Brampton
Carlisle
Cockermouth
Eden Valley
Egremont
Kendal
Kirkby Lonsdale
Keswick
Lakes Parish
Millom
Windermere & Bowness
About Fairtrade Towns
To become a Fairtrade town or area you must meet the following five criteria:
1. The local council passes a resolution supporting Fairtrade and agrees to serve Fairtrade coffee and tea at its meetings and in its offices and canteens.
2. A range of Fairtrade products is readily available in the area's shops and local cafes/catering establishments.
3. Fairtrade products are used by a number of local work places and community organisations.
4. The town attracts media coverage and popular support for the campaign.
5. A local Fairtrade Steering Group is convened to ensure continued commitment to its Fairtrade Town status.
For more details of Fairtrade Towns nationally, visit the Fairtrade Foundation
Web site.
1. The local council passes a resolution supporting Fairtrade and agrees to serve Fairtrade coffee and tea at its meetings and in its offices and canteens.
2. A range of Fairtrade products is readily available in the area's shops and local cafes/catering establishments.
3. Fairtrade products are used by a number of local work places and community organisations.
4. The town attracts media coverage and popular support for the campaign.
5. A local Fairtrade Steering Group is convened to ensure continued commitment to its Fairtrade Town status.
For more details of Fairtrade Towns nationally, visit the Fairtrade Foundation
Web site.
Local Information
Millom is a former iron-ore mining town in a quiet corner of Southwest Lakeland.
Millom has a long tradition of helping people in other parts of the world so it is no surprise that many local people have embraced the Fairtrade concept. We have a very supportive Town Council who have continued to encourage us in this venture. We celebrated our Fairtrade Town Status in 2004.
Millom and District's population is about 11,000 and there is a real sense of community here so that our focus now is two-fold:
• to maintain our status by ensuring that the commitment to sell, buy and use Fairtrade goods is kept and to encourage others to join the project. • to continue to campaign on the issues of the Make Poverty History campaign by giving presentations at local events and to encourage other towns and villages in the district to follow suit.
Millom and District's population is about 11,000 and there is a real sense of community here so that our focus now is two-fold:
• to maintain our status by ensuring that the commitment to sell, buy and use Fairtrade goods is kept and to encourage others to join the project. • to continue to campaign on the issues of the Make Poverty History campaign by giving presentations at local events and to encourage other towns and villages in the district to follow suit.
Background
Our story began in 2000 - millennium year, when an ecumenical study group were challenged to react in a practical way to the reality of world poverty. At the time we did not realise that here in Cumbria we were to experience the horrors of foot and mouth disease.
Should we open a 'One World Shop' to raise awareness of fairly traded goods? We did not wish to compete with other traders in our small town. A local Fairtrader was already introducing a regular Traidcraft stall in local churches and community organisations.
A steering group of six decided to aim to reach a cross- section of our community through different events. Activities snowballed and the rest, as they say, is history!
We learnt much by attending conferences organised by Traidcraft - Durham 2001, Christian Aid Conference, where Bruce Crowther spoke of Garstang's achievement for Fairtrade. Further inspiration came from taking part in the 2002 lobby of MPs at Westminster under the umbrella of the Trade Justice Movement. Only gradually did the idea of promoting Millom as a Fairtrade Town become a possibility.
Should we open a 'One World Shop' to raise awareness of fairly traded goods? We did not wish to compete with other traders in our small town. A local Fairtrader was already introducing a regular Traidcraft stall in local churches and community organisations.
A steering group of six decided to aim to reach a cross- section of our community through different events. Activities snowballed and the rest, as they say, is history!
We learnt much by attending conferences organised by Traidcraft - Durham 2001, Christian Aid Conference, where Bruce Crowther spoke of Garstang's achievement for Fairtrade. Further inspiration came from taking part in the 2002 lobby of MPs at Westminster under the umbrella of the Trade Justice Movement. Only gradually did the idea of promoting Millom as a Fairtrade Town become a possibility.
Contacts
Beryl Newbold, 01229 772563
For more information visit:
Presentation of the certificate to the Mayor of Millom, Councillor Ray Cole, at a celebration parade in July 2004.
Tadesse Meskela shaking hands with the Mayor, March 2005.
The Millom group leaving for Edinburgh,
July 2005.
July 2005.
News
During Fairtrade Fortnight 2006 we mounted an exhibition in Millom Library and held a Coffee Morning at St James Church and a Fairtrade Mini Market in the Guide Hall. We also supported Egremont's Fair Trade Market Day where we presented 'Millom's Fairtrade Story', a Power Point presentation as a tool to encourage those aiming at Fairtrade Town status.
Millom School's Fair Traders organised a Fairtrade tasting session for customers at Somerfield's Supermarket. This was very successful with much enthiusiasm and good staff support.
The highlights of 2005 included Millom's first Fairtrade birthday with Lord Frank Judd, MP, as the guest speaker, Tadesse Meskela saying “Thank you” on behalf of the Ethiopian coffee farmers, and the Edinburgh G8 Rally for Make Poverty History where a coach of 50 joined the 255,000 others.
Millom School's Fair Traders organised a Fairtrade tasting session for customers at Somerfield's Supermarket. This was very successful with much enthiusiasm and good staff support.
The highlights of 2005 included Millom's first Fairtrade birthday with Lord Frank Judd, MP, as the guest speaker, Tadesse Meskela saying “Thank you” on behalf of the Ethiopian coffee farmers, and the Edinburgh G8 Rally for Make Poverty History where a coach of 50 joined the 255,000 others.