Staff and students encouraged to support Fairtrade Fortnight 2014

Published On Fri 21 Feb 2014 by Grant Hill

A series of events aimed at encouraging students, staff and visitors to embrace ethical shopping will be held at the University of Dundee in coming weeks.

The start of this year's Fairtrade Fortnight will marked on Monday, 24th February when a Fairtrade chocolate fountain is unveiled at Dundee University Students Association (DUSA). Various types of fruit (all Fairtrade as well, of course) will be used for dipping in the fountain.

The next two weeks will see a host of free events aimed at raising awareness of the benefits of Fairtrade. Activities planned include a stall in DUSA every weekday selling fair-trade goods and coffee, tea, cola, curry and rice pudding taste tests.

A prize Banana Hunt will take place on Friday, 28th February, while the fortnight will draw to a close with a quiz in DUSA on Sunday, 9th March. During the course of the fortnight, the University's Top of the Tower café will be selling all Fairtrade goods, including juice, biscuits, cereal bars, chocolate and hot beverages, half price.

Environment and Sustainability officer Trudy Cunningham said the Fairtrade Fortnight was part of a wider effort by the University to promote and sustain fairer trade alternatives.

'Fairtrade foods are already available in all campus shops and are used in all cafes, restaurants and bars on campus,' she said. 'Buying Fairtrade goods helps provide support through trade for marginalised farmers in the developing world by implementing and constantly reassessing standards regarding the workers' rights on issues such as working conditions, wages, child labour and the environment.

'A few extra pence on your shopping bill can help to bring about major changes across the globe and Fairtrade Fortnight is aimed at reminding people of these benefits while having fun at the same time.'

For more information on the events visit www.dundee.ac.uk/estates/energy&environment/whatson/.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277