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Fairtrade Fortnight 2007 in Stafford Borough

Executive Summary

Link: Fairtrade Fund Day 2007 Photo Gallery
Link: Stafford Half Marathon and Fun Run Fairtrade Photo Gallery

Fairtrade Fortnight is a national period for promoting and supporting Fairtrade (FT). It is organised by the Fairtrade Foundation and local groups across the country take part in a wide variety of activities and promotions. The 2007 Fairtrade Fortnight ran from 26 February to 11 March with a national theme of 'Change Today, Choose Fairtrade'.

Fairtrade in Stafford Borough is promoted by local community group Stafford Area Action for Fairtrade (SAAFT), which was formed in 1999 with the support of Stafford Borough Council through the Local Agenda 21 programme for sustainable development. Stafford Borough Council signed a resolution to support Fairtrade in June 2003. Stafford is also a Fairtrade Town and is pursuing Fairtrade Borough status.

During this year's Fairtrade Fortnight SAAFT and the Borough Council's Local Agenda 21 team organised a number of successful Fairtrade events.

A Fairtrade Fiesta was held in Stone on 3 March as part of the regular Farmers' Market. A colourfully decorated stall offered samples of Fairtrade products, gave out information and local volunteers entertained the crowds with games and competitions. Stone's Fairtrade emporium, Wikijum, also offered special reductions on their wide selection of fairly traded gifts, foods and clothes. FT coffee mornings were held at Stone Library on 27 February and 7 March, as well.

On 10 March Stafford hosted the Fairtrade Fun Day in Market Square with stalls from SAAFT and Midlands Co-op, Wikijum, Traidcraft and Oxfam as well as a Fairtrade Street Café provided by the Gatehouse. There was fun for all the family with free samples, products to buy, prizes and games. Volunteers also dressed up as big Fairtrade bananas to help promote the FT message to the shoppers.

SAAFT has also built up an involvement with the Stafford Half Marathon and Fun Run and for the second year running successfully sought sponsorship from the Midlands Co-operative Society. The Co-op, who has spearheaded Fairtrade for many years, provided 2300 Fairtrade bananas for the runners. SAAFT also compete in both races, as Team SAAFT, and their yellow T-shirts were highly visible this year with their biggest team of over 30 runners. One volunteer ran the half marathon in the famous FT Banana suit whilst a group of 10 volunteers chained themselves together to tackle the fun run and bring attention to the anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade and how some countries are now enslaved to debt repayments and the world trade system.

Fairtrade helps relieve poverty worldwide by ensuring that small-scale producers in the developing world receive a decent price for their products; a price that is a fair reflection of their labour. It means that communities can afford to invest in healthcare, education and more sustainable methods of production - and consequently work towards more sustainable development themselves.

SAAFT help promote Fairtrade locally, encourage retailers to stock Fairtrade products and support people who want to turn their homes, schools, churches, workplaces and neighbourhoods into Fairtrade zones. They also put on promotional events throughout the year and are keen to encourage new volunteers.