1. from Garstang to the World
Fairtrade Towns
from Garstang to the World

2. Welcome! How and why Fairtrade Towns started in Garstang
The Five Goals
The benefits of a Fairtrade Town campaign
The challenges faced
Introduction: (10 minutes)
Brief introduction to Fairtrade, the Fairtrade Mark, what it guarantees consumers and how it guarantees this.
Handover to Bruce (15 minutes)
Case study Garstang the world’s first Fairtrade Town,
Fairtrade Towns:
The Five Goals
Benefits to producers, communities and local authorities
Local Authorities and FT Towns – some examples of best practice
Discussion: (30 minutes)
Consider the Five Goals: What can a local authority contribute to each of the areas?
What can they give?
What can they gain?
(Depending on group size: divide group into pairs to focus on one goal or do as a group discussion.)
Feedback / conclusions (5 minutes)

3. The FAIRTRADE Mark Five guarantees
St Lucia – 85% banana crop destroyed last month by Hurricane Dean.
Over 80% of banana growers in the Windwards are certified FT. This means
FAIR AND STABLE PRICE FTF is working with UK retailers to ensure that there is a market for farmers when they are ready to export again (after replanting) and to ensure that a market is maintained for farmers who still have bananas ready for export.
SOCIAL PREMIUM: Farmers association WINFA have put aside some of the premium for emergencies (in addition to buying school equipment or building access roads to farms) . Emergency fund was used to clear the devestation and will be used for new banana plants – the future!
POWER:
Because farmers need to be part of an organised cooperative, individual families are not facing the disaster alone. There are solid, organised farmer networks coming together to deal with the aftermath and plan for the future.
PEOPLE:
Conrad James from St Lucia visited the UK over Fairtrade Fortnight 2007 …

4. The FAIRTRADE Mark means:
Price - Farmers receive a fair and stable price
Premium - Producer groups receive a social premium
Planet - Greater respect for the environment
Power - Small farmers have a stronger position in world markets
People - A closer link between the consumer and producers

5. Fairtrade Facts
More than 7 million people across 59 developing countries, benefit from the international Fairtrade system
UK sales have increased by 40% each year since 1994 and now stand at £300m/yr
There are over 3,000 products carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark
Recognition of the FAIRTRADE Mark almost 60%

6. Fairtrade Towns “The beacon that has started in Garstang can spread
like wildfire through the whole country”
George Foulkes – past Under Secretary of State, June 2000

7. The Five Goals Council passes a Resolution supporting Fairtrade
A range of Fairtrade products are readily available
in the area’s shops & catering establishments
Fairtrade products are used by a number of work
places & community organisations
Attract media coverage & popular support for the
campaign
The five goals are:
1.      Local council passes a resolution supporting Fairtrade, and agrees to serve Fairtrade coffee and tea at its meetings and in its offices and canteens.
2.      A range of Fairtrade products are readily available to buy in the area’s shops & in local cafés/catering establishments. A range means at least two Fairtrade products. The number of retail and catering outlets required depend on the population size of the area concerned. Suggested targets are given in the Fairtrade Towns Action Guide.
3.      Fairtrade products are used by a number of local work places and community organisations (churches, schools etc). For a large city a large flagship employer is expected.
4.      Attract media coverage and popular support for the campaign.
5.      A local Fairtrade steering group is convened to ensure continued commitment to its Fairtrade Town status. This should ideally include a council representative, campaigners and people representing the area’s schools, churches and businesses. The group is responsible for an annual assessment to monitor whether the area is continuing to meet the five goals and organises special events for Fairtrade Fortnight in March each year.
Although based on the Garstang model, the goals are made to fit whatever size of place from a small village like Cherry Burton (with a population of under 1500) to a city the size of Birmingham. Therefore apart from Goal 2 no definite targets are set and each application is assessed according to the circumstances for each individual community. These Goals are clearly set out in the Fairtrade Towns Action Guide available from the Fairtrade Foundation.
A local Fairtrade steering group is convened to
ensure commitment to Fairtrade Town status

8. Political
parties
Faith
Groups
Educators
& students
Trade
Unions
Other
groups
NGOs
Traidcraft
Reps.
Environ.
Retailers &
businesses
Council
Fairtrade
Town
Steering
Group

9. Success of Fairtrade Towns
Another 240 campaigns
Fairtrade Faith Groups
Over 50 Fairtrade Universities
Fairtrade Schools
We now have over 130 Fairtrade Towns in the UK (including the Fairtrade Capital Cities of Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh) and there are over 240 places that we know of, working towards Fairtrade status (including Greater London)
15 Fairtrade Universities and over 1000 churches.

10. Inspired other initiatives
In 13 other countries
Gold Star Communities
Fair Deal Awards
Walkers Are Welcome Towns
Cities of Sanctuary?
We now have over 130 Fairtrade Towns in the UK (including the Fairtrade Capital Cities of Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh) and there are over 240 places that we know of, working towards Fairtrade status (including Greater London)
15 Fairtrade Universities and over 1000 churches.

11. Benefits to running a Fairtrade Town campaign
For Producers
For the community
For Local Authority

12. Benefits to the Community
Social capital and networking
Positive increase in civic pride and opportunities for shared action and celebration
Wider benefits by linking campaign to other issues e.g. local produce

13. Benefits to the Local Authority
It demonstrates a commitment to Local Agenda 21
It demonstrates effective citizenship and real leadership
It will facilitate community engagement
It will provide a positive impact on recruitment and motivation of employees

14. The challenges faced
Limited capacity to run the Fairtrade Towns Initiative
Developing the goals and keeping it credible
Use of the FAIRTRADE Mark
The Fairtrade Towns campaign is run by the Fairtrade Foundation which is the UK member of the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation .
Although the campaigns are very much driven by the people themselves the Fairtrade Foundation coordinates the campaigns and supports them by supplying a range of resources.

15. Any Questions?
The Fairtrade Towns campaign is run by the Fairtrade Foundation which is the UK member of the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation .
Although the campaigns are very much driven by the people themselves the Fairtrade Foundation coordinates the campaigns and supports them by supplying a range of resources.