Fairtrade York’s, Kathryn Tissiman, took her family out to enjoy the excitement of the Olympic torch relay as it passed across the city’s racecourse.
All the family were proud to wave their Team Fair flags to promote Fairtrade this summer.
However you enjoy the summer of sport – taking part, cheering on the athletes, getting together with friends in front of the big screen or at home on the sofa – you can be part of Team Fair too, by choosing, using and asking for Fairtrade.
With Fairtrade bananas, tea, sugar and coffee available at Olympic venues, we’re seeing some big steps toward fairness for farmers and workers in developing countries. But we can take Fairtrade so much further as a team. Join communities and businesses across the UK in the race to make trade fairer.
Join Team Fair
Posted on July 6th, 2012 by Fairtrade Yorkshire News
Yorkshire MEP, Linda McAvan, is proud to give her backing to the Fairtrade Yorkshire campaign. Speaking to our coordinator, Mark Dawson, she said:
“As chair of both the European Parliament Fair Trade Group and the Parliament’s Committee on International Development, I am delighted to support Fair Trade Yorkshire’s campaign to become the UK’s first Fair Trade region. I became more active on Fair Trade after visiting cocoa farmers in Ghana whose livelihoods have been dramatically improved by becoming Fair Trade farmers. What particularly struck me was that the extra income and financial security Fair Trade brings leads to better life chances for their children because it means more resources for education, healthcare and clean water.
Sales of Fair Trade goods are on the increase in our region. This is great news. Lots of schools, colleges, universities, local councils and companies have Fair Trade policies. In the European Parliament we are working to make it easier for local authorities and other organisations to switch to Fair Trade by promoting it in public procurement. Growth in Fair Trade sales despite the economic downturn shows that the policy has strong public support.
By becoming a Fair Trade region, Yorkshire is sending out a clear message that we want people in the developing world to be paid a fair price for the work and the goods they produce and that we are prepared to do our bit for global justice.
Posted on July 6th, 2012 by Fairtrade Yorkshire News
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu has sent us this message for Fairtrade Yorkshire:
“Last year estimated sales of Fairtrade products reached £1.32bn, which was a 12% increase on the previous year. Fairtrade has been a massive success since its launch twenty years ago. Gradually but definitely, our shopping habits are changing.
The Archbishop of York on a visit to the Ivory Coast
In 2009 I visited the Ivory Coast to see the impact Fairtrade chocolate here would have on disadvantaged cocoa farmers there. It’s a country ground down by poverty and riven by conflict. Life expectancy and literacy are low. In places where there had never been schools, the cooperatives are able, with the help of the Fairtrade premium and Nestlé, to create elementary education for their children and build a health centre serving local workers and their families.
In January 2012, Mr Fasseri from the Kavokiva Co-op on the Ivory Coast visited the Manor School in York, as part of the Archbishop of York’s Youth Leaders’ Programme. His picture is on the 4 bar KIT KAT. His initiative and drive were inspiring. It is people like him who, with our active goodwill, can change the fortunes of the poor. So keep up the good work to support and use the Fairtrade branded goods in as many places as possible where you live, it can make all the difference.”
Posted on July 6th, 2012 by Fairtrade Yorkshire News
