a few weeks ago. Keeping the campaign momentum going was challenging during the pandemic so the renewal had definitely to be celebrated in style. Breakfast at Tiffany’s became breakfast at Elsworth Kitchen!

Members of the town’s Fairtrade group and representatives from two of the three Fairtrade businesses based in Skipton, and the Councillor member of the Embsay with Eastby Fairtrade Village group, were able to join in. On the menu were Fairtrade tea and coffee and delicious banana pancakes- the bananas were grown in the Dominican Republic, the world’s second largest producer of Fairtrade bananas, where fair prices and the Fairtrade Premium have transformed communities. In the words of Ramon Vargas, a small scale producer there, “Being part of this system means that I’ve been able to make my banana business profitable. This is because Fairtrade enables me to sell all my fruit at a fair price, throughout the year. Fairtrade has also helped the community by providing health insurance for farmers and their families”. After the pancakes sampling the new range of Fairtrade chocolates from Whitakers was an added bonus.

Working with Namaste, who are wholesalers and retailers of fairly traded home accessories, furnishings, furniture, gifts, incense, clothing, accessories, and jewellery, based at the Mill in Marton Street; Whitakers Chocolates, a family firm since 1889; From the Source, an ethical Fair Trade importer wholesaler and retailer with a shop on Coach Street; and the Manageress of the town’s general OXFAM shop meant, in the words of the Fairtrade Foundation (the awarding body), the renewal application ‘exceeded expectations’. The Fairtrade group were also praised and congratulated on their work with Skipton and Craven schools and other organisations in the town, e.g. Skipton Library.

Two former town councillors have been active and enthusiastic members of the Fairtrade group since its inception and this support has been much appreciated. Sadly one of them Alan Hickman died before this latest renewal came through. The second, Eric Jaquin, continues to be part of the group. The new Town Council representatives are Cllr Claire Nash and Cllr Winston Feather.

Future events being planned for the autumn are a Whitakers Chocolate and Fairtrade Wine tasting evening at Elsworth Kitchen, activities for all age groups during the Great Big Green Week between 24th and 2nd October, and pop up Fairtrade stalls. Acquiring Fairtrade Town signs before the end of this year is the main objective.

If anyone would like to help out on an occasional basis with events or join the Skipton Fairtrade Initiative please email liz at cravendec.org.uk  It’s a small, friendly and lively group.

We were very sad to hear of the passing of Fairtrade stalwart Alan Hickman.

Liz Roodhouse of the Skipton Fairtrade Initiative, describing Alan as ‘wonderful’ commented: “He will be missed in the town and we shall certainly miss his wisdom, passion and support for all things Fairtrade.”

Mark Dawson of Fairtrade Yorkshire stated: “Fairtrade could never have made the impact it has without the tireless work of people like Alan Hickman. He was an incredibly principled person but also good fun with a well developed sense of humour. I liked him a lot.”

Alan was part of the original group which worked for Skipton to gain Fairtrade status. He played a full role in the Fairtrade Initiative Group including supporting Fairtrade in the town when he entered politics and sat on the Town Council.

Alan and Marie in Salvation Army uniforms at Fair Trade craft wholesalers ‘Namaste’, based in Skipton.

Alan was a passionate man of faith and, he and his beloved wife Marie, proudly sported their Salvation Army uniforms on many occasions in the life of the town. Alan closely linked his Christian faith with the action for justice that he carried out, including his work for Fair Trade. He saw that faith was made real in the act of doing something to correct injustice and in showing love to our neighbours.

Marie and Alan at the Mayor Making ceremony

In addition to his work for Fairtrade, Alan was involved in many projects in Skipton, including running a Pensioners’ luncheon club with his wife Marie, campaigning on political issues dear to his heart and working on the Town Council, where he was much liked and appreciated by political allies and opponents. In 2018 he was made Mayor of Skipton, a post in which he excelled, promoting the town and just causes including Fairtrade.

We at Fairtrade Yorkshire would like to express out heartfelt thanks for all of Alan’s work to stand alongside marginalised producers and call for justice in our broken trade system. God bless you Alan.

Richard Taylor School Harrogate

At Greatwood and Water Street primary schools in Skipton, children wrote messages on leaves to world leaders and politicians explaining why it is important for them to keep their promises made at COP26. These were hung on guards around young trees on Skipton High Street setts during Fairtrade Fortnight.

Greatwood Primary School messages

At Cononley Primary School and Richard Taylor School in Harrogate the children made heart-shaped pledges which were later made into badges and fridge magnets. A huge heart and smaller hearts showed children’s love for people and the planet.

Fairtrade arts – Cononley

The Fairtrade Fortnight competition for schools this year was to create a rap, a poem or piece of art to inspire others to choose a world where farmers and workers are treated fairly and the planet we share is cared for and protected. It attracted over fifty entries and was sponsored by Fairtrade Yorkshire who provided Skipton Fairtrade with a grant to cover the cost of prizes.

See more for the winning entries:

Read the rest of this entry »

Africaniwa, based in Halifax, have launched a fundraiser to provide chocolate making equipment for the next generation in Ghana.

Africaniwa are working with partners on the ground in Ghana – Cocoa360, the Tarkwa Breman girls school and Dekocraft, a chocolate maker in Accra, to deliver a syllabus that incorporates training in chocolate making to teachers and pupils. The children will learn the history of cocoa growing in Ghana, the nutritional properties, and how the pods they see growing all around them are transformed into a delicious treat sold the world over. This will be a history lesson, a geography lesson, a home economics lesson and a business studies lesson. They will connect with cocoa and chocolate, make their own delicious treat and learn how to add value to the farming life that is their legacy.

If you would like to contribute to the crowdfunder click here:

Africaniwa crowdfunder

Tuesday 1 March University of Bradford Sustainability Society held an open forum attended by more than 40 students, staff and visitors. Professor P B Anand led the introductions which revealed the diversity of interested people who were there to learn more about Fairtrade, with some expressing the hope they could take back this information to their home countries. Many of these are low-income countries, some of which already have International Fairtrade operating there.

Bubotu Hachitapika, President of Sustainability Society, said, “There was another short presentation made by a visiting PhD student from Uganda about a cooperative of farmers in Uganda that works with Fairtrade and the benefits they have gained from working with them.  He also highlighted that they produce vanilla and some of this is used in the famous Ben and Jerrys ice cream.”

These additional discussion points touched on difficult questions which will remain as items on the agenda of the Fairtrade movement:

·        how to increase Fairtrade’s reach to poorer farmers in rural areas

·        the cost of joining Fairtrade for a farmer

·        the need to increase awareness about the work Fairtrade does

·        the importance of knowing where our food comes from (general public)

·        how to encourage more big companies to use Fairtrade products

·        the importance of encouraging farmers to diversify crops grown