Five-in-a-row for fair trade status

After guaranteeing the honour until 2017, the Fairtrade Foundation praised the efforts of the East Dunbartonshire Fair Trade Steering Group and heralded the “excellent” continuing relationship with the council.

The group is actively engaged with retailers, workplaces, churches, nurseries, schools and other groups in local communities.

There was praise for the variety of local events and initiatives which have taken place in recent years.

There was also a flurry of activity during Fairtrade Fortnight in February.

Talks were arranged at Craighead Primary School, in Milton of Campsie, and Holy Family Primary, in Lenzie, involving Pamela L’Intelligent, a textile worker from Mauritius.

Pupils at Craighead wear Fairtrade Cotton schoolwear from Koolskools, supplied by ethical textile company Craft Aid in Mauritius.

Basilio Almonte from Conacado, a cocoa co-operative in the Dominican Republic, recently visited local Fair Trade campaigners in Cadder Parish South Hall in Bishopbriggs – enthusiastically describing the massive impact Fairtrade cocoa makes to farmers and their communities in his home country.

Adam Gardner, communities campaigns manager at the Fairtrade Foundation, said: “We’re so pleased that East Dunbartonshire has renewed its Fairtrade status and laid out clear, exciting goals to take Fairtrade further.

“Thanks to the ongoing support of the public and campaigners, an increasing number of farmers in developing countries are now selling their products on Fairtrade terms, bringing them a stable income and the chance to trade their way out of poverty.”

For more information, or to get involved, visit www.facebook.com/LenzieFairTrade.