See what went on in earlier years :
2019; 2018; 2017; 2016; 2015; 2014; 2013; 2012; 2011; 2010; 2009
In January 2020 we supplied Fairtrade refreshments to the stall run by Loud and Proud at the Employment Fare.
Fairtrade Fortnight was held successfully before the lockdown for the Covid19 began; the rest of 2020 was dominated by the pandemic
During the Pandemic, we did not participate in events, other than online. To keep supporters up-to-date, we published here news of campaigns, Fairtrade and Fairtrade producers from around the world. We emailed updates to GFA members and supporters regularly.
Please note that activities are show below with the most recent appearing first!
ONE WORLD WEEK
22 October 2020 – “Let’s Make the World Better”
We participated with other SE Hants Fairtrade Groups in an online event . We showed a PowerPoint using about how Fairtrade producers were tackling the COVID pandemic, the implications for them of the economic downturn, including the risk of increasing use of child labour. We discussed actions we could take to help them address the challenges of Covid and the Climate crisis.
14 August, 2020. FAIRTRADE FOUNDATION SECURES DFID FUNDING TO SUPPORT FLOWER AND COCOA PRODUCERS HIT BY GLOBAL PANDEMIC
A total of £2m of the match funding included in the VSCF was contributed by UK businesses. Of this £2m, Fairtrade Foundation helped to raise over a third: its partner Mondelēz International contributed £640,000 for cocoa producers, while Co-op, M&S and Tesco offered £25,000 each for flower producers.”
Read the full press release here
NURTURING BIODIVERSITY AND REDUCING CARBON FOOTPRINT
Fairtrade is addressing the issues of climate change and biodiversity loss with banana farmers in Central and Latin America Fairtrade’s Producer Network for Central, Latin America and the Caribbean (CLAC) represents banana growers’ organisations in countries such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama and the Windward Islands, who provide up to 15 per cent of the UK’s bananas.
The Productivity Improvement Programme (PIP) launched by CLAC in 2015 aimed to improve soil fertility, increase productivity and cut the use of agrichemicals in half.
Following PIP practices has led to a drop of 35 per cent in the use of agrichemicals by small banana producers. Use of water for irrigating the crops has dropped by half, reducing the overall water footprint, which all helps to meet targets when tackling climate change.
Over its first year, the PIP soil health program produced an increase in soil biological diversity in treated land plots of more than 300 per cent.
Productivity improved too and benefitted small producers economically: the number of bananas grown increased by 565 boxes per hectare on average after two years, and the incomes of small producer co-ops have risen by £4704 ($6,179) in that time.
What’s more, if the bananas are sold under Fairtrade terms during that period, it generates £430.19 ($565) in Fairtrade Premium.
Read the full Fairtrade Foundation Press release here and download CLAC’s full report here
NESTLE switched KitKat from FAIRTRADE in Oct, 2020
The Ivorian Fair Trade network (RICE) wrote to Nestle and you can download a translation of their letter here
Details about what this would mean for Fairtrade farmers are outlined on the Fairtrade Foundation’s website (23 June, 2020) here and in these FQAs (25 June, 2020) here
Joanna Pollock, from Fairtrade Yorkshire, launched a petition with Change to Keep KitKat Fairtrade in June 2020. (Details here), She met with Nestle and shared information with the Ivorian Fair Trade network (RICE)- Read Joanna’s (7 Aug 2020) update on Keep KitKat Fairtrade here
COVID 19 and FAIRTRADE
News of how Fairtrade producers were coping and helping their communities were posted in blogs and reports on the the Fairtrade Foundation site. We shared news and links with GFA members and supporters ( e.g. Follow this link: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Media-Centre/COVID19 and explore.) Here are a few photos from the blogs we used to inspire supporters. (and were later used in the PowerPoint Presentation for OWW)
“At least three times a week, the organisation sends messages in Spanish and Creole in a communication chain to prevent COVID-19 contagion,” explains Rosalba Gómez Jaquez, Banelino’s Fairtrade official. These messages are accompanied by visits from five health workers from the organisation, who follow up on patients with chronic diseases, deliver their medicines, as well as provide them with information about the virus, its symptoms, and how to avoid contagion.
