“IT’S been another phenomenally successful year for Thanet Fairtrade Initiative (TFI). We continue to enjoy excellent support not only from our volunteers but from so many schools, shops, supermarkets, businesses, restaurants, councils and the media. Without this dedicated team, the achievements of the past 12 months would have been unimaginable”. “Last year’s Fairtrade Fortnight was one of my personal highlights. We enjoyed a wonderful 14 days and hosted a number of events, including a Fairtrade Supper at Quex Barn for 80 guests and a Go Bananas event in Broadstairs which involved an incredible 1,000 people, as well as coffee mornings and an afternoon tea”. “Children got behind the campaign too, with most primary and secondary schools incorporating Fairtrade into their lessons. Thanet District Council presented prizes to pupils at Ellington School for Girls, St Antony’s School and Monkton Primary School, who came up with some really imaginative work”. “I was delighted when TFI was highly commended in the Outstanding Achievement category at the Fairtrade Fortnight Awards. Judges described our work as “fabulous” and we won a cheque for £400, so a huge “thank you” to everyone who supported the campaign”.
Fairtrade Fortnight 22nd February - 7th March 2010 Fairtrade Supper at Quex Barn 23rd February 2010 Fairtrade Tea Party at The Winter Gardens 28th February 2010 Thanksgiving Service 7th March 2010
J. PRENTIS
World Fair Trade Day at Quex 8th May 2010 World Food Day at The Winter Gardens 16th October 2010
“A moment I will never forget was walking through the doors of Number 10 Downing Street last October for a special tea party hosted by the Prime Minister’s wife, Sarah Brown, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Fairtrade Foundation. I was impressed that Number 10 has gained Fairtrade status in its own right and it was fascinating to hear about all the work being done across the country to raise the profile of Fairtrade”. “We also staged our biggest and best ever World Food Day in 2009. Hundreds of local residents came along to the Margate Winter Gardens to learn about Fairtrade and to sample some of the delicious food that was on offer from supermarkets including the Co-operative and Tesco. We even welcomed a representative from Cadbury, who last year decided to source all cocoa for its Dairy Milk chocolate bars from Fairtrade farms in Ghana. To have such a large company make an enormous commitment to Fairtrade shows just how far the campaign has come over the years”. “It is heartening to know that so many individuals and organisations are such supporters of all the Thanet Fairtrade Initiative is trying to achieve for our community here in Thanet and the wider world. No fewer than 35 workplaces, 39 churches and faith groups, 14 schools and colleges, 11 community groups, 30 retailers and 23 cafés and restaurants have embraced the Fairtrade message – and we’re always looking for more! Well done to you all”. “Enjoy your Fairtrade Guide and please continue to support Fairtrade throughout 2010. With your energy and commitment, TFI will go from strength to strength this year, making a difference to millions of people whose lives have been plagued by poverty and unfair trade practices”. Tammy Stewart-Jones - Chairman, Thanet Fairtrade Initiative Tel: 07891 038733
At QUEX BARN we are on a mission to bring fresh local produce to local people, as well as to the many welcome visitors to Kent. We are committed to Fair Trade on a local, national and international level. Our restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner offering the finest ingrediants all sourced from the barn. Open daily: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 9pm Sunday and Monday 10am to 4pm
www.quexbarn.com
J. PRENTIS
Supporting Thanet Fairtrade 2010 High class
Fruiterers and Greengrocers Free local deliveries 6 days a week, all catering establishments supplied. Now stocking over 20 Fairtrade lines.
31 High Street, Broadstairs, CT10 1LP Tel: 01843 860979
LESS than two decades ago, ethically-conscious shoppers in Thanet would have been limited to just three Fairtrade certified products: Green & Black’s Maya Gold chocolate, Cafédirect coffee and Clipper tea. And while those three lines remain a key part of the Fairtrade family, consumers can now chose from more than 3,000 products as they fill their baskets and trollies. The distinctive green, blue and black Fairtrade Mark is a common sight on supermarket shelves around the isle. The Co-operative, which now includes Somerfield, is one of the largest Fairtrade stockists, with a selection of more than 200 different grocery products available at its branches in Birchington-on-Sea, Westgate-on-Sea, Cliftonville, St Peter’s, Ramsgate and Minster-in-Thanet. Waitrose, Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Marks and Spencer also offer its customers a choice of Fairtrade items. From fresh fruits like bananas, pineapples and mangoes and the tastiest teas, coffees and hot chocolate, to the most delicious cereals and mouth-watering cookies and shortbread - Fairtrade caters for every palate.
