PROMOTING FAIRTRADE - FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT
Fairtrade Fortnight 2014
WHO IS PAYING THE COST OF OUR CHEAP BANANAS?
Fairtrade Fortnight 2014
WHO IS PAYING THE COST OF OUR CHEAP BANANAS?
Although it may seem good for us to pay less for our bananas than for locally grown apples, do we want to put small-scale farmers out of business and encourage the growth of large, chemical-intensive plantations, where workers survive on below subsistence wages and inhumane working conditions? Although some producers and workers are protected by Fairtrade (supermarkets sell them at a loss to attract customers into their stores), the majority of the bananas we buy in the UK are still not produced under Fairtrade conditions.
This Fairtrade Fortnight (Feb 24 – March 10) we're joining the ‘Stick with Foncho’* campaign to end unfair and unsustainable practices in the banana industry.
Come to one or more of our Fairtrade Fortnight events to find out more, to meet Alexis Martinez, a Colombian representative of banana growers visiting us here in Crystal Palace, and to sign a petition to Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, asking him to stop the price wars between supermarkets that have reduced the price we pay for our bananas to half what it was ten years ago.
You can sign the petition at any of our events or online from 24 February at foncho.fairtrade.org.uk
For more information please see our press release and Bananas Unpeeled - Background Information
Programme of events in Crystal Palace
Now - Start planning your Fairtrade banana dish for our competition. Bring them to the library on Saturday 1 March, wrapped in cling-film, from 2pm. Alex will be judging them and giving a prize to the winner!
Thu Feb 27 – Film night and discussion with Fairtrade wine, rum and nibbles at the Antenna Cafe Thing, Haynes Lane, at 7.30
Sat Mar 1 – Make your own bicycle-powered Fairtrade smoothies outside Sainsbury’s 10am-1pm
Sat Mar 1 – Story telling for children at 2.30 followed by ‘Meet Alexis’ at 3.30 and recipe judging at the library
Sat Mar 8 – Fairtrade stall at the Food Market, Haynes Lane (10am to 3pm)
Sun March 9 – A repeat of the popular 'Hungry Gap' dinner at Domali restaurant, with Alexis, 7.30pm
Book your tickets now at hungrygapdinner@gmail.com
This Fairtrade Fortnight (Feb 24 – March 10) we're joining the ‘Stick with Foncho’* campaign to end unfair and unsustainable practices in the banana industry.
Come to one or more of our Fairtrade Fortnight events to find out more, to meet Alexis Martinez, a Colombian representative of banana growers visiting us here in Crystal Palace, and to sign a petition to Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, asking him to stop the price wars between supermarkets that have reduced the price we pay for our bananas to half what it was ten years ago.
You can sign the petition at any of our events or online from 24 February at foncho.fairtrade.org.uk
For more information please see our press release and Bananas Unpeeled - Background Information
Programme of events in Crystal Palace
Now - Start planning your Fairtrade banana dish for our competition. Bring them to the library on Saturday 1 March, wrapped in cling-film, from 2pm. Alex will be judging them and giving a prize to the winner!
Thu Feb 27 – Film night and discussion with Fairtrade wine, rum and nibbles at the Antenna Cafe Thing, Haynes Lane, at 7.30
Sat Mar 1 – Make your own bicycle-powered Fairtrade smoothies outside Sainsbury’s 10am-1pm
Sat Mar 1 – Story telling for children at 2.30 followed by ‘Meet Alexis’ at 3.30 and recipe judging at the library
Sat Mar 8 – Fairtrade stall at the Food Market, Haynes Lane (10am to 3pm)
Sun March 9 – A repeat of the popular 'Hungry Gap' dinner at Domali restaurant, with Alexis, 7.30pm
Book your tickets now at hungrygapdinner@gmail.com
Hungry Gap dinner at Domali's
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Banana bake-off! Alex had a hard time judging all the entries
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*Who is Foncho?
Albeiro Alfonso “Foncho” Cantillo is a 43-year-old banana farmer from Colombia whose livelihood depends on the small banana farm he inherited from his father He cares deeply about his farm and his bananas as he knows that without them he would struggle to find another job to provide for his family.
Foncho is coming to the UK this Fairtrade Fortnight with a message. ‘Stick with the farmers who grow your bananas’. You’ll see his face on stickers and posters all over the country, not least here in Crystal Palace, where we’ll be hosting Alexis, our own banana farmer from Colombia.
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We have run some fantastic events during FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT for two consecutive years, linking local trade, local produce and Fairtrade. Both events won us awards from the Fairtrade Foundation.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2013 - The Big Crystal Palace Food Fest
(see our colourful events poster) Our most recent Fairtrade Fortnight activities focused on Food, both local and Fairtrade. They included a debate, a film night, bicycle-powered Fairtrade smoothies outside Sainsbury's, an amazing puppet show put on by the children of James Dixon school alongside Fairtrade food tasting and 'bite-size talks' in the library, a fabulous concert with local bands and a 'Hungry Gap' dinner in Domali, using only locally produced and Fairtrade ingredients, with two visiting Fairtrade cocoa producers. Both concert and dinner raised money for the local Foodbank. Return to Local and Fair page |
Fairtrade Fortnight 2012
(see p.13 in The Transmitter) Our first Fairtrade Fortnight kicked off with the screening of the award-winning documentary Black Gold and included smoothie-making outside Sainsbury's, a children's event in the library, an amazing fashion show exhibiting the wares of local vintage and second-hand shops and accessories made by local designers as well as clothes produced using Fairtrade cotton, and the whole event was rounded off by an evening of Fairtrade wine and beer tasting. |
