Will you help to make Berkhamsted a Fair Trade Town?

The purpose of a Fair Trade Town is to support and raise awareness of the Fair Trade Mark. Goods bearing this mark are guaranteed to come from suppliers where the workers are given a fair living wage and working conditions are goods and crops are grown in an environmentally friendly, sustainable manner. As a result fairly traded goods may be a little more expensive than others.

To achieve Fair Trade status five Goals must be realised.
* The Local Council passes a resolution supporting Fairtrade and agrees to serve Fairtrade coffee and tea in its offices and at its meetings. This was achieved in March 2005. I hope to hear soon that the Town Youth Council will also give its support.
* A range of at least two Fairtrade products is readily available in a good proportion of the town’s shops and catering establishments. Our shops are mostly very supportive. Many catering establishments are wholeheartedly committed; others have not yet been approached and it is important they have the opportunity to join – or not. We do have a slightly out of date local Fairtrade Directory which advises people where they can buy Fairtrade products. It would be good to up date this.
* Fairtrade products are used by a number of local work places, estate agents, hairdressers, opticians, etc. and community organisations such as churches and schools. St Peter and All Saints are already Fair Trade churches and others serve fairly traded refreshments and have regular Fair Trade stalls. It would be good if all our town’s churches obtained F.T.status.  Some progress in approaching businesses was made last year, it would be necessary to complete this.  
 *Attract media coverage and popular support for the campaign! This too requires enthusiasm and would only be possible once the fifth goal is realised.
*A local Fairtrade steering group is convened, which would ideally include a council representative, campaigners, and people representing the town’s schools, churches and businesses.

Last summer the local Make Poverty History Group attracted much support and local media coverage.

To set Berkhamsted on the road to Fair Town status it now needs like minded folk to declare themselves. If there are others locally with the same intent as myself, could we get together?
Fairtrade Fortnight approaches, let’s give Berkhamsted not a prod but a real push towards Fair Trade.

Angela Morris. 866992