Tea Dance Launches Renfrewshire’s “I Swap” Campaign for Fairtrade Fortnight

Dancers at a special Fairtrade tea dance in Paisley swapped their usual cuppa for giant mugs of Fairtrade tea to launch Renfrewshire’s “I Swap” Campaign.

The Renfrewshire Fairtrade Steering Group are launching the campaign as part of the upcoming worldwide Fairtrade Fortnight (February 22 – March 7).

The “I Swap” campaign will see people across Renfrewshire asked to sign a pledge to swap one regular purchase for a Fairtrade version. All those who sign a pledge will be entered into a prize draw to win a special Fairtrade prize at the end of Fairtrade Fortnight.

As part of the campaign Renfrewshire Council have already pledged to swap to using only Fairtrade tea and coffee at all future tea dances in the town hall.

Councillor Brian Lawson, Chair of the Renfrewshire Fairtrade Steering Group, said: “The national theme for Fairtrade Fortnight is ‘the big swap’, so our campaign is asking people to pledge to making one small swap, whether it’s tea, coffee, bananas, chocolate, because lots of small changes can make a big difference.

“The tea dances are a really popular, regular event, so this is taking Fairtrade to a different audience in Renfrewshire. We have made our swap, now we’re asking everyone in Renfrewshire to do the same.”

The Fairtrade Tea Dance also saw the launch of Renfrewshire’s 2010 Fairtrade Guide, which provides information on where to buy Fairtrade products in Renfrewshire and how to get involved in the campaign.

Provost Celia Lawson said: “Buying Fairtrade products helps to tackle poverty and injustice by giving producers in the developing world a better deal for the work they do and putting them in control of their own lives. Renfrewshire is already leading the way as a Fairtrade county, with a number of Fairtrade villages, towns and schools. Now we want to push that even further and get everyone in Renfrewshire supporting Fairtrade.”

A wide range of events will be taking place across Renfrewshire during Fairtrade Fortnight including:

– Fairtrade Tea Party in Paisley Town Hall on Saturday 27 February from 10am

– A Fairtrade football tournament hosted by the University of the West of Scotland on Saturday 27 February

– A tour of Renfrewshire schools by Fairtrade walnut producers

– Coffee mornings in Lochwinnoch at The Junction on Wednesday 24 February, 9am – 12pm, and at the RSPB Reserve on Thursday 25 February, 11am – 1pm.

– “Big Swap” events and Fairtrade display in Bishopton Library from Monday 22 February until Monday 8th March.

– Fairtrade event at Bishopton Primary school on Friday 5 March with pupils presenting information on Fairtrade through music and song. Proceeds will go to Mary’s Meals.

– Coffee morning in Our Lady of Lourdes new church hall, Bishopton, Saturday 6 March, 10.30am to 1pm.

– Fairtrade event at Reid Kerr College on Wednesday 3 March between 11am and 3pm, offering a range of Fairtrade products for people to swap their usual purchases.

– Rainbow Turtle will be running the 90Kg Rice Challenge, urging people to help them sell 90 bags of Kilombero rice from Malawi. The sale of 90 1kg bags of rice, for a fair price, would give a farmer sufficient income to send a child to secondary school for one year in Malawi, where only one third of children go to high school because their families can’t afford the fees.

To find out more information about Fairtrade in Renfrewshire or to get a copy of the guide please email Pauline.moss@renfrewshire.gov.uk or phone 0141 840 3611.

for more news please visit Renfrewshire.gov.uk