LAUNCH OF FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT 2013
Lord Provost Donald Wilson and Scotmid’s Malcolm Brown got together with children from Stockbridge Primary School this morning to mark the beginning of Edinburgh’s Fairtrade Fortnight.
Running from Monday 25 February until Sunday 10 March, Fairtrade Fortnight will have a series of themed events taking place across the city, including food and drink tastings, talks, presentations, fairs, fetes and will culminate in the presentation of the Lord Provost’s Fair Trade Awards 2013.
Events
Fairtrade Fortnight 2013 – Go Further This Fairtrade Fortnight
This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight will be from 25 February to 10 March. Fairtrade Fortnight brings together consumers, retailers, licensees, businesses, producers and campaigners nationwide to promote awareness and sales of Fairtrade products and to campaign on issues of trade justice.
Every year, thousands of events and activities take place up and down the country in celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight, including food and drink tastings, fashion shows, fairs and fetes. There is a list of events below but here is where it will all end! Put the date in your diary now.
Fair Trade in Innovative Learning Week – Monday 18 to Thursday 21 February
During the University of Edinburgh’s Innovative Learning Week two fair trade student group projects will run, as follows:
- An interview of Fair Trade Steering Group members for short sound bites
- A literature review on fair trade debates
ReelReals: steps in the World of Equal Exchange
A series of 2 minute short films is being released on YouTube, one a day, over Fairtrade Fortnight from Monday 25 February to Sunday 10 March.
ReelReals is a series of short films showing the work of Edinburgh based Equal Exchange, and some of its partners, who bring you a range of delicious food and beverages. These films contain interviews with the farmers who grow Fairtrade and Organic coffee, nuts and honey. Watch what happens to the coffee when it arrives in the UK and how it makes the perfect cup of coffee. Then see what customers think about Fairtrade, Equal Exchange and their products. Many of the interviews are with women farmers who are part of Equal Exchange’s ‘Grown by Women’ initiative launched in 2011.
Scottish Fair Trade Benefit Tuesday 26 February, The Stand Comedy Club, Edinburgh at 8.30pm.
Stand-up comedians, Phil Differ and Bob Doolally, help to launch Fairtrade Fortnight 2013 with a show at the Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh. Come along and hear the remarkable story about the beginning of the end of the use of child labour in the production of footballs. “Scotland may have failed to qualify for yet another World Cup but can stand proud in the promotion of Fair Trade, it will be a game of two halves with Fair Trade footballs the winner”.
Ethics and Environment Forum: Thursday 28 February, 11:30am – 12:30pm, Teviot Dining Room. Edinburgh University Students Association (EUSA) Ethics and Environment Forum.
Fair Trade Academic Network seminar: Thursday 28 February, 1pm – 2.30pm, Seminar rooms 1 and 2, Chrystal Macmillan Building. Come along and hear Dr Alastair Smith from the University of Cardiff give a talk on ‘Negotiating the meaning of fair trade: The case of Malawian rice in Scotland’. Hosted by Edinburgh University’s Fair Trade Academic Network.
Edinburgh University Fairtrade football: Saturday 2 March.
Run by People & Planet. Teams are five-a-side. Student/staff groups welcome to participate, all you need is to get some willing bodies and a team name. Fairtrade snacks and bananas will be available throughout for participants, with some delicious prizes on offer, notably Fairtrade ale, wine and honey. Any queries or desire to get involved, please get in touch with Lewis White from People & Planet.
Fairtrade Coffee Morning: Murrayfied Church Centre on Saturday 2 March between 10am and 12pm. There will be a fairtrade stall, children’s craft corner and children’s world, smoothie bike, coffee, goodies and chat. Entrance £2 (children free). All welcome!
Fair Trade Wine Tasting Evening: Saturday 2 March
The Priory Church, Hopetoun Road, South Queensferry at 7pm. Queensferry Fairtrade Group celebrates South Queensferry’s Fairtrade Borough status with a tasting of fair trade wines.
Fairtrade at the Meadows Marathon: Sunday 3 March
Fairtrade bananas provided by Edinburgh University Students Association EUSA at the Teviot Dome for Meadows Marathon runners.
Fairtrade producer talk: Tuesday 5 March, 12noon – 2pm
Edinburgh University Fairtrade Café at the Chaplaincy. Fairtrade producer Tomy Mathew from India, will give a talk from 1.10pm – 1.20pm, and will be available for informal chat before and after. Tomy Vadakkancheril (or Mathew) is Founder and Managing Director of Elements India, the trading arm of Fair Trade Alliance Kerala, a farmer-support organisation. Elements India exports organic coffee, cashews, peppercorns and other foodstuffs and supplies Traidcraft and Equal Exchange. No need to book a place, just come along. This student-run café won The Lord Provost’s Fair Trade Community Award in 2011.
