Events planned to get community involved with Fairtrade fortnight
To mark Fairtrade Fortnight 6th -19th March 2006, residents are being encouraged to change the way they shop and do their bit to help make Hounslow a Fairtrade borough.
Lucy Griffiths, Hounslow’s Principal Environmental Strategy Officer, said “There are over 1000 Fairtrade products available across the country, from tea to fresh fruit and cotton clothing, and the list is growing all the time.
“We need to increase the number of local stockists in order to achieve Fairtrade status, so we’re encouraging residents to make Fairtrade their habit and to ask for Fairtrade goods when they do their shopping.
“We also want to build a database of local Fairtrade businesses, shops, restaurants and caterers, so if you know of any, email fairtrade@hounslow.gov.uk with the shop’s name, address and what products are available.”
Fairtrade is an international movement that guarantees producers of goods such as fruit and coffee a fair price. It has already proved that markets can be made fairer by encouraging traders to develop long-term relationships with producer groups, and by recognising that a fair price meets the cost of production plus living expenses and a ‘social premium’.
This mark also guarantees shoppers that the producers work under decent health and safety guidelines, and that good environmental standards are maintained. It doesn’t automatically mean ‘organic’, though there are some organic Fairtrade products.
In order to ensure accreditation, there must be at least 21 Fairtrade retailers in the borough and 10 Fairtrade caterers, including coffee shops and restaurants.
Fairtrade products include bananas, mangoes and oranges, coffee, honey, chocolate, cocoa, herbs and spices, snacks, roses, sugar, sports balls, wines and beers.
March 9, 2006
| Related Links | |
A list of Fairtrade Fortnight events is available at www.hounslow.gov.uk/events. Hounslow becomes a Fairtrade borough and |
|