A special schools’ bake-off event has been held to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight and mark Fairtrade Community status for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
Fairtrade Community status follows years of effort from the council, working alongside local partners, including businesses, schools, churches and community groups.
The award, a dual accreditation from the UK Fairtrade Foundation and Fairtrade Ireland, follows on from previous accreditation for Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady, Portrush, Portstewart and Rathlin Island.
The Bake-Off was held to mark Fairtrade Fortnight and was open to all Primary 6 and 7 and Year 10 pupils.
It challenged young bakers to use Fairtrade ingredients like chocolate, cocoa, sugar, icing sugar and bananas to make a tasty selection of tray bakes, cakes or buns.
At the grand final held in Cloonavin, judges declared Georgia from Dalriada School as the Senior Winner with Mark from Rasharkin Primary School winning the Junior section based on a number of criteria, including Fairtrade ingredients used, taste and overall presentation.
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Mayor Ivor Wallace said: “We are very proud that Causeway Coast and Glens has Fairtrade Community status.
“The council and Fairtrade Steering Committee have made great efforts to increase the number of outlets who provide Fairtrade options locally and to encourage more people to choose Fairtrade.
“Our Bake-Off competition proved very popular and allowed us to showcase the range and quality of products which are available to local consumers.
“I would like to thank the local schools who took part and contributed to the success of this initiative.
“Well done to all our young participants, and I hope they will continue to make Fairtrade choices in the future.”
Fiona Watters, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Fairtrade Group member, added: “We wanted to raise awareness of Fairtrade products and encourage their use among local school children and their families.
“Children in schools across the borough took on the challenge by researching the Fairtrade campaign, recipes and ingredients and made the most delicious Fairtrade cakes and buns.
“Everyone had a lot of fun getting creative in the kitchen while learning more about Fairtrade.”
The Bake-Off event was attended by the Mayor, James McMichael from Co-Op, who donated towards goody bags for finalists and took part in the judging panel, along with Paula Gibson from Co-Op and staff members Amanda and Leeann.
Fairtrade is a simple way to make a difference to the lives of the people who grow the things we all consume daily.
It provides better prices, decent working conditions, fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world and a chance to address climate justice.
To find Fairtrade products in your local shop look out for the distinctive Fairtrade Mark or check if your local café or restaurant displays a “We stock Fairtrade” sticker or poster.
When you buy Fairtrade products you are ensuring that thousands of producers in 57 poor and developing countries are paid a fair price and you’re supporting Third World workers to build classrooms, employ nurses, educate their children and invest in a better life.
n Interested in finding out more? For further information on Fairtrade across Northern Ireland please visit www.northernirelandfairtrade.org
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