‘Before you finish eating breakfast in the morning, you’ve depended on more than half the world’ Martin Luther King
As part of Oundle town’s initiative during Fairtrade Fortnight (29th February – 13th March) – to host as many ‘Fairtrade breakfasts’ as possible – Oundle School’s catering department has considering the School’s purchasing and food habits and considering its Fairtrade policy looking at good and safe working conditions, better prices and fair terms of trade for farmers and producers.
The Fairtrade foundation seeks to work directly with producers and companies and seeks to improve understanding and awareness of the need for Fairtrade and Fairtrade products globally. In particular is the idea of a ‘Fairtrade premium’ which is money paid on top of the minimum price for goods which can be invested for environmental, social or economic development projects.
There are nearly 1,200 certified Fairtrade ‘producers’ across 74 different countries and 1.5 million Fairtrade farmers! 25% of personnel involved in Fairtrade organisations are women.
Across Fairtrade fortnight the School community is selling Fairtrade items during break times and using Fairtrade coffee, tea, sugar and other products including bananas at breakfast and afternoon tea.
Pupils are being encouraged to support the event through their House Food Reps who are involved in choosing menus with catering staff and by thinking about their own personal purchasing at break times as well as asking shops about their own Fairtrade policies.