By HELEN COMPSON helen.compson@hexham-courant.co.uk

Published at 13:14, Thursday, 22 January 2009

HEXHAM has become the first place in Tynedale to achieve Fairtrade Town status.

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The group formed two years ago to rally support for independent food producers learned this week its application for accreditation had been successful.

It was able to demonstrate strong support for the movement – thanks to the number of shops, cafes, offices and churches stocking Fairtrade products – and the fact it has the support of Hexham Town Council.

Far from being the end of the matter, however, accreditation is only the beginning, said driving force Penny Grennan.

“From now on, we have to demonstrate a continuous level of support and we have to increase our level of activity.

“We want to make the Fairtrade status visible, so we are talking to Hexham Town Council about having a sign put up, and we are looking at stickers for shops that sell Fairtrade products.”

An independent consumer organisation, Fairtrade negotiates fair deals with Third World producers for the 2,000 or so products on its books.

By guaranteeing the producers a minimum, reasonable price for their goods, it offers them the security of knowing what they will get for their next crop.

A percentage of the money changing hands is also ploughed back into projects in their local communities, providing facilities for the common good.

One fact the Hexham members are keen to stress is that the concept of fair trade promotes the interests of the UK’s independent food producers, too.

“That issue has come up time and time again – people were worried Fairtrade would be in conflict with local producers,” said Mrs Grennan.

“But we are very much in support of both. Besides, a lot of the Fairtrade products are simply not produced in the UK, such as tea, coffee, sugar and bananas.”

The group hopes to bring a Chilean honey producer over to take part in a promotional event alongside a local honey producer.

Europe as a whole produces Fairtrade only three per cent of the honey sold, an insignificant amount compared to the level of demand.

Mrs Grennan said: “There is room for both suppliers and we work in support of both of them.”

An increasing emphasis is being placed on educating the next generation, and creating the right conditions so today’s youngsters can grow up used to shopping for Fairtrade products.

Members of the group have worked with Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School on its successful application for Fairtrade School status. They are supporting the Sele First School in its bid, and they manned a stall at last year’s Selefest festival.

Hexham people now have the chance to vote for the Fairtrade logo they would like for the town.

A selection of designs by year 10 students at Queen Elizabeth High School will be exhibited at Hexham Library until February 6.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk