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A School has taken up the baton of ethical goods as Lichfield gears up to become a Fairtrade city next year.
Students and staff at The Friary have made the pledge to go Fairtrade in line with Lichfield's launch in March 2008. Fairtrade tea and coffee now rule at the Eastern Avenue school, and a steering group is managing the campaign to encourage everyone to 'make the change'.
Pupils are running a regular stall at lunchtime selling Fairtrade juice, geobars, biscuits and chocolate. And educationally, teachers are incorporating a Fairtrade programme into citizenship lessons.
"That is really raising the profile of the difference it makes and beginning to change the habits of students and the way they think, hopefully cascading this into their own homes and changing shopping trends," explained Joy Carlyle, from the school.
Headteacher John Brough is fully behind the Fairtrade pledge.
Students are also supporting the campaign by promoting Fairtrade in assemblies and raising money individually.
Year 8 pupil Jessica Fellows raised £30 doing a sponsored silence, which in turn kicked off a Fairtrade coffee morning in the staff room, which raised another £40.
The big staff meeting when school resumes in September will also be serving Fairtrade goods. Joy Carlyle will also be part of the steering committee representing education in Lichfield.
he Fairtrade Foundation was established in 1992 by CAFOD, Christian Aid, New Consumer, Oxfam, Traidcraft and the World Development Movement. The label guarantees that the trade involved in getting the goods - whether cocoa beans, bananas or handmade jewellery - was actually fair.
imply agreeing not to exploit Third World countries can allow them to thrive, get education and financially benefit from their own produce. It means workers are able to plan for the future and invest in their communities, by building wells and improving services.
he tag Fairtrade also means no child or forced labour was used to produce the goods - and it's also better for the environment.
It is important to get the message across that we can all help to make a difference by just looking out for the Fairtrade label," added Mrs Carlyle.
Lichfield Mercury - 2 August 2007
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