Harrogate Fairtrade Borough

The Fairtrade campaign is organised locally by the Harrogate Fairtrade Borough Steering Group, which includes two Harrogate Borough councillors, representatives of all three major political parties, Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate, other local businesses, several volunteers, and is jointly chaired by Malcolm Margolis and Andrew Jones. Recently, both Harrogate Council and Knaresborough Town Council have passed resolutions supporting Fairtrade and agreeing to serving Fairtrade drinks at their meetings.

Recent months have seen a massive growth in public awareness. Supermarkets are competing to be seen as leaders, boosting their ethical image, while the Co-Op, which converted all their coffee and chocolate to Fairtrade some years ago remains the most committed.

Some of Harrogate's largest businesses including Bettys and Taylors, and Coda plc are committed to Fairtrade. Smaller shops in the Harrogate Borough also have a long established involvement in Fairtrade. A full listing of local Fairtrade retailers and caterers is given elsewhere on this site.

Keen supporters include 2005-6 Mayoress Coun. Caroline Bayliss. She and husband Tom buy Fairtrade products for their own use. Local MP Phil Willis, says 'The simple move by local people to buy goods that have been grown or manufactured under fair trade conditions will do more to help people in developing countries than almost anything else,' he said.

'This is really the point of the Fairtrade campaign,' says Mr. Margolis. 'We can all make a real difference by the choices we make when we go shopping. We can often choose Fairtrade when we buy imported goods, and organic and local when we buy food from this country. By making these choices we are helping to prevent the exploitation of people and of our environment, and to put an end to the cycle of poverty.'

For details of Harrogate Council's support see www.harrogate.gov.uk/immediacy-3926