Stourbridge Fairtrade has successfully renewed Fairtrade status for the town over the next two years following its ongoing commitment to promote the brands principles.

Stourbridge was first awarded Fairtrade status in 2010, in recognition of the strong support for Fairtrade within the town and the achievement of five qualifying goals such as the availability of products in the local shops and catering outlets, high levels of support from local people, businesses, the council and faith groups. The group has been successful in its renewal bids in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

This year the group has gone into local schools, taken part in Stourbridge Carnival dressed as bananas as well as being active during Fairtrade Fortnight, the annual campaign of the national Fairtrade Foundation.

They put up displays in local libraries and worked with schools to help them learn more about fairtrade. The group was interviewed on Black Country Radio and did a Fairtrade trolley dash around the Ryemarket and Crown Centre, handing out free Fairtrade goodies to shoppers, including tea, coffee sticks and bananas.

The group also invited councillors to sign up to Fairtrade before a meeting of full council on Monday 19 February, ahead of Fairtrade Fortnight. Party leaders Councillor Patrick Harley and Councillor Pete Lowe took the pledge as well as the then Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and chief executive, Sarah Norman. Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council said:

“Dudley is a Fairtrade council and the committed volunteers at Stourbridge Fairtrade do a great job of raising awareness and hopefully changing people’s shopping habits.

“They have worked really hard with local schools and businesses to gain and maintain Fairtrade status for Stourbridge, and alongside our Fairtrade schools and supporters such as colleagues at Sainsbury’s Amblecote and Sedgley Fairtrade Initiative are working hard to make Dudley a Fairtrade borough.”

For more information about The Fairtrade mark and how to apply for Fairtrade status, visit fairtrade.org.uk.