Fairtrade Yorkshire

Lord Mayor of Leeds Cllr Ann Castle and children from local schools showing their support for Fairtrade Yorkshire

Children from 14 schools across Leeds gathered together at the Civic Hall to celebrate their fair trade work and pledge their support for Fairtrade Yorkshire. The Fair trade School Celebration was opened by the Lord Mayor Cllr Ann Castle and attended by visiting teachers from Germany, Austria and Leeds’ partner city Brno in the Czech Republic.

Hannah Dalrymple, organiser of the event and Chair of Fairtrade Yorkshire said “Yorkshire is well on its way to becoming the first region in the UK to attain Fairtrade status. It’s really exciting to see so much excellent and creative work going on in Leeds schools to raise awareness about fair trade issues, and so inspiring to hear from teachers across Europe who are pioneering similar work in their own countries.”

The event was organised to help schools share good ideas about teaching and learning about fair trade issues and celebrate their achievements. Activities included presentations from schools, animation workshops and Fairtrade Yorkshire rosette making.

Schools that attended were Adel Primary, Ireland Wood, Otley All Saints, Bankside Primary, St Marys Menston, Wykebeck Primary School, Southroyd Primary, St. Chad’s Primary School, Prince Henry’s Grammar School, Allerton C of E Primary, NWSILC, Harehills Primary.

Mo Zafir of Fairtrade wholesalers, Premcrest, who are pleased to give their backing to the campaign for Yorkshire to be the UK’s first Fairtrade region.  Premcrest supply across the UK from their base in Bradford.

The University of Hull has a new Fairtrade Steering Group.  Chris King from the group is keen to support the campaign for Fairtrade Yorkshire.

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.

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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.

Leeds North West MP, Greg Mulholland, tabled an Early Day Motion in support of Fairtrade Yorkshire.  Here’s what it says:

That this House welcomes the Fairtrade Yorkshire campaign for Yorkshire and the Humber to be declared, by the Fairtrade Foundation, as the UK’s first ever Fairtrade region; notes the efforts to raise the profile of the Fairtrade agenda in Yorkshire, through dedicated work in schools and local communities to promote awareness of fair trading practices and the benefits of buying fairly traded products for customers and producers; further notes the enthusiasm and support which has grown in the region for Fairtrade, which offers fair prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world; and urges the Fairtrade Foundation to recognise the work which continues to flourish in Yorkshire and the Humber by naming it the UK’s first official Fairtrade region.

We are delighted to say that 18 MP’s signed the motion in the week before the recess.

The motion received support across the political spectrum with Conservative, Democratic Unionist, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Respect MP’s signing.

We were pleased to see that Yorkshire’s newest MP, George Galloway who represents Bradford West, added his name.

When Parliament reconvenes in September we will be encouraging more MP’s to back the Fairtrade Yorkshire motion.

Oxfam supporters gave out hundreds of information leaflets on Fairtrade Yorkshire to enthusiastic festival goers at the Garforth Arts Festival.

Oxfam was promoting its Grow campaign which calls for support for small scale farming as a route out of poverty.

Hundreds of people flocked to the festival and, although there was a torrential rainstorm, the crowds kept there spirits up.

The Oxfam tent Oxfam had a celebrity visitor in the form of renowned beatboxer, Shlomo.  He went on to give a stunning set with his posse, Lip Service.  Headline acts at the festival were Nitin Sawhney and the Saw Doctors.

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