"Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream" Amos 5:24

The Steering Group

Who we are Tunbridge Wells Fairtrade Town Group is one of many local groups up and down the country that campaign for a fair income for some of the world's poorest people - the same people who produce many of the staple products that we buy in cafes and find on our supermarket shelves. We believe that Fairtrade matters and that the work of the Fairtrade Foundation can make a real difference in the world. Why Fairtrade? Farmers in developing countries work hard to secure a living and support their families, only to see the fruits of their labour swallowed up by unjust global trading systems. These allow multinationals to flood the markets with cheaper produce, eventually forcing them out of business. They sink deeper into the spiral of debt and poverty in their struggle to survive. The Fairtrade Foundation works with farmers, guaranteeing a fair price for their produce, plus a social premium for business or community development. By supporting these producers we are standing up for justice in the market place. Simply by using our consumer power we can change the world for the better. To find out more about Fairtrade and the work of the Fairtrade   Foundation , please check out their website. We are a Fairtrade Town! If you drive into Tunbridge Wells you may notice the Fairtrade Town sign by the roadside. The purpose of a Fairtrade Town is to contribute to the Fairtrade Foundation’s aim of tackling poverty by enabling disadvantaged producers from poorer countries to receive a better deal. You can support us, and more importantly support third world farmers, by looking out for the FAIRTRADE Mark when you are shopping. To be a Fairtrade Town, five goals must be achieved and certificated by the Fairtrade Foundation. We are proud that Tunbridge Wells met these goals and became a Fairtrade Town in 2007.

Become a Fairtrade volunteer! Volunteers to help organize, create and promote our exciting events are always welcome. To become a volunteer please send us an e-mail with your name, age and contact telephone number. If you have some special skills to offer, let us know what they are. If you are looking for work experience we are able to provide reference letters to show that you have completed work with us.

Why we campaign for Fairtrade • Hunger kills more people in the world that AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis. • Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five in – 3.1 million children each year. • 805 million people in the world do not have enough to eat • 500 million smallholder farmers provide 70% of our food but are currently half the world’s hungry people • In the developing world 13.5% of the population is undernourished. • Only 1% of Global trade is under Fairtrade terms. • A billion people still live on less than $1.25 a day • The 80 richest people on the planet have the same wealth as the poorest 50 percent (3.5 billion people) • Of the 165 million cups of tea drunk each day in the UK only 7% is Fairtrade • Over 200 years since the abolition of slavery, child slave labour is still a problem in the cocoa industry. These are just a few reasons why we continue to campaign against poverty and for a fairer trading system. We know that we must tackle injustice at many levels, challenging not only ourselves and other individuals, but also companies, law makers and those in power at the highest level, to be accountable for their actions. Fairtrade empowers people to fight poverty themselves. It is one way we can bring about positive change in the global trading system. As consumers we have the power because companies are answerable to their shareholders and mindful of their profit margins. If we choose to buy ethical goods, then companies will sell them.