December – We encouraged people to explore the Fairtrade Advent Calendar

Were you lucky in the draw? Did you win anything or just learn a whole lot about new and well loved Fairtrade products?

hkhk

November – Elson Library – Monday 8th – Saturday 13 November

An exhibition about Fairtrade and climate change.

 mm

The display explained what Fairtrade is, how it helps producers to earn a living wage and how that enables farmers to adapt to climate change and farm sustainably without contributing to further climate change. As these dates fell during the second week of the COP26, reference was be made to the International Conference. (see below)

This exhibition ( and others) is available to borrow – please contact us

vb

October – Talk to the Women’s Institute (Stokes Bay Branch) 19 October

GFA’s Co-ordinator Sarah Hirom gave a 20 minute talk about how Fairtrade is tackling Covid, poverty and women’s’ empowerment in the context of climate change.

The display featured examples of Fairtrade’s work in these areas including the experiences of individual women in Fairtrade co-operatives.

The key message was that by choosing Fairtrade products we can help producers earn a living income and they can then afford to invest in measures to adapt to climate change, protect their environment and reduce carbon emissions.

You can read the press coverage in the Globe, here.

vmn

Action on COP 26

The call from Fairtrade Farmers and Workers

Farmers and workers challenged leaders at COP26 to invest in the expertise of their communities, who see the realities of the climate crisis every day. And they demanded that the wealthiest countries start being honest about their own carbon footprints, and work together to create trade deals and laws that encourage investment in the sustainable solutions many Fairtrade farmers are already pioneering.

Fairtrade farmers and workers know that if we don’t speak out now, it will be too late. They sent a letter to World Leaders coming to the COP explaining their situation and asking for action ( see the letter here )

Our display during Great Big Green Week (see below) referred to COP26 and why it was, and is still, so important for us all to encourage our Government to take rapid and deep action to make the transition to a fairer, cleaner, green and sustainable economy and way of life. We encouraged people to sign the petition to UK leaders, based on the call from 1.8 million Fairtrade farmers and workers to politicians at the COP26 summit to Be Fair with your Climate Promise. 

We asked people to act and join Fairtrade farmers’ call for a fair climate promise:

• by signing the petition to call for a fair climate promise.
• and asking our local MP, Caroline Dinenage, to back the farmers’ call. 

We celebrated Great Big Green Week in September!

“How choosing Fairtrade helps combat climate change” – an exhibition

at the Gosport Discovery Centre, Tues. 21st September – Tues. 5th October 2021

Gosport Fairtrade Action put up an exhibition about how Fairtrade farmers are being impacted by climate change and how Fairtrade helps them to adapt to change and care for their environment, which benefits us all. Fairtrade exemplifies “The Fight that Unites” : everything we do to reduce carbon emissions here in Gosport or Fairtrade producers do to reduce emissions and conserve their soils and forests, helps everyone on the planet. 

m

What we did during the Covid pandemic lockdown:

We did not organise or participate in live physical events, or hold physical Steering Group meetings but virtual ones instead (more here). 

Fairtrade Fortnight 2021

22 Feb. – 7 March 2021

For two weeks each year at the end of February and start of March, thousands of individuals, companies and groups across the UK and here, locally in Gosport, come together in coffee mornings, tea parties in the Town Hall, family fun day events in the Discovery Centre and much more. We share the stories of the people who grow our food and drinks and who grow the cotton in our clothes, people who are often exploited and underpaid and hear about how Fairtrade makes a difference to their lives.

Virtual events – This Fairtrade Fortnight felt very different as we only be held virtual events. We’re encouraged supporters to join in with national as well as local events and there was something for everyone in the very varied and exciting programme:

 Local Event: Monday 1 March, 6.30-7.45p.m. Climate, Fairtrade and You.

This online event was organised by Gosport, Portsmouth, Fareham and Havant Fairtrade groups.

Adam Gardner, Head of Campaigns at the Fairtrade Foundation, told us about the impact of the climate crisis on some of the poorest producers in the world and what Fairtrade organisations are doing to help. We’ll also shared some videos so that you could hear directly from the farmers about their experiences.

Local event: Thursday. 25th March.

Climate, Fairtrade and Loud and Proud

Loud and Proud, who usually help GFA with large events, this year held an online event inviting June Cully and Sarah Hirom to explore with them how Fairtrade was helping farmers affected by climate change. Sarah introduced a video presentation: “Climate, Fairtrade and You” followed by questions and discussion. We finished up with a Quiz which was much enjoyed. (We had some really useful feedback from the group.)

