Birmingham Welcomed Fairtrade Event (Birmingham Liberal Democrats)

Birmingham Liberal Democrats <info@birminghamlibdems.org.uk>

Birmingham Welcomed Fairtrade Event

March 6, 2008 11:10 PM

Local Lib Dems supported Birmingham becoming a Fairtrade City.

Victoria Square today played host to a Fairtrade event, jointly organised Birmingham City Council and the Fairtrade Association Birmingham (FAB), to raise awareness of Fairtrade. Councillor Paul Tilsley, Leader of the Lib Dem Council Group, said: "As one of the more advanced countries in the world we have a clear social and moral responsibility to lead the way in ensuring all the goods we buy have been ethically sourced and produced."

Birmingham is the single biggest city in the UK to have been accredited by the national Fairtrade Foundation, in recognition of the number of shops, cafes and businesses within the city who are selling Fairtrade goods and using Fairtrade products. In total Fairtrade products are available in more than 150 Birmingham shops, and are served at over 60 local cafés and restaurants.

To obtain Fairtrade status goods need to be produced in the developing world in an environment with decent working conditions, environmentally friendly techniques and fair market prices. The aim of the Fairtrade movement is to address injustices within conventional trading which can sometimes lead to exploitation of producers from poorer areas.