Stockists include handmade cosmetics company Lush, new online retailer Bubble and Balm and high street giant Boots, which sells dozens of Fairtrade products under its own Botanics and Extracts brands, many of which are available at its Westwood Cross store. Fashion is a final area in which Fairtrade is flourishing, with comfortable and trendy clothes ranging from t-shirts and towels to socks and school uniforms guaranteeing a better deal for communities in the developing world. Many retailers with a presence in Thanet have introduced Fairtrade garments, including Debenhams, Topshop, Topman and Dorothy Perkins, as well as Marks and Spencer, Monsoon, Warehouse and Accessorize. For a full list of Fairtrade products and details of local, regional and national stockists, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk/products.
And for chocaholics, the choice is just as impressive. Last year, Cadbury began sourcing cocoa for its Dairy Milk bars from Fairtrade farmers in Ghana, while growers in Côte d’Ivoire were given a break by Nestlé in January, when the first Fairtrade certified Kit Kat bars arrived in shops. Green & Black’s will also ensure its entire range of chocolate bars are fully organic and Fairtrade by the end of 2011. But Fairtrade nowadays is not solely about scrumptious food and drink. One of the Fairtrade Foundation’s greatest achivements in 2009 was launching an array of health and beauty products, including lip balms, face masks, body butters and shower gels. Each product contains at least one Fairtrade certified ingredient such as cocoa butter, shea nut butter, sugar or brazil nut oil and benefits disadvantaged communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America, so pamperers can feel good both inside and out.
Photo by Sue Atkinson
The co-operative
STORE No
PHONE No
membership
BIRCHINGTON
500192
01843 845529
54/56 Station Road, Birchington CT7 9RA
BIRCHINGTON (SF)* ST’N RD
070865
01843 842141
78-80 Station Road, Birchington CT7 9RA
BUSH PARADE
500183
01843 596187
112-114 Newington Road, Bush Parade, Ramsgate CT12 6EW
The card with a conscience
CLIFTONVILLE
310340
01843 226224
1-5 Summerfield Road, Cliftonville, Margate CT9 3EZ
HERNE BAY
180275
01227 363370
160 Mortimer Street, Herne Bay CT6 5DU
HERNE BAY RECULVER
310348
01227 374410
152-154 Reculver Road, Beltinge, Herne Bay CT6 6PL
MINSTER PETROL (SF)*
070871
01843 823490
Tothill Street, Minster, Thanet CT12 4AU
RAMSGATE
500913
01843 592033
Grange Road, Ramsgate CT11 9NA
SANDWICH
180217
01304 620064
Moat Sole, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9AL
SEA STREET
310357
01227 741550
98 Sea Street, Herne Bay CT6 8QF
ST PETERS
180281
01843 861185
Hopeville Avenue, St Peters, Broadstairs CT10 2TR
STURRY
310359
01227 712610
16 High Street, Sturry, Canterbury CT2 0BD
WESTGATE ON SEA (SF)*
070868
01843 831676
17-19 Station Road, Westgate-on-Sea CT8 8RB
WHITSTABLE
500179
01227 272779
58-60 Oxford Street, Whitstable CT5 1DG
Join us today
You can become a member by phoning the membership helpline on 0845 090 1456, visiting the website at www.co-operative.co.uk/members or picking up an application form in-store. *Somerfield
STORE
ADDRESS
MANY farmers in the devleoping world face a constant struggle to provide even the basic essentials for their families. Unfair trade rules mean the price they get for their crop often fails to meet the cost of production. Fairtrade aims to erradicate these terrible challenges by providing better prices, decent working conditions and local sustainability for producers. The concept of ‘fair trade’ has been around for more than four decades but it was not until 1988 that the Fairtrade label began appearing on products – initially on a brand of coffee that was sold only in the Netherlands. The Fairtrade Foundation was established four years later by a number of global organisations. Its self-stated aim is to put justice and sustainable development at the heart of international trade, allowing everyone to enjoy a decent and dignified livelihood. The Fairtrade Foundation licenses the use of the green, blue and black FAIRTRADE Mark which now appears on more than 4,500 products, including tea, coffee, chocolate and cocoa, as well as bananas, pineapples, mangoes and avocados. Health and beauty products and a range of clothing have also joined the Fairtrade family, pushing sales of Fairtrade certified products to more than £700 million in 2007.
