Best Fairtrade Fortnight Event in a School

And the winner is...

The Fairtrade Fortnight Awards have been running for several years, and for the third year in a row a cash prize of £350 was offered for the best activities organized by one primary and one secondary school during Fairtrade Fortnight; this prize is to be used to strengthen Fairtrade activities in school.

The Margaret Demidecka Fairtrade Award started in 2006 by the Justice and Peace Group, affiliated to Churches Together in Tring, Hertfordshire. It is given in memory of the late Margaret Demidecka, a founder member of the Justice and Peace Group and a Fairtrade supporter, who died suddenly in December 2005. In 2009, the Justice and Peace Group came together with the Fairtrade Foundation to provide prize money to make the Margaret Demidecka Award a national competition.

This year we are pleased to have received the largest amount of entries we have ever had, illustrating the growing enthusiasm of all those schools out there about Fairtrade. The entries were of a really high quality meaning competition was tough and the judges looked for innovative and interesting ideas that really explored what Fairtrade is all about.

Winner from the Primary Category - Mayville Primary School.

The 2011 winner from the Primary school category is Mayville Primary School in London.
The school decided to organise a campaign to raise awareness about Fairtrade in the school but also in the community through a wide range of campaigning actions in what was called their ‘Extravagenza’ day. For example the school council helped to stock up the Fairtrade tuck shop and did a roaring trade. Year 2 wrote to local firms to ask them to sell more Fairtrade cotton clothes and uniforms and Year 5 wrote to the Prime Minister to ask the government to support Fairtrade in this country. A ‘Fairtrade Extravaganza’ poster was created and copies were put up around school, delivered to local houses and given out at Leyton tube station.  All local schools were invited to come too. The campaign group invited councillors and the local MP. Some younger school council members wore Fairtrade cotton polo shirts and were brave enough to conduct surveys asking if people would buy Fairtrade cotton uniforms.

From Morgan and Keira, Year 1, who went round collecting signatures for Fairtrade cotton uniforms:
"Getting signatures made me feel a bit nervous"
"I felt excited trying to get people to buy Fairtrade cotton uniforms"
 
 
 

Winner from the Secondary Category - The John Fisher School.

This year’s winner from the Secondary school category is The John Fisher School in Purley.
The school ran a very special Fairtrade Quiz night inviting members of the local community to test their knowledge about Fairtrade in a fun way. The quiz also involved Fairtrade businesses from all over the UK who offered prizes for the event such as a coffee machine. The evening had local businesses selling their products on the night. The other exciting part of the evening was the screening of the Fairtrade film which the boys had made leading up to the event showing how the school embraces Fairtrade as well as well as the serious message behind it. This can be seen on the boys website www.jfs2ghana.co.uk  The evening was raising money for the boys trip to Ghana in July 2012.

This is what some of the pupils have said about their experience:
"I'm so happy to have won this award for our fairtrade event. Its my biggest achievement so far!" Edward Murray Year 8 student.
"I am so glad to be a part of the Enterprise council as it has given me the opportunity to get involved in aspects of life like Fairtrade. I can help make a difference." Martine Vella Year 12 student.
"The evening was a huge success. Not only did we raise money but we helped show everyone how they can make a difference." Mark Rogers Year 12 student.


 
 

News from last year’s winners

Last year’s winners were East Sheen Primary School and Wildern School.

The money won by East Sheen Primary School was used this year to organise a Fairtrade Fashion Show, which was attended by the parents and members of the community.

During the year the young people at Wildern Scool have continued to hold a number of Fairtrade events and to promote Fairtrade in the community. The money that the group won last year went towards buying the ingredients for a Fairtrade Bakeoff competition, hosting a Fairtrade Conference for schools, where Fairtrade fabric samples were bought to create a community Fairtrade banner and buying toppings and ingredients for a Fairtrade cake stall during their International Event.

You could be next !

 
Following on the success of the Margaret Demidecka Award in the past years there will be another competition for the best events in a primary and a secondary school during Fairtrade Fortnight 2012, so don't forget to let us know what you do! Demidecka Application Form 2012 (158.00KB)