Fairtrade fortnight success!

UWE Bristol has been a Fairtrade accredited University since 2006. Over the years, UWE Bristol and The Students’ Union at UWE have promoted Fairtrade to raise students' awareness about global citizenship, gender equality, climate change, environmental resilience, and social and economic justice. And this year was no different! We held another Fairtrade Fortnight between February 19^th- March 3^rd.

What happened and how did it go?

Various initiatives, including bake sales at each campus, Fairtrade product showcases in our SU shops, and educational talks, effectively highlighted the importance of ethical consumption and supporting Fairtrade practices.

The Fairtrade bake sales held on Frenchay, Glenside and Bower were enjoyed by students and staff alike and raised awareness about fair trade practices. As a result, we managed to raise an amazing £301.60 for the Fairtrade Foundation.

We had 35 students attend our educational talk by neutral on why they choose to work with Fairtrade, why Fairtrade is good for business and workers worldwide, and where students can buy their clothing on campus! The talk was very impactful, particularly for one student who said he wanted to check the supply chain of the car business he works for.

We collaborated with UWE’s Global College to bring a Fairtrade edition of the weekly Global Café to our main campus, Frenchay. We did pot painting and bulb planting as a more informal and relaxing way of engaging students to start a discussion about Fairtrade and its importance and benefits. 11 students attended and had a great time.

At The Students’ Union, all our campus cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops sell Fairtrade products. With more than 25 products already available in its shops, the Students' Union is committed to growing its stock base. To get students to be more conscious about their purchases we included signs throughout the shop with positive facts about Fairtrade.

We really enjoyed Fairtrade Fortnight and hope you did too!