Primary Schools Winners in Fairtrade Poster Competition
Publish Date: Monday, 26 March 2007
Four primary schools have won a hamper of Fairtrade sports equipment and other educational Fairtrade goodies as reward for their entries into Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council's Fairtrade Poster Competition. The competition, which was open to all P7's in the Borough, was run as part of the Council's Fairtrade Initiative, and to promote Fairtrade Fortnight 2007, (26th February - 11th March '07). Each P7 class could collaborate to create a poster to promote Fairtrade using this Fairtrade Fortnight's theme of 'Change Today, Choose Fairtrade.'
St Joseph's Primary School, (Galbally), Dungannon Primary School, (Circular Road, Dungannon), Windmill Integrated Primary School, (Old Eglish Road, Dungannon) and Walker Memorial Primary School, (Donaghmore), have secured their Fairtrade prizes with their creative entries into this competition. Jill Hamilton, Agenda 21 Co-ordinator, explains, 'By asking each P7 class to come up with a poster design, the competition was a great way of getting kids to actively research Fairtrade. Fairtrade is a movement that helps children to understand how their local actions can have a profound effect globally. This helps them to develop as global citizens with an awareness of important issues such as sustainable consumption and social justice, issues which fall under the Agenda 21 Action Programme.'
As part of their prizes the schools have won a number of Fairtrade sports balls. Fairtrade certified sports balls on sale in the UK come from the producer organisation, Talon Sports, located in the Sialkot district of Pakistan. It is estimated that as many as 60% of the world's footballs are made in and around Sialkot. Industry wages are often below the government's minimum and the associated workers and stitchers are amongst the most marginalised. However, by purchasing Fairtrade sports balls it is ensured that producers meet social, economic and environmental criteria. These include that all workers in the supply chain receive at least the national minimum wage, that there is no child labour and that the health and safety of the worker is safeguarded. They also receive a Fairtrade premium which they can invest in community and economic development projects, and are part of a Fairtrade Welfare Society which covers health costs, allowing the workers to improve the lives of their families and their communities' health, education and livelihood opportunities.
The P7 children of St Joseph's, Dungannon County, Windmill Integrated and Walker Memorial Primary School's can now happily play with their Fairtrade sports gear safe in the knowledge that the workers that made them received a fair deal. For more information on Fairtrade or to find out how your school could become a Fairtrade school, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk
For further information about the Fairtrade Initiative in Dungannon Borough contact Jill Hamilton/ Yvonne Zellmann on (028)87720366 or email jill.hamilton@dungannon.gov.uk
To view the winning posters click here