Fairtrade School’s Showcase: Tuesday 5 March, Holyrood High School
A chance for schools to display their Fairtrade credentials and hear from Tomy Vadakkancheril (or Mathew), Founder and Managing Director of Elements India, the trading arm of Fair Trade Alliance Kerala, a farmer-support organisation. Elements India exports organic coffee, cashews, peppercorns and other foodstuffs and supplies Traidcraft and Equal Exchange. People & Planet students will be running a stall and coconut shy along with Scotmid smoothie bike and Fairtade refreshments from the students of Holyrood High School. Further information from Claire Soper on 0131 469 3230.
Fair trade at CIPS AGM: Thursday 7 March (members and guests only)
Fairtrade wine tasting and a talk by Malcolm Brown from Scotmid for the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply East of Scotland Branch AGM, hosted by the University of Edinburgh, Procurement Office.
Edinburgh Fair Trade Family Fair & Bruncheon and Presentation of the Lord Provost’s Fair Trade Awards 2013 – Saturday 9 March, 10.30 am – 2.30 pm at the Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh. Come and enjoy a special free event for all ages to celebrate Edinburgh, our Fairtrade City!
As well as the presentation of the Lord Provost’s Fair Trade Awards 2013, there will be live music, Fairtrade stalls, free refreshments, and a range of activities. There will also be a talk by Tomy Mathew, Director of Elements India and Fair Trade Alliance Kerala, South India.
All Welcome! Download the poster to find out more about this event.
Balerno Fair Trade Fair: Saturday 9 March, Ogston Hall and St Joseph’s Centre, Balerno Parish Church, 10am to 12 noon.
Balerno Fair Trade Group holds its annual Fairtrade food and coffee event along with craft stalls and children’s activities. At 10.30am awards will be presented to the winners of Dean Park Primary School’s competition to design a Fairtrade tie. Refreshments, will include fairtrade tea and coffee, from The Mill at St Joseph’s, along with Fairtrade home baking and Fairtrade tastings. A selection of stalls will sell fair trade foods and crafts from around the world. Children can help create a sculpture from Fairtrade packaging and take part in facepainting and henna painting. Donations from this event will be made to Dean Park Primary School’s Malawi Link and the St Joseph’s Development Fund. If you would like to help at this event please contact Lesley Henderson on 0131 449 4484.
ReelReals – steps in the World of Equal Exchange: Sunday 10 March, Summerhall, 4pm to 6pm
A free ReelReals showcase of all the films posted, one a day, during Fairtrade Fortnight, with refreshments. Summerhall, the former Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, on the eastern corner of the Meadows, serves Grown by Women coffee all year round.
ReelReals is a series of short films showing the work of Edinburgh based Equal Exchange and some of its partners who bring you a range of delicious food and beverages. These films contain interviews with the farmers who grow Fairtrade and Organic coffee, nuts and honey. Watch what happens to the coffee when it arrives in the UK and how it makes the perfect cup of coffee. Then see what customers think about Fairtrade, Equal Exchange and their products. Many of the interviews are with women farmers who are part of Equal Exchange’s ‘Grown by Women’ initiative launched in 2011.
Grown by Women Promotion – For March/April 25% off
Equal Exchange’s Grown by Women range of coffees and rooibos are on promotion at 25% off during March and April at most of their major wholesale outlets.
Equal Exchange’s “grown by women” was launched in 2011. This quality organic and fairtrade coffee and rooibos is sourced from women in farmer co-ops in Uganda, Nicaragua, Peru and South Africa where most farm work is done by women. It is helping redress gender imbalance and gives the women a voice in their communities as well as additional financial benefits. Find out more on the Equal Exchange website.
Lord Provost Fair Trade Awards 2013
Nominations for the The Lord Provost’s Fair Trade Awards 2013 are now closed. Now in their seventh year, the awards recognise the difference that residents, businesses and schools make in promoting fair trade in Edinburgh.
Thank you to all those who nominated their favourites in the following four categories – Achievement; Newcomer; Faith Community and Fair Trade School.
The awards will be presented during Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs from 25 February to 10 March 2013.
Portobello Fair Trade Town
In December 2012, Portobello was awarded Fair Trade Town status. Portobello Fairtrade Forum was set up about a year ago and worked hard to secure fairtrade status. Over 500 signatories to the campaign were obtained. Fair Trade Town status is granted to towns supporting fair trade by using and selling associated products in retail outlets, workplaces and community organisations. Portobello exceeded the required fairtrade qualifying criteria by having: 7 retail outlets and 3 catering outlets selling fairtrade products; 5 of the 7 local churches use fairtrade products; 4 of the 6 schools and 5 workplaces. The campaign has also had local and city news coverage.
Edinburgh University
s Fair Trade webpages”>Edinburgh University has been recognised for its long-standing commitment to fair trade. The University was selected as the winner of the 2012 Fairtrade Foundation’s Best Steps Activity award and for the ninth consecutive year has been granted Fairtrade University status.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
