Fairtrade Kenilworth

Created

2011-03-12T01:48:00.000-08:00

Fairtrade Fortnight is Here

2011-02-28T09:39:00.001-08:00

The Fairtrade Foundation will launch Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 today by announcing that sales of Fairtrade products soared by 40% in 2010 to an estimated retail value of £1.17bn. UK shoppers are continuing to embrace Fairtrade, showing no downturn on ethical values despite the tough economic times.

For a calender of events happening around the country see

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/show_off_your_label/show_off_events/default.aspx?pageIndex=1

The importance of fairtrade

2011-02-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

Kenilworth will be supporting Fairtrade Fortnight again this year by raising people's awareness of the products.

The Fairtrade Action Group will be running events in the town from Monday February 28 to Sunday March 13 to try and make more people buy Fairtrade.

We will hold a reception for supporters at the Almanack, have a stall at Abbey End on Saturday March 12, which will be decorated with Fairtrade labels collected by Crackley Hall school students, and will also hold a prize draw.

To enter the draw people need to write down the names of ten Fairtrade businesses in the town and put their entry in the collection box at their school or at The King’s Table cafe in Warwick Road by Friday March 11. Competition prizes have been donated by Waitrose, Sainsburys, the Co-op, The Almanack, Andrew Davies Bakery and Starbucks.

Sue Proctor, chairman of the town’s Fairtrade Action Group, said: “The fortnight is great because it gives us the opportunity to encourage people to use Fairtrade. I use these products because it’s a way of ensuring the people who make them are treated fairly.”

The movement to make Kenilworth a Fairtrade Town started in 2006. It is now supported by around 60 places in Kenilworth that either supply Fairtrade products or use them in the work place.

Swap your Cuppa!

2010-03-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

On Saturday the shoppers of Kenilworth took part in the Big Swap, swapping their used tea bags for new Fairtrade tea bags, and taking the opportunity to sample some Fairtrade chocolate cake and take part in the Fairtrade town trail, which is taking place throughout Fairtrade fortnight and involves a series of posters in shops that sell or use Fairtrade products. Entry forms can be obtained from the Kings' Table and the Library.

The Saturday in Abbey End followed our supporters evening on Friday 26th February, with Jeremey Wright MP, the Mayor of Kenilworth, other representatives of the local Council and supporters from some of the local retailers, businesses and voluntary groups that have signed up to support Fairtrade in Kenilworth.

In the picture below, Sue Proctor, Chair of the Fairtrade Steering Group, is pictured with Jeremy Wright and with Susan Howell, and Town Council representative on the Steering Group.

The Big Swap - Fairtrade Fortnight 2010

2010-02-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 runs from 22 February to 7 March and this year Kenilworth Fairtrade group will be encouraging shoppers to take part in a national tea bag swap as part of the event.

Please bring your tea bags to our stall in Abbey End on Saturday 27 February any time from 10am to noon, where you can hand it in for composting and receive two new Fairtrade tea bags in exchange.

We are also planning a "Fairtrade trail" competition in which participants have to collect facts from shops selling Fairtrade goods in Kenilworth. Entrants will be put into a free prize draw.

For further details, please look out for updates.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2009

2009-04-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

On Thursday 22nd February, Councillors, residents and local business people gathered at the youth and community centre in Abbey End to launch Fairtrade Fortnight, which started on February 23 and ran until March 8.

During Fairtrade Fortnight residents of Kenilworth and visitors were invited to take part in a competition to win a free hamper of Fairtrade produce. Entrants to the competition collected stamps from retail outlets in the town that supply Fairtrade produce to their customers and staff.

Fairtrade Football Comes to Kenilworth

On 1st March we held a Fairtrade football competition at Meadow Sports Astroturf in Leyes Lane to which all young people in the town were invited to take part.

Kenilworth Goes Bananas

On the morning of Saturday March 7th the Kenilworth Fairtrade Group were in Abbey End encouraging shoppers to take part in the National “Go Bananas” attempt on the world record for the number of Fairtrade bananas eaten in one day.

This event was attended by Jeremy Wright MP and the Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Spencer Harrison. Well over 100 bananas were handed out to shoppers, together with pieces of chocolate cake, made using Fairtrade cocoa and sugar.

At the end of Fairtrade Fortnight, we have some 67 local businesses, retailers, churches, schools and voluntary organisations signed up as supporters.

This year's Fairtrade Fortnight in Kenilworth was well supported by the Town Council, Waitrose and Starbucks and we are grateful for their backing and all our other friends.

Kenilworth Goes Bananas!

