Orkney all set for Fairtrade Fortnight

February 26, 2017 at 10:24 am

This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight will see Kirkwall painted blue and green.

The Orkney Fair Trade Group has laid on a series of events, due to take place over the next week.

Kirkwall BID will be supporting the annual promotion, with town centre businesses displaying pots of spring flowers carrying the message “Buy Fair & Buy Local in Orkney.”

On Friday, March 3, St Magnus Cathedral will be lit overnight in Fairtrade’s trademark colours.

Through in Stromness, there will be a special promotional stand in the Co-op and fundraising mugs, produced for the Fair Trade Group and printed with their logo, will be on sale in a number of outlets.

Orkney’s schools, churches and communities are planning various learning, worship and fundraising activities, including two film nights.

Kirkwall East Church are showing Before the Flood with Leonardo di Caprio on Monday, February 27, in the Garden Room at King Street Halls and the Milestone Church Dounby have Disney’s Queen of Katwe on Sunday, March 5.

Gill Smee, chairwoman of the Orkney Fair Trade Group, has outlined the importance of supporting Fairtrade products.

“The food on our tables, the tea and coffee in our mugs, all come from farmers and manufacturers who work hard but are not paid what they deserve,” she explained.

“Whether in Orkney or in Malawi, no one deserves to be short-changed for a hard day’s work.”

Ms Smee believes that when consumers reach for the cheapest products, they may be unconsciously feeding exploitation.

“We become part of the problem, but we can make a conscious choice to be part of the solution and support trade that is fair, and in particular the efforts of quality small scale producers,” she added.

“We have been a Fairtrade Zone for three years now and have learnt what a difference it makes around the world. But we need more local folk to make a conscious effort to look for Fairtrade products and more farmers to benefit.”

She added: “We need everyone in the community to get behind farmers and their families this fortnight.”