What is Fair Trade?
 
Many farmers and workers in developing countries struggle to provide for their families. Poor market access and unfair trade rules often mean that the price they get for their crop does not cover the cost of production. Fairtrade is a rapidly growing international movement which seeks to guarantee a better deal for farmers and workers in the developing world.
 
Farmers form producer groups or cooperatives which brings together larger quantities of produce, which can then be traded on the global commodity market. A stable a sustainable price structure is agreed and an extra payment is added for them to invest in their community. This extra money has been used to improve roads, provide schooling, fund health clinics and invest in new farming methods. 
 
Currently there are over 7.5million people (farmers and workers) from over 70 countries, mainly in Asia, Africa the Caribbean and South America benefiting from the Fairtrade initiative.
 
Products include: coffee, tea, sugar, chocolate, cocoa, bananas, vanilla, rice and many types of fruit. 

Seeing the Fair Trade symbol on products is a guarantee that the goods are produced and sold in line with the guidelines set out by Fair Trade International, an organisation set up to provide standards and certification for all produce.
 
We can all help by looking for the Fair Trade symbol when shopping and also when visiting local coffee shops and selecting these products for our baskets, and having the satisfaction that in a small way, we are contributing to improving the living standards of our brothers and sisters thousands of miles away in their home countries. 


Bromham Baptist Church is a Fair Trade church. 
This means that we use Fair Trade products in our refreshments, actively encourage our congregation to use Fair Trade produce wherever possible and seek to increase awareness of the impact that Fair Trade can have in alleviating poverty.

Visit www.fairtrade.org.uk