Since the first Fairtrade Fortnight in 1995, the Foundation have been educating the public on why to choose Fairtrade and increasing sales on Fairtrade terms for marginalised producers. Over the past 20 years the Fairtrade mark is now the biggest and best known ethical label in the UK.
Fairtrade was launched this year at our monthly year-group assemblies, linking into our Rights Respecting Schools Award, with a focus on the Right: ‘You have the right to protection from work that harms you, and is bad for your health and education. If you work, you have the right to be safe and paid properly.’ Article 32, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Our pupils learned that if a child is born in another country where they have to work on their family’s farm just to make enough to provide food, then it may be that this Right, which all children have, is not met. By thinking about how Fairtrade can make a difference to children and their families across the world, we are furthering our efforts to be effective global citizens.
Fairtrade Fortnight has a key focus every year and this time it is on ‘core commodities’ such as sugar, cocoa and tea – products we all have in our cupboards at home and use almost every day. The price of raw cane sugar has been driven down by almost 30% in recent times by big brands such as soft drinks companies. This of course has a dramatic effect on the price that farmers are paid for their produce, and in many cases it does not give them enough money to feed, clothe and educate their children. As consumers, we can opt to make a difference by buying Fairtrade products.
To promote the use of Fairtrade sugar, we are holding our Great Gryffe Fairtrade Bake Off on Friday 27th February. All pupils and staff have been asked to participate by bringing in sweet treats which will then be judged and sold throughout the day. We are also delighted to welcome Ismael – a Fairtrade honey producer from Guatemala, as our guest judge! He will be accompanied by other VIPs – members of our local community Fairtrade groups.
We hope that everyone in the school gets involved this Fairtrade Fortnight in some of the events highlighted below:
• S1/2 Fairtrade wrapper competition – across the Fortnight, collection point in the library – prize for the person with the most wrappers!
• S1 Fairtrade trail – seek out the posters around the school and hand in entry forms by Wednesday 4th March – black tokens for all entries, and prize for the winner drawn from correct entries.
• Rainbow Turtle Chocolate stall – buy Fairtrade goodies on Tuesday and Thursdays at interval in the canteen
• Show your label day – Friday 27th February – wear an item of FT clothing with your uniform
• Great Gryffe Bake Off – Friday 27th February
• Smoothie stall – Friday 6th March at lunchtime in the canteen
• Fairtrade banana splits – Friday 6th March at lunchtime in the canteen