Hartlepool schools showcase Fairtrade campaign

Brandon Phillips and Lewis foster with Amy Wakefield during Catcote Academy's Fairtrade coffee morning. Picture: TOM BANKS

Hartlepool’s Catcote Academy held a Fairtrade coffee morning yesterday when guests could sample biscuits and snacks made by students.

They also produced work which was put on display after researching Fairtrade products and where they come from.

Taylor Considine, Lily Porritt and Storm Richardson with Jamie McLeod at a Fairtrade event at Catcote Academy. Picture: TOM BANKS

Hartlepool has been a Fairtrade Town since 2005 and its steering group have worked hard over the years to get more organisations and venues in town on board.

Lisa Richardson, a member of the steering group and teacher at Catcote Academy, said: “As a school we have Fairtrade Achiever status and we hold a number of annual events including a coffee morning.

“We had a display of the students’ work and Rift House Primary School offered to come along and showed some of their work they had done for Fairtrade Fortnight.

“It was nice to show off what the students had done. They were really proud of themselves.”

Catcote students who work at its Metro store in Middleton Grange shopping centre also helped man a Fairtrade stall in the mall yesterday to help spread awareness of the movement.

St George’s Church in Park Road is also holding a Fairtrade Coffee Morning today at 10am.

The theme of this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight campaign was opening the public’s doors to Fairtrade closing the door on exploitation.

Adam Gardner, communities campaigns manager at the Fairtrade Foundation, said: “It’s a scandalous reality that millions of farmers and workers are being ripped off despite working hard to provide the products we love.”