Beccles NWR Group is based in one of 203 Fairtrade Towns across the UK, nine in Suffolk alone. This September we celebrated national Fairtrade Fortnight with a lively morning learning about how Fairtrade works on the ground.
As most NWR members will be aware, Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.
Our speaker was Patrick Kaberia, tea farmer and Fairtrade Ambassador from Kenya, who has been speaking to groups of all ages across Suffolk. He focused on the practical difference which Fairtrade terms and conditions make to his community, from financing tree planting to mitigate the impact of climate change to supporting medical and educational projects. He also pointed out that more power and respect for women is an important outcome of these policies.
Beccles Group’s teas and coffees have been Fairtrade for many years. The inspiration of Patrick’s presentation will no doubt renew members’ enthusiasm for choosing Fairtrade products in our own shopping too.
Elizabeth Bracken
