Towns make poverty history (From Gazette Series)

Towns make poverty history

NEW signs will soon be going up declaring that Cam and Dursley have won their bid for Fairtrade town status.

From Wednesday, June 1 motorist visiting the neighbouring communities will be aware that the concept of paying a fair price for goods grown by people in the developing world who earn a fair wage for their labours is important to Cam and Dursley residents.

The group behind the bid, the Cam and Dursley Fairtrade Town Coalition, were hugely excited this week that their bid had been accepted.

Coalition bid co-ordinator Su Chard said: "This is fantastic news for the people of Cam and Dursley, the two local councils, as well as the organisations and businesses that took the trouble to take part."

The bid took 15 months to compile and the coalition had an anxious wait while it was assessed by the Fairtrade Foundation.

Stringent criteria had to be met before the status could be awarded. Mrs Chard added: "There are one or two things that we will have to work towards but we were congratulated on the quality of the bid.

"We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who supported us and would also like to let people know to look out for the road signs that will declare officially that Cam and Dursley are Fairtrade towns."

She went on to say how surprised the coalition group had been to see how many local people use Fairtrade goods and how readily available they are in Cam and Dursley.

"In a year where we are asked to make poverty history," she continued, "This is a real and practical way that the people of Cam and Dursley can make it happen. "We see the world's poverty starkly on our televisions and many people feel helpless and don't know how to be part of the solution.

"Fairtrade is part of that solution and with every cup of Fairtrade coffee you drink you are helping a producer move from poverty, provide education for their families, health care for villages and so much more.

"All this just by making an informed choice about what you put in your shopping basket."