Bradford’s Fairtrade group has sponsored an event at an online festival to mark Fairtrade Fortnight.

They have also revealed a new flag bearings the Fairtrade logo along with Bradford Council’s crest.

Fairtrade Yorkshire is holding an online festival with events throughout the fortnight. One of them, a Ghanaian music event on February 26, is being sponsored by Fairtrade Bradford.

Ghanaian musician Richard Wiafe who works at the Fairtrade fruit project Golden Exotics in Ghana will share his music and answer questions about his life. Richard’s university studies are funded through the Fairtrade Premium fund.

The premum is an extra sum of money, paid on top of the selling price, that farmers or workers invest in projects of their choice. They decide together how to spend it to reach their goals, such as improving farming, businesses, or health and education in their community.

Richard has written three songs for the festival. He said: “Lack of financial support almost made me give up education. I was employed at Golden Exotics as a farm hand and realised that I could get support from there through the Fairtrade Premium. I am now studying for a BSc in integrated development studies. I want to become a human right activist/advocate.”

Bradford has been a Fairtrade Zone - a local authority area with Fairtrade status - since March 2006. Such zones are made up of volunteers and representatives from local organisations who work together to promote Fairtrade.

Bradford Fairtrade Zone is made up of Haworth - the world’s first Fairtrade village - Thornton, and towns of Ilkley, Shipley, Burley in Wharfedale, Baildon and Keighley.

This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight focus is on climate change, to highlight the growing challenges that climate change brings to farmers and workers in the communities Fairtrade works with.

“It is looking at how Fairtrade can assist farmers in combating climate change, such as shading crops, planting more trees and improving soil,” said Karen Palframan, chairman of Fairtrade Bradford.

In Shipley, post boxes are being adorned with decorative caps made by Fairtrade supporters. Each features the Fairtrade logo and items of Fairtrade goods made from craft materials.

Said Fairtrade convenor for Shipley Barbara Judd: “I cut large circles out of sheets and sewed lace or frills around the edge, and then put on felt bananas and kiwi fruit, as well as silk flowers as you can buy Fairtrade roses.”

There is a message on the caps: ‘Choose the world you want: climate, Fairtrade and you.’

Children in primary schools across Shipley are being encouraged to create an artwork - a poem, prose or a short film, and send it to Shipley Fairtrade’s Facebook page. Youngsters from across the district can also submit artwork to the national Fairtrade body.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us more than ever how interconnected we are globally.

Says Barbara: “Climate change is affecting people in the poorest countries. Buying Fairtrade goods helps those communities.

“I can’t drink any other tea or coffee but Fairtrade, and I buy bananas, sugar, and, when available, honey, olive oil and almonds.”

Co-ordinator of Fairtrade Yorkshire, Joanna Pollard said: "Farmers and workers in agricultural communities in countries such as Ghana and the Dominican Republic have contributed the least to climate crisis, yet they are among the world’s most vulnerable and are already feeling the worst effects from unpredictable weather to natural disasters and disease. Without stable incomes these farmers lack the ability to fight climate change impacts and continue to struggle to meet their immediate needs.

‘Poverty and environmental damage in our food supply chains will not end until exploited farmers are paid fairly and given the power to make their own choices. Only then will they have the power to effectively fight the impacts of the climate crisis."

*Fairtrade Yorkshire online festival info and booking links are at fairtradeyorkshire.org.uk/category/campaigns

Schoolchildren across the district can email pictures to schools@fairtrade.org.uk. Shipley schools can submit them to Shipley Fairtrade either via its Facebook page, through Twitter @ShipleyFT or by email to caroline.firth@bradford.gov.uk Prizes of chocolates will be up for grabs.