Monmouthshire makes a difference for Fairtrade Fortnight

Monmouthshire County Council is to support Fairtrade Fortnight by organising an event featuring four inspirational speakers and the work they carry out to support producers in the developing world to receive fair rewards for their endeavour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Monmouthshire Making a Difference will be held in County Hall, Usk on Tuesday, March 1st when staff and councillors will hear from council training officer Dawn Sadler about her experiences on a recent visit to Uganda. In addition, a Ugandan coffee grower will talk about the transformation that the Fairtrade organisation has made to his family and community while Martha Musonza Holman of local charity Love Zimbabwe will discuss links built between Wales and her native country through a Fairtrade craft business. The final talk will be delivered by Monmouthshire social worker Grace Bridgewater focusing on a project she runs in her home village in Kenya to improve life for orphans and vulnerable children. A particular aim of the charity Msingi wa Tumaini is to promote education for girls. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As part of the event, a volunteer from Usk Fairtrade Forum will run a stall to sell Fairtrade goods to staff and members. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Monmouthshire’s cabinet member responsible for sustainable development, Councillor Phil Hobson said: “It will be amazing to hear about the difference people in Monmouthshire can and are making in Africa. Fairtrade Fortnight is all about choices and helping people to understand that what we buy here can make a real impact on lives across the world.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillors will also be challenged to think carefully about whether the council should buy more Fairtrade products at a members’ seminar on Wednesday, 9th March called “Value versus Values: Fairtrade and Procurement”. This debate will be supported by Fairtrade Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Abergavenny, Chepstow, Monmouth and Usk Fairtrade Town groups are also running public events during Fairtrade Fortnight. The council’s Sustainability Policy Officer Hazel Clatworthy said: “Monmouthshire is proud to have been a Fairtrade County since 2008, and Fairtrade will be an important message at the National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny this August.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Monmouthshire Making a Difference is run in conjunction with Fairtrade Fortnight and International Women’s Day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​