THE Tavistock Fairtrade Initiative has achieved great success over the past year with winning Fairtrade Town status and support for its aims. Many organisations have been represented on the committee, including Tavistock Area Christians Together, Tavistock College, Town Council, Youth Café and Oxfam Campaign Support Group. The annual report says the group had to achieve five goals to get the Fairtrade Town award from the Fairtrade Foundation. These were support from the town council, retail and catering outlets, local workplaces, media coverage and a committee representative of the whole community. The Fairtrade mark is an independent consumer label which appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. A quiz night was run in the summer and a fair run in Fairtrade Fortnight to coincide with the farmers? market in March with stalls selling goods from the Gambia, Tamwed, Traidcraft, Oxfam, the One World Foundation and Art from the Heart among others. The group also produced a Fairtrade Directory and this is currently being updated with all products listed from bags to scarves and households items. In March next year there will be a second fair at the Parish Church Centre. Thanks have been expressed to all the people who have become involved in the initiative and supported Fairtrade products and events.
