In September 2005 Baildon was awarded Fairtrade Town status by the Fairtrade Foundation. Since then, the number of shops, cafes, clubs and organisations, and businesses which sell or use Fairtrade products has increased and we are always delighted to hear about new additions. Baildon Fairtrade Group has the support of Baildon Parish Council.
The Ethiopia Connection
The former Convenor of the Fairtrade Baildon Steering Group, John Anderson, had spent 2001-3 in Ethiopia and had seen the conditions of coffee growers there.
From 1997-2002 the price they had received for the coffee halved because of the low prices being paid by most buyers.
One coffee farmer whom John Anderson saw had destroyed 1500 coffee bushes and used them as fencing. The distraught farmer said that, as he could not eat coffee, he had planted cabbages as food. His children have had to leave school; now, he said, ‘they just sit and look at me.’
The farmers, his visitors and his cabbages are shown here (See right). Some of the Fairtrade visitors were going to buy coffee at guaranteed prices from the Co-op, thus allowing it to pay its farmers sufficient to have enough to eat, to send their children to school and buy medicines.
The Fairtrade Group organises a range of events to promote Fairtrade in Baildon. These include
- serving refreshments at all Neighbourhood Forums and the Election Hustings last spring
- a stall with quizzes and literature at the Baildon Carnival
- giving talks to school assemblies and community groups
- being represented by ‘Fairnando’, our scarecrow coffee grower at the Baildon Scarecrow Festival. His photo appeared in the Telegraph and Argos and later in the month he appeared at Bradford Cathedral’s Harvest Festival which was attended the Committee members of the Great Yorkshire Show with their president, Sir Ken Morrison
- All Baildon churches have Fairtrade status and most hold regular Traidcraft stalls.
Fairnando Scarecrow in Baildon
We have continued to develop links with our 4 local Primary Schools and with Titus Salt Grammar School which is working towards achieving Fairtrade School Status. During Fairtrade Fortnight, its Year 13 Business Studies pupils will create a display based on Fairtrade cotton t-shirts and cryptic clues around the school, and hold a raffle of Fairtrade products and an assembly for each year group.
Stand in Baildon Co-op
New members are always very welcome – no experience required – just a keenness to help make the world a fairer place by being ‘loud & proud’ about Fairtrade.
Ring 01274 582384 for more information and to find out about forthcoming events and meetings.
