The Cooperative, one of the great pioneers of Fairtrade retailing, have given their backing to the Campaign for Fairtrade Yorkshire.  We wholeheartedly thank Cooperative Membership for their support and sponsorship.

Dashing Chris Forrest of Cooperative Membership shows his support

The Oxfam Campaigns Group at the University of Leeds are backing Fairtrade Yorkshire.

Sean & Soo from Leeds Uni Oxfam

Key Oxfam activists from across Yorkshire have given their backing to the campaign to make Yorkshire the UK’s first Fairtrade Region.

Pictured here are Oxfam Campaigns representatives from Todmorden, Leeds, Halifax, Huddersfield, Sheffield and York.

Fairtrade Yorkshire campaigners at our stall

Fairtrade Yorkshire occupied a marquee at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near Wakefield on 16th September, as part of a celebration of the International Year of Co-operatives.  Crowds came to our information stall and to view our Global Advocates exhibition.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ian McMillan lends his support to the campaign

Yorkshire poet and national treasure Ian McMillan, the Bard of Barnsley, has leant his support to the campaign to make Yorkshire a Fairtrade Region.

The presenter of BBC Radio 3’s “The Verb” and poet-in-residence at Barnsley FC has penned an ode to the campaign called simply “Fairtrade Region”:

Let’s make Yorkshire a Fairtrade place,
Put a Fairtrade smile on a trader’s face;
From the northern dales to the steel-built south,
Let’s bring a grin to a trader’s mouth;
From the Western Moors to the East Coast ships,
Let’s raise a cheer from a trader’s lips.
Let’s make a Fairtrade county – make it fair,
Show that we’re Yorkshire and show we care!

Hear Ian McMillan reading the poem – we’ll be uploading a video soon!

Many thanks, Ian!

Fairtrade activists gathered in Acomb for the annual Acomb Green Fair which is held on the traditional, triangular shaped, village green.

The Fairtrade stall drew in the crowds, as chocolate samples were given out, as well as Fairtrade leaflets & information on Oxfam’s Grow campaign.

Supporters also gave out hundreds of leaflets promoting Fairtrade Yorkshire.

Other attractions at the Fair included a steam locomotive and the rousing sounds of the Mardi Gras jazz band.

Fairtrade Yorkshire has received this endorsement from Robert, who is the MP for Scarborough and Whitby:

“I am delighted to support the Fairtrade Yorkshire campaign.  People in Yorkshire are well aware how their purchasing decisions can affect farmers in the developing world and ensure that these farmers receive a fair price for the produce they sell.  Fairtrade labelling ensures that people can easily identify which foods to buy.  Also I believe it is important that we support our own local farmers here in the County by purchasing locally produced produce as well.  Recent publicity surrounding the price of milk and the power of the supermarkets and processors has brought this into the news and similarly those working hard on moor land to produce beef and lamb also deserve our support.  Fairtrade extends, not just to food produced in developing countries, but also to food produced closer to home.  I am delighted to support this campaign.”