Fair Trade Portishead
What's It All About?
The setting up of Fairtrade Portishead Steering Group in 2019 was inspired and supported by Fairtrade Pill, a Fairtrade Village for over 10 years. The steering group includes representatives from some of the local supermarkets, Churches, Oxfam, Simply Green, the Co-op, and Portishead Town Council.
We held a launch event at the Waitrose Café in February 2020. Our guest speaker was Gloria Maria Talavera Gonzalez, a Fairtrade Coffee Producer from Nicaragua.
We are members of the Devon and South West Fairtrade Support Network.
Working with businesses, Churches plus voluntary and community organisations, Fairtrade Portishead has two main aims:
- To promote Fairtrade products in our town
- Working to help Portishead become a Fairtrade Town
Choosing Fairtrade means standing with farmers for fairness and equality, against some of the biggest challenges the world faces. It means farmers creating change, from investing in climate friendly farming techniques to developing women in leadership.
With Fairtrade, you change the world a little bit every day. Through simple shopping choices you are showing businesses and governments that you believe in fair and just trade.
Fairtrade Fortnight
The Fairtrade Foundation runs Fairtrade Fortnight every year during the last week in February and the first week in March.
Due to the Covid Pandemic we moved to hosting an online event in 2021. We also linked up with local primary schools, the Youth Centre, Harbourside W.I. and promoted Fairtrade via our Facebook page. With some easing of Covid restrictions, we were able to provide and serve Fairtrade refreshments at the Summer Show in 2021.
As part of the Great Big Green Week, we joined with Turn The Tide on one of their litter pick events and provided Fairtrade refreshments to their volunteers. On other occasions, we were able to offer a hamper of Fairtrade goods for a draw or event prize.
The Fairtrade Fortnight 2022 theme, 'Choose the World you Want', looked at the climate crisis and ways in which the farmers are trying to mitigate the impact on coffee, cocoa and banana production.
Why We're Doing It
Fairtrade is a system of certification that aims to ensure a set of standards are met in the production and supply of a product or ingredient. For farmers and workers, Fairtrade means workers’ rights, safer working conditions and fairer pay. For shoppers it means high quality, ethically produced products.
Fairtrade is a global movement with a strong and active presence in the UK, represented by the Fairtrade Foundation. You can find out more at fairtrade.org.uk where you will also find a link to their schools website containing many resources for lesson plans, assemblies and activities.
Getting involved
You can support Fairtrade in a number of ways.
- buy Fairtrade goods
- join our steering group - we are looking for a Treasurer, social media person and a schools rep
- volunteer to help at events
- share Fairtrade matters on social media - we need someone to set up and manage Instagram
- engage with online Fairtrade campaigns
- research - local businesses
- leaflet design