AM delighted as Port Talbot is awarded Fair Trade Status

Aberavon AM, David Rees, has praised the efforts of local campaigners and consumers at an event in the Port Talbot shopping centre on Friday (20th January) marking Port Talbot’s status as a Fair Trade Town. The Port Talbot Fairtrade steering group, which comprises of members from the community, local churches, schools, NPT College, cafes, businesses and supported by the Climate Change team at Neath Port Talbot Council, have been holding Fairtrade events in order to gain this accolade.

David Rees AM said:

‘Fair trade is transforming the lives of millions of farming families in developing countries, promoting justice and giving people the dignity they deserve. I am delighted to be a part of this event. I’d like to congratulate the Port Talbot Fairtrade Steering Group on their success and salute the passionate commitment of Fair trade supporters and stockists in Port Talbot. It’s also good to see us achieve this recognition at the start of the UN’s international year of the cooperative.’

On June 6th 2008, Wales made history as it became the first ever Fair Trade nation. The announcement followed a two-year campaign by Fair Trade Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, to increase the availability of Fair Trade products in towns and cities across Wales, and encouraging schools, businesses and other organisations to switch to Fair Trade.

Kathryn Britton from Keep Wales Tidy and founder of the Port Talbot Fairtrade Steering Group said:

“It’s great that Port Talbot is now a Fairtrade Town akin to Neath. We are proud to have achieved this status and we will work continue to closely with the Neath Port Talbot and Wales Fairtrade Forums. The group has worked really hard during the previous two years to achieve this result and have received fantastic support from the Climate Change team, Hywel Francis MP and David Rees our AM who has sat on the group and attended events along with his predecessor Dr Brian Gibbons. Keep Wales Tidy is a Fairtrade organisation and Wales was also the World’s first Fairtrade nation so I am especially proud to have been part of this team to secure the status for Port Talbot.”

‘Fairtrade’ Town is a status awarded by a recognised Fairtrade certification body describing an area which is committed to the promotion of Fairtrade certified goods. For more information on Fairtrade go to www.fairtrade.org.uk.