Fairtrade News & Events

What's happening in your local area?
 
The Fairtrade Fortnight 2009 campaign reached 17.7 million people. In part, this was through the thousands of events organised by passionate Fairtrade groups across the UK - from coffee mornings and fashion shows to wine tastings and debates.

Fairtrade Fortnight is a great opportunity for your business to link up with your local Fairtrade group. For 2010, the Fairtrade Foundation will be working in partnership with Fairtrade groups in six cities across the UK - London, Cardiff, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Dundee - who are organising Strictly Fairtrade Tea dances on 27 February. Find out what's happening in these six cities and other towns across the UK as well as who to contact if you want to at our events calendar here.

Or why not organise your own event - Fairtrade have created a range of materials including an events pack to make it really easy for everyone and anyone to get involved. Don't forget to add your event to the calendar (especially if you want the public to come along) and send us your photos 
 
Reach out to our active campaigns network
 
If you would like us to post information on our Big Swap website about what you would like to offer campaigns groups for their events please email marketing@fairtrade.org.uk with information about what you are offering, for example product samples, staff to attend or speak at events, space in store, etc, as well as who groups should contact at your organisation and how. Please note that Fairtrade cannot guarantee that your offers will be taken up but these offers of support will be publicised through the big swap website and all communications to Fairtrade groups in the run up to Fortnight. 
 
Invasion of the Tea Ladies 25 February 
 
Working with the Ministry Of Fun on a media stunt involving tea ladies on London Bridge during rush hour, ending up in Trafalgar Square for a show of dancing tea ladies!  There will be an opportunity for product sampling with the public at this event.  If your office is in London please come along to join in the fun with your colleagues!  Please email neil.martin@fairtrade.org.uk if you are interested in getting involved.
 
 
Hit the road with Fairtrade cotton
 
In celebration of the fifth anniversary of Fairtrade cotton in the UK, our cotton team will be visiting a number of fashion colleges across the UK during Fairtrade Fortnight to inspire and educate the designers and buyers of the future about Fairtrade cotton (Huddersfield, Manchester Metropolitan, Nottingham, Northumbria and Central St Martin's). If you would like to get involved in any of these events, by providing samples or materials or even by coming along to talk to the students about Fairtrade cotton in your business, please email laura.bennett@fairtrade.org.uk 
 
Media coverage for your Fairtrade products
 
In the past Fairtrade Fortnight has helped generate an unprecedented amount of media attention and coverage of Fairtrade during the two week period. We are now collecting samples to allow us to respond to journalist enquiries as quickly as possible as well as allow us to have display products for TV appearances. If you would like to provide us with 20 units of your key Fairtrade products and any information you may want to accompany them please email neil.martin@fairtrade.org.uk
As we're sure you'll appreciate, we can make no guarantees as to which products are used.
 
Get web savvy with our free Big Swap widget
There are plenty of great ways that you and your business can promote your involvement with the Big Swap. Here are a few simple ideas

Download a selection of web banners to add to your websites and blogs, linking to http://www.thebigswap.org.uk. In addition, the Big Swap widget will be available shortly to embed on web pages, Facebook fan pages and blogs. This widget will provide an overview of Fairtrade Fortnight, stream a film on The Big Swap, let people register their swaps and share the news with their online contacts.

And finally, don't forget to register your own Fairtrade swap - each and every swap will be proof that you, your colleagues and your customers want producers in the developing world to get a fairer deal.