Page 14 - Oundle Life November 2023

FAIRTRADE TOWN
Naturally Hemington
For well over a decade now, Oundle has held the status of being a ‘Fairtrade Town’ and the Oundle Fairtrade group (ambitiously and strongly led by Eleanor Rayden from day one) has worked to keep the profile of fairly traded goods
on the agenda of many residents and businesses. From lowly beginnings and working hand in hand with the Co-op supermarket
in Oundle (who have been stalwarts for
the Fairtrade movement for many years), we’ve seen fairly traded goods become more widely adopted and sold by cafes, shops and businesses in town.
The highlight of the Fairtrade year in Oundle is the annual Fairtrade/Eco market, held on
the second Saturday of November (to coincide with the monthly Farmers Market in Oundle’s beautiful Marketplace – start solving all your Christmas problems in one day!), traditionally with the support of St Peters Church, whose spire soars over the town centre. All sorts of local traders come and sell fairly traded, locally sourced or eco products ranging through foods, clothes, crafts, cards and gift items.
Fairtrade refreshments are also served throughout the day, with delicious homemade cakes on sale. The market this year is on 11th November 9am-2pm. Many traders have been supporting us each and every year, such is
the response they get from those who attend/ shoppers, and we’re delighted to welcome some new traders for the first time this year.
Thrapston is now looking to move towards Fairtrade Town status and Oundle will do all it can to help – it’s a case, quite literally, of the more the merrier for the farmers and workers across the world who reap the benefits of fairly traded goods.
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