FAIRTRADE Fortnight has arrived in Renfrewshire, with schools, businesses and community groups joining forces to showcase the area’s support for the worthy cause.

Renfrewshire hosted visits from producers from Peru and Palestine, who gave an insight into their lives and a first-hand experience of how the Fairtrade movement can have a positive effect.

The idea behind the Fairtrade movement is that producers in developing countries receive a fair price for the goods they supply.

Members of Renfrewshire’s Fairtrade Steering Group, in partnership with the Scottish Fairtrade Forum, co-ordinated a visit from Lousi Albadawi, who works with adults with special needs in Palestine to produce cards, jewellery, candles and other crafts.

Lousi visited Milldale Day Service, in Linwood, to complete a crafts workshop with adults with special needs, passing on her experiences from her home country.

She then visited the InCube shop, in Paisley, which showcases products made by local designers and artists.

Paisley-based Fairtrade organisation Rainbow Turtle hosted Yannina Meza, who is part of the Manos Amigas organisation in Peru, which works with artists across the country to create ceramics, jewellery and textiles.

She visited 15 schools across Renfrewshire to speak with pupils and educate them on how fair trade has helped her and her family.

Every primary and secondary school in Renfrewshire also received a ‘break pack’ provided by Just Trading Scotland and funded by the steering group.

The packs include jams, marmalade, tea, recipe cards and information sheets which can help schools engage children, showing them different sides to fair trade and helping them create a stall at which they can sell their products - gaining an insight into what producers have to do to survive.

Councillor Jim Sharkey, chair of the Renfrewshire Fairtrade steering group, said: “It’s been fantastic to see the community come together over the past fortnight to raise awareness of fair trade and the reasons why we should be supporting the cause.

“As a steering group, we are committed to ensuring the next generation are aware of fair trade, which is why we provided the break packs to each school and also assisted Rainbow Turtle in having Yannina speak to children in our schools about why it is so important to those who grow our food or make our clothes.

“Fairtrade Fortnight has shown there is real support for the cause in Renfrewshire and we are determined to ensure the members of the steering group can continue their outstanding work throughout the year.”

The theme of this year’s campaign, launched by the Fairtrade Foundation, was ‘Put Fairtrade in your break’ and focused on educating people on the fact that many farmers and workers who grow our food aren’t getting paid fairly.

Numerous coffee mornings were hosted across Renfrewshire, including some in Paisley, Renfrew, Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch, Bridge of Weir and Houston, which brought people together to learn about the message of fair trade and the reasons why it is so important.

Rainbow Turtle volunteers also hosted the Paisley Ironed Man event, where volunteers stripped to their underwear to raise awareness of unfair, exploitative practices in the clothing industry.

Councillor Sharkey added: “The challenge we face now is ensuring that Renfrewshire supports fair trade throughout the year and the steering group will work hard to make that a reality.

“We are always looking for interested people to join the local Fairtrade groups and the wider steering group, so I would encourage anyone who is interested to get in touch.”

For more information, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/fairtrade