Over 60 campaigners made a song and dance of Fair Trade to mark the beginning of Renfrewshire’s Fairtrade Fortnight.

Fairtrade Ceilidh 03

It was fun for all the family as local fair trade organisation Rainbow Turtle hosted a ceilidh at St Charles’ Church Hall in Paisley.

Ceilidh band ‘The Reel Stramash’ provided the entertainment which also included highland dancers and games.

The ceilidh was held in solidarity with two producers from Myanmar, formally Burma, due to visit Renfrewshire last week who were left unable to visit due to their visas being denied.

Saw Peter and Saw Law from the Moe Goke small farmers’ association had been set to make the first ever international visit by anyone from Myanmar on the issue of fair trade.

The event was supported by the Renfrewshire Fairtrade Steering Group and Traidcraft to create an exciting and inspiring evening.

This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight focuses on the theme of ‘sit down for breakfast, stand up for farmers’ and aims to address the issue that despite our dependence on farmers and workers for the foods, drinks and products that we love, about 795 million people are undernourished globally.

Chair of the Renfrewshire Steering Group, Councillor Jim Sharkey said: “This was an excellent event to begin our Fairtrade Fortnight activities and I was delighted to be a part of the evening.

“Fairtrade Fortnight aims to bring fair trade to the forefront of people’s thoughts and it is important we recognise the difference we can make to the life of a fair trade producer or worker.

“Everyone in attendance enjoyed the ceilidh and agreed that the outrageous decision to deny the visas should be overturned as we toasted our absent friends.”

For more information on Renfrewshire activities during Fairtrade Fortnight, including a Fair Trade speakers evening and a Fairtrade Festival, visitwww.renfrewshire.gov.uk/FairtradeFortnight2016.

For more information on fair trade and how to join your local group contactfairtrade@renfrewshire.gov.uk