It's official
It's official: Burgess Hill is a Fairtrade Town - Phil Dennett, July 27th 2006
Campaigners are pledging to build on their success as they celebrate a milestone in the Fairtrade movement in Burgess Hill.The Fairtrade Foundation has officially awarded the community the status of a Fairtrade Town.
Chairman of the Burgess Hill Fairtrade Steering group Rose Proctor presented the certificate to vice-chairman of Burgess Hill Town Council, Alan Ranger, at Taylor's Restaurant in Burgess Hill on Saturday.
The group is now working independently, having been working with the town council on the project.
Rose said:
"We still have a lot more progress to achieve. Our aim is not just to have the Fairtrade status but to stay true to the Fairtrade principles, and we want to make more people aware of the movement and support it. For us, this is not the end of the campaign, it is just the beginning."
The group will have to show the Foundation each year under an annual review that a certain level of Fairtrade activity has been achieved in the town.
One of the aims is to encourage people, including local firms, to buy more Fairtrade products, where the poor people producing the goods are guaranteed a fairer share of the profits.
Rose believes that as the campaign for a better deal gathered momentum it was also helped to some extent by the huge coverage of the global Live8 event last year.
Rose said: "I think we were quite lucky in that 2005 was the year of Live8. All that internaional focus helped. People are certainly much more aware of Fairtrade now but we do have a lot more work to do."
Taylor's restaurant is one of the Fairtrade businesses in the town and uses Fairtrade tea and coffee. Owner Michelle Taylor used as many Fairtrade ingredients as she could find for the celebration breakfast including muesli and honey although the cooked breakfast offered her less scope. Back to top