Fair Trade

At the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday 24th February, Cllr Jonathan Lees proposed that Epsom and Ewell should seek to become a "Fair Trade Town".

To achieve this status the Council needs to pass a resolution supporting fair trade, agree to promote awareness of Fair Trade issues and help to set up a local Fair Trade group.

"We have a diverse community and we should do all we can to recognise and represent it" said Cllr Lees, "So I am proposing that we should work towards becoming a Fair Trade Town."

There are 5 steps, starting with the Council passing a resolution committing itself to promoting awareness. Secondly a new local group - or maybe an existing group like LA 21 - should be asked to investigate how Epsom & Ewell can achieve "Fair Trade" status.

The motion proposes that relevant partners from the Local Strategic Partnership should work together, through promotional and educational activities:

This motion is very timely. National Fairtrade Fortnight is from 1st to 14th March 2004. Currently more than 30 towns or other areas in Britain have 'Fairtrade Town' status, including Croydon and Chelmsford, with a further 10 to be recognised during Fairtrade Fortnight."

Fairtrade has been adopted by the Scottish Parliament, where it is supported by all 4 parties. It is not a 'party-political' issue.

Fairtrade Towns generally erect signs similar to 'Town Twinning' signs. A range of fairly traded goods is readily available in local shops and Fairtrade products are served in local cafes and restaurants.

In a 'Fairtrade Town'

• people become more aware of the ideal of fair trade,
• people can buy fairly traded goods in local shops,
• local shops know fairly traded goods sell well.

Modern fairly traded goods are high quality. Besides coffee, tea and cocoa, popular products include bananas, mangoes, biscuits, honey, chocolate and wine.

Churches and other places of worship support fairly traded products throughout the year.

Supermarkets in Epsom had special displays of Fairtrade goods during Fairtrade Fortnight last year. In the last two years, sales of fairly traded goods have risen by 90%. This year, one local Supermarket is now offering a choice of three different brands of Fairtrade instant coffee. A number of items also qualify for labelling as "organic". Increasingly, Fairtrade goods can be found alongside other products on the ordinary shelves, a sign that they are now fully accepted.