In Dumfries and Galloway We Are a Fairtrade Zone!

Fairtrade in Dumfries and Galloway

Issue 2 Summer 2018 We are a Fairtrade Zone!

and G es al ri lo f w m a u y D

r e o Dumfries and Galloway is now n u o d Z Adam Gardner, Communities Campaigns officially a Fairtrade Zone. This to e Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation, said: b ad award was given to the region by e a irtr Fa “We are delighted to welcome Dumfries the Fairtrade Foundation in October and Galloway to the Fairtrade movement 2017 and recognises the work of our which now boasts more than 1,900 communities campaign which started ten years ago. worldwide, taking practical steps to making a To achieve Fairtrade Zone status we had to demonstrate fairer world trade system a reality. Thanks to grass roots support across the region and so Fairtrade campaigners from Castle Douglas, Dumfries, Dunscore, the support of the public and campaigners, an Kirkcudbright and Wigtown, joined Dumfries and increasing number of farmers in developing Galloway Council and Loch Arthur Camphill Community countries are now selling their products on (the region’s Fairtrade Employer Champion) to promote Fairtrade terms, bringing them a stable income, Fairtrade. and the chance to trade their way out of poverty”.

Celebration events were held across the region to recognise the achievement. The photos show the award being presented from the Fairtrade Foundation to the Regional Steering Group Chair Colin Smyth MSP and the celebrations at Dumfries Fairtrade Group’s annual Fairer World Fair. Dumfries Castle Douglas the use of the Fairtrade Mark, It has been a busy few months for LOCAL The High School Christmas Fayre Wigtown NATIONAL the implications of Brexit on the the Dumfries Fairtrade Group. on 30th November went like…. UK’s trade with the Global South, well…. a fair! A wonderful array Fairtrade’s place in the Scottish Fairer World Fair ROUND-UP UPDATES of handmade, ethically and locally Government’s International The annual Fairer World Fair, sourced products were on display Development Strategy and Northern organised by Dumfries Fairtrade Scottish Fair Trade and Traidcraft staff brought this fab Ireland’s journey to become a Group, was held on Saturday 4th range of goodies! Forum Fairtrade Nation. November at St George’s Church Hall. Kirkcudbright The Scottish Fair After the conference, the Scottish The highlight of the day was The Kirkcudbright Group has been Trade Forum Fair Trade Forum held their AGM celebrating Dumfries and Galloway’s busy with its many regular activities held their annual and delegates took part in a walk Fairtrade Zone status with a delicious including talks at schools, a biannual Campaigner around Perth, which incorporated cake, created by Annette’s Baking in newsletter, a Coffee Morning for Conference on stops at Fairtrade shops and a Box (recently featured in Channel One World Week, a stand at the 2nd September churches. They also heard what 4’s My Kitchen Rules UK). Country Fair in September and yet in Perth. Rolf pupils from two local schools were Rosemary Buwert, Chair of the another 90kg Rice Challenge! (every Buwert from doing to support Fairtrade. Dumfries Fairtrade Group, said, 90kg of Fairtrade rice that’s sold the Dumfries Fairtrade Group and This year the Scottish Fair Trade “The annual Fairer World Fair is a provides enough funding to pay for Rhona Macgregor from Dumfries Forum is planning to hold their showcase for many of the products ploughs for local co-operatives or Another Beltie and Galloway Council joined Campaigners Conference in a child in a developing country to that are available locally, and we also campaigners from across Scotland Dumfries and Galloway on 8th attend secondary school). joins the herd! love to support local food producers at the event. September 2018. Please look out for and businesses, so it was great to Featuring ‘Wigtown Book details nearer the time - it would be The conference involved have Annette’s Baking in a Box as Town’ on his side and sporting great if you could join us! presentations on changes in part of the day.” Dunscore a fetching mini book made The Fair was a great success and by a local artist, the Name included products and stalls from The combination of Bala Sport our Beltie competition at the Neal’s Yard, Oxfam, Hadeel (from Fairtrade footballs and Queen Wigtown Book Festival in Edinburgh), Traidcraft, Just Trading of the South Goalkeepers Scotland, Senegal, Second Nature and ensured that a ‘Beat The Goalie’ September/October attracted YhoYho as well as a wonderful café! competition at Dunscore Gala lots of interest. The winning proved a winner! Fairtrade Town Status Renewal name, suggested by Mary Mitchell from Stranraer, was Bertie the Beltie. Pictured are Mary Mitchell receiving Fairtrade flowers, Fairtrade the prize of a Fairtrade wine, Fairtrade gold and Hamper from Councillor other products were on Katie Hagmann, Vice Chair of display at the Friars Carse Wigtown Area Committee, Wedding Fayre in January Sandra McDowall, Chair of as those who attended were Scottish Parliament Cross Party Wigtown Festival Company Evidence to renew Dumfries Town’s encouraged to ‘Make Your Group on Fairtrade (who was the judge), Kenny Fairtrade status was submitted to the Wedding Fair’. The AGM of the Cross Party Group the opportunities and challenges Fairtrade Foundation in October and Barr, Fundraising Officer and on Fairtrade took place on 1st for fair trading during Brexit and we received our renewal certificate Mary’s friend Mairi McRobert. November and Colin Smyth, one of there was a lot of discussion about in early December. This is now our local MSPs, was unanimously where and how MPs, MSPs and local displayed in the Ewart Library. re-elected as the Convener. Gordon campaigners could get involved. Lindhurst MSP is the Vice Convener Updates on public procurement, and Martin Rhodes of The Scottish Sainsbury’s and links with other Fair Trade Forum is the Secretary. groups, including the UK Parliament A presentation from Fairtrade Group, also proved very useful. Foundation Campaign and Policy expert Helen Dennis highlighted Castle Douglas Dumfries Fairtrade A bag of Fairtrade goodies was the This year, Fairtrade Fortnight prize for a ‘Fair-ly Easy Fairtrade continued into May - the bad FORTNIGHT 2018 Quiz’ which was run in Castle weather in March had meant the Douglas during Fairtrade Fortnight. postponement of the Dumfries Fairtrade Group’s Tasting Evening. Fairtrade Fortnight But everyone was a winner at Instead of snow and ice, our Threave Gardens Tea Room on ran from Monday rescheduled event in May was on a Sunday 18th March which hosted lovely sunny evening which brought 26th February until free tastings of Fairtrade chocolate, more than 60 people to The Stove wine and biscuits! Sunday 11th March to try different Fairtrade teas, and this year’s coffees, chocolates, wines and even cosmetics, along with local cheeses theme was ‘Come and oatcakes accompanied by on in to Fairtrade’. It Eswatini