Hartlepool group turned heads with sweet campaign carrying huge bar of chocolate for Fairtrade Fortnight

Created by students from Catcote Academy, which runs the Vestry Cafe at Hartlepool Art Gallery, the mock snack aimed to raise awareness of Fairtrade Fortnight which is running from February 25 to March 10.

Organised by the Fairtrade Foundation, Fairtrade Fortnight 2019 aims to raise awareness of food growers from some of the world’s poorest countries who are often exploited and badly paid.

This year’s campaign is focusing specifically on the growers – particularly women – of the cocoa used in the chocolate we love so much.

Hartlepool Deputy Mayor Councillor Rob Cook waved off representatives of the Hartlepool Fairtrade Town Steering Group as they left town by bus to hand over the bar of chocolate to Fairtrade Town colleagues and civic dignitaries in Stockton.

Everyone boarding the bus got a free mini bar of Fairtrade chocolate and a leaflet explaining why the giant chocolate bar was on the bus.

The chocolate was later taken on foot to the Tees Barrage and then by bike to Middlesbrough.

Martin Green, from the Hartlepool Fairtrade Town Steering Group, said: “The students from Catcote Academy have done a great job in creating the mock bar of chocolate and I would like to congratulate everyone on their efforts. Given that the Vestry is a Fairtrade cafe we couldn’t think of a more appropriate place to leave from.

“Buying something with the Fairtrade mark on is very important as it means you can be sure that a producer is getting a fair wage and also that a premium is being paid to their co-operative which can then be spent on anything that makes life better, whether it involves health, education, transport or something else.”

Coun Cook said: “The students at Catcote Academy did a fantastic job in creating the mock bar of chocolate and well done to them and everyone else involved in this Tees Valley-wide initiative to raise awareness of Fairtrade.

“I was delighted to be invited to wave off the members of the Hartlepool Fairtrade Town Steering Group whose dedication to promoting Fairtrade is to be applauded.

“I would urge as many people as possible to use products carrying the Fairtrade mark as this will help to ensure that more low paid and exploited producers of crops in some of the world’s poorest countries get a fairer deal in life.”

Hartlepool has been a Fairtrade Town since 2005, with town-wide promotion, sale, and use of Fairtrade products. For more information about Fairtrade go to http://www.fairtrade.org.uk or follow Hartlepool Fairtrade Town on Facebook at /hpoolfairtrade