I have been focusing my gap year on encouraging schools in Carlisle to embrace Fairtrade. This has involved both primary and secondary schools. So far, a member of the group and I have visited thirteen primary schools to deliver a Fairtrade Assembly. We found that most schools are delighted to have a visitor and are interested in Fairtrade. With the actual assembly, lots of involvement kept the children’s interest. We used a story outlining the Fairtrade principles that we told in pantomime style with the children shouting out phrases at various points. Four children were given props to provide a visual aid, one of us told the story and the other held up call boards so that children knew what to say and when. As a tip, volume control is important – a silence signal is very useful.
   With secondary schools, five in Carlisle and Brampton (William Howard, Austin Friars, St Aidan’s County High, Trinity and North Cumbria Technology College) have begun Fairtrade sixth form groups. These groups run break time stalls and try to educate the rest of the school about Fairtrade. Some groups do assemblies for the lower school, while other very brave sixth formers have run Fairtrade talent shows for the lower school. Trinity and William Howard have taken this a step further by joining the Young Co-operatives scheme (www.youngcooperatives.org.uk) which nationally co-ordinates Fairtrade Groups in schools.
   Some secondary schools where more approachable than others. I found a mixture of contacting students and staff helped – teachers tend to be more enthusiastic if they know the interest was there. In addition, it helps to write to a contact, Head of Sixth Form or Head of R.S., so that your letter doesn’t get lost in bureaucracy. I offered to do most of the work which meant that I was asking teachers to add to their workload. In most of the schools, I delivered a sixth form assembly and arranged to meet the young people that were interested. I then arranged with the group to help them get started and went to the first few meetings. I try to contact each school group monthly to ensure that everything is going well.
   In addition, I have organised events that enabled the young people to come together to share ideas and celebrate what they have achieve. During Fairtrade Fortnight, for example, I organised a Fairtrade pizza night with a drumming workshop. Twenty five young people attended this and had a fantastic night. I’m hoping to hold another event in honour of World Fairtrade Day on the 13th May and am more than happy for any interested young people to attend.
   I am around until July 2006 and am more than happy to help any school or anyone with an interest in encouraging schools to use Fairtrade. I can be contacted by
   My website, www.yftcumbria.org has more information as well.

Joe Human, of Keswick and District Campaign, and Coordinator of Cumbria Fair Trade Network, worked with Year 5 Class Teacher, Lesley Lamb, at Braithwaite Primary School on an Ethiopia/coffee/Fairtrade day on the first day of Fairtrade Fortnight. This was part of two weeks’ Fairtrade work. This culminated in an Action Aid Coffee Morning on 10th March, when Fairtrade posters were judged and Fairtrade cookies were sold. Joe’s Ethiopian input follows his recent visit with other Keswick campaigners to Ethiopian Fairtrade coffee farmers. Joe is willing to share the day with any other primary teachers willing to work in such a partnership arrangement for a day. (See Keswick page for contact.)
   Joe has also taken lessons with Year 9 on Fairtrade in Keswick School as part of a Business Ethics module within Religious Studies. Joe used his recent visit to Ethiopian Fairtrade coffee farmers to illustrate the contrasting impacts of ‘free trade’ and Fairtrade coffee on the lives of small coffee farmers, under the title: ‘A Tale of Two Coffees’.
   Joe has also taken Assemblies on the subject with Keswick School Sixth Form, and Settlebeck High School, Sedburgh. Joe is willing to take assemblies in any other schools. (Again, see Keswick page for contact.)

“We are a group of students from St Joseph’s School in Workington and we are working on establishing Fairtrade in school and in the local community. In our group we have eight willing students who are firm believers in Fairtrade. We are a member of Traidcraft and aim to sell products in school. We have conducted surveys in local supermarkets and in school and tried to raise people’s awareness in school and at home. In the future we hope to get Fairtrade status and open a tuck shop selling Fairtrade products in school and sell shares to anyone interested. We cater for events in school e.g. parents’ evenings, plays, careers events, meetings etc. We meet 3 times a week and are setting up a steering group with the school council, parent/governor, members of staff and the St Vincent de Paul group. We are very successful so far. It was hard work to set up but we are growing strong.”