London Fairtrade Capital: The world's largest Fairtrade city.

During Fairtrade Fortnight, the Ealing Fairtrade Group held a double celebration – 10 years as a group and 5 years as a Fairtrade London borough.  Fairtrade supporters from across London joined the Mayor of Ealing and local councillors, campaigners, trade unionists and students to celebrate the achievements of the volunteer group.

Guest speaker, Frank Olok, of the Malawi Fairtrade Network described how Fairtrade has transformed the lives of smallholder farmers in Malawi.  As well as guaranteeing a fair and stable price for their products, Frank explained that the farmers also receive an additional sum of money, the Fairtrade Premium.  This has enabled them to improve their communities by, for example, constructing school buildings and bringing clean, piped water to their villages.

Frank said that an important aspect of Fairtrade is that it brings producer and consumer closer together, and suggested to the Mayor that a link be made between Ealing  and Blantyre in Malawi, so that the two communities could establish an ongoing relationship based on Fairtrade.

The evening began with music from student flautist Sarah Peter Sorencen, and ended with folk music from local band Oddfellas.  Messages of congratulations and support were sent from some of the hundreds of other Fairtrade towns, cities, boroughs and villages from around the country.  Haworth in Yorkshire said “Be proud that you are part of this massive social movement changing the way the world values products and producers”.

The group now needs to renew its Fairtrade Status by agreeing a plan of activities for the next two years.  Anyone wishing to contribute can find out more at www.ealingfairtrade.org.uk or email info@ealingfairtrade.org.uk.

All are warmly invited to the Fairtrade London Campaigns Workshops on Monday 1st November 2010, 3.30pm – 8.30pm at GLA City Hall.

To register for your free place, click here: http://fairtradelondonworkshops2010.eventbrite.com/ 

Based on the feedback we received from last year’s event; and the ideas and discussion from our steering group meeting on 1 Sept, we have put together the programme for this year’s Fairtrade London Campaign Workshops.  We’re still finalising the last couple of speakers, but it’s looking like a great mix of inspiring updates & stories; info-sharing; plenty of participant interaction … and food!

The event is an opportunity to share experiences and swap advice with other Fairtrade Borough campaigners; as well as get updates about the campaign in London and nationwide; learn new skills; discuss the challenges faced; and kick-start preparations for Fairtrade Fortnight.

We welcome not only active campaigners, but people interested in learning more and potentially becoming more involved – either at a Borough level; with their council, school, university, faith group, community group; or at a London-wide level.

As you can see from the agenda below, there is an afternoon and an evening session – so even if you can’t join us for the whole time, do consider attending part.  A more detailed programme – including details of workshop sessions – is available on the registration webpage and on our website.

AGENDA

3.30pm Registration (& refreshments)
4.00pm Opening Plenary

4.30pm Fairtrade Borough Sharing Exercise

4.45pm Fairtrade Cotton – from plant to pants (tbc)
5.00pm Getting Ready for Fairtrade Fortnight 2011
5.30pm Refreshment Break (+ Further Registrations)

6.00pm Workshops – session 1  [Fairtrade Schools; Ethical Eats; Fundraising]
6.45pm Workshops – session 2  [Fairtrade Schools; Surgery Session; Fairtrade 2.0]
7.30pm Feedback from Workshops
7.45pm Any other questions & closing remarks
8.00-8.30pm Networking (& refreshments)

Our thanks to The Co-operative for kindly providing the refreshments; and to the GLA for hosting us.

Hope to see you there.

A whopping 30 million people knew about this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight.  Thats 10 million more than 2009.  We are quietly planning the first stages of Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 but the planning’s going to be the only quiet part…

So for two whole weeks we want Londoners to get loud and proud about Fairtrade by asking everyone to ’Show off your label’.  Tell the world about your cake made using Fairtrade sugar and spice, your most tempting bottle of wine, your comfiest pants!  We want to load the FAIRTRADE Mark with meaning, telling people the tangible difference Fairtrade makes to producers.