To all businesses in the ward – Fair Trade

We have just received the attached request from RBK. Could traders in Fair Trade products or businesses or organisations that have a policy of using them please act upon what follows:

“I am writing on behalf of the Kingston Fairtrade Steering Group to seek your help in ensuring that retailers and caterers in your ward that provide Fairtrade products are listed in Kingston Borough’s Fairtrade directory. Fairtrade is a registered trademark which indicates that the product conforms to certain criteria and is certified as Fairtrade by the Fairtrade Foundation. A web based version of the directory can be found on www.kingstonfairtrade.org.uk under “Where to buy Fairtrade products”. This version is updated throughout the year with new outlets. We also produce a paper copy of the directory annually, published during Fairtrade Fortnight in Feb/March. This takes the form of a leaflet listing all the outlets and providing information about Fairtrade matters. We are now beginning to gather information to update this. While the steering group and its volunteers do a sterling job in identifying retailers and caterers that provide Fairtrade we cannot be sure of capturing every outlet eg corner shops, independent cafes etc in all parts of the borough. So we are enlisting the support of a number of people and organisations with local knowledge. We are also interested in updating the details of existing outlets that introduce new Fairtrade products. There are now over 2000 retail and catering products with the Fairtrade mark.

Please tell us of anyone you know who supplies Fairtrade products. You or the businesses themselves can ensure they benefit from being in the Kingston Fairtrade directory by providing information via the Kingston Fairtrade website www.kingstonfairtrade.org.uk website or by contacting me by email or at the address below. The information we need for the directory is name of business, address, and the name of the products they supply. To be sure of being in the paper directory we need the information by the end of November; but the web based directory will be updated throughout the year.

We are also interested in knowing about any local businesses or organisations that make a point of using Fairtrade in their premises eg for visitors or staff.

Frances Smith
Principal Environment Officer
Environment & Sustainability Department

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Guildhall 2
High Street
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1EU

Tel: 020 8547 4758
Fax: 020 8547 5926