Fairtrade
Fairtrade is a system of certification that aims to ensure a set of standards are met in the production and supply of a product or ingredient. For farmers and workers, Fairtrade means workers’ rights, safer working conditions, sustainable methods and fairer pay. For shoppers it means high quality, ethically produced products.
Choosing Fairtrade means standing with farmers for fairness and equality, against some of the biggest challenges the world faces. In addition to a fair price, a premium is paid to the community producing Fairtrade products and they choose how to use it to improve their conditions. It means farmers creating change, from investing in climate friendly farming techniques to developing women in leadership.
With Fairtrade you change the world a little bit every day. Through simple shopping choices you are showing businesses and governments that you believe in fair and just trade. In the UK this is all overseen by the Fairtrade Foundation.
Wimborne and Colehill Fairtrade Community
Representatives of local businesses, churches, schools and the Town Council, working with Fairtrade volunteers, helped Wimborne achieve Fairtrade Town status in 2006. Since then, the number of shops, cafes, restaurants and residential accommodation offering fairly traded goods has more than trebled. In 2017 Colehill Parish Council joined us and we now work together as a Fairtrade Community.
Fairtrade is good for Wimborne and Colehill
"...because we believe in fairness. Fairtrade guarantees a good price for small- scale producers worldwide and quality for us as consumers." Councillor John Burden, Mayor of Wimborne 2012/13
"Wimborne Business Improvement District wholeheartedly supports the ethos of the Fairtrade Foundation and will strongly encourage Wimborne's businesses to sell Fairtrade products to help the developing world." Joan Tidd, Press Officer, Wimborne BID
The work of the steering committee has been to maintain contact with Wimborne’s Fairtraders and support them, educate through schools, community groups and through public events and to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight. We seek to lift the profile of Fairtrade and to encourage its products and policies, thus engendering a more informed community. We are blessed with four pioneering Fairtrading Supermarkets, three Co Ops and a Waitrose and of course our thriving flagship Fairtrade shop, Fair Ground, in addition to all our other wonderful Fairtraders.
Volunteer appeal
Being a fairtrade town the steering group are proud to promote and spread the word that Fairtrade saves lives. We explore ways of raising the profile of Fairtrade and provide information at a variety of public events. Can you spare a few hours every couple of months to meet the team and plan possible actions? No special skills are necessary to join the group, just enthusiasm. We would love to recruit new volunteers to help take part in local events and chat to the general public. If you would prefer to work more behind the scenes we always welcome help with our Facebook page and designing posters and flyers.
Interested? Please email enquiry@fairtradewimborne.uk.