|
 At
a public town meeting on Thursday 27th April 2000 the people of Garstang
voted for Garstang to become the world's first Fairtrade Town.
While visiting Garstang, George
Foulkes, the then Under Secretary of State for the Department of
International Development said “The beacon that has started here in
Garstang can spread like wildfire across the whole of the country and
beyond." Now, with Fairtrade Towns throughout the
United Kingdom as well as many other countries across the globe, his
prediction has proved correct.
 Garstang
became a Fairtrade Town primarily to promote the sale of products
carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark, an international certification label that
guarantees producers in developing countries get a fair deal.
You can find the FAIRTRADE mark on hundreds of different
products, including coffee, tea, rice, bananas, cocoa, cotton, sugar,
honey, fruit juices, nuts, spices, wine and even on footballs.
In November 2001 Tony Robinson,
of Blackadder and Time Team fame, unveiled a plaque (on the wall of the
Old Council Offices) to commemorate Garstang as the world’s first
Fairtrade Town. Harriet Lamb, Director of the Fairtrade Foundation then
presented the first Fairtrade Town certificate to Garstang’s Mayor to
launch the Fairtrade Town initiative to the world.
Garstang’s first fair trade
retailer was The Mustard Seed,
click here to find the location of the The Mustard Seed, which opened in 1991. It has since
expanded and now sells foods and crafts and houses a small fair trade
information centre on Park Hill Road. There are now many outlets in
Garstang selling products that carry the FAIRTRADE Mark.
 Look
out for Fairtrade Fortnight, which is held annually in early spring to
promote awareness of the FAIRTRADE mark. Changing your shopping habits
can make a lasting difference to producers in the developing world.
GARSTANG'S FAIR TRADE
TRIANGULAR LINK
In February 2002 Garstang
twinned with the fair trade cocoa farming community of New Koforidua in
Ghana. Some of the cocoa grown there is used to make the popular
Fairtrade chocolate Divine and Dubble bars.
In 2007 Garstang also formed a
‘Sister City’ relationship with Media in Pennsylvania, United States of
America. Media became the first Fair Trade Town in the USA in July 2006
after being inspired by the Garstang model.
 It is perhaps appropriate that
the three towns that make up this modern day Fair Trade Triangular link
also lie in countries that made up the three points of the infamous
slave trade triangle. This shows positive action today that goes some
way to redress the actions of the past.
MORE
INFORMATION
Visit the Discovery Centre on
the High Street and take a look at the Fairtrade display. Alternatively
pay a visit to the Mustard Seed where you can buy many Fairtrade
products, use the new IT information centre and meet members of the
Garstang Fairtrade Steering Group.
For the latest news please go to
www.garstangfairtrade.org.uk or visit the National Fairtrade site
www.fairtrade.org.uk |
