At lunchtime on Friday 19th September 2014, Mike Moon the chairman of the Abingdon Fairtrade Steering Group presented the Mayor, Councillor Angela Lawrence, with a certificate saying that the status of Abingdon-on-Thames as a Fairtrade Town had been renewed in 2014.
The Abingdon Fairtrade Group has held events on the Market Place and in town, promoted Fairtrade locally, and led Fairtrade assemblies in schools.
Angela is a long term supporter of Fairtrade and as a new councillor, 21 years ago, put a proposal to the Vale of White Horse District Council that they buy Fairtrade, but was defeated at that time – Fairtrade coffee was not as good back then as it is now.
The next Fairtrade event in Abingdon is at St Ethelwolds on 29th November when there will be a Christmas Fairtrade Market.
I am so pleased that Abingdon has got its Fairtrade status back, and that more and more products, bearing the Fairtrade mark are slowly becoming available.
Fairtrade works to benefit small-scale farmers and workers, who are amongst the most marginalised groups globally, to enable them to maintain their livelihoods.
If everyone makes a habit of asking if, for instance, the coffee being served is fair trade, and if not, why not, more people will start getting the message