Fairtrade Fortnight in Pulborough – 2022

Fairtrade Fortnight in Pulborough

For many years Fairtrade Fortnight has been a busy, fun-filled highlight of the year, when campaigners, businesses, schools and places of worship show their support for the farmers and workers who grow our food in developing countries.

In 2020, the Fortnight just preceded the first countrywide Lockdown so we were able to run our planned Smoothie Bike event at the Greenhouse on Stane Street, but in 2021 we could do very little.

As Covid restrictions gradually eased, we felt raffles were the way to go for this year. In answer to our requests, Sainsbury’s Pulborough gave us a voucher to purchase Fairtrade items from their store; Tesco’s Pulborough and Waitrose at Storrington both gave us very generous hampers, beautifully made up and full of Fairtrade teas, coffees, chocolate and wine. (We are very grateful to them all, though disappointed that Fairtrade Fortnight wasn’t marked in their stores in any way. We will make a note to be in touch much earlier and have great hopes for displays or offers in store for 2023!)

However, thanks to them we held very successful raffles at Craft Café, Pulborough Village Market, and the Caring Café. In the week following the Village Market we were able to exchange the usual large village banners at three of the four entrances to Pulborough for our Fairtrade Fortnight ones.

St Mary’s Church put up a wonderful display board at the church entrance and Miq Kelland ran Traidcraft stalls at church and another at the school, where all classes were able to learn about the work, issues and aims around Fairtrade.

Rosemary Russell / Pulborough Fairtrade Group