It's 30 years since Fairtrade products first hit the shelves and this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight campaign is shining the spotlight on how consumers can #BeTheChange, by choosing Fairtrade every time.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Digital and Community, said: "This year’s campaign will highlight that however big or small a purchase you make this Fairtrade Fortnight, you have the power to #BeTheChange.
"When you choose Fairtrade, you contribute to a fairer, more sustainable future for food production, help ensure farmers receive a fairer price for what they grow and help rebalance power in supply chains."
To mark the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, Wolverhampton's Fair Traid Shop is opening in its new home at Shop in the Square in the Mander Centre for the first time today and will be open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sundays from 11am to 3pm.
Also, over the next couple of weeks, Jools Farrell, Chair of Wolverhampton City Fairtrade Partnership, will be giving a talk to members of the Midcounties Co-operative as part of its Fairtrade Fortnight celebrations.
The Partnership will be hosting its AGM next Friday 20 September in the presence of The Mayor of Wolverhampton Councillor Linda Leach and distinguished guests during which an inaugural annual award will be presented to a young person who goes above and beyond in supporting Fairtrade in Wolverhampton. Wolves Foundation will also be giving a presentation about its work with the Partnership to promote Fairtrade in the city's schools.
Meanwhile, the Partnership will also be using Fairtrade Fortnight to work on celebrations to mark 21 years of Wolverhampton being a Fairtrade City in 2025.
Jools said: “The Fairtrade movement and campaigning has been monumental in putting Wolverhampton on the map, showing our city to be a fair, ethical and sustainable city, and we are going to be doing a year of events to celebrate this in 2025, including the creation of a book on the social history of Fairtrade in Wolverhampton over the last 21 years from when it started to the present day.
"It's very exciting and we are always looking for any businesses, faith groups, schools or societies to join us on the Partnership to help promote Fairtrade in our city."
For more information, email joolsfarrell@hotmail.co.uk or join the Wolverhampton City Fairtrade Partnership group on Facebook.
To find out more about the Fairtrade movement, please visit Fairtrade.
