Residents and shoppers will be able to taste-test Fairtrade products at a Fairtrade Fair to be held on Monday 3 October (11am to 3pm).<br><br>The courtyard of the N1 Centre will be host to stalls with information on Fairtrade and displays of Fairtrade products. There will also be tastings of Fairtrade food and drinks, including a Fairtrade chocolate fountain that would make Willy Wonka proud.<br><br>People who pledge their commitment to buying Fairtrade products wherever they can will be entered into a raffle with the chance to win a DVD player and hampers of Fairtrade products.<br><br>Fairtrade gives growers and producers in the developing world a fair deal. Islington is showing its support for Fairtrade by becoming a Fairtrade Borough. This is part of the wider campaign for London to become a Fairtrade City. <br><br>The Fairtrade Town (or borough, city or zone) initiative was set up the Fairtrade Foundation to encourage support for its FAIRTRADE Mark. The FAIRTRADE Mark guarantees disadvantaged producers in poor countries fair and stable prices for their products, a long-term trading relationship, decent wages, the right to join trade unions, and minimum health and safety standards. It also helps improve their communities and the environment through sustainable production.<br><br>Islington Mayor Jonathan Dearth will be speaking at the event (at 12.30pm) to launch our Fairtrade Borough campaign, which will include further awareness-raising events in the future. <br><br>Cllr Bridget Fox, Executive member for sustainability said: “Islington is well on the way to getting Fairtrade Borough status.<br><br>Fairtrade is good news for producers in poor countries, and local suppliers in the UK who stock their products.<br><br>We'd like everyone to come along to the Fairtrade day to see the growing range of goods on sale - not just coffee and bananas – but also beer and wine, footballs and even roses.”<br><br>For more information contact Michael Cumberbatch, Islington Council’s Fairtrade Implementation Officer on 020 7527 3453.<br><br>Notes to Editors:<br><br>Photo opportunities at the Fairtrade Fair: <br><br>· The Mayor and Cllr Bridget Fox will be available for photographs at 12.30pm. There will opportunities for photographs with the chocolate fountain or giant blow-up Fairtrade bananas.<br><br><br>About Fairtrade Borough status<br><br>To attain Fairtrade Borough status, there are several goals Islington needs to achieve. <br><br>We must develop community support for Fairtrade, with help from a community-led Fairtrade Steering Committee (Islington’s committee meets monthly at the Town Hall and new members are always welcome). <br><br>Fairtrade products need to be readily available in Islington’s shops, cafes and restaurants, and widely used in local workplaces, community and religious groups, schools and universities. <br><br>The council also needs to pass a resolution in support of Fairtrade (this was done in January 2004), use Fairtrade tea and coffee in its offices, and publish a directory of local Fairtrade retail and wholesale outlets. <br><br>Islington is close to achieving all of these goals and will soon be applying for Fairtrade Borough status. <br><br>For further information see www.fairtrade.org.uk.
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009