Fair play to the Fairtrade town

AFTER two years of hard work, the Gort Fairtrade committee achieved its goal recently when Gort was announced as having achieved Fairtrade status.

“Becoming a Fairtrade town raises awareness and understanding of trade issues and benefits directly some of the world’s poorest farmers and workers by increasing sales of Fairtrade products. The Gort Fairtrade committee got great support from local retailers, hotel, coffee shops and community groups and has done significant work in schools,” said Melanie Drea, Fairtrade town/cities co-ordinator from Fairtrade Mark Ireland. 
Sr Therese Moore began contacting people and groups in Gort in late 2007 with a view to Gort becoming a Fairtrade town. This led to the formation of the Gort Fairtrade Committee which held its first meeting in February 2008 and was launched during Fairtrade fortnight in the presence of local TD Deputy Michael Kitt.
This year was busy for the group who had a producer visit from Costa Rica during Fairtrade fortnight 2009 and took part in the international banana-eating record in early March when the group gave out free bananas to the public and to the schools.
After fulfilling the six goals necessary to become a Fairtrade town, the group officially applied for Fairtrade town status on April 24, which we was granted in late July after a three-month monitoring period.
The Gort Fairtrade committee are currently making signs, which will be erected on the Galway and Ennis roads into Gort to highlight the town’s Fairtrade status.
The group will hold an official launch at 11am on Friday, October 16 in the ICA building in Boland’s Lane.