Fairtrade Yorkshire

On Saturday 26 October join us for a special conference aimed at places of worship.

We’ll be meeting 1 – 4.30pm at Christchurch, Ilkley LS29 9LW

Book your free tickets here: 

Download the flyer and share it with your networks:

Conference 2019 flyer A4

Saturday 5 October sees Yorkshire celebrating the 25th birthday of the Fairtrade mark. We’re planning for around 150 campaigners and volunteers to amass in Hull’s Trinity Square to create a giant human mosaic in the shape of the Fairtrade mark. The volunteers will be a mix of local supporters of Fairtrade and Absolutely Cultured volunteers.

Here are the timings:

10-4 fair trade stalls in Trinity Market
10.30 – 11.30 registration and collect your hats and T shirts
11.45 gather in Trinity Square
12 noon – the Lord Mayor will kick off the event and the drone will start to take video and stills
12.30 likely end of mosaic

There will also be other activities throughout the day including performance art on the square and craft workshops inside Trinity Market.

Watch That’s TV Humber’s interview with our Co-ordinator, Joanna and Eve from Samsara Crafts one of Hull’s fair trade shops. They talk about the event and the 25th birthday of the Fairtrade mark.

Here are some responses from Hull Fairtrade campaigners who are getting involved on the day:

Hull has a long history of fighting for what is right going back to before the days of Wilberforce.  That spirit is alive and well today, giving rise to Hull as a Fairtrade City and all that involves.

Chocolate has been one of our passions and we are proud to have the Divine Chocolate UK warehouse within our city boundaries, and chocolate has often figured highly in our campaigning for Fairtrade. 

Over the years we have engaged with many communities, schools, churches, businesses, etc., and Fairtrade Labelled chocolate has often been the product that started the conversation, the label leading on to talk about Tea and Coffee and all of the thousands of products which are traded in an ethical and sustainable manner. 

So for Hull to be a focal point for 25th birthday of the Fairtrade mark, is just brilliant!

Peter

We first heard about Fair Trade back in 1981 when it was still a relatively new concept.  The ideas gradually became more widespread until in the late 1990s Fairtrade labelled products burst into the supermarkets.

Now we can get delicious Fairtrade coffee and tea everywhere, even on holiday.  To be part of this expanding movement is exciting and exhilarating.  However, more needs to be done, so we are still actively taking part in promoting Fairtrade , including the 25th birthday party for the Fairtrade Mark.  We hope that in another 25 years there will be no need for the Fairtrade Mark.  All trade will be fair!

Chris

How can you help?:

1. If you are available for a few hours 11am to 1pm on Saturday 5 October this is your chance to become part of a nationwide campaign. The event will be filmed and photographed and the resultant photos and film will be used in local, regional and national publicity for the 25th anniversary. You can just turn up and join in on the day, come along to Trinity Market Hall by 11.30 and we’ll make sure you have the right clothing. All volunteers will receive a goodie bag as a Thank You.
2. Download the flyer and Press release here and share them with your networks.

Fairtrade 25 Year celebration

Press release – Hull Fairtrade at 25

25 years – product press release

Fairtrade at 25 PHOTOCALL

The Facebook event is here. Please share it with your networks.

1. If you’re holding your own celebration of Fairtrade’s 25th birthday, or if you want to show your support via your social media, you can get resources and download social media images here.

It was fantastic to see Fairtrade Yorkshire represented at the Beeston Community Eid celebration on Saturday.

Yorkshire Day falls on Thursday 1 August 2019 and we’re planning on making a splash about Fairtrade Yorkshire on this special day.

Here’s how you can help promote Fairtrade Yorkshire on social media:

1. First get your Fairtrade Yorkshire logo –  Either print the A4 version (available by clicking here) or email joanna@fairtradeyork.com to order some of our specially printed cards.
2. When you visit one of Yorkshire’s tourist attractions, iconic buildings, parks, artworks or bridges for example, simply get out your logo and take a photo.
3. If you wish you can email your photo to joanna@fairtradeyork.com for inclusion on our Wall of Yorkshire Fairtrade for Yorkshire Day.
4. On 1 August post your photo on social media, tagging Fairtrade Yorkshire and including the hashtags #FairtradeYorkshire and #YorkshireDay – any photos emailed will be posted on your behalf.

Wall of Yorkshire Fairtrade

Saturday 11 May is World Fair Trade Day, a global event promoted by the World Fair Trade Organisation.

