LOCAL businesses have been celebrating the news that Ammanford has successfully renewed its Fair Trade Town status, by promoting their Fairtrade products, and by dressing up in Fairtrade Banana costumes!
Staff from both Greggs and Jenkins brightened up Quay Street by wearing the banana costumes, and shoppers in the town’s CoOp were surprised to see shelves being stacked by giant Fairtrade bananas!
Other businesses shared photos on social media of their Fairtrade stock, and of staff proudly holding the new Fair Trade Town certificate.
To be a Fair Trade Town, the campaign has to be supported by a good selection of shops and cafes stocking Fairtrade products. Schools, faith groups, community groups, local politicians and individuals are also involved in the long established Ammanford Fair Trade Town campaign. Ammanford became the first Fair Trade Town in Wales back in 2002 and has maintained its status ever since.
Ammanford Fair Trade Town Group member, Phil Broadhurst, said: “Coaltown Coffee shared the photo of their Fairtrade espresso coffee which is used by the Welsh government and is in the Houses Of Parliament’s shop. That’s one sign of how far we’ve come since the days when it was only the CoOp and some church stalls who were selling Fairtrade products in Ammanford.”
In awarding renewed Fair Trade Town status to Ammanford, the Fairtrade Foundation said: “You have demonstrated dedication to take your campaign forward and ensure Fairtrade becomes part of daily life in Ammanford.”
The Fairtrade mark, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, lets consumers know that the people who have made those products which carry the mark have been paid a fair price for their work. It also shows that the producers’ communities, which include some of the poorest in the world, have benefitted from the Fairtrade Premium which helps support local initiatives such as providing education and health services.
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