It was great to be at the Fairtrade reception earlier this month presenting certificates to children from schools around Wolverhampton who had took part in the annual Fairtrade poster competition.

Well done to all the winners and runners up.

Wolverhampton’s history of fair trade kicked off in 1991 where we saw the first fair trade shop opening and the selling of fair trade products. In 2004, the City became a fair trade city and in 2016 the Fairtrade Foundation renewed that status. Since then, the Fair trade movement has developed significantly in the city; Wolverhampton has its own (Fairtrade) chocolate bar and most recently in November launched its very own ‘Wolverhampton Coffee’.

My annual Fairtrade coffee event was also a success this year and I’d like to congratulate the Wolverhampton Fairtrade Partnership for all of their hard work this year and putting Wolverhampton on the map when it comes to fairly traded products!