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We’ve renewed our Fairtrade status

Embsay with Eastby was awarded Fairtrade Village status for the first time in May 2018 and this was renewed one year later by the Fairtrade Foundation. The pandemic and changes in the Award delayed the second renewal until recently.

Fairtrade towns, villages and regions are now known collectively as Fairtrade Communities and our next renewal application will be due in three years’ time.

Being a Fairtrade Community means that we are recognised as villages where people and organisations use some of their everyday choices to increase sales of Fairtrade products, in order to bring about positive change for farmers and workers in less economically developed countries in Africa, Asia and South America. Many of the foods and drinks we love are grown in places where worldwide changes in climate are having the most impact. Farmers growing cocoa, coffee, tea and bananas need the extra income, and training they receive from their Fairtrade organisations/cooperatives, to become more resilient to the climate crisis. If they don’t there are likely to be shortages of coffee, tea, cocoa and bananas in the future which will push prices even higher.

Embsay School, St Mary’s Church, the Parish Council, the community library, the WI, the Village Institute Management Committee, the village show and fete, Making Waves community café, the Cavendish Arms and village shop all support Fairtrade and use Fairtrade products whenever and wherever possible. For example, if you order a coffee after enjoying one of Owen’s delicious meals in the Cavendish Arms it will always be made from Fairtrade Arabica Espresso coffee beans. The Post Office and Paper Shop stock a selection of Fairtrade chocolates made in Whitaker’s family run chocolate factory in Skipton, and the new coffee machine uses Fairtrade beans.

We are a group of six volunteers, who meet regularly to plan events that raise awareness of the benefits Fairtrade brings.  We would like more people to join us for our planning meetings and/or to help with events. If you are interested please talk to any of us. Our next event is a Coffee Morning in the Village Institute Hall on Saturday 2^nd September from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

Sue Chute, Clare Dunn, Ann Lowe, Barbara Kipling, Stella Kirkbride (Parish Council representative) and Liz Roodhouse.