In the farms and packing plants, the information has been reinforced with posters in Spanish and Creole;… training all members and workers on safety protocols and monitoring compliance with them. Banelino has also provided equipment for disinfecting footwear and work areas, and distributes masks weekly to staff to ensure they are as safe as possible. They have withdrawn the elderly and people with health risks from production, while ensuring the payment of wages during the pandemic.
See full article here
FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT 2020
Living incomes for women cocoa farmers in the Cote d’Ivoire
In 2020 we continued our mission to ensure that all farmers are paid fairly for their work and are able to earn a living income, starting with cocoa farmers in West Africa.
They all deserve Fairtrade!
Fairtrade Fortnight in Gosport was from Sunday 23 February – Sunday 8 March 2020.
This was year two of our living incomes campaign. We continued to focus on cocoa, the special role women farmers play in the journey to living incomes, and shared new stories and tools to get more people choosing Fairtrade chocolate. We featured the stories of some truly inspiring women from Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone, who wanted their stories to be heard by the UK. We also acknowledged the impact of climate change on vulnerable farmers: Fairtrade can help them adapt to change and care for their environment.
Throughout the Fortnight
There were displays about “She Deserves Fairtrade” and the “Role of Fairtrade in Helping Farmers address Climate Change” in the Town Hall Reception area and the Discovery Centre. The Bookworm Cafe had table-talkers.
Story bombs, little packets with a couple of stories about women cocoa farmers, were planted around the Discovery Centre, the Reception Area of the Town Hall and some churches, to be “found”, read and “Hidden” again.
Events in Gosport
Sunday 23 February – 10.00-13.00 – tree planting
We met up with Cubs and their families and the Mayor at Grange Farm to plant trees. We planted what will become a hazel coppice edged with crab apple trees. Afterwards we enjoyed a warming mug of Fairtrade hot chocolate and other Fairtrade refreshments; displays and a quiz.
Alverstoke Junior School
Celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight and began the journey towards becoming a Fairtrade School with activities and videos in various classes. Mark, Chair of GFA, talked to an assembly.
Thursday 5 March 14.30-16.30 – Mayor’s Fairtrade Tea Party
The Mayor hosted a Fairtrade Tea Party in the Town Hall Council Chamber, inviting members of prominent women and members of Womens’ organisations in Gosport and Councillors. We offered tea with Fairtrade biscuits and homemade cakes; and chocolate tasting..
Sarah and a WI member sample some Divine chocolate
A Loud and Proud volunteer encourages the Mayor to taste Divine Chocolate
The Fairtrade Biscuit Competition attracted 10 entries. It was won by Marion Small of Stokes Bay WI.
Here she receives her prize of Fairtrade bubbly and Fairtrade flowers
A Multi media presentation
A multi media presentation included videos about Fairtrade cocoa producers and volunteers reading statements from cocoa farmers .
It also introduced the Fairtrade’s Women’s School of Leadership which is teaching women about their rights and enabling them to discover their abilites to take more control of their lives.
The presentation also voiced the concerns of cocoa producers about the impact of climate change on the yields and quality of their cocoa and how Fairtrade was helping them to adapt with more disease resistant varieties.
GFA was very grateful to Loud and Proud for all their help which enabled the event to run smoothly, for entering the biscuit competition and proving a reader in the presentation.
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Gosport Employment and Skills Fair 30 January 2020
Gosport Fairtrade Action worked with Loud and Proud to sell Fairtrade refreshments to Stall Holders and enquirers. Loud and Proud raised money for their activities and GFA members put up displays and handed out leaflets as they engaged with the representatives of a large number of local and national employers to persuade them of the merits of using Fairtrade in their workplaces and offices.