The theme of this year’s event is Fair Trade Innovates and you’ll find plenty of information about the impact of fair trade organisations and how they are innovating on the World Fair Trade Day website.

FLAG, {Pocklington Fairtrade and Local produce Action Group} joined the All Saints Church coffee morning on February 19th to promote awareness of Fairtrade and raise money for the Fairtrade Foundation.  Information resources from the Fairtrade Foundation, “She deserves” were displayed and  Fairtrade refreshments were served. There was a sale of goods sourced from Fairer World, a cake stall with cakes made from Fairtrade ingredients and the raffle of a hamper of Fairtrade wine, chocolate and groceries. Lots of people attended the event and it was an enjoyable occasion.

On 25 September 2018 the International Fair Trade Charter was launched.
Fairtrade Yorkshire is proud to be a signatory and supporter. We’d love other Yorkshire businesses and groups to join us. You can pledge support here.

The beautiful medieval interior of the Spurriergate Centre was once again the venue for the Fairtrade Networking Breakfast Meeting organised by York Fair Trade Forum.

This year we were particularly delighted to be visited by CEO of Fairtrade UK, Mike Gidney who spoke to attendees about his recent visit to cocoa farmers in Cote D’Ivoire and the theme of this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight activities: She Deserves.

A group of local Fairtrade supporters staffed a stall in Baildon Northgate Co-op on Friday 1st March.  The Co-op staff had set out a display of Fairtrade goods on sale which was decorated with information sheets, coasters and bunting.  Shoppers engaged in conversations about Fairtrade and 65 petitions cards were signed calling on the Government to make sure our trade with developing countries puts poverty reduction first, delivering living incomes for all.    A group of pupils from Baildon Church of England Primary School joined in staffing the stall where they enjoyed discussing Fairtrade with shoppers.

During the week three Baildon primary schools held an assembly on different aspects of Fairtrade.  Baildon Church of England, Hoyle Court and Glenaire primary schools are now working towards Fairtrade status which means that they will undertake to serve Fairtrade where possible and also to learn about Fairtrade in some of their lessons.  Baildon Church of England and Glenaire schools ran cake stalls, raising money towards the Fairtrade Foundation.  Sessions on cocoa farming were also run for the local Beavers and Rainbows packs and a youth group.

Baildon Fairtrade Group ran a competition on Facebook sponsored by Baildon Co-op.  People were asked to like and share the Facebook page for a £50 voucher to be spent at the Co-op. This competition hugely increased the number of Likes and Shares at a time when all Fairtrade groups are being urged to reach a wider public through social media.

Bradford Cathedral has had Fairtrade status for over 10 years and on Sunday March 3rd, held its fourth annual Fairtrade Breakfast, raising money towards the work of Traidcraft Exchange.  A great time of fellowship, looked after by a super team, Fairtrade foods enjoyed and lots of cards signed petitioning the government to keep poverty reduction at the forefront of trade negotiations.

Fairtrade goes to Parliament

Yorkshire MPs back Fairtrade Fortnight campaign for cocoa farmers
More than 70 Members of Parliament met farmers from the Ivory Coast, Rwanda and the Dominican Republic at a reception in Parliament on Wednesday 27 th February as part of Fairtrade Fortnight.
The Fairtrade Foundation’s campaign She Deserves a Living Income is shining a light on the poverty facing cocoa farmers in West Africa, where 60% of cocoa is grown, who earn as little as 74p per day and are unable to pay for essentials like food, send their children to school or buy medicine if they fall sick.
A new report from the Fairtrade Foundation, launched at the event in Parliament, reveals women cocoa farmers often carry the greatest burden and yet get the least reward. It calls on the government and businesses to ensure farmers earn living incomes by 2030 in line with the UN’s Global Goals to end poverty.
Awa Traoré Bamba, who is also the director of Fairtrade cocoa co-operative, CAYAT, gave an inspirational speech about how a living income of £1.86 could transform the lives of cocoa farmers, and why it is vital to empower women. Ms Traoré Bamba said: “Women are very important in the development process. If you want to change the lives of producers, you have to focus on women. In our community we use the Fairtrade premium to redress the balance: to train women, to teach them how to read and write to empower them and we have developed activities that create income for them.”

Images: Above – York Central MP Rachael Maskell with Awa Traore Bamba and Mark Dawson of the National Campaigner Committee

Below: Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin at the same event