Your guide to Fairtrade Fortnight

FAIRTRADE Fortnight is now underway – and the North Ayrshire Fairtrade Group plan to highlight how it benefits local communities.

In July 2014, the North Ayrshire Fairtrade Zone Steering Group achieved Fairtrade Zone status for North Ayrshire.

Now the group is expected to continue promoting the growth of Fairtrade within North Ayrshire and this working with a wider network of groups will ensure North Ayrshire retaining its status at renewal.

During Fairtrade Fortnight, which runs to March 9, the local group hope to use this period to build links across North Ayrshire with the hope of building a wider understanding of what Fairtrade is and how it benefits our communities to help themselves rather than rely on foreign aid.

The organisation will also be celebrating its new Fairtrade Zone status by giving talks to a number of schools, information stalls and events.

Fairtrade groups in Kilwinning, Largs, Fairlie, and the Isle of Arran will also be having events in their own right.

Joe Broussard, chair of the North Ayrshire Fairtrade Zone, said “If your organisation has Fairtrade status or is working toward Fairtrade status, if you are planning any events for Fairtrade Fortnight 2015, if you would like more information about promoting Fairtrade within your organisation, please contact me at joe@ broussard.co.uk, tel 01294 552284.” The zone will mark the end of Fairtrade fortnight with a Fairtrade Coffee Morning on March 7 in The Erskine Hall, Lauchlan Way, Kilwinning from 10am to 12 noon.

Councillor Donald Reid, Fairtrade Ambassador at North Ayrshire Council said: “The zone has achieved its status as a Fairtrade Local Zone but it’s important to maintain its status and a wider understanding of the benefits to the community.

"I’m working in the council to ensure were all doing what we can within the council but we need more community support to ensure the zone retains its status at renewal.” For more information about Fairtrade visit www.fairtrade.org.uk.