WORKSHOPS, fundraising events and ‘link ups’ with schools across the world have helped bring the Fairtrade message firmly into classrooms in Thanet. Several schools have registered at the Fairtrade Foundation and are working towards becoming Fairtrade schools in their own right, allowing youngsters to develop new skills and enjoy being part of a global campaign. Many others simply back the Fairtrade Foundation’s push for a fair and stable price for the crops grown by millions of farmers around the world. The Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate is one of the most active supporters of Fairtrade in Thanet. A group of pupils visited the World Food Day event at Margate Winter Gardens last October, where they held workshops for younger schoolchildren to help them understand where their food comes from. They also joined 175 million people across the globe for last year’s Stand Up For Poverty campaign – an annual event that urges government officials to take poverty seriously and to put an end to crippling trade practices. Tom Webster, a humanities teacher at the Marlowe Academy, said: “Fairtrade helps make our students more aware that they’re citizens of the world. They learn that their actions in Thanet can have an impact both locally and internationally and they’ve reacted to the Fairtrade ethos really well. “Fairtrade is an integral part of the curriculum in our school, through topics such as globalisation, poverty and trade.”
An estimated 7.5 million people in developing countries are already reaping the rewards. The Gumutindo project in Uganda benefits 3,000 people alone through a guaranteed minimum Fairtrade price for their coffee and an additional Fairtrade premium that has helped fund a new secondary school, a health centre and much-needed improvements to the infrastructure. Fairtrade has also transformed the lives of more than 500 banana farmers in the Windward Islands, funding school and nursery equipment, bus shelters in rural areas and community centres for classes such as knitting and cookery. The plight of these communities is never far from the minds of people in Thanet – an area in which Fairtrade is about far more than quietly relaxing over a cup of coffee or tea or cooking a delicious meal from Fairtrade ingredients. The area was named a Fairtrade Island after a long-running campaign led by supporters of the Thanet Fairtrade Initiative (TFI). Formed in 2005, TFI is spearheaded by its passionate chairman Tammy StewartJones, who was born in St Vincent in the Windward Islands and has a strong connection
As part of Fairtrade Fortnight, students are also holding a chocolate-themed open day for year five pupils from Newington Community Primary School, Ramsgate. A series of fun workshops and drama performances will allow youngsters to learn about the challenges faced by cocoa farmers in the developing world and discover how their favourite chocolate bar comes to appear on supermarket shelves in Thanet.
In March, youngsters at the academy plan to use webcams to link up with pupils at a school in Ghana that was paid for with the Fairtrade premium – a sum of money paid on top of the agreed Fairtrade price for investment in social, environmental or economic development projects. Mr Webster explained: “The school in Ghana was built by the Kuapa Kokoo Fairtrade Cooperative, which has made a huge difference to the lives of farmers, their families and the local economy. “It’s a real success story for the Fairtrade movement and it’s wonderful for our students to have the opportunity to learn about the benefits of Fairtrade first hand.”
in the community
to the banana farmers there. Together with her team of volunteers, she has spread the Fairtrade message far and wide, with schools, cafés, workplaces, hotels, shops and supermakets all backing the campaign. Special celebrations including the annual World Food Day event at the Winter Gardens, Margate, keep Fairtrade firmly under the spotlight.
Photo by Simon Rawles
supporting the Thanet Fairtrade Initiative Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 Thanet