Orkney renews Fairtrade zone status

June 26, 2019 at 10:59 am

The Orkney Fairtrade Group and Orkney Islands council celebrate the renewal of the county’s Fairtrade status. From the left: OIC procurement manager Rosemary Colsell, OIC convener Harvey Johnston, OIC Head of IT and facilities Hayley Green and OIC’s executive director of corporate services Gillian Morrison. From Orkney Fair Trade Group: chairwoman Lorna Penny and committee members Amber Kennedy and Gillian Smee. (Picture: Orkney Photographic)

Orkney has once again made the grade as a Fairtrade Zone, meeting the standards for a county where Fairtrade is widely sold, promoted, supported and understood.

Orkney Fair Trade Group is celebrating the success of its recent application for renewal, having demonstrated a high level of support from local food producers, shops and cafes, churches, schools, community groups, and Orkney Islands Council.

Comments from the Fairtrade Foundation, which administers the accreditation scheme, included a pat on the back for the reach of the group’s events, the strong relationship with the council and the level of support from the local retail and hospitality sectors.

One comment reads: “We were particularly impressed by your ‘Buy Fair and Buy Local’ strategy which has allowed you to partner with many local businesses”.

Orkney Islands Council convenor, cllr Harvey Johnston, congratulated the Orkney Fair Trade Group team and all the local businesses, church congregations, schoolchildren, head teachers and class teachers and many dedicated individuals who have helped to make the scheme such a success here.

He said: “We’re very proud of Orkney’s reputation for high-quality food and drink, and how successful we’ve been here, in combining this with an outward-looking spirit and support for farming and food production worldwide.

“It’s great to have the promotion of Fairtrade sitting squarely as a feature of the Orkney scene – we know and care where all our food comes from”.

Chairwoman of Orkney Fair Trade Group, Lorna Penny, thanked everyone who has taken part in events, campaigns and activities throughout the past two years for their interest and support.