Lauren Harrison

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Since November 2008 Lauren Harrison has been campaigning for Hadrian’s Wall to become a Fairtrade zone. As this status was achieved in January 2010, we caught up with her to find out about the high points of her campaign.

Why did you campaign for Hadrian’s Wall to become a Fairtrade zone?

Many of the 10 local authorities that cross Hadrian’s Wall had already committed to Fairtrade so this enabled us to encourage the remaining ones to get Fairtrade status. It’s also a brilliant opportunity to bring the different towns together with a common goal.

What were the high points of your campaign?

As we have a big farming community, we worked with an existing ‘Locally Produced’ scheme to show that there is little conflict or overlap between buying locally and buying Fairtrade. We also had a fantastic launch event which was attended by George Alagiah and Indian tea producer Rajah Bannerjee. Another highlight for me was when Northumberland County Council passed a resolution on Fairtrade, as it had been on their agenda before but had not gone through.

Why is Fairtrade important?

There is appalling poverty in the world so it’s important we do what we can to deal with it. Aid is OK in the short term, but ultimately we need to enable others to stand on their own two feet so that they can have a reasonable lifestyle with dignity.

What events did you get involved with for Fairtrade Fortnight 2010?

Sai, a cotton producer from India, came to Hadrian’s Wall and was involved in many events in the surrounding areas, including a brilliant fashion show and a photo shoot at the Wall with a Roman Centurion!

Finally, what’s your message for other campaigners?

Put energy into your campaign – your campaign can be fun as well as useful, and you will impact others more if they see that you are enjoying what you’re doing.