Ahead of Fairtrade Fortnight, Manchester Cathedral will host Changing the World Through Fairtrade, an event on 22 February 2019 from 10am to 4pm, that will celebrate Fairtrade with talks, workshops, singing, art, poetry, stalls and refreshments.
The event begins at 10am with speakers including Bishop Mark Ashcroft, Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Lord Mayor Councillor June Hitchen and Tim Aldred, Head of Policy at the Fairtrade Foundation. The morning will also include songs and videos reflecting what is happening in the world today around Fairtrade.
In the afternoon, there will be the opportunity to join one of the fun and creative workshops on offer. Throughout the day there will be children’s activities and you will also have the opportunity to buy some delicious foods and gifts from a variety of Fairtrade stalls.!
Fairtrade Fortnight focuses this year on supporting cocoa famers to ensure that they are paid a fair price for their work. Participants at the event will receive a free bar of Fairtrade chocolate, specially commissioned by the Diocese of Manchester and produced for the event by The Meaningful Chocolate Company. Divine Chocolate will also be running a workshop.
The Diocese of Manchester is the first in the Church of England to commission its own fairly traded chocolate bars, designed to raise awareness of the continuing importance of buying Fairtrade products to improve the quality of life of producers.
The Dean of Manchester, the Very Revd Rogers Govender said: “In a world where there is much inequality, poverty and injustice, Fairtrade is an important way to make a difference for good in our society and especially in the poor parts of our world. We should endeavour to pay people fair wages for their work and to ensure that trade rules and our purchasing practices do not impoverish those who are trying to make a living despite the inequality they experience. I would like to encourage you to join us for this important day of celebration at Manchester Cathedral”.
The Bishop of Bolton, The Rt Revd Mark Ashcroft, said, “Delicious chocolate and the Fairtrade badge are a marriage made in heaven! Every time we buy Fairtrade products we are lifting people out of poverty, giving dignity to the families of the poorest communities across the world, and living out justice in daily life.”
The Director of the Meaningful Chocolate Company, David Marshall, said; “We are delighted to provide the Diocese of Manchester with its own Fairtrade bar. Manchester has a strong history of fighting for justice and this simple bar of chocolate is modern way of giving those who grow our food a fair price for their work.”
You can join for the whole day or part of the day, but please register your attendance via Eventbrite: fairtrade2019.eventbrite.co.uk.