2009-02-18T01:24:00.000-08:00

On the morning of Saturday March 7th (10:30am – midday) in Abbey End Kenilworth Fairtrade Group will be encouraging shoppers to take part in the National “Go Bananas” attempt on the world record for the number of Fairtrade bananas eaten in one day. This event, which will be attended by Jeremy Wright MP and the Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Spencer Harrison, will be the climax of Fairtrade Fortnight (23rd February – 8th March) and is part of a campaign to ensure that half of all bananas eaten by 2012 are Fairtrade bananas.

During Fairtrade Fortnight residents of Kenilworth and visitors will also be invited to take part in a competition to win a free hamper of Fairtrade produce. Entrants to the competition will collect stamps from retail outlets in the town that supply Fairtrade produce to their customers and staff. These stamps can be collected on a card distributed through local schools and churches and in the local newspaper.

And on 1st March, there’ll be a Fairtrade football competition at Meadow Sports Astroturf in Leyes Lane (3:00 – 4:00pm) to which all young people in the town are invited to take part. Entry is free.

Fairtrade Fortnight 2009

2009-01-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

Two billion people – a third of humanity – still survive on less than $2 a day. Unfair trade rules keep them in poverty, but they face the global challenges of food shortages and climate change too. Fairtrade is a people’s movement for change that aims to tip the balance of trade in favour of poor producers. We all need Fairtrade more than ever and we all have the power to create positive change for people and planet.

Take part in Fairtrade Fortnight 2009 here in Kenilworth and play your part by joining a powerful global movement for change!

Look out for details of forthcoming events.

Kenilworth IS a Fairtrade Town

2008-05-06T12:24:00.000-07:00

We received notification that Kenilworth had been successful in its application for Fairtrade Town status shortly after Fairtrade Fortnight, on March 25th, and have now received our certificate which we will aim to have on display in the Library. We're very excited and proud after two years hard work to have achieved this goal and we're extremely grateful to everyone who has supported us through this period.

We're now looking forward to building on this achievement and working with many more local businesses, voluntary groups and individuals to increase the profile of Fairtrade in Kenilworth, to celebrate our success and hopefully continue to have a positive impact on the lives of many people in developing countries.

Our renewal application is due in a year's time so the work will go on. We're delighted that since our application was sent to the Fairtrade Foundation, we have already signed up a number of additional supporters, including Kenilworth Castle Tea Rooms, St Nicholas and St Barnabas Church, St Francis of Assisi and St Barnabas Church, St Nicholas Primary School, Marion Shaw's Boutique, Margaret Hills Health Foods, Heavenly FX, The Priory Theatre and Greggs - and we look forward to adding more in the months to come.

Fairtrade Town Trail

2008-04-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

Fairtrade Fortnight ended with the announcement of the winner of the Fairtrade Town Trail competition. More than 60 people entered the competition to solve cryptic clues, taking them to 15 local business supporting Fairtrade. The winner of the competition, a pupil at Clinton Primary School, received a hamper of Fairtrade products, kindly donated by Sainsbury’s.

The hamper included tea, coffee, sugar, wine, cotton kitchen items and two bunches of Fairtrade roses.

The lucky winner also received a Dubble Easter egg from his headteacher, who supported Fairtrade Fortnight by encouraging pupils to take partin the Fairtrade Town Trail.

Fairtrade fortnight in Kenilworth

2008-03-29T01:35:00.000-07:00

Fairtrade Fortnight ended with evidence of growing support for the initiative in Kenilworth.
Hundreds of people in the town, from residents to local businesses and schools and churches, all took part in the fortnight to raise awareness of Fairtrade.

The fortnight kicked off with a promotional event in Talisman Square. Despite the wind, many people expressed their support for the Fairtrade movement by signing a supporter’s card. A draw was held of all the cards collected and the winner of the Divine Easter Egg was resident, Anne Brough, who helps organise Kenilworth carnival each year.

For the whole fortnight, a Town Trail competition was run in the town. More than 60 people entered the competition to solve cryptic clues, taking them to 15 local business supporting Fairtrade. The winner of the competition, a pupil at Clinton School, will receive a hamper of Fairtrade products, kindly donated by Sainsbury’s.”

Later in the fortnight Jeremy Wright MP attended a supporters’ coffee evening at Kenilworth Youth and Community Centre. He showed off his cooking skills, whilst sporting a Sainsbury’s Fairtrade cotton apron and making Fairtrade muffins under the watchful eye of local caterer Janet Arter. Mr Wright spoke of the importance of ‘sustainable development’ and thanked the people of Kenilworth for supporting the Fairtrade initiative. Staff from Browsers bookshop, in Talisman Square brought along copies of the new Fairtrade Everyday Cookery Book and Deputy Mayor, Coun Spencer Harrison, sampled cakes made according to recipes in the book.

