Press Room > Oxfam Ireland Press Release

March 5th 2005

PRESS RELEASE

CHECK OUT FAIRTRADE
High Standards. Great products. Real Change.

CHECK OUT FAIRTRADE is the theme for Fairtrade Fortnight (1 - 13 March 2005) and is a call to consumers to find out all about the FAIRTRADE Mark - the only independent guarantee of a fair deal for farmers in developing countries. It's also encouraging shoppers to take goods with the FAIRTRADE Mark to the checkout of their local shop or supermarket.

Oxfam Northern Ireland will be hosting Gerardo Arias Camacho, a Fairtrade coffee farmer from Costa Rica, in Belfast for one day on Friday 4th March in the Waterfront Hall. This is part of an exciting new campaign to make Belfast a 'Fairtrade City'. The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor Cllr Tom Ekin will be in attendance to give his support to the campaign and congratulate the efforts of the Waterfont Hall catering in switching to Fairtrade tea and coffee. "This is a great campaign for the people of Belfast, and Belfast City Council to be promoting. We can be very proud of what the Belfast Fairtrade City steering group have achieved so far, and wait with anticipation for Belfast achieving the title of 'Fairtrade City'."

The CHECK OUT FAIRTRADE campaign aims to put the FAIRTRADE Mark at the forefront of this year's Fairtrade Fortnight - the annual two weeks of intensive awareness-raising and campaigning. It aims to deepen understanding about the positive impact of Fairtrade.

"It's such a simple thing for consumers to choose products with the FAIRTRADE Mark, and yet it's a Small Change that makes a BIG DIFFERENCE", says Suzie Hamilton, Campaigns Officer for Oxfam Northern Ireland. "The Fairtrade system not only means paying a fairer, price but guarantees a long term trading commitment allowing communities a real chance to plan for, and build, a brighter future and 'Make Poverty History'."

Gerardo Arias Camacho will be touring Ireland during Fairtrade Fortnight. Gerardo has just 5 hectares of land under coffee production and is a member of Coopellano Bonito Cooperative. The origin of Coopellano Bonito dates back to January 12, 1972, when 189 small coffee producers from the district of Llano Bonito de Leon Cortes united in a co-operative. They united out of necessity because of social and economic problems caused by their distance to the city and by lack of communication infrastructure. Before Coopellano Bonito, producers suffered exploitation at the hands of private mills that would buy their coffee for exceptionally low prices. Now they are one of the longest standing producer groups involved with Fairtrade and have gained significant benefits as a result.

Notes to Editors

1. The FAIRTRADE Mark is an independent consumer label which appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal. Today, more than 5 million people, including farmers, workers and their families across 49 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.

2. The goals to achieve Fairtrade City status are: local council passes a resolution supporting Fairtrade, and agrees to serve Fairtrade coffee and tea at its meetings and in its offices and canteens; a range of Fairtrade products are readily available in the area's shops; Fairtrade products are served in local cafes/catering establishments; Fairtrade products are used by a number of local work places (estate agents, hairdressers etc) and community organisations (churches, schools etc); a local Fairtrade steering group is convened to ensure continued commitment to its Fairtrade Town status

3. Photocall sent to picture desks.

For further information please contact Oxfam Ireland Press Officer Paul Dunphy on 01 6040706/0879058075