The global economic downturn made 2009 an incredibly tough year for the world’s poor seeking a fair deal for their produce, the Fairtrade Foundation will tell stakeholders at a evening reception today in London to mark the launch of Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 (22 February – 7 March 2010). The global economic turndown has been felt worst in developing countries, where an estimated 50-90 million more people were thrown into extreme poverty in 2009, according to UN Millennium Development Goal figures. Meanwhile, here in the UK, just over 7 in 10 people told YouGov that they cut back on their personal budgets in some way as a result of the recession, such as eating out less. Yet the UK public has remained staunchly loyal resulting in another increase in the value of Fairtrade sales, up on 2008 by 12% to an estimated retail value of over £799m, and 71% (who don’t already buy everything they can Fairtrade) of people say they are willing to swap one or more products to Fairtrade in the next two weeks, according to the new YouGov poll commissioned by the Foundation.
New Fairtrade towns declared as people across the UK gear up to celebrate “The Big Swap” for Fairtrade Fortnight 2010
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A UNIVERSITY TOUR AMONG HOST OF REGIONAL EVENTS (22 FEBRUARY – MARCH 7)
NEARLY 20 VILLAGES, towns and boroughs around the UK are celebrating achieving FAIRTRADE status in time for this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight (22 February – 7 March) which has the theme of ‘The Big Swap.’
From Exmouth in Devon and Troon in Ayrshire to Dinas Powys in the Vale of Glamorgan and Deal in Kent, dedicated supporters have been working hard to ensure that their areas meet the targets for Fairtrade status – which involve increasing availability, understanding and support for Fairtrade. In addition, the Hadrian’s Wall corridor, which stretches across Northumberland, has also achieved Fairtrade zone status in time for Fairtrade Fortnight.
Fairtrade Fortnight is the annual nationwide campaign to promote awareness of Fairtrade and encourage people to buy products which carry the FAIRTRADE Mark in order to help farmers in developing countries.
Achieving Fairtrade status in time for this year’s celebrations are the villages of Tatsfield in Surrey, Dinas Powys in the Vale of Glamorgan, Easton in Gordano, Pill and Ham Green in Somerset. New Fairtrade Towns include Felixstowe in Suffolk, Exmouth in Devon, Deal in Kent, Llangefni in Gwynedd, Dronfield in Derbyshire, Wivenhoe in Essex, Todmorden in West Yorkshire, Highworth in Wiltshire, Troon in Ayrshire and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.
The city of Ripon in North Yorkshire plus the Boroughs of Gedling in Nottinghamshire and Trafford in Greater Manchester, have also achieved Fairtrade status, joining a unique movement of more than 460 communities across the UK.
Hannah Reed, Campaigns Managers for Fairtrade Towns at the Fairtrade Foundation, says: ‘We are delighted to welcome the latest Fairtrade Villages, Towns and Boroughs – and Hadrian’s Wall – to the Fairtrade family. Fairtrade depends on its grassroots supporters spreading the word and we’re especially pleased that, in a period when things have been tough for many of us, people have still embraced Fairtrade and stood by farmers and producers in developing countries who are having an even tougher time.’
In addition to celebrations and events in the 17 latest places to achieve Fairtrade status,
Fairtrade Fortnight events will be taking place the length and breadth of the UK. Towns, villages
and cities which already have Fairtrade status are all likely to be home to many events. See http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/get_involved/campaigns/fairtrade_towns/towns_list.aspx for a list of Fairtrade Towns.
Fairtrade Fortnight will also be celebrated by organisations and groups, even if they are not in Fairtrade town. Faith groups, workplaces and voluntary groups, for example, will also be holding hundreds of events in church halls, temples and other places of worship. There are several key events planned for London. Details of local events can be found at www.fairtrade.org.uk/events
Films about Fairtrade
View the Fairtrade Foundation’s videos.
Fairtrade Schools
Get your school involved in Fairtrade.
Fairtrade Fortnight
Get your Swap It Guide ready for our 2010 campaign.
Fairtrade Towns
The best resources and top tips from over 600 Fairtrade Towns.
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Filed under: Community development projects, Developing world, Environment, Europe, Human Rights Tagged: | Developing countries, Fair to farmers, Fairtrade
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