Fairtrade in Hammersmith and Fulham

Fairtrade in Hammersmith and Fulham

Fair prices help tens of thousands of small farmers in poor countries buy food and medicines for their families and send their children to school. The producers are guaranteed a fair and stable price. This is very important when world prices can drop below the cost of production. 

Brands with the Fairtrade Mark are your guarantee of a fair deal for the producer because they are grown on estates with decent wages, and trade unions health, safety and environmental standards, a social premium for the local community.

What is the council doing?

The council supports fair trade and uses FAIRTRADE Mark brands of tea and coffee at its meetings and events. We achieved FAIRTRADE Borough status in 2005 which demonstrates our commitment.  For more information on the Foundation awards and the FAIRTRADE Mark visit www.fairtrade.org.uk (opens new window).

What you can do

We encourage local residents, businesses, schools and community groups to support fair trade too. It is very easy to do. You can do this by buying Fairtrade Mark brands, and encouraging others to do so.

Buy Fairtrade Mark goods

To help you the steering group has produced a list of shops and cafes where you can buy or consume food and drink made with these brands.

» Download a list of outlets where you can buy Fairtrade Mark brands (pdf 144KB)

This list is not exhaustive and help is required in keeping it up-to-date. There will now be many corner shops selling at least two Fairtrade products owing to the popular brands, such as Tate & Lyle sugars, Cadbury's Dairy Milk and Nestles four-finger KitKat going Fairtrade and, by the end of 2011, the whole of Green & Black's organic chocolate bar and beverage range. Please email handf.fairtrade@yahoo.co.uk with details of name of shop/store, address, tel. no. and products sold.

Support the Fairtrade campaign

We would be very pleased to receive support. You could encourage your local shop office or school to serve FAIRTRADE Mark brands if they don't already. Hammersmith & Fulham's Fairtrade status was renewed in June 2008.

Fairtrade schools

Melcombe Primary School was awarded Fairtrade School status in December 2010. It will celebrate this during Fairtrade Fortnight 2011. The five goals to qualify as a Fairtrade School are:

1. Our school has set up a Fairtrade steering group.
2. Our school has written and adopted a whole-school
Fairtrade policy.
3. Our school is committed to selling, promoting and
using Fairtrade products.
4. Our whole school learns about Fairtrade issues.
5. Our school promotes and takes action for Fairtrade both in school and the wider community. 

Schools should email schools@fairtrade.org.uk and ask for a registration form and go to www.fairtrade.org.uk/schools (opens new window) for information and ideas on how to proceed. The USC can also give advice - email info@hfusc.org.uk.

Other news

Councillor Georgie Cooney has taken over as Chair of the steering group and introduced a friend to join it. We are still looking for wider representation including a new catering business representative.

Fairtrade (FT) Fortnight 27 February - 11 March 2012 has the theme 'Take a step for FT' with the aim of 1.5 million steps registered by the end of 2012. That's one for every farmer and worker that the FT Foundation expects to work with around the world. Show at least one other person how they can take a step and register it at www.fairtrade.org.uk/step (opens new window).

The Winter 2011 edition of Fair Comment may be picked up at the H&F Visitor Information Centre before it closes on 9 January 2012 or at the H&F Urban Studies Centre. In future, those interested should order their own copy or download it from www.fairtrade.org.uk (opens new window).

In 2010 the FT Foundation celebrated nearly 3,000 new farmers and miners becoming FT certified - from Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Kenya and China - through the launch of gold, pulses and vegetables carrying the FT Mark for the first time. This was thanks in part to the FT Innovation Fund which some people support with a regular donation, providing badly needed funds for research and development that open more doors for more producers to enter FT. Through this Fund new FT products such as shrimps, rubber and jute will be developed and small farmers helped to adapt to climate change. To make a donation, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk/donation (opens new window).

Contacts

You can ring Morag Carmichael on 020 8748 5688 or email her at handf.fairtrade@yahoo.co.uk.

The post of Council link officer unfortunately no longer exists.