chutneys from Swaziland. was promoted and Dumfries Fairtrade Group really enjoyed the opportunity to work celebrated right across with Fair Squared Cosmetics, Oxfam the region by local Dumfries and The Stove to create this event, which reached a wide Fairtrade Groups, range of people, and to showcase a Dumfries and Galloway diverse range of products with the Fairtrade Mark. Council, voluntary organisations, Moffat businesses and faith And here’s ‘Toffee’, the toffee coloured Beltie from the home groups. of Moffat Toffee! The name was picked through a competition amongst pupils from Moffat Primary School Poster Alison Wright, on behalf of the The children worked hard to School as part of their Fairtrade Dumfries Fairtrade Group, said demonstrate what Fairtrade meant Competition Day on 15th March which involved “Children in Dumfries and Galloway to them and the understanding of baking, games, singing and drama! To celebrate Dumfries and Galloway are passionate about Fairtrade. the importance of being a Fairtrade When the Moffat Toffee shop heard becoming a Fairtrade Zone, the We were delighted to see great supporter shone through.” about the Beltie’s name they kindly Dumfries Fairtrade Group invited entries from across the region from made a special batch of Fairtrade primary school pupils across the near Annan to Stranraer”. One of Moffat Toffee for the pupils! region to design a poster on the the judges, Julie Hollis, added “As theme “Dumfries and Galloway a judges we were impressed by the Wigtown Fairtrade Zone” linking local and standard and variety of entries! Members of two book Fairtrade themes. The winning groups and other avid posters were then displayed in the readers met in Wigtown Ewart Library in Dumfries during The judges at work Customer Service Centre Fairtrade Fortnight. The winners for ‘A Bite, A Book & A came from Noblehill, Dunscore, Blether’ on Tuesday 27th Amisfield, Park and Carrutherstown February. Using Fairtrade Primary Schools. The entries were ingredients, soup, judged by Council Leader Elaine sandwiches, cake, tea Murray; Councillor Jeff Leaver, Chair and coffee were provided of Children, Young People and for those who attended. Lifelong Learning Committee; Julie As we can see from the Hollis, Cloud 9 studio; and Rosemary smiles in the picture, an Buwert, Dumfries Fairtrade Group. enjoyable time was had by all! The winning entries 4 5 Dunscore Kirkcudbright Dunscore was highlighted Fairtrade Fortnight goes town-wide in Kirkcudbright nationally when they were They say every picture speaks a featured as the Fairtrade thousand words, and here’s proof that Fairtrade Fortnight 2018 was Foundation’s ‘Community the hot topic on everyone’s lips of the Day’ during Fairtrade in Kirkcudbright this year. The annual event was well supported Fortnight! Find out what the by businesses, churches (of every community did to celebrate denomination) and residents alike Fairtrade Fortnight below. in Kirkcudbright. The Kirkcudbright Fairtrade Group made good use of Local groups created a frieze the excellent range of Fortnight based on the ‘Come on in to promotional materials available Fairtrade’ theme, which was hung from the Fairtrade Foundation. outside the village hall. During its Local traders around the town annual Big Brew, twenty five stall The Fairtrade Group at Dunscore were more than happy to put up holders filled the village hall and a range of posters and materials church with fairly traded and local Primary School baked for their Big Brew using Fairtrade chocolate and provided by the Group, and local goods, making the event twice Local churches invited us in Brambles Fairtrade window sugar. They invited everyone in the householders did their own displays its usual size! As well as enjoying in windows or on gate posts. an excellent range of items for village for a Coffee Afternoon to The Group specifically promoted sale, those who attended were enjoy the results, washed down The Group has always invested businesses who sold Fairtrade treated to music and Fairtrade with some Fairtrade beverages of considerable time in educating products through regular Facebook refreshments! course! youngsters about Fairtrade, and updates with recipes, stories and this year was no exception. Despite images of the goods available – also the wintry weather, we took an The Pre-School invited parents, providing a useful database to be art activity and presentation to grandparents and friends to a Wee used in future promotions. Several most schools in the area including Brew where everyone enjoyed businesses also put together their Kirkcudbright, Twynholm, Fairtrade cakes and biscuits, baked own displays of Fairtrade products. Auchencairn and Borgue Primaries, by the children, and a Fairtrade We circulated our updated and ran a Fairtrade stall for three days chocolate fountain. The children Fairtrade directory and town at Dalbeattie High. Our Kirkcudbright demonstrated their knowledge map, and the Group secured good Guides also worked hard to achieve of Fairtrade using an interactive coverage of Fairtrade Fortnight their Fairtrade badges. computer story. activities and businesses through the kind support of the Galloway A sample of Fairtrade gifts on sale News. Dunscore Parish Church has been a Fairtrade church for many years. Coffee mornings are very popular Fairtrade featured in the sermon in the town, and our Fairtrade We hope to see you event at the start of the Fortnight and prayers during its service at again soon at both the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, proved no exception. We had to which was followed by a simple but Our stall at Dalbeattie High find extra tables to cope with the the Kirkcudbright delicious lunch including fairly traded high demand, ran out of cheese Kilombero rice from Malawi and a scones yet again (very popular in Country Fair (14-15 Fairtrade chocolate fountain. Kirkcudbright!), sold a wide range of Fairtrade gifts and foods, ran July) and the Art During Fairtrade Fortnight the a successful raffle with donated number of Fairtrade gold licenced & Crafts Trail (3-6 products from local retailers, and jewellery designers in the area raised a record amount of money to August)! doubled! Dunscore jewellery designer support the Fairtrade Foundation. (and Big Brew stall-holder) Joanna We thank everyone who helped or Repton announced that, like Alison attended it. McLeod from Thornhill, she is now ‘Come on In’ open doors at licenced to work with Fairtrade gold. Twynholm Primary 6 7 Contact us Links For further information about Fairtrade, or to get Fairtrade Foundation involved in the work in your local area, please find [email protected] contact details for the local Fairtrade Groups below. Although there’s activity in individual schools and www.facebook.com/FairtradeFoundation organisations, we don’t have any Fairtrade Groups in www.twitter.com/FairtradeUK Annandale and Eskdale or Wigtown but would love to hear of people who would like to be involved in one! www.fairtrade.org.uk