The virtual online festival organised by the Fairtrade Foundation brought together schools, universities, businesses, supporters, campaigners and farmers from across the world to choose the world they want.

The key message from the festival was to hear why winning a fairer deal for farmers and workers is critical in tackling the climate crisis.

Many of the events were recorded so you can catch up on them on the Fairtrade Foundation’s website page: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/choose-the-world-you-want/

There was so much happening at the Choose the world you want festival, from live music to expert panel discussions. The “Exhibition Hall” where children from around the world show-cased their poems and artwork about the world they wanted – often very movingly – is well worth a browse. Here is an example: More here

Here are some highlights:

You can access a recording of these events and many more from the “On demand” link on the Fairtrade Foundation Festival page.

• Eating ethically in a climate crisis — Guardian Live discussion brought together Fairtrade farmers, top environmental experts and climate writers
• Creativity against the climate crisis –  Actor and Fairtrade Foundation patron Adjoa Andoh was joined by digital artists, musicians, writers and other wonderfully creative people to discuss how creativity can be used to power up climate campaigning.
• The Climate Change Garden — How to grow sustainably and why it matters – The Permaculture Association’s Chris Warburton-Smith guided us through how to grow sustainably. 
• Fairtrade campaigners getting creative!  The vibrant Fairtrade campaign network came together virtually this year, and campaigners organised a whole host of wonderful arts-based events. From live performances of Fairtrade-inspired music made by a worker on a Ghanaian banana plantation to a cookalong from Caribbean chef Euten Lindsay, there was something for everyone from all corners of the world.

There was lots more – for a full line up go to the National Fairtrade Festival page here

And even more from around the UK:

Fairtrade Yorkshire teamed up with Fairtrade Devon and other regions and nations of the UK to bring you the Fairtrade Connections community arts festival. 

Some of the fantastic free events included:

• Poetry from three acclaimed poets on the theme of “Climate, Fairtrade and You”
• Music from a young Ghanaian who owes his success to the Fairtrade premium 
• Get moving with our Bollywood dance workshop
• Hear from the photographer behind the book Faces of Fairtrade who’ll share photos and stories of Fairtrade farmers and workers
• Cook along with a Caribbean chef or a former Bake Off contestant or make indulgent Fairtrade truffles with a chocolatier
• Win prizes for silliness with our family friendly Fairtrade themed Taskmaster
  And much more …

CHOOSE THE WORLD YOU WANT

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us more than ever how interconnected we are globally. This interconnection is at the very heart of the Fairtrade message and is where our role begins. We are part of the Fairtrade movement and we have the power to drive long term change not only with our shopping choices but with our support in spreading the message. We just had to do this a little differently in 2021! 

The focus is on climate change and how Fairtrade producers with a living wage are able to adapt to climate change and care for their environment better with Fairtrade prices and the Fairtrade Premium. (see the Environment page on this website get more information about Fairtrade and the Environment from the Fairtrade Foundation website)

HOW PEOPLE GOT INVOLVED? 

• Told friends and family and shared these events and artworks with them.
• Used social media resources to spread the word online to add more voices to the fight. More online Fortnight resources were in the Fairtrade Foundation revamped Resources Library. Go to Resources Library
• Read stories and watched videos about farmers affected by climate change. here

Schools

In 2021, we encouraged and helped schools to teach and learn about the climate crisis and how it affects farmers in different parts of the world. During Fairtrade Fortnight, young people were able to explore how better incomes can help farmers to cope with these challenges. Farmers in the global south have contributed the least to the climate crisis but are already feeling the impacts the hardest.

‘Climate, Fairtrade and You’ Education Packs were produced for teachers and educators to discuss how the climate crisis affects farmers and workers overseas. Through assemblies (designed with social distancing in mind!), lesson plans and activities, young people had the opportunity to discover how their choices can impact people around the world, and the planet that we live on. 

 We urged teachers to Visit the Fairtrade Schools site to download the Education Packsfor Early Years, Primary schools or Secondary schools.

Resources for you

We invited Schools, Churches and Community Groups to organise Fairtrade events and offered to provide presentations on-line – and, in normal times, with live speakers, videos, displays and more.

See the range of resources on our RESOURCES Page here

Page updated on 30-12-2021