Celebrating 30 years of the Fairtrade Mark
Throughout 2024 we shall be seeking to celebrate 30 years of Fairtrade with activities and events in Gosport involving businesses, schools, churches, community groups and the Borough Council.
We met with our MP to explore links with businesses in Gosport (see Latest News).
Fairtrade Fortnight was 9 – 22 September, with the theme: “Be the Change – choose Fairtrade”.
During Fairtrade Fortnight GFA had displays in the Discovery Centre and the Town Hall Reception Area. (shown below)
The Mayor of Gosport hosted a Tea Party on 20th September 2024 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Fairtrade Mark.
Gosport Mayor, Richard Earle, cut the cake celebrating 30 years of the Fairtrade Mark. The Manager of Waitrose in Gosport, Shaun Clasby, presented a hamper, filled with a selection of Waitrose Fairtrade products, to raffle prize-winner, Sophie of Level Up.
We invited Councillors and representatives from local businesses and national chains and celebrated what they were doing to promote Fairtrade in Gosport and how they could get more involved. A Guest speaker from the Fairtrade Foundation in London, Duncan Gates, Business Engagement Officer, talked about the different ways businesses of all sorts and sizes could engage with Fairtrade. He also shared with us what various companies had said about why they had engaged with Fairtrade e.g.
Gosport Fairtrade Action Chair gave an illustrated presentation outlining the threat that the climate crisis poses to the farmers who grow some of our favourite foods (chocolate, tea, coffee and bananas). He demonstrated how a fairer future with Fairtrade could help farmers adapt to environmental change and protect nature while staying in business. He urged us all to “Be the Change” to make the future fair by choosing Fairtrade products whenever possible, spreading the word and lobbying MPs and Government to support the Loss and Damage Fund to help poorer countries cope with climate change they did not cause and to legislate to make trade fairer.
Guests enjoyed Fairtrade refreshments, including cakes baked by GFA members, as well as the celebration cake pictured above. They also took part in a Fairtrade Quiz and a raffle with prizes kindly provides by Waitrose, The Co-op and Morrisons.
A Fairtrade Coffee morning, Sat. 21st September.
St Mary’s Church, Alverstoke, hosted a Fairtrade Coffee Morning in the Parish Centre with Fairtrade-related activities (quizzes, games, displays and a rolling visual presentation from GFA). Children coloured in birthday cards wishing Fairtrade a happy 30th Birthday, and took part in a treasure hunt (for Fairtrade Maltesers, kindly provided by ASDA). Children and adults played a Fairtrade version of snakes and ladders – with banana skins instead of snakes! Everyone enjoyed the magnificent cakes baked by the Parish ladies using Fairtrade ingredients wherever possible.
More to come – Contact us if you would like to host an event or a display or get involved in any way
n
Gosport Business Awards, 23 May, 2024
GFA had a display encouraging businesses to use Fairtrade Products. (above with Annelies James (right), of 22Midnight, who was one of the event organisers, and Andy Grant, (left) Principal of St Vincent College. The event was held in the Jervis Gallery at St Vincent College.
We used the opportunity to network with the local businesses who had been nominated for an award: