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PRESS RELEASE
12 September 2006
A local group is hoping to get Glossop to become a Fairtrade Town. The campaign which began as part of the Glossopdale Churches Justice and Peace Group is now urging members of the community to join the campaign to get full Fairtrade status for Glossopdale, including Hadfield, Gamesley and Charleslworth. They are urging anyone who has an interest in Fairtrade to come along to an open meeting at Central Methodist Church, Chapel Street, Glossop on Wednesday 27th September at 7.30pm. Several Councillors from High Peak Borough Council have also been invited to attend.
A new website has been launched to chart the progress of the campaign and to give information to local people and visitors as to where they can buy Fairtrade products – see www.fairtradeglossop.org.uk
The purpose of a Fairtrade Town is to contribute to the Fairtrade Foundation’s aim of tackling poverty by enabling disadvantaged producers from poor countries to receive a better deal, through encouraging support for the FAIRTRADE Mark (above).
In order for Glossop to become a Fairtrade Town, it needs to meet the following goals for this to be realised. When they are, a signed and dated certificate will be presented by the Fairtrade Foundation.
1. High Peak Borough Council needs to pass a resolution supporting Fairtrade, and agrees to serve Fairtrade tea and coffee at its meetings and in its offices and canteens.
Currently the local Council is serving Fairtrade tea and coffee at its meetings but we need to move to having Fairtrade products available in Council offices and canteens. The Council also needs to commit to promoting awareness of Fairtrade to its constituency.
2. A range of (at least two) Fairtrade products should be readily available in the area’s shops and local cafés/catering establishments.
It should be easy for local people to find Fairtrade products as they do their everyday shopping. In Glossop we need at least 5 outlets to stock a range of Fairtrade products to help us achieve this target and at least 3 cafes/catering establishments to have Fairtrade products available. There are already a number of Bed & Breakfast establishments serving Fairtrade products.
3. Fairtrade products are used by a number of local work places (estate agents, hairdressers etc) and community organisations (churches, schools etc)
We are looking to attract local employers to support our campaign. We currently have several Fairtrade churches and others seeking to become so. To see a list of Fairtrade Churches click here. Girlguiding in Pennine Division has also pledged to serve only Fairtrade tea, coffee and hot chocolate at its new Headquarters.
4. Attract media coverage and popular support for the campaign.
We aim to seek support from the local Press to achieve this goal.
5. A local Fairtrade steering group is convened to ensure continued commitment to its Fairtrade Town status.
Currently the campaign is being handled by the Glossopdale Churches Justice and Peace Group but it is hoped that this will be widened as the campaign awareness grows. The group will oversee the support of Fairtrade Fortnight each year.
Ends
Editor’s Notes
1. Fair Trade is a trading partnership which aims at sustainable development for excluded and disadvantaged producers. It seeks to do this by providing better trading conditions, by awareness raising and by campaigning.
2. The FAIRTRADE Mark is the one independent consumer guarantee that goods on sale in mainstream retail outlets have been fairly traded. The Fairtrade Foundation awards the Mark to products using the core ingredients of coffee, tea, cocoa, bananas, sugar, honey, juice and rice which have been bought from internationally recognised Fair Trade sources. The Fairtrade Foundation checks that Fair Trade criteria have been adhered to. Fair trading relations include:
· A price that covers the cost of production
· An additional social premium for development purposes
· Partial payment in advance to avoid small producer organisations falling into debt
· Contracts that allow long term production planning
· Long term trade relations that allow proper planning and sustainable production practices
· Fair production conditions include:
· For small farmers' cooperatives a democratic, participative structure
· For plantations/factories, reasonable working conditions and minimum environmental standards
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