This year we are proud to be celebrating 15 years as a Fair Trade Nation.

We started the year of celebrations with a successful event held at the Senedd, where members of the public, Members of the Senedd, Fair Trade community campaigners and more all came together to rejoice in all of the achievements Wales has made as a Fair Trade Nation and to look forward to the future. The event marked only the start of a year’s worth of celebrations, here are 15 ways you can celebrate Fair Trade and get involved to support Wales’ Fair Trade mission:

1. Have an event? Hire Pop Cycle 

Pop Cycle creates handmade, 100% Vegan and Fairtrade ice lollies all brought to you by a tricycle. The best part is you can hire Pop Cycle for events too! If you have an event coming up this year you’ll be sure to make your event’s guests smile as they tuck in to delicious Fairtrade and handmade ice lollies. 

2. Support local businesses 

Shopping local is a great way to support local businesses and their missions and to feel a part of your local community! Why not check out shops like Fair and Fabulous in the Teifi Valley or Karry’s Deli in Barry which boast a wide range of Fairtrade products and are run by people passionate about a more sustainable and fair world. See a full list of our Fairtrade retailers. 

3. Visit Jenipher’s Coffi Pop-up 

Jenipher’s Coffi have an exciting new pop-up in Porthcawl, what better way to support Fairtrade coffee, by enjoying a nice coffee by the beach. Through buying Fairtrade Coffee, like Jenipher’s Coffi, you ensure a fair price, greater respect for the environment and a premium that’s reinvested into host communities. It’s a win win! 

4. Join a local Fair Trade Campaign Group

If Fair Trade in Wales is all a bit new to you, we have many Fair Trade groups campaigning for a more fair, equitable and sustainable trading system. Fighting for global change alone can be intimidating, by getting involved in a community group you can campaign together towards a shared vision of the future. 

5. Walk some of Wales’ Fair Trade Ways 

The Fair Trade Ways are a series of walks, varying in length and difficulty, all built around Fair Trade. Why not celebrate 15 years as a Fair Trade Nation by doing one? The Carmarthenshire Fair Trade Way is a scenic route through the Towy Valley which links the Fair Trade Towns of Ammanford and Carmarthenshire. Routes can be found here.

6. Fairtrade Coffee morning/bake sale

Coffee and cake mornings are a great way to showcase a wide range of Fairtrade products, including coffee, tea, sugar, chocolate and various snacks. 

7. Fairtrade? Fair Fashion?

Fairtrade isn’t just about coffee and bananas, but buying Fairtrade goes as far as what clothes you wear and choosing to consume consciously. Fairtrade helps to support garment workers around the world, 80% of whom are women. Last Fairtrade Fortnight we hosted a panel discussion in partnership with SSAP (Sub-Sahara Advisory Panel) on fashion, race and climate justice. Catch up on the discussion to learn more. 

8. Fair Trade Football Match

The Fair Trade in Football campaign highlights the inequalities that exist within the rubber industry. Over the next year of Fair Trade celebrations, how about you get a group together from your local community to play a friendly game of football with a Fairtrade football? 

9. Go Bananas swim

We are so lucky in Wales to have such a vibrant and creative community of Fair Trade campaigners who continue to come up with innovative ways to celebrate and promote the Fair Trade movement. Newcastle Emlyn Fair Trade Group have created a tradition of ending Fairtrade Fortnight with a chilly swim at the beach to highlight the threat of climate change on farmers and workers worldwide. Why not get your swimmers on and take a dip? 

10. Fairtrade Wine Night

Did you know that wine can be Fairtrade too? By choosing Fairtrade wine, you are choosing to support projects that benefit producers and their loved ones! Since it’s a year of celebration, what better a thing to raise a glass with over a Fairtrade wine night? Alternatively, gifting Fairtrade wine for those special occasions. See where to buy Fairtrade wines, alcohol free options are also available. 

11.  Fairtrade Film Night

There’s lots of information about Fairtrade out there, but sometimes reading it all can be a little overwhelming. Luckily, there’s many free-to-watch films and videos available to watch online that explore the reach and difference Fairtrade can make. Organise a screening within your local community to incite a discussion about Fairtrade. A list can be found here. 

12. Fairtrade Quiz Night

Host a quiz night with your local community group or within school. A quiz is a perfect way to get people engaging with what Fairtrade means and everything it is helping to achieve. The Fairtrade Foundation even has a quiz already to go. 

13. Try Bay Coffee Roasters new Fairtrade Coffee

Nestled on the Ceredigion Coast Bay Coffee Roasters are a Great Taste Award winner and roast a variety of Fairtrade coffees, all produced by 100% renewable energy. At our 15 year celebration event at the Senedd, Bay Coffee Roasters launched their new Fairtrade Coffee, with notes of papaya, almond croissant and apple; it’s not one to be missed.

14. Tired Mums Coffee

Tired Mums Coffee strives to build an inclusive, welcoming and honest community for all mums to feel supported. They have a range of Fairtrade Coffee blends available to purchase online with all profits going towards boosting the motherhood community one cup of coffee at a time. Check out their products and campaigns. 

15. Cook Fairtrade 

So many Fairtrade products are now available that it is easy to incorporate Fairtrade into most meals. Celebrating doesn’t have to be attending an event but can be as simple and important as being conscious of what we put on the dinner table. Unsure of where to start, check out this helpful list of easy Fairtrade recipes. 

We can’t wait to see what you get up to celebrate 15 years since Wales became a Fair Trade Nation! Here’s to the future and looking forward to all of the things we can achieve as a Fair Trade Nation over the next 15 years.