Ysgol Y Felin Achieves Fair Trade Award

A Felinfoel school has been recognized for its work in supporting Fair Trade. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ysgol y Felin has become one of the first schools in the Llanelli area to gain the prestigious Fair Trade Achiever Award which in Wales is marked by the Fair Trade flag. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The flag was raised at a ceremony during the school assembly attended by Carmarthenshire County Council Executive Board Member for Education and Children’s Services Cllr Gareth Jones and Acting Director of Education and Children’s Services Gareth Morgans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Jones said: “I’d like to congratulate Ysgol y Felin on achieving this award. Fair Trade ensures that we respect producers and our planet. Producers are provided a fair price for their products and the FT premium ensures that farmers can set up schools for their children; provide local health services or loans to develop new businesses in their communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Wales was the first Fair Trade Country in the world. Carmarthenshire agreed to support the Fair Trade movement and gained FT status as a county eight years ago.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chair of Governors Cllr Hugh Richards said: “It’s nice to be one of the first schools in the Llanelli town area to have achieved this award. It is essential that we trade fairly as a school.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To gain the award the school has agreed a Fair Trade policy that was supported by pupils, teachers and governors; developed a Fair Trade Action Plan, ensured pupils learned about FT in lessons and that the school uses FT products, and undertaken two Fair Trade challenges. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​