Other events that took place during the fortnight included a food and coffee tasting at the Olive Tree Deli and a Fairtrade fast by the youth group at St Francis Church. More than 100 people in the town have now signed the supporter’s card to say that they regularly use Fairtrade products at home.

Fairtrade Directory

2008-03-11T13:29:00.000-07:00

We have been busy encouraging businesses in our town to support Fairtrade, and there are now quite a few that do! To make it easier for you to find Fairtrade products when you're shopping in Kenilworth, we have produced a directory which you view or download here:

Click to Download the Directory

Fairtrade Fortnight 2008

2008-02-20T05:27:00.000-08:00

Fairtrade fortnight runs from Saturday 23 February to Saturday March 8th.

During this time, we are holding the following public events:

We will be handing out publicity in Talisman Square on Saturday 23 February, the first day of Fairtrade Fortnight, from 10 to 2. We will have both national promotional material from the Fairtrade Foundation and our own local directory of Fairtrade products and supporters. The Mayor is coming along, why don't you come too?

We are running a Fairtrade Town Trail to take place through the whole two weeks. This will be a series of clues to find Fairtrade shops, cafes or businesses in Kenilworth. Each will display in their window a picture of a Fairtrade product that they use or supply. The aim of the quiz will be to identify each of these outlets and products and post the results back in a box in Sainsbury’s, who are kindly providing a Fairtrade hamper as a prize. Download the quiz now.

The Olive Tree Deli on Albion Street will be holding an event on Saturday March 8th to celebrate the opening of their new Fairtrade café. There will be live music from 10 to 2, Fairtrade tea and coffee and samples from other local suppliers to the deli.

Kenilworth Fairtrade supporters enjoy party

2007-12-01T02:27:00.000-08:00

At a special event at the Waverley Day Centre on Thursday 29 November, a number of businesses, schools and church representatives were presented with their certificates after registering as supporting Fairtrade. The Mayor Councillor Pat Ryan presented certificates to a number of people, businesses and organisations including Kenilworth Teapot, the Kenilworth Weekly News, Sainsbury’s, St John’s Church, Thresher, Kenilworth Methodist Church, the Mothers Union and Abbey Hill United Reformed Church, to name a few. All businesses and organisations have swapped their normal tea, coffee and other products to Fairtrade ones, earning them the status.

The KWN reported the story with the wrong headline, but it's still great to have their support!

Fairtrade Reception

2007-11-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

The campaign to gain Fairtrade status for Kenilworth continues to make progress with the continued support of businesses, organisations churches and schools in Kenilworth. So far, retailers who have signed up include Tesco Express, Sainsbury's, The Old Emporium as well as cafes and caterers, Escape, Costa, The Kings Table and Janet Arter Catering. Work places include Boothroyd, Intastruct and Clinton School and community organisations include St John's Church and the town's Methodist Church.

Kenilworth Fairtrade Action Group has organised a reception at Waverley Day Centre on November 29 to make progress to date and present the organisations who are supporting the initiative with a certificate.

The group is continuing to talk to to several other outlets and businesses and are hoping to have more signed up for the meeting on 29 November. The group welcomes enquiries or support from anyone in Kenilworth at fairtradekenilworth@gmail.com.

Stall at the King's table

2007-06-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

The campaign for a Fairtrade Kenilworth recently held a stall at the King's Table coffee morning. Lots of people expressed interest on the fairtrade products displayed, making it an overwhelming success!

Fairtrade Fortnight

2007-02-25T13:53:00.000-08:00

During Fairtrade Fortnight 2007 (26 February – 11 March) the new Kenilworth Fairtrade Action Group will be promoting the event at the King’s Table café at St Francis of Assisi Church Hall on Warwick Road on Wednesday 28th February and Wednesday 7th March. Members of the Kenilworth Fairtrade Action Group will be at the King’s Table between 10:00am and 2:00pm with information about Fairtrade and example products.

Fairtrade Fortnight is a great opportunity to raise awareness of our campaign to make Kenilworth a Fairtrade Town and encourage more people in Kenilworth to choose Fairtrade products. We are hoping that as many people as possible will drop into the King’s Table during their lunch break or while they are shopping, to find out more. We need support from local residents and businesses if we are to achieve the aim of making Kenilworth a Fairtrade town, and make a difference to the lives of producers and their families in the developing world.

