Celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight

Did you know that over 500 Catholic parishes across England and Wales are certified Fairtrade?

Fairtrade Fortnight 9-22 September has the theme, 'Be the Change,' highlighting how consumer power can support farmers overseas to build stronger, more resilient communities.

This Fortnight, over 550 local community activities will be taking place, including talks, coffee mornings, breakfasts, film screenings, stalls, town displays and church services.

St Luke's Catholic Church in Pinner, Westminster Archdiocese said on its facebook page on Monday: 'Every time each of us goes shopping, we cast a vote for the sort of world we want. So please choose goods with the Fairtrade Mark - it means the growers are paid a fair price. All our local supermarkets have some - look for bananas, tea, coffee, chocolate, nuts, jams, marmalade, sugar, wine and more. So let's all BE THE CHANGE and choose Fairtrade.'

The Solihull Fairtrade Trail in Solihull town centre features artwork by children from Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Primary School in Shirley. The trail celebrates the 30th anniversary of Fairtrade and runs until 22 September. Children's posters are displayed in well-known shop windows. Children and families are being encouraged to take part in the trail and an accompanying quiz to learn more about Fairtrade, with clues to the questions hidden in the poster borders.

The Fairtrade Foundation is celebrating 30 years of Fairtrade products on UK shelves, having been established by CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Traidcraft, the World Development Movement and the National Federation of Women's Institutes. Over the course of 30 years, Fairtrade has worked with more than 10,000 local Fairtrade groups and institutions in the UK, including almost 7,000 Fairtrade Places of Worship and more than 2,500 Fairtrade Schools. There are almost 5,000 Fairtrade products from coffee and tea to flowers and gold.

New YouGov research has found that almost nine in ten Britons value fair pay for farmers and workers and 69% say they have bought a Fairtrade product. Two new YouGov research studies commissioned by the Fairtrade Foundation show that Britain's most popular Fairtrade buy is bananas (57%), closely followed by chocolate (54%) and coffee (43%). And four in every five adults in the UK (79%) are concerned about the potential effect of climate change on the price of food in the UK. A similarly high number - 69% - are concerned about the potential effect of climate change on the supply of food in the UK.

The ecumenical group Christian Concern for One World has produced a Guide 'Fairtrade Fortnight in your Church' and, every day is suggesting 'a small step to support Fairtrade.'

To find out more about Fairtrade Fortnight, visit:
www.fairtrade.org.uk/get-involved/current-campaigns/fairtrade-fortnight/

Church Guide to Fairtrade Fortnight at: www.ccow.org.uk/what-we-work-on/fair-trade/

CAFOD Fairtrade Resources for schools at: https://cafod.org.uk/education/education-resources/fairtrade-school-resources