TV PERSONALITY Tony Robinson has been invited to a special event in Tavistock next week, which is raising money for the newly formed Tavistock Fairtrade Town Initiative. TFTI is holding a quiz night at the Parish Rooms on Friday June 24, to which Tony and West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox have been invited. Geri Laithwaite, of TFTI, said Tony was attending a big event at the Eden Project on June 25 ? so she has e-mailed him to invite him to enter the quiz the night before. It costs £2 per person to enter and there will be Fairtrade refreshments on offer ? the event starts at 7.30pm and all are welcome. The next step towards making Tavistock a Freetrade town is being taken next month, when TFTI intends contacting catering businesses, urging them to do their bit to combat Third World poverty. The group is writing to the businesses, asking them to buy Fairtrade goods such as tea and coffee for their customers. The group will also be contacting other businesses in the town, asking them to do the same thing, where applicable, for their personnel. Geri said: ?With both Exeter and Plymouth registered as Fairtrade cities, the race is now on for Tavistock to become the first Fairtrade town in Devon. ?Having responded to public demand, both cities have produced Fairtrade directories, and TFTI will be compiling one for Tavistock.? Geri said the Fairtrade mark was an independent consumer label which appeared on products as a guarantee that producers are paid a fair wage and their communities benefit from an added premium. For example, Tanzanian farmers were able to weather a six-year cash crisis when the price of coffee was below the cost of production. Anyone who would like to find out more about TFTI or the quiz night should call Geri Laithwaite on 01822 617457.