We are also keen to find out what else is going on in Kenilworth’s schools, churches and businesses for Fairtrade Fortnight and to build on existing activities to promote the use of Fairtrade products in Kenilworth - so please let us know!

Public meeting on Fairtrade

2006-09-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

There will be a public meeting at the Parish Rooms at St Francis Catholic Church, Warwick Road on Tuesday 17^th October 2006, starting at 8pm, at which Ann Farr, Chair of the Coventry City Fairtrade Steering Group, will share some of her experiences of helping Coventry to become a Fairtrade City and there will also be an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions.

We are encouraging anyone to come along to this meeting, but in particular we have written to local Councillors, our MP Jeremy Wright, local businesses, shops, schools, churches and other local organisations in the hope of encouraging even greater interest and encouaging representatives to come along to the meeting.

The Kenilworth Weekly News has also published an article publicising the meeting.

Article in the Kenilworth Weekly News

2006-05-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

The Kenilworth Weekly News are publishing an article on the campaign to gain Kenilworth Fairtrade status. You can read the online version here.

Yes!

2006-05-13T01:16:00.000-07:00

Thought that you would all be pleased to know that at Thursday's Town Assembly meeting there was unanimous support for seeking FairTrade status for Kenilworth. David Wheeler did a great job of introducing the topic - many thanks.

The Town Council has agreed to have a formal vote on the issue at their next meeting.

Meanwhile, the Kenilworth Weekly News plan to do a full page spread on the subject for next week's issue. A photographer and reporter will interview us to find out more about FairTrade and how best to proceed. They also have plans to survey local residents and shopkeepers for their views.

Council meeting outline

2006-05-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

The following is an outline of what David Wheeler will propose to the Council of Kenilworth Town Assembly Meeting on Thursday, May 11th:

The idea of fairness is one which I would like to think my town council supports.

It would be good to live in a community where fairness is the basis of all dealings and relationships.

One expression of this idea is the Fairtrade town.

The purpose of a Fairtrade Town is to contribute to the Fairtrade Foundation’s aim of tackling poverty by enabling disadvantaged producers from poor countries to receive a better deal, through encouraging support for the FAIRTRADE Mark.

In order to fulfil this aim by becoming a Fairtrade Town, the following five goals must be realised. When they are, a signed and dated certificate will be presented by the Fairtrade Foundation. The required goals are as follows:

1. Local Council passes a resolution supporting Fairtrade, and agrees to serve Fairtrade tea and coffee at its meetings and in its offices and canteens.

2. A selection of at least two Fairtrade products is readily available in the area’s shops and local cafes/catering establishments. Targets are given and depend on the population of the town. For Kenilworth the targets are :

5 retail outlets marketing Fairtrade products.
3 catering outlets serving Fairtrade products.

3. Fairtrade products are used by a number of local workplaces (estate agents, hairdressers, etc) and community organisations (churches, schools, etc).

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.

Visit the Fairtrade website for more about becoming a fairtrade town.

David Wheeler, on behalf of a St. John's Church house group will suggest the following resolution:

The Council aims to be recognised by the residents and business community of Kenilworth Town, Kenilworth Town Council suppliers, Kenilworth Town Council employees and other local authorities as a town council that actively supports and promotes the concept of Fairtrade, ensuring that producers from developing countries get a fair price for their goods and labour. The Council therefore resolves to:

• Promote awareness of Fairtrade issues, and make publicity and educational information available to local people concerning the worldwide impact of unfair trade and the opportunities that Fairtrade provides to promote sustainable development.

• Investigate the Council’s own purchasing policies such as those of its suppliers and contractors and purchase Fairtrade where possible.

• Consider buying Fairtrade products, such as those carrying a FAIRTRADE mark, as they become available.

• Promote Fairtrade issues and practices amongst local businesses, commercial and other organisations.

• Develop a strategy to make the Council a Fairtrade council.

Council meeting

2006-05-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

There is a Council of Kenilworth Town Assembly Meeting this Thursday (11th) at 7pm. It will be at the Council house, Southbank Rd.

The following question will be raised:

"Will the Town Council encourage Kenilworth to become a Fairtrade Town and in so doing come into line with the growing number of Councils throughout the country that have?"

Sue Powell of the Chamber of Commerce has not yet put this to a vote at a Chamber of Commerce meeting but is still happy to raise it at a later meeting of the Chamber - a positive outcome from the Council may prod things along as she has been invited to the meeting on Thursday.

It would be good if as many of us as are able can attend on Thursday to offer encouragement and support.

Fairtrade on BBC News

2006-05-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I saw this article on the BBC News website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4964152.stm