History

History Of Millom Fairtrade

In March 2000, a small ecumenical Christian group were studying the lent course, ‘Hope in Despair’. One subject of the course was trade justice, and gave them the challenge “Don't just talk about it - do it!” and that is what they set about doing. Two of the group, Beryl Newbold, who was already running a Traidcraft stall, and Peggy Troll, spearheaded the campaign. They began by going to Durham, to Traidcraft's 25th birthday Conference, where they were helped and encouraged. In 2002, a group went to London for the campaign for Trade justice, and joined 10,000 people lobbying MPs to change global trade rules.

After three years the original group decided they wanted to go further and set up a community project to make local people more aware of Fair Trade issues. This led to the setting up of the steering group, which adopted the title ‘One World Project’. Following the advice given by the Fairtrade Foundation, they presented their thoughts to Millom Town Council, who were very supportive.

In March 2003, the project was launched at the start of Fair Trade Fortnight with a library exhibition, an open meeting and a Fair Trade market. In October of the same year another event was held, at which local MP Dr Jack Cunningham spoke about Fair Trade. This was followed by other events and visits to local traders, hotels, guesthouses, workplaces, churches and schools in order to encourage the use of Fairtrade products. As a result of this Millom fulfilled all the Fairtrade Foundation’s criteria, leading to Millom achieving Fairtrade town status in January 2004. To celebrate the achievement a parade was held, where supporters marched through the street to a rally in the Market Square, where the Fairtrade Town certificate was officially presented to the Mayor of Millom.

During that year, it was encouraging to see the keen involvement of young people in the campaign. Young Fairtraders groups were set up in the local school and one of the churches. This web site is largely the work of some of these young people.

In January 2005 supporters of Fair Trade in Millom held a dinner to celebrate one year of being a Fairtrade town. The guest speaker was former MP, director of Oxfam, and current influential human rights campaigner, Lord Frank Judd. A few days later Lord Judd commended the work of local Fairtrade groups to the House of Lords.

During Fair Trade Fortnight Millom hosted a visit from Tadesse Meskela, an Ethiopian Fairtrade Partner, coffee farmer and general manager of the Oromia Coffee Farmers' Cooperative Union in Ethiopia. He gave a presentation showing clearly the encouragement and progress Fairtrade partnerships are achieving in developing countries.

During 2005 the One World Project took a keen interest in the Make Poverty History campaign. On 2nd July about 50 supporters went to Edinburgh to take part in the march around the city. It was an exhilarating, thought-provoking, moving experience to share in such a massive and unique demonstration, which must have had an impact on the G8 leaders.

Later that month was the Millom School Arts Festival where there was a display of the F.T.raps that Year 7 produced when Beryl and Peggy had spent a Fairtrade day with them the previous year.