Plymouth gears up for Fairtrade Fortnight

Plymouth is gearing up for Fairtrade Fortnight (21 February to 5 March) and it looks set to be our biggest and best yet.

A range of events are taking place throughout the fortnight, from a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, to a special Fairtrade church service and a Fairtrade dinner with themed food from different countries around the world. Local businesses will also be taking part with Fairtrade themed shop window displays and events throughout the city.

The Lord Mayor, Councillor Mike Fox, will also be presenting the Fairtrade renewal certificate at the full Plymouth City Council meeting on Monday 23 February.  The Council made its first commitment to Fairtrade in 2004 and it is the preferred choice for Council meetings and events, for the vending machines used by staff, and as an option in 79 per cent of schools in the city. 

The Fairtrade Schools campaign was launched in Plymouth in January 2014 by the Education Catering Service and this year the service will also be holding a Plymouth-wide Fairtrade lunch at all primary schools in the city.

Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Cooperatives, Housing and Community Safety, said: “We are very excited about this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight which promises to be our most eventful yet.

“As part of our ambition to make Plymouth a fairer city, we are committed to supporting Fairtrade initiatives within the city. The Fairtrade movement has gone from strength to strength and last year Plymouth celebrated ten years of Fairtrade City status.

“We would also encourage local businesses to create Fairtrade window displays. Why not take a photo of your display and tweet it to @plymouthcc – and we will retweet it to our followers.”

Fairtrade Fortnight 2015 events

Events taking place throughout Fairtrade Fortnight include:

• Monday 23 February: presentation of Fairtrade renewal certificate at Full Council.

• Tuesday 24 February: A Mad hatters tea party is being held at Plymouth University between 12.30pm and 3.30pm where they will also be hosting games, a film screening, auctions and cake and hat decorating competitions. In the week running up to Fairtrade Fortnight Plymouth University is asking for people with unwanted teapots to hand them in so that they can be used for the Mad Hatters Tea Party on Tuesday 24 February. Anyone with an unwanted teapot is asked to bring them to Room 107 (upstairs) on Kirkby Lodge on campus, Monday 19 to Friday 23 February between 9am and 5pm.

• Also on Tuesday 24 February there will be a Fairtrade talk and film screening at Plymouth University from 5pm to 6.30pm. There will be a screening of new short Fairtrade documentary about tea producers in Malawi and there will also be a talk from a visiting speaker from the Fairtrade Foundation. There will be Fairtrade nibbles, tea and coffee to enjoy during the film and an opportunity for a Q&A session with the speaker.

• Tuesday 3 March: Plymouth City College holding a Fairtrade dinner from 6 to 9pm for 60 invited guest. Themed food around different countries around the world. (Think it was City College who said they may also have artwork as well).

• Thursday 5 March: Plymouth Fairtrade service at St Andrew’s Minster, Royal Parade, at 5pm. All are welcome. The service is being attended by the new Anglican Bishop and RC Dean, also the Lord Mayor of Plymouth Councillor Michael Fox, and Leader of Plymouth City Council, Councillor Tudor Evans.

• Thursday 5 March: Plymouth Green Book Club will be looking at ‘Fighting for Fairtrade Jewellery by Greg Valerio, a Fairtrade jewellery activist. The book is about the injustices found in the jewellery supply chain, marketing and sourcing processes. For more information on the book and the writer: http://blog.gregvalerio.com/making-trouble-the-book/The club meets from 6.30pm to 8pm.

• Thursday 5 and Friday 6 March:  Plymouth University’s Student Union (UPSU) Campus Market with a Fairtrade twist from 10.30am – 3.30pm. Come and find a selection of mouth-watering dishes and the finest products from the South West's local traders.

• Note: More detail needed: Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 March: Source Show at Westpoint. Steve said he thought he could take some Fairtrade publicity materials along to his stall at the show.

Local firm Lush which uses a number of Fairtrade ingredients in their products, will also be joining in with a Fairtrade window display, as well as supplying Fairtrade products to the schools.

Adam Crawford from Lush said: “As a brand we use lots of sustainable and Fairtrade ingredients. We have set up our own permacultures around the world, working with growers and farmers to produce the finest ingredients, known as SLUSH (sustainable lush).

“We also produce a number of other products including Fairtrade Foot lotion. Fairtrade Fortnight is a great opportunity to raise the profile of Fairtrade products in Plymouth.”

Across the world, Fairtrade benefits the producers communities; providing equitable conditions for the farmers and their families, health care, education, maternity care, clean water and, most importantly, a fair price for the goods that can be reinvested in the land and its development.

Plymouth was awarded Fairtrade status in 2004 following a joint application by Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Global Justice Group, and the Plymouth and South West Cooperative Society.

The city now offers thousands of fair trade products including tea, coffee, chocolate bars, handbags, jewellery and eco-chic T-shirts.

For more information on the Fairtrade movement in Plymouth go to www.fairtradeplymouth.org.uk