Support for Fairtrade continues during lockdown with shoppers being encouraged to put a Fairtrade item in their real or virtual shopping trolley this month.

The annual campaign which this year runs from 22nd February to 7th March is usually a chance for residents to meet with and find out about the work of Stourbridge Fairtrade, which this year celebrates ten years of Stourbridge as a Fairtrade Town.

This year, organisers haven’t been able to put on one of their popular tasting events or art competitions and instead are asking shoppers to buy something Fairtrade instead. Jane Williamson from Stourbridge Fairtrade said:

"One of the simplest ways to make the world fairer is by buying Fairtrade goods. Here in Stourbridge our shops, independent traders and supermarkets, continue to offer a range of Fairtrade tea, coffee, chocolate, wine, spices, sugar and flowers so please look out for the logo and support those farmers who work hard to produce items we want without damaging the planet."

Nationally, the Fairtrade Foundation is hosting an online festival: Choose the World You want Festival : Fairtrade, Climate and You. Fairtrade Fortnight 2021 marks the start of a new climate campaign asking the British public to get behind Fairtrade so that farmers overseas can benefit from fairer prices, fairer trading practices and the resources needed for tackling the climate emergency in climate vulnerable countries such as Kenya and Honduras. Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council said:

"While we can’t run our normal events or information sessions to support the fortnight, people can do their bit by adding a fairtrade chocolate bar, banana, pack of tea bags, jar of coffee or bag of sugar to their weekly shop.

"We’ve always supported the work of Stourbridge Fairtrade and congratulate them on ten years of being a Fairtrade Town. The Fairtrade Foundation website is full of information and ideas about how people can help make a difference."

While recent circumstances have made life more challenging for many farmers and traders in the UK, life is very much harder for farmers in developing countries. Fair value, fair prices and fairer trading practices empower them to invest in their farms, adapting their work, diversifying their crops and becoming more resilient to the climate crisis as they care for their land.