Fairtrade Fortnight
Monday 22 Feb - Sunday 7th May 2010
We celebrated with a Fair Trade Event in the Market Place Hitchin encouraging passers by to swap their usual cuppa for a Fair Trade cuppa and joining in a tea dance with the local dance group.
WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY
BIG BANG 9th MAY 2009
For World Fair Trade Day Hitchin Town Fair Trade Committee organised an event in the Market Square Hitchin.
There was a Fair Trade market, stalls, quizes and raffles, a plant sale and the Moon Drummers creating a BIG BANG!
What is fair trade?
Fair trade seeks to transform the lives of poor producers in the developing world by enabling them to use their skills and resources to trade their way out of poverty. 
It seeks to challenge injustices in trading structures and practices that so often lead to the exploitation and marginalisation of poor people.
Key elements of fair trade-
Fair trade sets out to:
• create opportunities for poor producers
• ensure trading practices are fair, both in terms of payment and prices
• ensure that children are not being exploited
• ensure there is no discrimination
• ensure working conditions are safe.
About Fair Trade
Fair Trade in Europe started as a grassroots movement about 40 years ago. The aim was to alleviate poverty in the 'Global South' - Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean - by building direct, sustainable relationships with disadvantaged producers and providing fair access to markets in the developed 'North'. The aims are the same now, but Fair Trade has developed into a powerful force, symbolised by a high level of European co-operation.
Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, which seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers - especially in the South.
Fair Trade organisations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practices of conventional international trade.
All involved in Fair Trade accept that it has to include: paying fair prices to producers which reflect the true cost of production, supporting producer organisations in their social and environmental projects, promoting gender equality in pay and working conditions, advising on product development to increase access to markets, committing to long term relationships to provide stability and security and campaigning to highlight the unequal system of world trade which places profit above human rights and threatens our environment.
Why Shop at a BAFTS Fair Trade Shop?
By shopping at a BAFTS retailer you are ensuring that your money is spent on Fair Trade goods. All BAFTS retailers must buy at least 70% of their stock from recognised Fair Trade sources. BAFTS recognises the following sources as Fair Trade: Fairtrade marked products, members of the World Fair Trade Organisation WFTO and BAFTS recognised Importers.
By shopping in a BAFTS shop you will:
• Get connected with the people behind the products. BAFTS retailers know about where the product came from and who made it.
• BAFTS retailers are independently owned, which means that each shopping experience will be unique.
• Ensure the money you spend goes back to supporting the producer, as the BAFTS shop can purchase more Fair Trade goods from those same producers.
• By shopping at an independent local business you are supporting the local economy.
• Find out more about Fair Trade and Trade Justice from people who know what they are talking about.
• Find the biggest selection of Fair Trade products around. See the continuously expanding and improving range of Fair Trade goods- from tea to crafts to clothes.
Why do some products claim to be “fair trade’’ but do not carry the FAIRTRADE Mark?
Some organizations, also called Alternative Trading Organisations (ATOs), are purely dedicated to trading fairly and have been doing so for many years before Fairtrade certification was established. You can find these organisations listed at WFTOor BAFTS. The process of agreeing international Fairtrade standards can take time, and for many of the products these organisations sell, there may not yet be standards available to certify their products.
Why aren’t handicrafts Fairtrade certified?
Fairtrade Certification and its system of minimum pricing were designed initially for commodity products. It is technically difficult to adapt this model of standardized minimum pricing to crafts and other products made by small-scale artisans, which are each unique, made of varied materials and have highly varied production processes and costs. However, FLO is currently working with the to explore whether we could work towards a certification programme for these products in the future.
Always look for the fair trade FLO label (below) or the WFTO logo or a BAFTS logo. Ask staff about Fair Trade Products.
AT HARVEST MOON YOU CAN BUY THE FOLLOWING FAIRLY TRADE PRODUCTS
CLOTHES, mens womens, babygrows, bibs.
ACCESSORIES, hats, scarves, gloves, bags, snoods, purses wallets, shopping bags, slippersocks.
JEWELLERY, silver rings, pendants, necklaces, earings, recycled fashion jewellery.
FURNISHINGS, throws, quilts, rugs, cushions, lighting, lampshades, strings of bells, wooden trugs, mirrors, mobiles, vases.
Incense, candles, greetings cards, gift wrap.
Carvings, musical instruments, (including drums and didgeridoos)
Gifts made from recycled materials, e.g. newspaper placemats, tin can animals and figures, juice carton boxes, old bicycle chain picture frames..
Fairies, jewellery boxes, felt hair ties and brooches, childrens novelties.
Singing bowls, buddhist prayer flags, tingshaws, prayer beeds.
Nativity sets, Xmas decorations, Crucifixes, holding crosses.
CDs of World Music.
Tea, coffee, chocolate, honey, jam, muesli, tissues, rubber gloves, cleaning cloths.
Where products are unpackaged or do not show the Fairtrade mark, we try to clearly label our fairly traded stock with a special harvest moon label but we are always happy to point out fair trade items and explain their stories.
In addition to fair trade products we have a huge range of eco friendly stock, hemp clothing and bags, recycled bottle drinking glasses, books and magazines on a wide variety of topics promoting environmental and personal awareness, local crafts and Hitchin Lavender products.