Castle Douglas Fairtrade Group Scottish Fair Trade Forum

[email protected] [email protected]

www.facebook.com/CastleDouglasFairtradeTown www.facebook.com/ FairTradeNation

www.twitter.com/FairTradeNation Dumfries Fairtrade Group www.scottishfairtradeforum.org.uk [email protected]

www.facebook.com/DumfriesFairtrade

www.twitter.com/FairDumfries www.twitter.com/FairDumfries Future Meetings and Events www.dumfriesfairtrade.org.uk Next meeting of the Regional Steering Group is on Monday 17th September in Municipal Dunscore Fairtrade Group Chambers, Dumfries. [email protected]

‘Dunscore Fairtrade Group’ Dumfries and Galloway Council has received its www.twitter.com/fairdunscore membership of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum www.dunscore.org.uk/dunscore-fairtrade-group for 2018. This means we can access their events and information. Liz Manson, the Dumfries and Kirkcudbright Fairtrade Group Galloway Council representative on the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, was elected the “large organisation” [email protected] representative on the Board and therefore participates in quarterly meetings. www.facebook.com/Kirkcudbright-Fairtrade-Group

Fairtrade in Dumfries and Galloway Facebook page

Look up ‘Dumfries and Galloway Fairtrade’

Dumfries and Galloway Council

Rhona Macgregor

Community Learning and Development Worker

[email protected]