York Fair Trade Forum
Our successful campaign to make York a Fairtrade City
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2007 Highlights
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2007 Highlights - Fairtrade Festival
 | Photo : York Samba bang the drum for Fairtrade at the York Fair Trade Festival.
The biggest event in the year for us is Fairtrade Fortnight which in York is also the annual Festival of Fairtrade. This takes place in late February / early March. There are hundreds of events during the Festival including tastings, music and entertainment events, sales and coffee mornings. As well as big events in the city centre there are many in York’s suburbs and villages ; schools, churches, community groups and York’s universities all take part.
The Festival Weekend
The highlight of the Festival of Fairtrade is the Festival Weekend which in 2007 took place on Saturday 10th March. There was a full scale market which filled Parliament Street with fair trade stalls. Thousands of fair trade products were available. Alongside the market was an entertainment programme which created a real buzz around the event. |
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Sam Magona
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photo: Sophie, Sam Magona and Sian at the York Fair Trade Festival
Our special guest
We were honoured to welcome Sam Magona, a coffee farmer from the Gumutindo Fairtrade Coffee Cooperative in Uganda.
Gumutindo produces very high quality coffee. Sam stressed the benefits that Fairtrade has brought to the cooperative. They receive a stable, guaranteed price for their coffee. This is crucial as the coffee market is particularly prone to fluctuations. Price crashes in the market have resulted in mass poverty for many coffee farmers who don’t have access to Fairtrade markets.
Benefits of Fairtrade
Higher prices paid to the farmers have enabled Gumutindo to build up their business, investing in infrastructure and training. The extra payment has also enabled the farmers to pay for the training and certification costs to produce organic certified coffee - better for the environment and a new market for the producers.
The coop has also been able to build stores for their coffee and a cupping lab so that the farmers can taste their own coffee - a new experience for many.
Social Benefits of Fairtrade
Gumutindo farmers have been able to fund the following because of the Fairtrade premium payment :
Building a secondary school
Paying school fees
Extending a clinic
Protecting natural water sources
Repairing roads to make them accessible by truck
Providing capital to reduce the need for expensive loans
Sam’s Role
Sam is the Chairman and one of the driving forces behind Gumutindo. He is a very active figure in his own community. We found him a lively and inspirational figure. We were asked to guess his age and were all wide of the mark by a long way. He refused to reveal his secret in looking so young and dynamic.
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Sam at the Festival
 | | photo : At the York Festival of Fairtrade - Alison of Fairtrade Malton, Sam Magona and Ely of the Fairtrade Foundation |
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Premier of Black Gold movie
July saw the York premier of the movie Black Gold at the City Screen. We were there to give out leaflets and information in the cinema foyer. It’s a fantastic film that brings home the realities of the coffee industry in an entertaining and powerful way. The industry is worth over 80 billion dollars, making coffee the most valuable trading commodity after oil. However the price paid to farmers is often so low that many have been forced to abandon their farms.
Tadesse Meskela
The film follows the investigations of Tadesse Meskela. He represents 74,000 coffee farmers, many of whom are struggling stave off bankruptcy. Tadese travels the world in an attempt to find buyers willing to pay a fair price.
Find out more about the work of Tadesse’s organisation : the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union at www.oromiacoffeeunion.org
I highly recommend that you see this film, it’s powerful advocacy for Fair Trade and is now available on DVD.
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Visit of Japanese fair trade supporters
 | In August we were honoured to welcome a party of fair trade supporters from Japan. We were able to learn more about the growth of fair trade in the Far East over a delicious fair trade buffet at El Piano in Grape Lane.
fair trade in Japan
Fair trade hasn’t yet reached the level it is at in Britain, however sales are accelerating rapidly. Several of the members of the party are working towards Osaka becoming a Fairtrade City and they were eager to hear our experiences in York. Yuki Sato gave an introduction on behalf of the group. She’s a dynamic figure and a long term supporter of fair trade. We also welcomed Kobuki Takeshi who is the Secretary general of Samasama, a large fair trade organisation. They are hoping to take fair trade into the mainstream in Japan. There is obviously enormous potential.
Following the meeting we continued the cultural exchange in Ye Olde Starre Inne, the ambience of which was appreciated by hosts and visitors alike.
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York Festival of Food and Drink
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Photo : Rugby League star Peter Fox at the Fairtrade winetasting
Every September York hosts a renowned food and drink festival. In 2007 we produced a programme of fair trade events and offers that take place over the festival.
Fairtrade wine tasting
The centrepiece event was a Fairtrade wine tasting that was held at the Guildhall.
We were given a tutored tasting by the wine expert Gareth Morgan. Gareth is a member of the Association of Wine Educators and a keen supporter of Fairtrade wines.
Surprise guest
We were delighted to welcome a surprise guest, Rugby League star, Peter Fox. He very much appreciated the range of Fairtrade wines that we tasted.
Wines Tasted
Here are the list of wines we tasted. You should be able to find them at Coops, M & S and major supermarkets.
Thandi chardonnay from South Africa
Pircas Negras, Torrontes from Argentina
Live a little shiraz rose from South Africa
Thandi cabernet sauvignon / merlot from south Africa
Coop Fairtrade Chilean Carmenere.
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Peter Fox at the winetasting
 | | photo : Peter Fox displaying an expert nose at the Fairtrade winetasting |
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Archbishop backs fair trade
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photo : The Archbishop of York with Mark, Chair of York Fair Trade Forum
We were delighted that the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu gave his unequivocal backing for fair trade.
He called on consumers to buy fair trade products and asked large corporations to consider the way they treat the producers on whose produce they depend.
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Working with the media
 | photo : Our Chair, Mark, is filmed by students from York St. John University
York Fair Trade Forum helps to publicise Fair Trade by working with the media. As well as the York Press and local radio, we like to explore different angles including York's student media.
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York St. John film students
 | | York St. John film students : Tom, Mary & Daniel |
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