AMMANFORD FAIRTRADE GROUP CELEBRATE

Ammanford Fairtrade Group are celebrating after winning a UK wide award for Best Media Campaign For Fairtrade Fortnight 2009.

Veronica Pasteur of the Fairtrade Foundation said : "The judges were impressed by the creative events the group organized which ensured excellent media coverage – not just in print, but also TV. They engaged a wide range of people in the events and involving the Mayor, local MP and local AM, as well as churches, schools and youth groups was great. Their range of events proved an excellent way to make interesting local news stories that kept the press interested and ensured their message reached a huge number of people.
"It is these activities that helped to make Fairtrade Fortnight 2009 the biggest and best ever, and as we prepare for 2010 we hope that their achievements will inspire others around the country to take action for Fairtrade."

Local campaign co-ordinator Phil Broadhurst said "We're delighted with the award and the recognition it gives to the way so many people in the community came together to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight this year."

The campaign was based around two main events; a fairtrade banana relay race at Amman Valley School, which also featured all the town's primary schools, and a massive fairtrade banana split in the arcade organised by local churches and youth groups. The fortnight also included promotions in shops, fairtrade coffee mornings, school assemblies and fairtrade dinners, and a visit to the town from a fairtrade banana farmer from the Caribbean.

The award was sponsored by ethical investors Shared Interest who will be presenting the Ammanford Fairtrade Group with a £500 grant to support further campaigning work.

Ammanford became the first Fairtrade Town in Wales in 2002. There are now 440 Fairtrade Towns in the UK, helping to promote the message of Fairtrade, campaigning for a fair deal for farmers and other workers in the developing world.

There are over 4500 products with the fairtrade mark, varying from the traditional tea, coffee and chocolate to rum, cotton wool and footballs and it is estimated that 7 out of 10 households now purchase fairtrade products.

Ammanford's Co-Op store, which had a team in the Fairtrade Banana Relay Race, is currently celebrating the Fairtrade Town Group's success with 20% off all fairtrade products (offer runs until September 29th).