Scottish Fair Trade Forum
Countdown Calendar
2011 saw plenty of enthusiasm and commitment from individuals as well as businesses and different community groups supporting the Forum’s Countdown Campaign. At the start of the year a wide range of individuals made a decision to start buying Fair Trade products or support the campaign some other way. Mary from Ayrshire for instance pledged to issue 300 Countdown Campaign postcards around her area ensuring our message would continue to spread across Scotland. Anne from Leith wrote to her local shops asking them to stock more Fair Trade produce and ten-year old Laurie from Glasgow became the youngest person yet to pledge her support to the campaign, as she had fun teaching her friends about Fair Trade.
St James the Less Episcopal Church in Bishopbriggs had an open doors evening complete with Fair Trade meal. The Church of Scotland promoted Fairtrade Fortnight across the land in their weekly national newsletter.
On Valentine’s Day the One World Shops of Edinburgh and Glasgow hosted a Valentine’s promotion, with Fair Trade food samples available. The Rainbow Turtle gift shop in Paisley introduced a new range of Fair Trade beads, giving people the chance to produce their very own Fair Trade fashions!
From the larger organisations, East Dunbartonshire Council discussed the Fairtrade Cotton School Uniform Campaign, which has been on going at a local school. Edinburgh Universities and Colleges held a Fair Trade meeting to discuss the progress made on Fair Trade by learning institutions across the city.
FairTrade Forthnight saw a number of events taking place across the country including talks, music and stalls. Broadford on the Isle of Skye threw a family fun day in Fair Trade fashion. Linlithgow Academy hosted a special Taste of Fair Trade event; Whitmuir Farm in the Borders and Edinburgh’s Hadeel welcomed Palestinian producers. Bishopton Primary School in Renfrewshire held a special day of Fair Trade tea, biscuits and presentations and Huntly’s Ethical Trading Initiative organised a Fair Trade fashion show. In Glasgow, the city’s Fair Trade Experience event celebrated Fair Trade’s impact in Scotland. In South Queensferry, ScotMid hosted a stall promoting Fair Trade, and both Montrose and Hamilton had Fairtrade wine tasting events.
Many individuals continued showing interest in Fair Trade Forthnight. For instance, Sarah from Edinburgh pledged to have a Fair Trade DVD night and Sylvia from Kirkintilloch made Fair Trade Macaroons to try and win her colleagues over to the movement!
The Spring continued to see lots of interest from individuals, organisations and community groups. On International Women’s Day, the Oban Fair Trade Steering Group held a celebration complete with FairTrade tea and coffee, while Lochwinnoch’s Steering Group hosted a presentation about Fair Trade complete with a video, quiz and snacks. Numerous pledges were made on World Fair Trade Day events at landmark sites around Scotland. Just to name a few Colin from Kilmarnock bought FairTrade bananas and Janis from Dunoon went all out and bought FairTrade tea, coffee, chocolate and wine! Anya from Edinburgh visited a FairTrade church to learn about Fair Trade values and products. Karen started a Fair Trade Academic Network at Edinburgh University and promoted it online.
In the beginning of June Ian Baxter, Forum bookkeeper, literally went the extra mile(s) for Fair Trade as he set off on a sponsored walk from Glasgow to Inverness to promote Scotland’s Fair Trade Nation Campaign! All the money raised will go towards the promotion of Fair Trade in local areas.
A host of famous Scots backed the campaign including Sir Alex Ferguson; Sir Sean Connery; writer, Iain Banks; chef, Tom Kitchen; musicians, the Proclaimers, Shirley Manson and Nicola Benedetti; actor and musician, Billy Boyd and his band Beecake; and DJ Mylo.
During summer lots of organisations made a contribution to the campaign. Kyle Academy in Ayr became a Fairtrade school and a Fair Trade Language café were hosted by Edinburgh University students’ group, Tandem. The One World Shop and the University of Edinburgh Harry Potter Society held an event called Ethic Alley! They had a petition for Time Warner requesting that they switch to Fairtrade chocolate for all of its Harry Potter merchandising.
The Countdown Campaign went global in July when Morag from the Motherwell Fair Trade Steering group assisted in the running of the "Fair Trade and You" workshop for Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland at the Soroptimist International Convention in Montreal, Canada. Both Morag and colleague Ruth held presentations on Fair Trade. Ruth for example spoke on the “Birth of Fairtrade Towns; why they exist and how they operate”. The 140 delegates then engaged in discussions around questions on Fair Trade Towns. It is hoped that clubs in other countries will be inspired by their efforts in raising awareness of Fair Trade issues, and start making similar efforts.
In August the Belladrum “Tartan Heart” festival hosted speakers from around Scotland to discuss Scotland’s drive to become a Fair Trade Nation. It gained recognition from the Scottish Fair Trade Forum for being a Fair Trade Nation campaign supporter in response to their great efforts to promote Fair Trade. These included starting up a FairTrade café and encouraging all retailers and caterers to stock at least one FairTrade item. The Inverness Fair Trade group were also on hand to provide complimentary Fair Trade samples to festival goers.
Later in the year institutions such as Edinburgh Napier University included Fair Trade information in the display and information and advice provided to all students, especially the first year students, as part of the Freshers Fair held at the Craiglockhart campus. Ullapool celebrated its 5 Years of Fairtrade Status and West Lothian celebrated becoming a Fair Trade Zone.
Many Fairtrade Town Meetings were held in the autumn in different town across the Scotland: Elgin, Crieff, Kirkardly, Kilmarnock, Dalkeith, Cumbernauld, Helensburgh, Arbroath, Campbeltown, Dunblane, Dunbarton, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Prestwick, Penicuik, Westhill and Stonehaven. We wish the best of luck for all the towns in gaining the Fairtrade Town Status!
Towards the end of the year we were happy to receive pledges from number of individuals who had gone Fair Trade in their Christmas shopping.
What a successful year. Well done and thank you to everyone who supported the campaign!