Last week’s opening of a new Fairtrade café on Newington Green comes as Islington steps up its campaign to become a Fairtrade Town.<br><br>The community-run Network Café is aiming to make Newington Green a junk-food-free zone by educating customers in healthy vegetarian eating and serving Fairtrade food and drink.<br><br>All profits from the café will be put back into helping the local community. The ‘network’ in Network Café stands for nutrition, education, training and work. The café will be staffed by volunteers donating their time through the Time Bank scheme. The volunteers gain work experience and receive food hygiene training that may help them in gaining paid employment. <br><br>This new Fairtrade café in Islington has been welcomed by the borough’s newly-formed Fairtrade Steering Committee, which is driving the campaign for Islington to become a Fairtrade Town. <br><br>A Fairtrade Town is a community which has made a commitment to supporting Fairtrade, and thus helping disadvantaged farmers and workers in developing countries. <br><br>People can also help by telling the committee about any local businesses they know of which sell Fairtrade products. <br><br>Cllr Bridget Fox, executive member for sustainability and a member of Islington’s Fairtrade Steering Group said: <br><br>“Islington residents, like all Londoners, care about fair trade issues and want to make a difference to the lives and communities of farmers in developing countries. <br><br>We need everyone to get behind Islington’s campaign to become a Fairtrade Town and help us keep increasing the range of Fairtrade products available in our local shops and cafes.”<br><br>To become a volunteer or find out more, contact the council on 020 7527 3453.<br><br>ENDS
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009