Fairtrade in Ealing Schools

Teachers can find Fairtrade teaching resources and activity ideas on the Fairtrade Foundation’s school website at www.fairtrade.org.uk/schools. We also have a Schools Resources section and Fairtrade books list on our Links page.

The work of Eaing Fairtrade in gaining, and maintaining its status as a Fairtrade borough could not have been made possible without the assistance of primary and secondary schools throughout the borough (as detailed below). It has been especially supportive to have this ongoing support from across the borough and across all age ranges.

Fairtrade at Drayton Manor High School

Staff and students from Drayton Manor High School were actively involved in the campaign for Ealing to become a Fairtrade borough. From 2004 to 2009 Geography teacher Simon Green (pictured left) was a member of Ealing Fairtrade Group’s steering group, and each year students from Year 12 were also encouraged to attend group meetings. The school played a very important role in helping the group to achieve the five goals for becoming a Fairtrade Town.

Fairtrade was actively promoted in the school itself, and an extra-curricular group, Global, was formed to enable students to explore not only Fairtrade, but a whole range of international issues. A Fairtrade Café, run by students, was set up for all school events, concerts, plays and parents’ evenings. Other school activities included the highly popular Chocolate Valentine, when on February 14th love-sick students could pay for a bar of Fairtrade Divine chocolate to be delivered to their Valentine anywhere in the school.

Without the participation of Drayton Manor, many Fairtrade Fortnight events in Ealing could not have taken place. Staff and students took part in our first Fairtrade Evening at the Town Hall in March 2004, and in 2005, the school held an afternoon of Fairtrade discussion and education. The Day Chocolate company visited the school and talked about Fairtrade and the Dubble Bar, and a cocoa producer from Ghana explained to the students how Fairtrade had enabled her own children to go to school.

In March 2006, Drayton students braved the cold to promote Fairtrade bananas, footballs (and everything inbetween) at a Fairtrade Fair on Ealing Green, and in March 2007, they  put on their first Fairtrade Fashion Show at St Paul’s Church, Northfields. This was followed by Fashion shows at Christ the Saviour Church, Ealing Broadway, in March 2008 and March 2009. Our Fairtrade Borough declaration, held at Ealing Town Hall in July 2008, featured speeches, music and
refreshments  – all laid on by Drayton Manor students.

Fairtrade at Elthorne Park High School

The Sixth Formers at Elthorne support Fairtrade as part of their International Baccalaureate CAS programme. Whilst studying for the IB diploma we must spend time working for a national and international cause; our fairtrade activities cover both of these as on an international scale they help farmers and producers in developing countries, as well as our involvement helping the local Fairtrade group in Ealing.

In the past year we have been involved in a number of activities in aid of Fairtrade. Firstly, just before Christmas we held a 3 day jewellery sale selling fairly traded Yakanaka jewellery to the students and teachers in the school, earning just under £400. During Fairtrade fortnight we helped serving refreshments at the opening of Ealing Fairtrade Group’s Fairtrade art exhibition at the Dominion Centre, Southall. The art work on display was produced by local primary school pupils showing their own interpretations of what is meant by Fairtrade. We also helped at the Fairtrade Fair on the 6th March in Ealing Broadway Centre, setting up the information stall and selling raffle tickets.

During the next academic year, we are hoping to continue to support Ealing Fairtrade group by holding more Fairtrade activities within the school and local community. The first thing we plan to do is to increase the amount of Fairtrade produce used in the school.

by Jenny Whitaker, pupil, 2011