Ilkley celebrates 20 years of being a Fairtrade town
- 58 minutes ago
- 2 min read
As Fairtrade Fortnight approaches, Ilkley is getting ready to celebrate 20 years of having an official Fairtrade Town status.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2026 will run from 21 September until 4 October, and this year the Ilkley Fairtrade Group are running a Fairtrade Trail Quiz, holding a coffee morning and composing a new directory of shops and businesses around town which support Fairtrade.
A spokesperson for the Ilkley group said: "As you enter Ilkley by road you pass a ‘Welcome to Ilkley’ sign which states that Ilkley is a Fairtrade Town. This accreditation has been the case since 2006 and on 10 October there will be a celebration of twenty years of the town’s Fairtrade status.
“This status is awarded to towns who promote Fairtrade and who raise the awareness of the social, economic and environmental benefits of the global Fairtrade system for farmers and workers in less developed countries.
“In about 2003 a small but determined group led by Rosie Tudge from All Saints Church, and including the late councillor Brian Mann and the late Alan Lowe from Christchurch set about raising the awareness of Fairtrade in Ilkley, three years later Ilkley was awarded Fairtrade Town status.
“Fairness in trade should be a fundamental principle for all, but sadly too often it is the farmer and the workers who get the most unfair deal.
“A coffee farmer typically receives only 4p from a £3.70 cup of coffee - but if the coffee farmer has the backing of Fairtrade they receive approximately 35p.
“Fairtrade exists to ensure that the rules of trade are challenged and to make fairness the norm not the exception.”
Fairtrade means:
Fair working conditions: Fair to People
Support for sustainable farming practice and dealing with the effects of climate change: Fair to the Planet
A fair price for produce: Fair Pay
This Fairtrade Fortnight from 21 September, Ilkley Fairtrade Group are organising a Fairtrade Trail, with a prize donated by Co-op. Quiz questions will be displayed at a number of premises where Fairtrade products are sold. Entry forms can be obtained from Christchurch [foyer], Oxfam [The Grove], Tesco (customer services), and other locations.
The Ilkley Fairtrade Group with the support of Ilkley BID are putting together a new Fairtrade Directory of all the shops and businesses which support Fairtrade. It will be available on the Discover Ilkley website.
On 10 October from 10.30am there will be a coffee morning at Christchurch on The Grove, giving people the chance to celebrate twenty years of Ilkley’s status as a Fairtrade Town. There will be free refreshments, a Fairtrade stall, information and the cutting of a birthday cake. The winner of the Fairtrade Trail Quiz will also be announced.
The spokesperson added: “You can support Fairtrade by making a positive decision to look out for the Fairtrade blue and green logo in Ilkley stores and cafes.”
