Oxford will celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight over the next two weeks with a series of events in the city.
Fairtrade Fortnight, an annual campaign that promotes a living wage and fair trade for the farmers and workers who grow the food we eat, runs from Monday 24 February to Sunday 8 March 2020.
This year’s campaign continues to focus on cocoa farmers, especially women farmers, to ensure they are paid fairly for their work, and are able to earn a living income and live a dignified life.
The Oxford Fairtrade Coalition, which Oxford City Council supports, will be hosting events in the city, including:
- Fairtrade Business Breakfast on Wednesday 26 February from 7.45am to 9.15am in Oxford University Club, Mansfield Road
- A panel discussion, ‘She Deserves Chocolate’, to share inspiring stories about the women behind our chocolate on Tuesday 3 March 2020 from 7pm to 9pm in Lady Margaret Hall
Lemon Zest, which runs the café in the Oxford Town Hall, offers many Fairtrade products. The café will be offering customers a 10% discount on Fairtrade hot chocolate throughout Fairtrade Fortnight.
Oxford has been a Fairtrade city since 2004. The City Council is committed to and supports the use of Fairtrade products, and encourages local residents and businesses to choose Fairtrade products.
The City Council ensures that Fairtrade products, such as tea, coffee and sugar, are chosen wherever possible for its meetings and functions.
"We are delighted that Oxford continues to be a Fairtrade City, having first been awarded this in 2004. We are a member of the Oxford Fair Trade Coalition and contribute funds to support the promotion of fair trade activities, goods and events such as the One World Fair. We work hard to ensure workers in our city are paid the Oxford Living Wage, but it is just as important to tackle poverty away from home where we can.
"Simple changes such as selling Fairtrade drinks (try some at our Town Hall café) and goods can make a difference to those who need it. Producers all around the world deserve to be fairly paid for their work.”
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council
“Imagine a world in which the person who grows the cocoa could set a fair price for it. If everyone in Oxford chose to buy a Fairtrade option whenever they could and the small difference in price we pay made its way back to the producers at the beginning of the chain we could change their lives and their communities forever.
“The Fairtrade logo you see on some food packaging means that the product includes certified Fairtrade ingredients which have been produced by farmers, organisations or co-operatives in a way that meets agreed social, economic and environmental standards. They will have been paid a fair price and will also receive a premium to spend in their community as they choose.
“There are over 4,500 Fairtrade products from coffee and tea to flowers, chocolate, bananas, beauty products and much more. So when you shop, look for the Fairtrade logo.”
Bart Ashton, Chair of the Oxford Fairtrade Coalition
More information about Fairtrade Fortnight 2020.
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