Contact: Kate
Local Background
Brampton is a market town with a population of about 4,300 living within the parish boundary. The campaign to promote Fairtrade goods has extended to take in nearby villages in the surrounding rural area and along our nearest section of Hadrian’s Wall where much of the local tourist accommodation is situated.
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Fairtrade Status
Brampton was granted Fairtrade Status on 6th January 2005, becoming one of the first hundred towns in the UK to be recognised in this way.
Since 2005
Since becoming a Fairtrade Town many more retail and catering outlets, churches, schools, workplaces, businesses, and community groups have embraced Fairtrade.
Of special note are:
• Brampton Primary School, awarded Fairtrade status in Spring 2007
• Irthington Primary School, awarded Fairtrade status in 2010
• RAF Spadeadam, Britain’s first military base to sign up to Fairtrade
• Brampton Medical Practice, Brampton’s largest employer, with over a hundred people working there
• All 7 local churches are Fairtrade
• Brampton Community Centre, has a Fairtrade café and all refreshments served at meetings are Fairtrade
• Brampton Co-op, has new Fairtrade lines arriving all the time, including a wide selection of wines
• Brampton Bowling Club
• Hallbankgate Hub.
These and other organisations which embrace Fairtrade are listed in the Fairtrade directory, produced by Brampton Fairtrade Town Group and updated regularly.
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Brampton's Fairtrade Group
This is a small but enthusiastic group of local people who promote Fairtrade at numerous events in and around the town throughout the year. The busiest time is the nationally celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight in spring.
Fairtrade Fortnight
This is a special time for the Brampton Fairtrade Town Group when months of planning bear fruit. In the past, Fairtrade Fortnights have had visiting Fairtrade producers from different countries giving talks, Fairtrade cookery demonstrations and fashion shows have been held, Fairtrade coffee mornings and meals organised, Traidcraft stalls run, sponsored walks on Hadrian’s wall taken place, specially made Fairtrade Town Shopping bags sold… and lots more.
More recently, the Fairtrade town group has continued to promote Fairtrade through its popular coffee mornings at the Moot Hall, and at the Farmers’ Market. It has also engaged the younger members of the community by organising Fairtrade art competitions and a very popular Fairtrade banana trail around the town.
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Other Work
During the last few years new Fairtrade road signs have been erected on two roads into Brampton, a survey on Fairtrade awareness in the town has been done, window displays have been mounted, a Fairtrade mosaic made by local schoolchildren and permanently displayed in the Moot Hall, a Fairtrade recipe book including Fairtrade recipes contributed by local adults and schoolchildren and a flower bed dedicated to the Fairtrade logo.
This floral display has been part of the town’s Brampton In Bloom competition entry for the last few years. The plants for it are supplied by the Fairtrade Town group.
AGMs
The group were very involved in the initial steps to establish Hadrian’s Wall as a Fairtrade Zone, the first Fairtrade cross country, first national trail, first world heritage site to become Fairtrade.
Renewal of Fairtrade Town status is not automatic, it must be earned. Brampton Fairtrade Town Group work continually to raise awareness of and promote Fairtrade. Since 2005 the group have received praise from the national body, the Fairtrade Foundation for what it has achieved. Fairtrade status has been successfully renewed every 2 years since 2005.
Please help us! Please join us! We are actively looking for new members for the group and helpers for individual events. Find us and our activities on Bramptonlocal@googlemail.com
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Our members are happy to talk to groups, organisations and businesses and anyone interested in knowing more about Fairtrade.
We would like every business and organisation in Brampton to sign up to Fairtrade. If you are interested please get in touch. We are always looking for new ways to celebrate and proclaim Brampton Fairtrade Town, so do tell us your ideas
You can help as a customer too: ask your favourite shop or café to choose Fairtrade!